JPH09269624A - Packing method for photoreceptor belt - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade an impact in the vertical direction during transportation by projecting an elastically deformable core material inserted into a photoreceptor belt from its bottom end. SOLUTION: The elastically deformable core material 3 inserted into the photoreceptor belt is projected from its bottom end, so that the belt 1 is held to be hollow in a container 2 due to the restoring force of the core material 3. As the core material 3, a regular or irregular member capable of keeping the shape of the belt 1 a fixed shape such as a nearly cylindrical shape, for instance, when the core material 3 is inserted into the belt 1 and left standing and exerting the restoring force capable of restraining the belt 1 by the outer periphery of the core material 3, on the inside surface of the belt 1 can be used. Concretely, as the core material 3, a synthetic resin sheet 31 for fulfilling expansive force when the core material 3 is cylindrically wound can be used. In the synthetic resin sheet 31, a synthetic resin film, a rubber sheet, etc., are included.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for packaging a photoconductor belt, and more particularly to a method for packaging a photoconductor belt that can reliably prevent damage such as cracking of the surface of a photoconductive layer during transportation. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photoconductor belt formed by forming a sheet-shaped electrophotographic photoconductor in the form of an endless belt has flexibility in arrangement in an electrophotographic apparatus and can secure a large photosensitive area. Copiers, printers, etc.
It is suitable for devices that are desired to be downsized.

In the packaging of the photoconductor belt, a wrapping paper is wound around the surface of the photoconductor belt and accommodated in a container such as a corrugated cardboard in an upright state. Prevents damage.

[0004]

The photosensitive belt is made of PE.
Since the photosensitive layer is formed by coating the surface of a very thin film such as T, it has no rigidity, and a part of the lower end may be momentarily bent due to a vertical impact during transportation. As a result, cracks called cracking may occur on the surface of the photosensitive layer although they cannot be visually identified. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for packaging a photosensitive belt that can reliably prevent damage such as cracking of the photosensitive layer surface during transportation.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the packaging method of the present invention, a photosensitive belt as a sheet-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member formed in an endless belt shape is accommodated in an upright state in a container. In the packaging method, the elastically deformable core member inserted inside the photoconductor belt is projected from at least the lower end of the photoconductor belt, whereby the photoconductor belt is held hollow in the container by the restoring force of the core member. It is characterized by doing. That is, according to the above-mentioned packaging method, the lower end edge of the photosensitive belt can be separated from the bottom surface of the container to avoid a vertical impact during transportation.

Further, in the above packaging method, a columnar molded body made of an elastic resin is used by using a synthetic resin sheet which exerts a developing force when wound in a cylindrical shape as a core material. By using it as the core material, the photosensitive belt can be held more reliably in the space inside the container.

Further, in each of the above aspects, by winding a sheet-like packaging material around the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt,
During transportation, it is possible to prevent damage to the surface of the photosensitive layer due to sliding between the photosensitive belts or sliding between the photosensitive belt and the wall surface of the container.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a method for packaging a photosensitive belt according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a part of the packaging process of the method for packaging the photosensitive belt, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a part of the process of accommodating the photosensitive belt of FIG. 1 in a container, and FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the other form of the core material used for packaging. In the embodiment section, the packing method of the photosensitive belt is abbreviated as “packing method”, and the sheet-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member is abbreviated as “sheet-shaped OPC”.

First, the sheet-shaped O forming the photosensitive belt
The PC will be described. The sheet-shaped OPC is formed by forming a photosensitive layer on the conductive layer of a sheet-shaped support formed by forming a conductive layer on the surface of a synthetic resin film. Further, the photosensitive layer is preferably a laminated type in which a charge generation layer and a charge transfer layer are sequentially formed on the surface of a conductive layer via an undercoat layer, but a charge generation material, a charge transport material and a binder resin It may be a single layer type contained in one layer.

Various materials such as polyester and polycarbonate having a thickness of 50 to 200 μm are usually used as the material of the synthetic resin film constituting the above-mentioned sheet-like support. The conductive layer formed on the surface of the synthetic resin film is composed of a coating film of a conductive paint or a metal deposition film.

The coating film of the conductive paint is a synthetic resin prepared by dissolving a binder resin such as polymethylmethacrylate in toluene as a coating solvent and dispersing a conductive material such as carbon black therein. By coating on the surface of the film, it is usually formed to a dry thickness of 5 to 50 μm. A metal deposition film is usually formed by depositing a metal, typically aluminum, on the surface of a synthetic resin film, so that the metal film typically has a thickness of 100 to 2000 ° (0.01 to 0.2 μm).
It is formed with the thickness of.

In order to enhance the adhesion between the sheet-like support and the photosensitive layer described below, it is preferable to form an undercoat layer as a coating film on the surface of the conductive layer. The constituent material of the undercoat layer is
For example, it is prepared by dissolving copolymerized nylon (6, 6, 6, 12) and the like described in JP-A-63-113470 in butanol or the like. The range is 0.05 to 2 μn.

