JPH0713347A - Manufacture of electrophotographic photoreceptor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a manufacturing method for the electrophotographic photosensitive body with which the surface of the coated film is made uniform, and the uniform electrophotographic characteritic can be obtained and the processes can be made simple. CONSTITUTION:A method for manufacturing the electrophotogrphic photosensitive body having a photosensitve layer on an electric conductive supporting body is characterized by the heating drying by using a drying assisting member 2 for the heating from the supporting body side. Accordingly, the manufacturing method for the electrophotographic photosensitive body with which the surface of the coated film is made uniform, and the uniform electrophotographic characteristic can be obtained and the processes can be made simple, can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member which can be widely used in electrophotographic application fields such as electrophotographic copying machines, laser beam printers, facsimiles, CRT printers and electrophotographic plate making systems. More specifically, it relates to a drying step in the method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

[0002]

Inorganic photoconductive materials such as selenium, cadmium sulfide and zinc oxide and organic photoconductive materials such as polyvinylcarbazole, oxadiazole and phthalocyanine have been widely put into practical use as photoconductive materials for electrophotographic photoreceptors. .

As a matter of course, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is required to have predetermined sensitivity, electric characteristics, mechanical characteristics and optical characteristics according to the electrophotographic process applied. Further, these properties are required to be uniform at least in the image forming area of the photosensitive layer.

Conventionally, there has been a problem that electrical characteristics and image characteristics are impaired due to non-uniformity of the photosensitive layer.

The non-uniformity of the coating film of the photosensitive layer is mostly due to the adhesion of the coating film, the agglomeration of the photosensitive material, the adhesion of dust and dust, and the surface of the coating film is also affected by the heat history of the drying process during the manufacturing process. There are problems such as unevenness such as unevenness, and unevenness in sensitivity and electrical characteristics of the electrophotographic photosensitive member even if the appearance is uniform.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems of non-uniformity of characteristics of conventional electrophotographic photosensitive members and non-uniformity of coating film surface due to thermal history, and has no characteristic unevenness and smoothness. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus having a surface and being easily manufactured.

[0007]

That is, according to the present invention, in a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, heat drying is performed by using a drying auxiliary member heated from the side of the support. A method for producing a characteristic electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Examples of the drying auxiliary member arranged inside the cylindrical conductive support include metals such as aluminum, copper, iron and brass, pottery and porcelain.

Considering formability and workability, metal, especially aluminum is preferable.

The drying assisting member disposed inside the support has a cylindrical shape or a cylindrical shape so that the coating film applied on the support is dried uniformly from the inside of the support. It is preferable that the shape is such that

Similarly, the auxiliary drying members disposed above and below the support are cylindrical or cylindrical inside the support in order to uniformly dry the coating film applied on the support. From the above, a shape capable of uniformly applying heat is preferable, and a shape that seals the support may be used.

If the volume of the auxiliary drying member is 5% or more and 90% or less with respect to the outer diameter volume of the conductive support,
The drying auxiliary member may be longer than the support. However,
In consideration of handling and the size of the drying device, it is preferable that the size is about the same as or shorter than the support.

If the volume of the drying auxiliary member is 90% or more, it is difficult to handle, and if it is 5% or less, sufficient heat cannot be applied to the support side, and the characteristics of the photosensitive layer tend to be uneven.

Normally, the drying auxiliary member absorbs heat in the drying furnace and is warmed up. Alternatively, heat may be applied by using a means such as circulating a liquid in the drying auxiliary member or sending hot air. Good.

Regarding the photosensitive layer provided on the support,
There is no particular limitation, and a known photoconductive material may be formed by a known means.

[0016]

EXAMPLES Next, the present invention will be described with reference to examples. Example 1 φ30 as a support, length 346 mm, wall thickness 0.75 m
m aluminum cylinder was prepared.

Then, layers having the following constitution were sequentially laminated and applied to form a photosensitive layer. (1) Conductive coating layer: Mainly composed of powder of tin oxide and titanium oxide dispersed in phenol resin. Film thickness 18
μm. (2) Undercoat layer: Mainly composed of modified nylon and copolymer nylon. Film thickness 1.0 μm. (3) Charge generation layer: Mainly composed of a disazo pigment having absorption in the visible region dispersed in an acrylic resin. Film thickness 0.2
μm. (4) Charge transport layer: Mainly composed of a hydrazone compound having hole transportability dissolved in a polycarbonate resin. The film thickness is 25 μm.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a drying apparatus used for film formation after coating each layer.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the drying auxiliary member 2 arranged in the drying device 1 is arranged inside the aluminum cylinder, and the drying process is performed in the drying device.

At this time, the drying auxiliary member had a cylindrical shape of φ26 and had the same length as the aluminum cylinder.

Using a copying machine NP2020 manufactured by Canon, the sensitivity characteristics and the image of this were evaluated. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 2 A photosensitive drum was prepared by applying the same coating solution as in Example 1 except that the drying auxiliary member had a form as shown in FIG. 2 (outer diameter φ26, inner diameter φ20). Similar evaluation was performed. The results are shown in Table 1.

Example 3 The same photosensitive solution as in Example 1 except that the drying auxiliary member having the form as shown in FIG. 3 is arranged in the upper and lower parts of the cylinder to allow hot air to pass through. Was applied to prepare a photosensitive drum, and the same evaluation was performed. The results are shown in Table 1.

Embodiment 4 A drying auxiliary member having a form as shown in FIG. 4 (inner diameter φ30, folding length in cylinder 700 mm) is used, and a liquid is allowed to flow inside the drying auxiliary member φ8.
A photosensitive drum was prepared by applying the same photosensitive solution as in Example 1 except that a cylinder having a length of 0 and a length of 360 mm was used, and the same evaluation was performed. Canon NP382 as an evaluation machine
5 was used. The results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 1 A photosensitive drum was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the drying auxiliary member was not used. The results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 2 A photosensitive drum was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a drying auxiliary member having a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter of φ26, an inner diameter of φ22 and a length of 70 mm was used. It was The results are shown in Table 1.

[0027]

[0028]

As described above, the production method of the present invention can improve the characteristic defects and appearance defects of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, obtain good quality, and facilitate the production. , Industrially very advantageous.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a drying device used in a manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a drying device used in the manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a drying device used in the manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a drying device used in the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Drying device 2 Drying auxiliary member 3 Cylinder 4 Liquid inlet and outlet

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Takao Soma 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein the drying is performed by using a drying auxiliary member which is heated from the support side. Method. 2. The support has a cylindrical shape, the drying auxiliary member is disposed inside the support, and the volume of the drying auxiliary member is 5% of the outer diameter volume of the support. The method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content is at least 90%. 3. The support has a cylindrical shape, the drying auxiliary member is disposed inside and above the support, and the total volume of the drying auxiliary member is an outer diameter volume of the support. The method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content is 5% or more and 90% or less.