JPH09187820A - Reclaiming method of plastic part and cylinder assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make plastic parts fittingly fixed through as adhesive to a metal cylinder reusable. SOLUTION: Plastic gears 2 and 3 are respectively fittingly fixed through an adhesive to both the ends of an aluminum cylinder 1b of an electrohotographic photosensitive body 1. By immersing the plastic gear 2 and 3 portions in a cooling medium, the metal and plastic can be separated from each other due to the difference between the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal and that of the plastic. Since the plastic gears 2 and 3 can be removed indefectibly, the plastic gears can be reusable.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for remanufacturing a plastic part and a cylinder assembly using the remanufactured plastic part, for example, a method for remanufacturing a plastic gear for driving or a plastic flange, and more particularly to a plastic for an electrophotographic photoreceptor. The present invention relates to a method for remanufacturing a gear and a plastic flange, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member assembly using the remanufactured plastic gear and the plastic flange.

[0002]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of recycling plastic parts that can be reused by completely disassembling them from a metal cylinder, and a cylinder assembly regenerated by this method. With the goal.

[0003]

A first aspect of the present invention is to remove a plastic part from the cylinder by cooling an assembly in which a plastic part is fitted to a hollow cylindrical cylinder made of metal with an adhesive. It is a method of recycling a plastic part characterized by removing.

A second aspect of the present invention is the method for recycling plastic parts according to the first aspect, characterized in that the cooling of the assembly is performed by immersing the assembly in a cooling medium.

A third invention of the present invention is described in the second invention, characterized in that the cooling temperature of the assembly is 0 ° C. or lower, preferably −50 ° C. or lower, particularly preferably −80 ° C. or lower. It is a method of recycling plastic parts.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the cooling medium is ice,
Dry ice, mixed medium of dry ice and alcohol,
The method for recycling a plastic part according to the second invention is any one of liquid nitrogen.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the method for reclaiming plastic parts according to the fourth aspect, characterized in that the ice or dry ice is finely crushed granules.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is a cylinder assembly characterized in that a plastic part regenerated by the regenerating method of the first aspect is fitted and fixed in a hollow cylindrical cylinder.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is an electrophotographic photoreceptor in which a metal hollow cylindrical cylinder is provided with a photosensitive layer on the metal hollow cylindrical cylinder, and the plastic part is a plastic gear or a plastic flange. It is a cylinder assembly according to a sixth aspect of the invention.

[0010]

2. Description of the Related Art A drum-shaped photosensitive drum is often used as an electrophotographic photosensitive member. In this photosensitive drum, a photosensitive layer is provided on the outer circumference of a hollow cylindrical cylinder made of aluminum, and plastic gears or plastic flanges are fitted and fixed at both ends of the cylinder. Fixing methods include press fitting, caulking, and adhesion, but many are adhered. Further, rollers such as a charging roller, a developing sleeve, a transfer roller, a fixing roller, and a pressure roller are used in the image forming apparatus.
Among these, there is one in which a plastic gear or a plastic flange is fitted and fixed to the end of a metal hollow cylindrical cylinder.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A method of recycling a plastic gear or a plastic flange as a plastic part fixed to an electrophotographic photosensitive member will be described below as an embodiment, and a cylinder assembly made of metal having a photosensitive layer on the outer periphery thereof. An electrophotographic photosensitive member assembly in which a plastic gear or a plastic flange is fitted and fixed on both sides of a hollow cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member will be described as an example.

(Description of Assembly of Electrophotographic Photoreceptor) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrophotographic photoreceptor, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plastic flange, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a plastic gear. Figure 1 shows a hollow cylindrical cylinder 1a made of aluminum.
An electrophotographic photosensitive member assembly (hereinafter referred to as a drum) in which plastic gears 2 and 3 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are fitted to both ends of an electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 provided with a photosensitive layer 1b which will be described later in detail with an adhesive agent It is called an assembly). In some cases, instead of the plastic gear 2, the plastic flange 4 may be fitted into the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 with an adhesive. The plastic gears 2 and 3 and the plastic flange 4 are made of polycarbonate, for example.

FIG. 2 shows a plastic flange 4, which has a larger diameter than the fitting portion 4b fitted into the inner periphery of the end of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 via an adhesive and the fitting portion 4b adjacent to the fitting portion 4b. The flange portion 4a is provided, and the fitting portion 4b is chamfered 4c so that it can easily enter the end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 during assembly. Further, a recessed groove 4d having a smaller diameter than the fitting portion 4b is provided between the fitting portion 4b and the flange portion 4a.

FIG. 3 shows the plastic gear 2. The fitting portion 2b fitted into the inner periphery of the end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 via an adhesive is closely fitted to the inner periphery of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 and is concentric. One of the fitting portions 2b is concentrically provided with a gear portion 2a. The fitting portion 2b is chamfered 2c so that it can easily enter the end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 during assembly. In addition, the fitting portion 2b is provided between the fitting portion 2b and the gear portion 2a.
A smaller diameter circumferential recessed groove 2d is provided so that the end surface of the gear flange portion 2a1 that also functions as a reinforcement of the tooth provided at the end portion of the tooth of the gear portion 2a can be easily attached to the end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1. I am doing it. The plastic gear 2 meshes with a drive gear connected to a drive source on the image forming apparatus main body side, which will be described later, and receives a driving force.

FIG. 4 has a structure similar to that of FIG.
b, gear portion 3a, gear flange portion 3a1, chamfer 3c,
The recessed groove 3d is provided and the configuration thereof is based on the above description of FIG. The plastic gear 3 is used to drive a waste toner feeding member of a cleaning device, which will be described later, or to drive a transfer roller when the transfer means is a roller.

Such a drum assembly is adopted as a single unit or a process cartridge constituting member in the electrophotographic apparatus described later. The entire process cartridge is replaced due to exhaustion of the toner inside, and the used process cartridge is reused. When reusing this process cartridge,
The drum unit is removed from the process cartridge.

According to the present invention, the plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flange 4 which are fitted into the metal hollow cylindrical cylinder 1a of the base of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 via an adhesive agent are cooled to cool the cylinder. This is achieved by a method of remanufacturing the plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flange 4 to be removed from 1a.

As the cooling method, the cylinder 1a with the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 is dipped in the cooling medium. The cooling temperature is 0 ° C or lower, preferably -50 ° C or lower, and particularly preferably -80 ° C or lower.
Examples of the cooling medium include ice, dry ice, a mixed medium of dry ice and alcohol, and liquid nitrogen. It is advisable to crush solid materials such as ice and dry ice into fine pieces before use.

If the metal cylinder 1a is attached with the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 with an adhesive, the gear can be regenerated by the method of the present invention.

As the cylinder parts of the electrophotographic apparatus other than the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, there are a developing sleeve, a fixing roller, a pressure roller and the like. Those parts in which the plastic gear or the plastic flange is fitted to the end of the cylinder through the adhesive can regenerate the plastic gear or the plastic flange according to the present invention after the life of the cylinder.

In the case of the drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member 1,
Durable electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 plastic gears 2, 3
Alternatively, the plastic flange 4 is cooled and removed. Liquid nitrogen or the like is used as the cooling medium. The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flanges 4 are attached by attaching an adhesive to the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 having the photosensitive layer 1b on the outer periphery of the novel hollow cylindrical cylinder 1a made of metal, and are reused. can do.

The present invention is a method of achieving this by utilizing the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the metal cylinder 1a and the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4. For example, aluminum (2.3 x ^10-5 K ^-1 ) of the metal cylinder 1a
Compared with, the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 polycarbonate (7.0 × 10 ^-5 K ^-1 )
Has a large coefficient of thermal expansion, the polycarbonate tends to shrink when cooled. Therefore, when the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 adhered to the inner surface of the metal cylinder 1a are cooled, the metal cylinder 1
It contracts further than the contraction of the inner diameter of a. Then, the fixing by the adhesive is peeled off, and the metal cylinder 1a and the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 are separated.

Since the peeled plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flange 4 are cooled, they call moisture in the air and attach moisture to the surroundings. Therefore, when reused, dry them until the moisture disappears. It is preferable to use The adhesive attached to the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 may or may not be peeled off with a solvent.

The separated metal cylinder 1a can be regenerated as a metal or can be regenerated by re-forming the photosensitive layer 1b.

Further, the photosensitive layer 1b is formed by using the novel metal cylinder 1a, and the regenerated plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flange 4 are fitted into the novel metal cylinder 1a via an adhesive to form a plastic. It is possible to supply the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 having the gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flange 4.

As an example, the production of the above electrophotographic photosensitive member will be described.

Hollow cylindrical cylinder 1 made of aluminum
The electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 is prepared by providing the photosensitive layer 1b on the surface a. The structure of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 is shown below.

An undercoat layer having a barrier function and an adhesive function can be provided between the aluminum cylinder 1a and the photosensitive layer 1b. The subbing layer can be formed of casein, polyvinyl alcohol, nitrocellulose, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, polyamide, polyurethane, gelatin, aluminum oxide and the like. The thickness of the undercoat layer is 5 μm or less, preferably 0.5 to 3 μm.
In order for the undercoat layer to exert its function, the surface resistivity 1
It is desirable that it is not less than 0 ⁷ Ω · cm.

The photosensitive layer 1b is formed, for example, by coating a photoconductor such as an organic photoconductor with a binder, if necessary, by coating or by vacuum deposition. When an organic photoconductor is used, a photosensitive layer composed of a combination of a charge generation layer that generates charge carriers upon exposure and a charge transport layer capable of transporting the generated charge carriers can also be used effectively.

The charge generation layer is formed by depositing one or more kinds of charge generation materials such as azo pigments, quinone pigments, quinocyanine pigments, perylene pigments, indigo pigments, bisbenzimisol pigments, phthalocyanine pigments and quinacdrine pigments. Alternatively, it can be formed by coating with a suitable binder (without a binder) and coating.

The binder can be selected from a wide variety of insulating resins or organic photoconductive polymers. Examples of the insulating resin include polyvinyl butyral, polyarylate, polycarbonate, polyester, phenoxy resin, acrylic resin, polyacrylamide resin, polyamide, cellulosic resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, casein, polyvinyl alcohol, and the like. Also,
Examples of the organic photoconductive polymer include polyvinylcarbazole, polyvinylanthracene, and polyvinylpyrene.

The thickness of the charge generation layer is 0.01 to 15 μm,
The thickness is preferably 0.05 to 5 μm, and the weight ratio of the charge generation layer to the binder is 10: 1 to 1:20.

The solvent used for the charge generation layer coating material is selected from the solubility and dispersion stability of the resin and charge transport material used, but as the organic solvent, alcohols, sulfoxides, ethers, esters, Aliphatic halogenated hydrocarbons or aromatic compounds can be used.

The coating can be carried out by a dipping coating method, a spray coating method, a Meyer bar coating method, a blade coating method or the like.

The charge transport layer is formed by dissolving the charge transport material in a resin having film-forming properties. Examples of the organic charge transporting material used in the present invention include a hydrazone compound,
Examples include stilbene compounds, pyrazoline compounds, oxazole compounds, thiazole compounds, and triarylmethane compounds. These charge transport materials are 1
They may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of the binder used in the charge transport layer are phenoxy resin, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl butyral, polyacrylate, polysulfone, polyamide, acrylic resin, acrylonitrile resin, methacrylic resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinyl acetate resin, phenol resin, Epoxy resin, polyester, alkyd resin, polycarbonate resin such as polycarbonate A, polycarbonate Z, modified polycarbonate, polyurethane, or copolymer containing two or more of repeating units of these resins, for example, styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer , Styrene-maleic acid copolymer and the like. In addition, organic photoconductive polymers such as poly-N-vinylcarbazole, polyvinylanthracene, and polyvinylpyrene can be selected.

The thickness of the charge transport layer is 5 to 50 μm, preferably 8 to 20 μm, and the weight ratio of the charge transport material to the binder is 5: 1 to 1: 5, preferably 3: 1 to 1: 3.
It is a degree. The coating can be performed by the coating method as described above.

Further, since dyes, pigments, organic charge transporting substances and the like are generally vulnerable to stains by ultraviolet rays, ozone, oils and the like, metals and the like, a protective layer may be provided if necessary.
In order to form an electrostatic latent image on the protective layer, the surface resistivity is desirably 10 ¹¹ Ω or more.

For the protective layer, a resin such as polyvinyl butyral, polyester, polycarbonate, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, nylon, polyimide, polyarylate, polyurethane, styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-acrylic acid copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer is used as a suitable organic material. It can be formed by coating a solution dissolved in a solvent on the photosensitive layer and drying. At this time, the thickness of the protective layer is generally in the range of 0.05 to 20 μm. The protective layer may contain an ultraviolet absorber or the like.

The assembly of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 to which the plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic gear 2 and the plastic flange 4 are attached is cooled by the cooling method described first, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 and the plastic gear 2 or 3 or a plastic flange 4, a fitting gap is created and the adhesive is peeled off and separated. The separated plastic gear 2 or 3 or the plastic flange 4 is removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 as it is.

The plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 regenerated according to the present invention can be attached to the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 described above and used.

The recycled plastic gears 2, 3 or the recycled plastic flange 4 can be attached by an adhesive, press fit, caulking of the metal cylinder 1a, or the like.

When using an adhesive, the metal cylinder 1a
Adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the recycled plastic gears 2, 3
Alternatively, the recycled plastic flange 4 is inserted and fixed.

In the case of press fitting, the inner diameter of the metal cylinder 1a is made larger than the outer diameter of the fitting portion of the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4, and the metal cylinder 1a is inserted by pressure. The inner diameter of the metal cylinder 1a is preferably about 0.01 to 0.1 mm larger than the outer diameter of the fitting portions 2b, 3b, 4b of the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange.

In the case of caulking the metal cylinder 1a,
After inserting the recycled plastic gears 2, 3 or the recycled plastic flange 4 into the metal cylinder 1a, force is applied to the outer surface of the metal cylinder 1a to dent or bend the metal cylinder 1a so that the plastic gears 2, 3 or the plastic flange 4 are removed. It is fixed to the metal cylinder 1a.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic structure of a general transfer type electrophotographic apparatus using the assembly of the drum type electrophotographic photosensitive member manufactured in this way (referred to as a photosensitive drum).

In the figure, the photosensitive drum 12 of the present invention as an image bearing member is rotationally driven around the shaft 12a in the direction of arrow A at a predetermined peripheral speed. The photosensitive drum 12 is uniformly charged to its peripheral surface by a charging means 5 at a predetermined positive or negative potential in the course of its rotation, and then is exposed to an optical image by an image exposing means (not shown) (slit exposing laser). Beam scanning exposure). As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the exposure image is sequentially formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor.

The electrostatic latent image is then toner-developed by the developing means 7, and the developed image is transferred by the transfer means 8 from the paper feeding portion (not shown) to the photosensitive drum 1 between the photosensitive drum 12 and the transfer means 8.
It is sequentially transferred onto the surface of the transfer material 9 fed in synchronization with the rotation of 2.

The transfer material 9 that has received the image transfer is the photosensitive drum 12
Is separated from the surface of the sheet and is introduced into the image fixing means 14 to receive the image fixing, and is printed out as a copy.

After the transfer of the image, the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 is cleaned by the cleaning means 10 to remove the transfer residual toner, and is further discharged by the pre-exposure means 11 to be repeatedly used for image formation.

As the uniform charging means 5 for the photosensitive drum 12, a corona charging device or a charging roller is generally widely used. As the transfer means 8, a corona transfer means or a transfer roller is generally widely used.

As shown in FIG. 6, a process cartridge B, in which the primary charging means 5, the developing means 7, the cleaning means 10 and the photosensitive drum 12 around the photosensitive drum 12 are integrated into a cartridge, is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. The device is shown in FIG. In such a process cartridge B, a toner storage portion is provided in the developing means 7, and when the toner is used up, the process cartridge B is replaced.

The process cartridge B after use also has, for example, the photosensitive drum 12, and the photosensitive drum 1
2 has the plastic gears 2 and 3 or the plastic flanges 4 at both ends, and therefore the above-described method for recycling the plastic gears and the plastic flanges is applied, and is used for the method for recycling the process cartridge.

Further, when the electrophotographic apparatus is used as a copying machine or a printer, the light image exposure on the exposure section 6 is carried out by converting the reflected light or the transmitted light from the original document or the original document into a signal, and using this signal, the laser beam is emitted. This is performed by scanning a beam, driving an LED array, driving a liquid crystal shutter array, or the like.

[0055]

The present invention will be described below with reference to examples.

[Photoreceptor Production Example 1] The metal hollow cylindrical cylinder 1a was produced by hot extruding an aluminum tube having an outer diameter of 30.2 mm and cutting it into a length of 260.5 mm.
After cutting, the roundness is 20 μm and the surface roughness is Rmax 0.4.
μm, Ra 0.2 μm, outer diameter 29.9 mm, length 26
A 0.5 mm aluminum tube was obtained. The aluminum tube was washed with trichloroethane to obtain a conductive support.

Next, copolymer nylon (trade name: CM80
00, manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., and 4 parts of Type 8 nylon (trade name: Lackamide 5003, manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.), 50 parts of methanol, 5 parts of n-butanol.
It was dissolved in 0 part and was dipped onto the conductive support to apply it to form a polyamide subbing layer having a thickness of 0.6 μm.

Next, 10 parts of a disazo pigment having the following structural formula,

[0059]

Embedded image And 10 parts of polyvinyl butyral resin (trade name: S-Rex BM2, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) were dispersed together with 120 parts of cyclohexanone in a sand mill for 10 hours.
30 parts of methyl ethyl ketone was added to the dispersion and applied onto the undercoat layer to form a 0.15 μm thick charge generation layer.

Next, 10 parts of polycarbonate Z resin (manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Inc.) having a weight average molecular weight of 120,000 were prepared, and a hydrazone compound having the following structural formula was prepared.

[0061]

Embedded image It was dissolved in 80 parts of monochlorobenzene together with 10 parts. This was applied onto the charge generation layer to form a charge transport layer having a thickness of 16 μm, and an organic photoconductor (electrophotographic photoconductor 1) was manufactured.

Example 1 An assembly (see FIG. 1) of a used electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 of a laser beam printer (model LBP-SX manufacturer Canon Inc.) was prepared. on the other hand,
Liquid nitrogen was placed in a Dewar bottle in an amount of about 200 ml, and the plastic gear 2 with the used electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 was immersed therein. After 5 minutes, it was pulled up and the plastic gear 3 was pulled out. The plastic gear 3 on the opposite side was also removed in the same manner. It was left to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to dry the attached water. The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were not scratched or deformed.

Next, the organic photoreceptor 1 produced in Production Example 1
The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 are assembled to the organic photoreceptor assembly No. Played 1 As a procedure, first, a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive was applied to the inner end portion of the organic photoconductor 1 manufactured in Production Example 1. Subsequently, the recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were inserted, allowed to stand, and fixed.

Assembled No. of the reproduced organic photoconductor Image evaluation of 1 was performed. First, the regenerated organic photoconductor 1 is processed into a process cartridge (model EP-S manufacturer Canon Inc.).
Laser beam printer (model LBP-S
Image evaluation was performed by X manufacturer Canon Inc.). Even in the halftone image, no unevenness was observed, and a good image was obtained.

Example 2 An assembly of the used electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 of a laser beam printer (model LBP-SX manufacturer Canon Inc.) was prepared. Meanwhile, 100 grams of crushed dry ice and 100 ml of methanol (L)
Was placed in a Dewar bottle, and the plastic gear 2 with the used electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 was dipped therein. Pull up after 5 minutes,
I pulled out the plastic gear 2. The plastic gear 3 on the opposite side was also removed in the same manner. It was left at room temperature for 10 minutes to dry the attached water. The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were not scratched or deformed.

Next, the organic photoreceptor 1 produced in Production Example 1
The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 are assembled to the organic photoreceptor assembly No. Played 2 As a procedure, first, a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive was applied to the inner end portion of the organic photoconductor 1 manufactured in Production Example 1. Subsequently, the recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were fitted, left standing and fixed.

Assembled No. of the reproduced organic photoconductor The image evaluation of 2 was performed in the same manner as in Example 1. Even in the halftone image, no unevenness was observed, and a good image was obtained.

[Example 3] An assembly of the used electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 of a laser beam printer (model LBP-SX manufacturer Canon Inc.) was prepared. On the other hand, about 200 grams of crushed dry ice was placed in a Dewar bottle, and a plastic gear 2 with a used electrophotographic assembly was dipped therein. After 5 minutes, it was pulled up and the plastic gear 2 was pulled out. The plastic gear 3 on the opposite side was also removed in the same manner. It was left at room temperature for 10 minutes to dry the attached water. The recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were not scratched or deformed.

Next, using the organic photoconductor 1 manufactured in Production Example 1, the organic photoconductor assembly No. 1 having the plastic gears 2 and 3 assembled with the regenerative plastic gears 2 and 3 was assembled. Played 3 As a procedure, first, an epoxy adhesive was applied to the inner surface end portion of the organic photoconductor 1 manufactured in Production Example 1. Subsequently, the recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 were fitted, left standing and fixed.

Assembled No. of the reproduced organic photoconductor The image evaluation of 3 was performed in the same manner as in Example 1. Even in the halftone image, no unevenness was observed, and a good image was obtained.

Comparative Example 1 An assembly of the used electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 of a laser beam printer (model LBP-SX manufacturer Canon Inc.) was prepared. A thin metal rod was inserted through the hole of the plastic gear 3 and hit to remove the plastic gear 2 on the opposite side. The remaining plastic gear 3 was also hit and removed. The removed plastic gears 2 and 3 were deformed by crushing the hit part.

Next, using the organic photoreceptor 1 produced in Production Example 1, the assembly No. 1 of the organic photoreceptor with the plastic gears 2 and 3 to which the reclaimed plastic gears 2 and 3 that have been hit and removed are attached. Played 4 The procedure is as follows: Production Example 1
A cyanoacrylate-based adhesive was applied to the inner end portion of the organic photoconductor 1 prepared in. Subsequently, the recycled plastic gears 2 and 3 which were removed by beating were fitted, left standing and fixed.

This organic photoreceptor assembly No. 4 is a laser beam printer (model LBP-SX) as in the first embodiment.
Image evaluation by the manufacturer Canon Inc.)
Density unevenness occurred in a halftone at a 91 mm pitch, and the poor precision of the plastic gears 2 and 3 was output as an image defect.

[0074]

According to the present invention, by cooling, it is possible to completely remove a plastic part fitted and fixed in a hollow metal cylinder made of metal with an adhesive. Also, the cylinder can be completely removed. Therefore, it greatly contributes to the reproducing method.

The operation is only to infiltrate the assembly with the cooling medium, and the productivity is good.

The cooling temperature can be 0 ° C. or lower, preferably −50 ° C. or lower, particularly preferably −80 ° C.
The cylinder and plastic parts can be separated by:

The cooling medium is ice, dry ice, a mixed medium of dry ice and alcohol, or liquid nitrogen, all of which are commonly used in industry.

Ice or dry ice can be suitably cooled as granules.

The plastic parts disassembled by the above method can be fitted and fixed to the hollow cylindrical cylinder, and the cylinder assembly can be reused.

The cylinder assembly described above can be applied to an electrophotographic photoreceptor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 Each of the drawings shows an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a driving cylinder member in which a plastic gear is coupled to an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plastic flange.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plastic gear.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another plastic gear.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of an electrophotographic apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with a process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electrophotographic photosensitive member 1a ... Metal cylinder 1b ... Photosensitive layer 2 ... Plastic gear 2a ... Gear part 2a1 ... Gear flange part 2b ... Fitting part 2c ... Chamfer 2d ... Slotted groove 3 ... Plastic gear 3a ... Gear part 3a1 ... Gear Flange portion 3b ... Fitting portion 3c ... Chamfer 4 ... Plastic flange 4a ... Flange portion 4b ...
Fitting part 4c ... Chamfering 4d ... Slot groove 5 ... Charging means 6 ... Exposure part 7 ... Developing means 8 ... Transfer means 9 ... Transfer material 10 ... Cleaning means 11 ... Pre-exposure means 12 ... Photosensitive drum 12a ... Shaft 14 ... Fixing means B ... Process cartridge

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method of remanufacturing a plastic part, wherein the plastic part is removed from the cylinder by cooling an assembly in which a plastic part is fitted in a hollow cylindrical cylinder made of metal with an adhesive. 2. The method of recycling plastic parts according to claim 1, wherein the cooling of the assembly is performed by immersing the assembly in a cooling medium. 3. The method for recycling plastic parts according to claim 2, wherein the cooling temperature of the assembly is 0 ° C. or lower, preferably −50 ° C. or lower, particularly preferably −80 ° C. or lower. 4. The method for recycling plastic parts according to claim 2, wherein the cooling medium is any one of ice, dry ice, a mixed medium of dry ice and alcohol, and liquid nitrogen. 5. The method for recycling a plastic part according to claim 4, wherein the ice or dry ice is a finely crushed granular material. 6. A cylinder assembly, wherein a plastic part regenerated by the regenerating method according to claim 1 is fitted and fixed in a hollow cylindrical cylinder. 7. A hollow cylindrical cylinder made of metal is an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which a photosensitive layer is provided on a hollow cylindrical cylinder made of metal, and the plastic part is a plastic gear or a plastic flange. The cylinder assembly according to claim 6.