The photosensitive layer is formed by a coating solution of a photosensitive material. As such a coating liquid, various conventionally known ones composed of a photosensitive material and one or more kinds of solvents can be used. Examples of the charge generating substance include azo pigments such as Sudan red and Diane blue, as well as disazo pigments,
Examples thereof include quinone pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, pyrylium salts, and azurenium salts. As the charge transport material,
Examples thereof include compounds having a skeleton of a polyaromatic compound such as anthracene or pyrene or a nitrogen-containing cyclic compound such as indole or carbazole in a main chain or a side chain, and a hole transporting substance such as a hydrazone compound.

Examples of the binder resin for forming the photosensitive coating film include polycarbonate, polystyrene, polymethacrylates, polyesters, and cellulose esters. As a coating solvent, a solvent having high volatility and having a higher vapor density than air, for example, n
-Butylamine, diethylamine, ethylenediamine,
A solvent such as acetone is preferably used.

In the case of a single-layer type OPC, a coating solution for a photosensitive material is prepared by mixing the above charge generating substance, charge transporting substance, binder resin and coating solvent. In addition, stacked OP
In the case of C, the coating liquid of the photoconductor material is composed of the coating liquid for the charge generation layer, which is composed of the above charge generating substance, the binder resin and the coating solvent, and the above charge transporting substance, the binder resin and the coating solvent. And a coating liquid for the charge transport layer, which are to be described below, are separately prepared.

The concentration of each component in the coating solution is appropriately selected according to a known method. The concentration of the solid content is determined mainly according to the thickness of the layer to be formed. However, in the case of a coating solution for producing a single-layer type electrophotographic photoreceptor and for producing a laminated type electrophotographic photoreceptor, In the case of the coating liquid for the charge transport layer, the amount is preferably adjusted to 10 to 35% by weight or less. Further, in the case of these coating liquids, the viscosity is
Normally, it is 50 to 300 cps, and the dry film thickness is 15 to 4
It is preferable to set it to 0 μm.

The coating operation for forming each of the above layers is as follows.
A conventionally known coating method such as a die coater method can be adopted. And the obtained sheet O
The PC is formed into an endless belt by joining both ends thereof by ultrasonic welding or the like.

Next, the packaging method of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging method of the present invention is a packaging method in which a photoreceptor belt (1) as a sheet-shaped OPC formed in an endless belt shape is accommodated in a container (2) in an upright state. The elastically deformable core material (3) inserted inside the belt (1) is projected from at least the lower end of the photoconductor belt, so that the photoconductor belt (1) is reconstituted by the restoring force of the core material (3). 2) Keep it hollow inside.

As the core material (3), the photoreceptor belt (1) is used.
When it is inserted into the optical disk and left as it is, for example, a restoring force capable of holding the photosensitive belt (1) in a predetermined shape such as a substantially cylindrical shape and locking the photosensitive belt (1) on the outer periphery of the core material is provided. A fixed or amorphous member that can act on the inner surface of the photoreceptor belt (1) is used. Specifically, FIG. 1 (a)
As shown in (1), as the core material (3), it is possible to use a synthetic resin sheet (31) which exerts a developing force when wound in a cylindrical shape.

The synthetic resin sheet (31) includes a synthetic resin film, a foamed resin sheet, a rubber sheet and the like. The constituent material of the synthetic resin film is not particularly limited, for example, in addition to polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyether sulfone, polyarylate, etc. Is mentioned.

As the constituent material of the foamed resin sheet, various resins such as polypropylene, polyurethane and polystyrene can be mentioned. Further, as the constituent material of the rubber sheet, natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), nitrile rubber (NBR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPT)
-Rubber substances such as EPT), butyl rubber (IIR), and stereo rubber are included.

The synthetic resin sheet (31) can be wound into a smaller diameter than the photoreceptor belt (1) and has a sufficient restoring force of the photoreceptor belt (1) when left unattended because of its friction coefficient and rigidity. The thickness is set so that it can act on the inner peripheral surface. In particular, considering the locking force (friction force) against the inner surface of the photoconductor belt (1) and the ease of handling, it is about 0.5 to 20.
It is preferable that a foamed resin sheet (31) having a thickness of mm, preferably 1 to 5 mm is wound into a cylindrical shape and used as the core material (3). As such a foamed resin sheet (31), for example, Sekisui Literon Sheet S (trade name) manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd., etc., has a thickness of about 2 mm and an elongation of 60 to 80% (JIS. -K-6767), and a polyethylene sheet having closed cells having a compression set of about 2.0 to 3.0% (JIS-K-6767).

The synthetic resin sheet (31) is usually
One side, which is formed in a rectangular plane shape and corresponds to the axial length when wound, is set to be longer than the axial length of the photosensitive belt (1). Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, when the synthetic resin sheet (31) is inserted into the photoreceptor belt (1), the photoreceptor belt (1) is usually fed from at least one end of the photoreceptor belt (1). Insert so that the core material (3) projects from both ends.

