JPH0320748A - Manufacturing device for photosensitive body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To uniformize the concentration of a coating fluid and to eliminate unevenness of a photosensitive layer by circulating the photosensitive coating fluid in a immersion vessel and jetting it into the bottom of the vessel to cause a vortex in the fluid. CONSTITUTION:The uniform photosensitive layer is obtained by immersing a cylindrical substrate 1 into the photosensitive coating fluid 2 contained in the immersing vessel 3 of this device, then pulling it up at a constant speed to coat the outer circumference of the substrate 1 with the fluid 2, and at a desired time, drawing the fluid 2 from a drawing outlet 32 through a circulating pipe 41 by a pump 42, introducing through the pipe 41 into the bottom of the vessel 3, jetting the fluid 2 out of a nozzle 5 for causing the vortex to agitate the fluid 2 by the vortex.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to a photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing photoreceptors used in electrophotographic devices, etc., in which a photoreceptor substrate is coated with a photosensitive coating liquid. The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a photoreceptor, which forms a photosensitive layer on the photoreceptor substrate by coating the photoreceptor substrate with a photosensitive coating liquid by immersing the photoreceptor in a dipping bath.

[Prior art and its problems] Traditionally, in manufacturing photoreceptors used in electrophotographic devices, etc., the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in a dipping bath containing a photosensitive coating liquid, and then the photoreceptor is soaked in the photoreceptor. A photoconductor manufacturing device that lifts a body substrate from a dipping tank at a constant speed, applies a photosensitive coating liquid onto the photoconductor substrate, and dries it to form a photosensitive layer on the photoconductor substrate. is widely used.

If a photoreceptor is manufactured using such a photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus, the solvent in the surface layer of the photosensitive coating liquid stored in the dipping tank will evaporate rapidly, causing the photoreceptor to be damaged. During manufacturing, the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid in the surface layer gradually increases. Then, in a state where the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid in the surface layer is high, the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in the dipping tank as described above, and is pulled up from the dipping tank at a constant speed to remove the photoreceptor. When a photosensitive coating liquid is applied onto a substrate, uneven coating occurs in the photosensitive coating liquid applied onto the photoreceptor substrate, which causes unevenness in the photosensitive layer formed on the photoreceptor substrate. did.

Therefore, when such a photoreceptor is used in an electrophotographic device, etc., the unevenness of the photosensitive layer formed on the photoreceptor substrate causes unevenness in the acceptance potential and sensitivity of the photoreceptor, resulting in poor image quality. There were problems such as a decrease in

Therefore, various measures have been taken in the past in photoconductor manufacturing apparatuses such as those described above to prevent uneven coating of the photosensitive coating liquid applied onto the photoconductor substrate.

For example, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-87073, when pulling up the photoreceptor substrate immersed in the immersion tank as described above, the photoreceptor substrate is pulled up while rotating. Also, JP-A-60-146
In the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 242, the coating liquid contained in the dipping tank in which the photoreceptor substrate is immersed is drawn out by a pump, and is again jetted out below the surface of the coating liquid in the dipping tank.

However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-87073, the photoreceptor substrate immersed in a dipping tank is pulled up while being rotated. However, it is not possible to equalize the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion tank, and the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid in the surface layer remains high, and the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid on the photoreceptor substrate remains high. There was a problem that unevenness occurred in the photosensitive layer formed.

In addition, in the device disclosed in JP-A No. 60-146242, the photosensitive coating liquid stored in the i-receiving tank is drawn out by a pump, and this is applied to the coating liquid level in the cylinder. Because it is only meant to squirt downwards,
Although the coating liquid contained in the dipping tank is agitated to some extent,
The photosensitive coating liquid, which has a high concentration in the surface layer, is not stirred sufficiently, and the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid in the surface layer remains high, causing unevenness in the photosensitive layer formed on the photoreceptor substrate. There was a problem that occurred.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention is directed to coating a photoreceptor substrate by immersing the photoreceptor substrate in a dipping bath containing a photosensitive coating liquid, applying the photosensitive coating liquid onto the photoreceptor substrate, and applying the photosensitive coating liquid onto the photoreceptor substrate. The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in a photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus on which a photoreceptor layer is formed.

That is, the present invention eliminates density unevenness in the photosensitive coating liquid stored in the immersion tank in the above-mentioned photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus, so that the photosensitive layer formed on the photoreceptor substrate has no unevenness. When this photoreceptor is used in an electrophotographic device, it is possible to produce high-quality images without causing uneven reception potential or sensitivity and deteriorating image quality as in the past. The three objectives are to be able to obtain images.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention immerses a photoreceptor substrate in a dipping tank containing a photosensitive coating liquid,
In a photoconductor manufacturing apparatus that applies a photosensitive coating liquid onto the photoconductor substrate and forms a photosensitive layer on the photoconductor substrate, the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank is circulated. At the same time, a vortex generating nozzle for generating a vortex in the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion tank is provided at a spouting point of the circulation means at the bottom of the immersion tank. I decided to set it up.

[Function] In the photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus configured as described above, the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank is circulated by the circulation means and guided to the bottom of the dipping tank, and the photosensitive coating liquid is circulated at the bottom of the dipping tank. In spouting out the photosensitive coating liquid, the circulated photosensitive coating liquid is jetted out from a vortex generation nozzle provided at the spouting point of the circulation means, and a vortex is generated in the photosensitive coating liquid housed in the dipping tank. The photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion tank is stirred by this process.

As a result, the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion bath is uniformly stirred and its concentration becomes uniform, eliminating unevenness in the photosensitive coating liquid applied onto the photoreceptor substrate, and ensuring that the photosensitive coating liquid is uniformly coated on the photoreceptor substrate. A photosensitive layer comes to be formed.

Note that the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank is circulated by the circulation means and ejected from the vortex generating nozzle, and the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank is agitated by the vortex as described above. The step may be carried out until just before the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in the dipping bath, or it may be carried out when the photoreceptor substrate immersed in the dipping bath is pulled up.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be specifically described based on the accompanying drawings.

In this example, a cylindrical photoreceptor substrate (1) is used, and as shown in FIG. ) is housed in the dipping tank (3), and then the photoreceptor substrate (1) is pulled up at a constant speed from inside the dipping tank (3>), and the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptor substrate (1) is photosensitive coating liquid (2
) and coat the photoreceptor substrate (1) in this way.
Dry the photosensitive coating liquid (2) applied to the outer peripheral surface of
A photoreceptor is manufactured in which a photoreceptor layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a photoreceptor base (1).

Here, in this example, a circulation means (
4), as shown in the same figure, the immersion tank (3)
), a suction port (32) is provided at a position slightly below the liquid level of the photosensitive coating liquid (2>) housed in this immersion tank (3), and from this suction port (32) A circulation pipe (41) leading to the bottom of the immersion tank (3) is arranged, and a pump (4) is placed at an appropriate position on this circulation pipe (41).
2).

Then, the dipping tank (3) containing the photosensitive coating liquid (2) is installed.
), the photosensitive coating liquid (2) in the vicinity of the surface layer, whose concentration has increased due to evaporation of the solvent, is transferred to the pump (42).
) through the circulation pipe (4) to the suction port (32).
through this circulation pipe (41) to the immersion tank (
I try to lead it to the bottom of 3〉.

In addition, in order to discharge the photosensitive coating liquid (2) thus led to the bottom of the dipping tank (3) at the bottom of the dipping tank (3), the circulation pipe (41) described in -E must be A vortex generating nozzle (5) is provided at the ejection location.

Here, in this example, a vortex generating nozzle <5) for spouting the circulated photosensitive coating liquid (2) at the bottom of the dipping tank (3) is used as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this way, two nozzle parts (52) are provided on the outer periphery of a nozzle base (51) formed in a cylindrical shape, each extending outwardly in an arcuate manner. There is.

Then, at the bottom of the immersion tank (3), the photosensitive coating liquid (2
) in each nozzle part (
52) and stored in the dipping tank (3), the photosensitive coating liquid 2) ejected from these nozzles (52) is transferred to the photosensitive coating liquid 2) ejected from these nozzles (52). The vortex flow (2) is used to agitate the photosensitive coating liquid 2) contained in the dipping tank (3) to make the concentration uniform.

As mentioned above, the photosensitive coating liquid (2) contained in the dipping tank (3) is circulated by the circulation means (4) and ejected from the vortex generating nozzle (5), and the ejected photosensitive coating liquid (2) is The timing of stirring the photosensitive coating liquid (2) contained in the dipping tank (3) by the vortex of the liquid (2) is not particularly limited. It is possible to carry out the process until just before dipping, or to carry out the process when the photoreceptor substrate (1) immersed in the dipping tank (3) is pulled up from the dipping tank (3).

In any of these cases, the photosensitive coating liquid (2) is evenly and uniformly applied to the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor base (1), and the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor base (1) is evenly coated. A photoreceptor with a uniform photoreceptor layer was obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, in the photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in a soaking tank containing a photosensitive coating liquid, and the photosensitive coating liquid is applied. In coating the photoreceptor substrate to form a photosensitive layer on the photoreceptor substrate, a circulation means is provided for circulating the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank and spouting it from the bottom of the dipping tank. A vortex-generating nozzle is provided at the ejection point of the circulation means at the bottom of the dipping tank, and the photosensitive coating liquid circulated by the circulation means is jetted from the vortex-generating nozzle to spray the photosensitive coating liquid stored in the dipping tank. The liquid is stirred by the vortex, and the concentration of the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion tank is made uniform.

As a result, in the photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, when the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in a dipping bath containing a photosensitive coating liquid and the photosensitive coating liquid is applied onto the photoreceptor substrate, Since the photosensitive coating liquid stored in the dipping tank is stirred as described above and its concentration is made uniform, there is no possibility of uneven coating of the photosensitive coating liquid applied onto the photoreceptor substrate. , it has become possible to obtain a photoreceptor in which a uniform photoreceptor layer is formed on the photoreceptor substrate.

In addition, when the photoreceptor obtained in this way is used in an electrophotographic device, etc., the photoreceptor layer is uniformly formed on the photoreceptor substrate, so unlike conventional methods, the acceptance potential and sensitivity are affected by the unevenness of the photoreceptor layer. High-quality images can now be obtained without any unevenness or deterioration in image quality.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a vortex generation nozzle used in the same embodiment. . (1>...Photoconductor base (3)...Immersion tank (5)...Vortex generation nozzle (2)...Photosensitive coating liquid (4)...Circulation means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. immersing the photoreceptor substrate in a dipping tank containing a photosensitive coating liquid, and applying the photosensitive coating liquid onto the photoreceptor substrate;
In a photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus that forms a photosensitive layer on a photoreceptor substrate, a circulation means is provided for circulating the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the dipping tank and spouting it from the bottom of the dipping tank; An apparatus for manufacturing a photoreceptor, characterized in that a vortex-generating nozzle for generating a vortex in the photosensitive coating liquid contained in the immersion tank is provided at a spouting point of the circulation means at the bottom of the immersion tank.