The photosensitive belt (1) having the synthetic resin sheet (31) inserted therein is usually accommodated in a plurality of containers (2) such as corrugated cardboard, depending on its diameter (peripheral length). that time,
In order to prevent the surface of the photosensitive layer from being scratched, a sheet-like packaging material (4) is wound around the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt (1) as shown in FIG. 1 (c). Paper, non-woven fabric, or the like is used as the packaging material (4). The width of such a packaging material (4) is formed to be the same as or slightly wider than the width (axial length) of the photoconductor belt (1), and wound so as to cover the entire surface of the photoconductor belt (1). It is rotated and fixed by an appropriate means such as an adhesive tape.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the photoreceptor belt (1) whose surface is coated as described above is placed in an upright state in a container (2) such as a corrugated board. At that time, the synthetic resin sheet (3
1) Stand upright with one end on the protruding side facing downward. Of course, when the synthetic resin sheet (31) projects at both ends, either end may be directed downward. When the photoconductor belt (1) has a long circumference, it is not a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 2, but an elliptical shape having a substantially flat cross section orthogonal to its axis or a double U-shape with no corners. Photosensitive belt so that it has a shape (1)
It is also possible to appropriately store the belt in the circumferential direction, and in such a case, a large-diameter belt can be stored efficiently.

In the packaging method of the present invention, the elastically deformable core material (3) is projected from at least the lower end of the photoreceptor belt (1) so that the photoreceptor belt (1) is restored by the restoring force of the core material (3). ) Is retained on the outer periphery of the core material (3) to be kept hollow in the container (2), that is, the lower end edge of the photoreceptor belt (1) is held apart from the bottom surface of the container (2). Therefore, it is possible to avoid a vertical impact on the lower edge of the photoconductor belt (1) during transportation. Therefore,
It is possible to reliably prevent damage such as cracking on the surface of the photosensitive layer due to bending during transportation.

Further, by winding the sheet-shaped packaging material (4) around the peripheral surface of the photoconductor belt (1), the photoconductor belts (1) and (1) are conveyed to each other during transportation in the container (2). Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the photoreceptor belt (1) from sliding on the wall surface of the container (2) and prevent damage to the surface of the photosensitive layer.

In the packaging method of the present invention, various types of core materials can be applied instead of the core material (3) shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a columnar molded body (32) made of an elastic resin can be used as the core material (3). The molded body (32) is a columnar molded body having a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which three arms are radially extended. As the material of the molded body (32), a soft elastic material such as porous polyurethane foam and various rubbers is used, and the outer diameter of the molded body (32) is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the photosensitive belt (1). It is formed.

In the packaging method using the molded body (32) shown in FIG. 3, when the columnar molded body (32) made of elastic resin is reduced in diameter and inserted into the photoreceptor belt (1),
Similar to the above-described embodiment, the expanding body (32) is fitted into the cylinder of the photoconductor belt (1) and the restoring force is applied to the inner peripheral surface of the photoconductor belt (1). , The photoreceptor belt (1) is locked to the outer periphery of the molded body (32).

Therefore, the photoreceptor belt (1) is attached to the container (2).
When it is stored, it can be kept hollow in the container (2), and as a result, damage such as cracking of the surface of the photosensitive layer due to bending during transportation can be prevented.
Note that, similarly to the above-mentioned embodiment, when the sheet (2) is housed, the sheet-shaped packaging material (4) is usually wound around the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt (1) to thereby form a photosensitive layer surface. It is possible to prevent damage.

The packaging method using the molded body (32) as the core material (3) does not require winding like the above-mentioned synthetic resin sheet (31), so compression insertion using a machine or jig is required. The method is suitable for automating the packaging line.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the photosensitive belt is locked to the outer periphery of the core member by the restoring force of the core member,
Since the lower end edge of the photosensitive belt is held apart from the bottom surface of the container, it is possible to avoid a vertical impact on the lower end edge of the photosensitive belt during transportation, and the surface of the photosensitive layer may be bent due to bending during transportation. It is possible to effectively prevent damage such as cracking.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a part of a packaging step of a method for packaging a photosensitive belt.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken explanatory view of a step of accommodating the photosensitive belt of FIG. 1 in a container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another form of the core material used for packaging the photosensitive belt.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Photoconductor belt 2: Container 3: Core material 31: Synthetic resin sheet 32: Columnar molded body 4: Sheet-shaped packaging material Columnar molded body

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A packaging method for accommodating a photosensitive belt as a sheet-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member formed in an endless belt shape in a container in an upright state, wherein an elastically deformable core member inserted inside the photosensitive belt. A method for packaging a photoconductor belt, wherein the photoconductor belt is held hollow in the container by the restoring force of the core member by projecting the photoconductor belt from at least the lower end of the photoconductor belt. 2. The method for packaging a photosensitive belt according to claim 1, wherein a synthetic resin sheet that exhibits a developing force when wound in a cylindrical shape is used as a core material. 3. The method for packaging a photosensitive belt according to claim 1, wherein a columnar molded body made of an elastic resin is used as a core material. 4. The method for packaging a photosensitive belt according to claim 1, wherein a sheet-shaped packaging material is wound around the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt.