JPH10165877A - Continuous coating applicator and continuous coating method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve coatability without coating film defects, such as unequal coating and fluctuation in film thicknesses, by preventing the transfer of vibration to a coating means even if the vibration occurs at the time of clamping of cylindrical base materials. SOLUTION: This device includes the coating means 40 which continuously applies a coating liquid on the outer peripheral surfaces of the cylindrical base materials 1 while aligning the cylindrical axes of these base materials, stacking the base materials and pushing the base materials perpendicular from below to above in the ring of the annular coating applicator, a supplying means 10 which supplies the cylindrical base materials 1 to the coating means 40, a clamping and transporting means 20 which transports the cylindrical base materials 1 while correcting the differences in level for clamping and stacking the cylindrical base materials, a positioning means 30 which aligns the centers of the cylindrical base materials 1 to the annular center of the annular coating applicator, a means 50 which dries or dries and adjusts the coated cylindrical base materials 1 and a separating and discharging means 60 which takes out the cylindrical base materials 1 after the coating. At least one cylindrical base materials 1 which are not clamped by the clamping and transporting means 20 are made to exist between the positioning means 30 and the clamping and transporting means 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vertical coating apparatus and method for continuously applying a coating liquid on a plurality of cylindrical substrates, and more particularly, to supplying, transporting, positioning, and supplying the cylindrical substrates. The present invention relates to a continuous coating device and a continuous coating method for coating, drying, and carrying out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various methods such as spray coating, dip coating, blade coating, roll coating, etc. are used in connection with thin and uniform coating on the outer surface of a cylindrical substrate having a continuous surface formed endlessly. Methods are being considered. In particular, a thin and uniform coating such as an electrophotographic photosensitive drum is being studied to develop a coating apparatus having excellent productivity. However, the conventional coating apparatus and coating method for a cylindrical substrate having a continuous surface formed endlessly have disadvantages such as a failure to obtain a uniform coating film and poor productivity.

In the spray coating method, the solvent evaporates before the coating droplet ejected from the spray gun reaches the outer peripheral surface of the endlessly formed cylindrical substrate having a continuous surface. When the solid concentration increased, and the viscosity of the applied droplets increased accordingly, and the droplets reached the surface, the droplets did not spread sufficiently on the surface, or dried and solidified. Since the particles adhere to the surface, a product having good smoothness on the coated surface cannot be obtained. Also,
The arrival rate of droplets on the cylindrical substrate having the continuous surface is 100
%, And the coating liquid is lost or partially non-uniform, making it very difficult to control the film thickness. Furthermore, since stringing may occur in a polymer solution or the like, the solvent and resin used are limited.

In the blade coating method and the roll coating method, for example, a blade or a roll is arranged in the longitudinal direction of a cylindrical substrate, the cylindrical substrate is rotated to perform coating, and the cylindrical substrate is rotated once. , Blades or rolls are retracted. However, when the blade or the roll is retracted, there is a disadvantage that a portion of the coating film thickness is thicker than other portions due to the viscosity of the coating solution, and a uniform coating film cannot be obtained.

[0005] The dip coating method improves the above-mentioned problems of poor surface smoothness of the coating solution and uniformity of the coating film.

However, the control of the coating film thickness is governed by the properties of the coating liquid, such as viscosity, surface tension, density, temperature, etc., and the coating speed, and the adjustment of the physical properties of the coating liquid is very important. In addition, the coating speed is low, and a certain amount or more of liquid is required to fill the coating liquid tank. Further, when layers are formed, there is a disadvantage that the lower layer components are dissolved and the coating solution tank is easily contaminated.

[0007] Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-189061, a circular amount-regulated type coating apparatus (including a slide hopper type coating apparatus) has been developed. This slide hopper type coating apparatus surrounds the periphery of the cylindrical base material while continuously moving the cylindrical base material having a continuous peripheral surface formed endlessly in the longitudinal direction thereof, with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base material. The coating apparatus is for applying a coating liquid. The coating apparatus further includes an annular coating liquid storage chamber, a supply port for supplying a coating liquid from outside to a part of the coating liquid storage chamber, and the coating liquid storage chamber. Having a coating liquid distribution slit that opens inward, and allows the coating liquid flowing out of this slit to flow down onto a coating liquid slide surface that is inclined obliquely downward,
A bead is formed at a small gap between the hopper application surface at the lower end of the application liquid slide surface and the cylindrical substrate, and the outer peripheral surface is applied as the cylindrical substrate moves. By using this slide hopper type coating apparatus, coating can be performed with a small amount of liquid, the coating liquid is not contaminated, and the coating with high productivity and easy control of the film thickness can be performed.

Means for gripping and transporting the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 3-21371 and Hei 4-53.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-27456 discloses a positioning means.
8 and JP-A-3-280063, the drying means is disclosed in JP-A-6-308747 and JP-A-7-64.
No. 306, respectively.

[0009]

However, the use of the slide hopper type coating apparatus still has various problems and is not yet satisfactory.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the conventional problems. The object of the present invention is to achieve the following: (a) a coating film using a coating solution to be used is uniform; There is no coating defect such as fluctuation, and the coatability is improved.

(B) The gripping and transporting performance of the cylindrical substrate is improved, and long-term stable coating is enabled.

(C) Stabilize the gripping / transporting performance of the cylindrical substrate and prevent deformation and damage of the cylindrical substrate.

(D) The productivity is improved by making the production process of supplying, transporting, positioning, coating, drying, and carrying out the cylindrical substrate continuous and stable.

(E) By continuously and completely automating the above steps, foreign substances such as dust and dust are prevented from being mixed, and a high quality product is obtained.

(F) Even if vibration occurs during gripping of the cylindrical base material, by preventing the vibration from being transmitted to the coating means, there is no coating defect such as coating unevenness and variation in film thickness, and coating property is improved. improves.

An object of the present invention is to provide an excellent continuous coating apparatus and a continuous coating method which achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[0017]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) The continuous coating apparatus according to the present invention is arranged such that the cylindrical substrates are stacked with their cylindrical axes aligned, and the coating liquid is applied on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate while vertically pushing up the ring of the annular coating apparatus from bottom to top. Coating means, a supply means for supplying a cylindrical base material to the coating means, a gripping / transporting means for transporting the cylindrical base material while correcting the gripping step and stacking the cylindrical base material, Positioning means for aligning the center of the cylindrical substrate with an annular center, means for drying or adjusting the applied cylindrical substrate, and separation and discharge means for taking out the coated cylindrical substrate. In the continuous coating apparatus provided, at least one cylindrical base material not gripped by the gripping / transporting means is present between the positioning means and the gripping / transporting means (claim) Departure of item 1 Akira).

(2) In the continuous coating method of the present invention, the cylindrical substrates are stacked with their cylindrical axes aligned, and while being pushed vertically upward from the bottom in the ring of the annular coating device, the cylindrical substrate is placed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate. A coating means for continuously applying a coating liquid to the coating means, a supply means for supplying a cylindrical substrate to the coating means, a gripping / transporting means for transporting the cylindrical substrate while correcting and stacking the cylindrical substrate, and the ring Positioning means for aligning the center of the cylindrical substrate with the annular center of the coating device, means for drying or adjusting the drying of the coated cylindrical substrate, and separation for taking out the coated cylindrical substrate In the continuous coating method applied by the discharging means, at least one cylindrical base material not gripped by the gripping / transporting means is present between the positioning means and the gripping / transporting means. is there . (The invention of claim 6).

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a continuous coating apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes supply means for supplying the cylindrical substrate 1 to a predetermined position vertically below the coating means and pushing it up, and reference numeral 20 denotes the supplied cylindrical substrate 1
Gripping / transporting means for gripping the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder, aligning the cylinder axis, vertically pushing up from the bottom and transporting the pile, and conveying means 30 for positioning the cylindrical substrate 1 at the center of the annular coating section of the coating apparatus. , 40 is a coating means for continuously applying the coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate, 50 is a drying means for drying the coating liquid applied on the cylindrical substrate 1, and 60 is a dried and vertical This is a separation / discharge unit that separates from a plurality of stacked cylindrical base materials that have been conveyed and takes out and discharge one by one.

The continuous coating apparatus of the present invention has a configuration in which the above-described units are continuously arranged on the vertical center line ZZ, and achieves fully automatic production with high accuracy without requiring any manual operation. That is, the supply means 10 is a movable table 1 having a plurality of mounting means 11 for mounting the cylindrical substrate 1 thereon.
2. A driving means 13 for rotating the movable table 12 to feed it to a vertical line connected to the gripping / transporting means 20, and the cylindrical substrate 1 already gripped and transported upward by the gripping / transporting means 20 is stacked upward. It comprises a lifting means 14 for pushing up, a hand means 15 for supplying a cylindrical base material provided at an upper end of the lifting means 14, and a control means (not shown) for controlling rotation by the driving means 13 and timing of pushing up by the lifting means 14. Have been. The supply of the cylindrical substrate 1 onto the movable table 12 is performed by a robot handle.

The gripping / transporting means 20 provided above the supply means 10 is capable of pressing and separating from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1 and moving vertically in the vertical direction.
22 and has a function of positioning, grasping and transporting the cylindrical substrate 1 upward. Hereinafter, each of the above means 20, 30,
Details of 40, 50 and 60 will be described later.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the continuous coating apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a plurality of units A, B and C comprising a positioning means 30, a coating means 40 and a drying means 50 are arranged in tandem on a vertical center line ZZ above the gripping and conveying means 20. The separating / discharging means 60 is arranged at the uppermost stage. The coating liquid discharged from each of the coating units 40A, 40B, and 40C sequentially forms a multilayer coating layer on the cylindrical substrate 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the gripping / transporting means 20. A pair of transfer device bodies 23A and 23 opposed to each other
Inside B, ball screws 24A and 24B supported in the vertical and vertical directions, respectively, are provided. The ball screws 24A, 24B are respectively connected to drive motors 25A, 25A.
B rotates forward and backward. Each ball screw 24A, 24B
The elevating members 26A, 26B respectively screwed up and down move straight up and down by forward and reverse rotation of the ball screws 24A, 24B. The elevating members 26A and 26B have arm members 27 respectively.
A and 27B are fixed, and the gripping means 21 and 22 are attached to the respective distal ends thereof.

The elevating means 14 is provided between the conveying device main bodies 23A and 23B, and the upper end of the elevating means 14 is attached with a hand means 15 for supplying a cylindrical base material. On the upper side of the hand means 15, cylindrical base materials 1D, 1C, 1B, 1A are stacked in order. The uppermost cylindrical base material 1A is separated and taken out by the discharge hand 61 of the separation / discharge means 60.

The coating means 40 is fixed on the positioning means 30, and the positioning means 30 is held by holding means (not shown). The positioning means 30 is a device for accurately holding the cylindrical substrate 1 at a predetermined position, and is held in a non-contact manner by, for example, an air bearing. The coating means 40 is for uniformly applying a coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base material 1 (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D), and the cylindrical base materials 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D are provided by the gripping and conveying means. 20, the cylindrical substrates 1A, 1B,
A coating film is sequentially formed on 1C and 1D.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gripping means 21 and 22. The upper gripping means 21 includes two movable grips 21.
1 and 212; a support shaft 213 that is fitted into each swing center hole of the movable handles 211 and 212 so as to be able to swing; and a V-shape formed at each end of the movable handles 211 and 212. And the grippers 216 fixed to the inside of the hand units 214 and 215, respectively. The movable handle 21
The gripper 216 comes into contact with and separates from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base material by opening and closing the first and second parts 212 by driving means such as a piston cylinder (not shown). The illustrated gripper 216 presses against the cylindrical substrate 1 at four or three locations.

The lower gripping means 22 also has the same structure as the upper gripping means 21; 221, 222 are movable grips; 223, a support shaft;
6 is a gripper. Note that the upper gripping means 21 shows a state where each outer peripheral surface at the connection position of the cylindrical substrates 1B and 1C is gripped, and the lower gripping means 22 is a cylindrical substrate 1C and 1C.
The state where the connection position of D was separated from each outer peripheral surface is shown.

The gripper 216 of the upper gripping means 21
It is preferable to grip the outer peripheral surface near the connecting portion (connecting portion) K1 between the end surfaces of the illustrated cylindrical substrates 1B and 1C. Further, it is preferable that the gripper 226 of the lower gripping means 22 grip the outer peripheral surface near the connecting portion (connecting portion) K2 between the end surfaces of the cylindrical substrates 1C and 1D. The outer peripheral surface near the connection portion K1 and the outer peripheral surface near K2 are non-image forming areas of the photosensitive drum.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the gripping means 21. As shown in FIG. FIG. 5A shows a V-shaped hand portion 28.
The handpieces 281 and 282 are respectively moved forward and backward by holding the grippers 280 fixed to the insides of the cylindrical bases 1 and 282, respectively. FIG. 5 (b) has grippers 280 fixed inside the notched cylindrical hand portions 283 and 284, respectively, and by moving the hand portions 283 and 284 forward and backward, the cylindrical base material 1 is removed. Is pressed and held or separated by supporting the cylindrical outer peripheral surface. FIG. 5C shows a gripper 280 fixed to the inside of the V-shaped hand portion 281 and the flat hand portion 285, respectively.
By moving 81 and 285 forward and backward respectively,
The cylindrical substrate 1 is pressed and gripped or separated by three-point support.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the positioning means 30 and the vertical coating means 40, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the coating means 40.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of cylindrical substrates 1A, 1B vertically superimposed along the center line ZZ.
(Hereinafter referred to as the cylindrical substrate 1) is continuously moved upward in the direction of the arrow to surround the periphery thereof, and is directly involved in the application of the slide hopper type application means 10 to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1. The coating liquid (photosensitive liquid) L is applied by the portion (hopper application surface) 41. The cylindrical substrate 1 may be a hollow drum, for example, an aluminum drum, a plastic drum, or a seamless belt type substrate.

On the hopper coating surface 41, a narrow coating liquid distribution slit (abbreviated as a slit) 43 having a coating liquid outlet 42 opening toward the cylindrical substrate 1 is formed in the horizontal direction. The slit 43 communicates with an annular coating liquid distribution chamber (coating liquid reservoir) 44, and the annular coating liquid distribution chamber 44 feeds the coating liquid L in the storage tank 2 to the pump 3.
The supply is made via the supply pipe 4.

On the other hand, on the lower side of the coating liquid outlet 42 of the slit 43, it is formed so as to be continuously inclined downward and terminate at a dimension slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical substrate 1. A coating liquid slide surface (hereinafter, referred to as a slide surface) 45 is formed. Further, a lip 46 extending downward from the end of the slide surface 45 is formed.

In the application by the application means (slide hopper type application device) 40, the application liquid L is extruded from the slit 43 in the process of lifting the cylindrical substrate 1,
When flowing down along the slide surface 45, the slide surface 45
Is applied to the surface of the cylindrical substrate 1 after forming a bead between the terminal of the slide surface 45 and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1.

The end of the slide surface 45 and the cylindrical substrate 1 are
Since they are arranged with a certain gap, they can be applied without damaging the cylindrical substrate 1 and without damaging already applied layers even when forming layers having different properties in multiple layers.

On the other hand, at a position furthest from the coating liquid supply section of the pressure feed pump 3, a part of the coating liquid distribution chamber 44
An air release member 46 for removing bubbles in the coating liquid distribution chamber 44 is provided. When the coating liquid L in the storage tank 2 is supplied to the coating liquid distribution chamber 44 and supplied to the coating liquid outlet 42 from the coating liquid distribution slit 43, the opening / closing valve 47 is opened and the coating liquid distribution chamber 44 is opened from the air release member 46. Discharge air inside.

Below the slide hopper type coating apparatus 40, a positioning means 30 for positioning the cylindrical base material in the circumferential direction is fixed. A plurality of air inlets 32 and a plurality of air outlets 33 are formed in the main body 31 of the positioning device 30 for the cylindrical substrate 1. The plurality of air inlets 32
Is connected to an air supply pump (not shown), and a fluid such as air is pumped. A discharge port 34 passes through one end of the air supply port 32 at a side facing the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1. The discharge port 34 faces the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1 with a predetermined gap. The gap is between 20 μm and 3 mm, preferably between 30 μm and 2 mm. This gap is 20 μm
If it is smaller, the cylindrical base material 1 is likely to be damaged due to a slight swing of the cylindrical base material 1 and coming into contact with the inner wall of the main body 31. Further, if the gap is larger than 3 mm, the positioning accuracy of the cylindrical substrate 1 is reduced. The discharge port 34 has a diameter of 0.01 to
It is a small-diameter nozzle of 1.0 mm, preferably 0.0
5 to 0.5 mm is good.

The inner peripheral surface of the lower part of the inner wall of the main body 31 is formed as a tapered surface 35 whose entrance side is widened. The tapered surface 35 is, for example, a conical surface having an axial length of 50 mm and a one-sided inclination angle of 0.5 mm. This tapered surface 3
Provision of 5 prevents the tip of cylindrical substrate 1 from contacting the inner peripheral surface of the inner wall when cylindrical substrate 1 enters the inner wall of main body 31.

The fluid pumped from the air supply pump is introduced into the main body 31 through a plurality of air inlets 32, is discharged from a plurality of outlets 34, and is discharged from the cylindrical substrate 1A (1).
A uniform fluid film layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of B). The discharged fluid is discharged out of the apparatus from the plurality of exhaust ports 33.

The opening diameter of the discharge port 34 is 0.01 to 1
mm, preferably 0.05-0.5 mm, for example 0.2
It is formed in a circular shape of about 0.5 mm. The opening diameter of the exhaust port 33 is 1.0 to 10 mm, preferably 2.0 to 8.0.
mm, for example, 3 to 5 mm.

The fluid supplied to the air supply port 32 is preferably air, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. The fluid is preferably a clean gas of class 100 or more according to JIS.

As the vertical coating device connected to the positioning device of the present invention, various devices such as a slide hopper type, an extrusion type, and a ring coater are used.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the relative positional relationship between the gripping / conveying means 20 and the positioning means 30 according to the present invention.

FIG. 8A shows two hand units 214 and 2
15 shows a state in which the upper gripping means 21 having grippers 216 respectively fixed inside 15 grips the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity of a connecting portion (connecting portion) K between the end surfaces of the cylindrical substrates 1D and 1E. The lower gripping means 22 having grippers 226 fixed inside the two hand portions 224 and 225 are on standby to grip the outer peripheral surface near the lower end of the cylindrical substrate 1E.

On the upper part of the upper end surface of the cylindrical substrate 1D gripped by the gripping means 21 on the upper side, a cylindrical substrate 1C is provided.
Further above, the cylindrical substrates 1B and 1A are placed under their own weight. The cylindrical substrate 1 gripped by the gripping means 21
The upper end side of the cylindrical base material 1C placed on D has not yet entered the positioning means 30,
No external force is applied to the cylindrical surface.

[0046] The gripping and the upper surface of the gripping means 21 of the upper side of the conveying means 20, within the distance D1 of the inlet lower surface of the positioning means 30, the cylindrical substrate 1C length D ₀ not added external force Exists at least one.

The cylindrical substrate 1B is positioned by a ring-shaped positioning means 30 having a fluid discharge port.
Usually, it is extremely difficult to always match the center of the grip with the center of the positioning (because there is variation in the dimensions and accuracy of the drum), so by having at least one or more cylindrical substrates that are not externally gripped, The positioning means can be easily corrected.

The vibration transmitted from the gripped cylindrical substrate 1D due to the vibration generated at the time of gripping / releasing by the gripping means 21 on the upper stage side or at the time of driving up and down is the cylindrical shape to which the external force is not applied. It is absorbed by the base material 1C and is not transmitted to the cylindrical base material 1B during positioning or the cylindrical base material 1A during coating. The coating liquid is applied to the cylindrical substrate 1A by the ring-shaped application means 40.

FIG. 8B shows that the upper gripping means 21
Near the upper end side of the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical substrate 1D, the cylindrical substrate 1
4 shows a state where a position below a connecting portion K with C is grasped. Further, the lower gripping means 22 is on standby to grip the outer peripheral surface near the lower end of the cylindrical substrate 1D.

[0050] and the upper surface of the upper side of the gripping means 21, within the distance D2 between the inlet lower surface of the positioning means 30, the cylindrical base material of length D ₀ not added external force (1C) of at least 1 Exists. Even in such a method of gripping the cylindrical base material, the vibration transmitted from the gripped cylindrical base material 1D due to the vibration generated at the time of gripping and release by the gripping means 21 on the upper stage side and at the time of lifting / lowering drive is not performed. Is absorbed by the cylindrical substrate 1C to which no external force is applied, and is not transmitted to the cylindrical substrate 1B during positioning or the cylindrical substrate 1A during coating.

Above the coating means 40, a drying means 50 comprising a drying hood 51 and a dryer 53 is provided.

FIG. 9 shows the coating means 40 and the coating means 40.
It is sectional drawing of the drying hood 51 provided in the upper part of FIG. The drying hood 51 has an annular wall surface, and a large number of openings 51A are formed in the wall surface. The cylindrical substrate 1 is raised in the direction of the arrow, and the coating liquid L is applied on the hopper application surface (application head) 41 of the application means 40 to form the photosensitive layer 5. The photosensitive layer 5 formed on the cylindrical substrate 1 is gradually dried while passing through the drying hood 51. This drying is performed by discharging the solvent contained in the coating liquid L out of the wall surface through the large number of openings 51A.

As described above, the photosensitive layer 5 formed by applying the coating liquid L onto the cylindrical substrate 1 by the coating means 40 is surrounded by the drying hood 51 immediately after the coating, and the opening 51A is provided. The drying speed of the photosensitive layer 5 immediately after the application is almost proportional to the opening area of the opening 51A.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the drying hood. The drying hood 52 is formed by extending the upper portion of the drying hood 51 (A portion) in FIG. 9 to form a B portion. A plurality of 52A are drilled in the A section, and a plurality of 52B are drilled in the B section. By providing the drying hood 52 above the coating means 40, the solvent vapor concentration of the coating liquid L applied on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate 1 is controlled. Therefore, by controlling the coating film drying speed, it is possible to make the coating film uniform. In addition, by providing the drying hood 52 as described above, the solvent vapor concentration in the bead portion is increased, so that rapid drying is prevented, and bead breakage can be prevented.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the dryer 53 of the present invention. The drying device 53 includes a suction slit member 5 having a suction slit 531, a suction chamber 532, and a suction nozzle 533.
A cylindrical member 535 is concentrically connected to the lower part of the tube 34, and a cylindrical member 536 is concentrically connected to the upper part of the tube 34.

Then, a plurality of suction nozzles 533 are provided.
Suction from the suction chamber 53 in the circumferential direction.
2. The suction air uniformized in the circumferential direction by the suction slit 531 which is uniform in the circumferential direction flows, and the suction slit member 534, the inner diameter surfaces of the upper and lower cylindrical members 536, 535 and the coated cylindrical base are further separated. The turbulence of the airflow between the outer peripheral surface of the material 1 and the outer surface of the material 1 is very slightly suppressed by the buffer space 537,
An air flow of uniform suction air for drying shown at 538 is created.

The coated film is dried by transporting the coated cylindrical substrate 1 to the drying zone in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Next, an exhaust drying device 54 shown in FIG. 12 will be described as another embodiment of the drying means 50. As described above, the coating liquid (photosensitive liquid) L is applied to the cylindrical substrates 1A and 1B by the annular slide hopper type coating apparatus 40 to form the photosensitive layer LA. The exhaust drying device 54 sucks a solvent that evaporates from the photosensitive layer LA immediately after the application, and further performs drying, and is provided immediately above the application device 40. Reference numeral 541 denotes a suction duct formed in an annular shape, and a suction port 5 from the suction duct 541 toward the photosensitive layer LA.
42 are formed. An exhaust pipe 543 is connected to a part of the suction duct 541, and a solvent evaporating from the photosensitive layer LA is sucked by an exhaust fan 544 provided in the exhaust pipe 543, forcibly discharged to the outside and dried. .

Immediately after the application of the photosensitive liquid L by the coating apparatus 40 as described above, the photosensitive liquid L applied to the cylindrical substrates 1A and 1B to exhaust the solvent vapor generated from the photosensitive liquid L is exhausted.
Can be stopped from flowing down in large quantities. At this time, the exhaust air speed by the exhaust fan 544 is set to 0.5 to 5
The suction port 542 is desirably 300 mm or less from the position of the coating head 41. Then, the cylindrical substrates 1A and 1B are kept in a connected state until the solvent in the photosensitive liquid L evaporates by 30% or more. After separation, the photosensitive layer LA is completely dried. Exhaust drying device 5 as described above
By operating 4, even when a large number of cylindrical substrates are connected and the photosensitive liquid L is applied, the solvent can be rapidly discharged from the vicinity of the photosensitive layer LA, and the falling of the coating film by the photosensitive liquid L is forcibly performed. By controlling, it is possible to prevent the thin film and the liquid pool from being generated in the photosensitive layer LA. Note that the exhaust fan 544 may be provided at a plurality of locations in the suction duct 541.

A method for separating the cylindrical substrates 1A, 1B, 1C,... Which have been coated and dried as described above will be described with reference to the state diagrams of the respective steps in the separation process shown in FIG. I do.

The separating / discharging means 60 comprises a vertically moving robot stage 61, an air cylinder 62, an upper chuck 63 and a lower chuck 64.

The coated cylindrical substrates 1 are stacked upward from below, move upward, and reach the separation position as shown in FIG. At this time, the vertical robot is activated and moves the entire separation unit coaxially and at the same speed as the cylindrical base 1A to be separated.

First, at the position shown in FIG. 13 (b), the lower chuck 64 moves the cylindrical substrate 1 adjacent to the cylindrical substrate 1A to be separated.
Hold B. Next, the upper chuck 63 holds the cylindrical substrate 1A to be separated at the position shown in FIG.

The upper chuck 6 is moved by the air cylinder 62.
Reference numeral 3 moves upward while holding the cylindrical substrate 1A to be separated, and reaches the position shown in FIG. At this time, the coating film straddling the cylindrical substrate 1B adjacent to the cylindrical substrate 1A to be separated is cut off, and as shown in FIG.
Is performed.

In order to collect the separated cylindrical substrate 1A, the lower chuck 64 is in the uncucked state as shown in FIG. 13 (e), the vertical moving robot stage 61 rises rapidly, and the position of the adjacent cylindrical substrate 1B is changed. The separated cylindrical substrate 1A is placed on the separation drum collecting device disposed far above (the upper chuck 63 becomes an unchuck), and the process is completed.

Then, for the next separating operation of the cylindrical base 1B, the vertically moving robot stage 61 is lowered, and the air cylinder 62 is lowered, so that the initial position of FIG.
Return to (a).

In addition, when separating the cylindrical substrate 1A to be separated from the adjacent cylindrical substrate 1B, the cylindrical substrate 1A
It is also effective to pull up the cylindrical base 1A while applying rotation to the substrate. This applies a shearing force instead of a tensile force to a film to be separated, and can reduce a phenomenon in which a coating film profile near the separation portion becomes thinner in a wet state of the film. Further, scattering of small pieces of the film generated at the time of cutting the coating film is reduced by being drawn into the inner surface of the cylindrical substrate 1.

[Examples] Next, the present invention will be described with reference to specific examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Example 1 As a conductive support (cylindrical substrate) 1, a mirror-finished aluminum drum support having a diameter of 80 mm, a height of 355 mm, and 283 g was used. As the coating liquid L, the following UCL-1 coating liquid composition was used.

UCL-1 coating solution composition (3.0 W / V% polymer concentration) Copolymerized nylon resin (CM-8000 manufactured by Toray Industries, Ltd.) 3 g Methanol / n-butanol = 10/1 (vol ratio) 1000 ml A continuous application step of the cylindrical substrate 1 will be described. The cylindrical substrate 1 is placed at a position 1F of the cylindrical substrate 1 on the movable table 12 from the cylindrical substrate 1 (aluminum drum) storage chamber by a supply robot (not shown).
The cylindrical base 1F reaches the position 1E by rotating the movable table 11 in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the supply arm of the lifting / lowering means 14 pushes the cylindrical substrate 1E upward from below and is supplied to the position of the hand means 15. Preferably, at the same time as the push-up by the supply arm is completed, the buffer mechanism operates, and the lower end of the preceding cylindrical base material 1D and the following cylindrical base material 1D
It is good to eliminate the shock at the time of joining with the upper end of E. In this way, the cylindrical substrates 1E and 1F are sequentially carried to the gripping / conveying means 20.

The cylindrical substrate 1D is gripped by the movable handles 21 and 22 and transported upward. The place to be gripped may be any place as long as there is no adverse effect on the cylindrical substrate 1D,
It is preferable that the level difference between the cylindrical substrates 1D and 1C is corrected to a certain extent by gripping a connecting portion (connecting portion) K with the cylindrical substrates 1D and 1C, and the cylindrical substrate 1C stacked on top It is preferable to grip the non-image portion of the connecting portion K in order to prevent the occurrence of scratches and failures since it is gripped with a strong force against the total weight of the connecting portion K.

For the gripping / transporting means 20, see the description of FIGS.

As described above, the cylindrical substrate 1D is moved upward by the gripping / transporting means 20 shown in FIG. The positioning means 30 is disclosed in JP-A-3-2800.
In addition to the positioning means described in JP-A-63-63, an annular positioning means shown in FIG. 6 is preferably used. In this embodiment, two drum lengths are employed between the gripping means and the positioning means.

The thus precisely positioned cylindrical base material 1 is transferred to the coating means 40 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and coated. Reference numeral 40 denotes a vertical type coating means, such as a slide hopper type, an extrusion type, a ring coater type, a spray coater type, or the like, which applies by stacking the cylindrical substrates 1 and moving relatively upward or downward. Any type can be used, but a slide hopper type coater is preferable because a highly reliable continuous stable coating can be obtained. This coating means is described in detail in JP-A-58-189061. Further, it is preferable to use a bubble-free port or a spacer. Further, in order to finely adjust the position of the application unit 40, it is preferable to install the application unit on a known XY axis movable control table. Further, control means may be provided as in JP-A-3-21371.
In this way, the coating composition UCL-1 is
Applied on top.

The applied cylindrical substrate 1 is transferred to the drying means 50. Numeral 50 is a drying means, and a drying hood 51 (52) as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and a suction-type dryer 53 may be used in an overlapping manner, or depending on the solvent and the liquid film thickness of the coating liquid L. The drying hood 51 (52) alone or the suction dryer 53 alone may be used.

After the drying process, the cylindrical substrate 1 is transferred to the separating / discharging means 60. As the separation and discharge means 60, those described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-124270 are preferred. Another example is disclosed in JP-A-61-120662.
And JP-A-61-120664.

The separated cylindrical substrate 1 is transferred to a storage room, a drying room or the next step by a discharge robot.

The UCL-1 is applied as described above.
The obtained drum was no. 1-1 (Example) and 1-2
(Comparative Example) The comparative example is a case where there is no drum that is not externally gripped between the gripping means and the positioning means.

On top of this, a CGL comprising the following CGL-1 coating composition was dried in the same manner as UCL-1 to a dry film thickness of 0.7.
μCGL was applied.

CGL-1 Coating Liquid Composition Fluorenone-Type Disazo Pigment (CGM-1) 25 g Butyral Resin (Eslec BX-L, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) 10 g Methyl ethyl ketone 1430 ml The above coating liquid composition (solid content: CG
M-1: BX-L = 2: 1) dispersed using a sand mill for 20 hours.

[0081]

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Further, the following CTL-1 coating solution composition was applied thereon to a thickness of 26 μm in the same manner as in UCL-1.

CTL-1 coating solution composition CTM-1 500 g Polycarbonate (Z-200, manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company) 560 g 1,2-dichloroethane 2800 ml For the solid content, the weight ratio of solid content CTM-1: Z-200
= Fixed at 0.89: 1.

[0084]

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[0085] Also the thickness variation of the obtained photosensitive drum at the portion within D of the central portion _0/2 (D ₀ = drum length), ±
It was within 0.55μ. On the other hand, the drum of the comparative example hit at the entrance of the positioning means and was scratched. In this way, vertical applicators are very sensitive to vibration.

The obtained photosensitive drum was manufactured by Konica UB.
When an actual image was taken of the 10th and 1000th drums with an IX 3035 copier, the images after 1000 copies were evaluated. When the images were evaluated, there was no difference between the two. There was no unevenness in density, fog unevenness, or image defects (black spots, white spots, dust, Streaks, scratches)
It was good without any other factors. Comparative Example Drum No. In 1-2, image defects due to collision scratches occur frequently.

As described above, by providing two cylindrical base materials 1 that are not externally gripped from the uppermost gripping means 21 (external chuck) to the positioning means 30, mainly for joining, gripping, coating, and separating. There was no coating defects such as coating unevenness, film thickness unevenness, scratches, dust, and drum damage due to the generated vibration and impact, and a coating drum having good coatability was obtained. In addition, stable continuous application of a large number of tubes and complete automation can be performed for a long time, so that high-quality products can be obtained without contamination of dust and dirt.

The reason for this is that even if the external gripping and positioning are performed carefully, there are some substrates which cannot be transported vertically and have a slight inclination due to the variation in the dimensions of the cylindrical base material, or the uppermost gripping means. If there is no drum which is not externally gripped from the (external chuck) to the positioning means 30, the vibration is absorbed by the positioning means or the soft aluminum cylindrical base material itself or the connection K between the cylindrical base materials. However, vibration during coating remains, causing coating unevenness, step unevenness, and the like.

As described above, each means 10, 20,
By installing 30, 40, 50, and 60, a coating drum having good coating properties without coating defects such as coating unevenness, film thickness unevenness, scratches, dust, and drum damage was obtained. In addition, stable continuous application of a large number of tubes and complete automation can be performed for a long time, so that high-quality products can be obtained without contamination of dust and dirt.

Example 2 Using the sequential continuous coating apparatus shown in FIG. 2, a coating liquid composition UCL-1 (3) was coated on a mirror-finished aluminum drum support having a diameter of 80 mm, a height of 355 mm, and 283 g as follows. 0.0W / V% polymer concentration), CG
L-1 and CTL-1 are adjusted, and a first slide hopper type coating device 40A (for UCL-1), a second coating device 40B (for CGL-1), and a third coating device 40C.
In the same manner as in Example 1 (for CTL-1), three successive multilayer coatings were performed. The dry film thickness is UCL-
1 is 0.3 μm, CGL-2 is 0.5 μm, CTL-1
Was 27 μm. In the case of this sequential application, the number of cylindrical base materials existing between the gripping means 21 and the positioning means 30 was set to three (see FIG. 8A).

UCL-1 coating solution composition Copolymer nylon resin (CM-8000, manufactured by Toray Industries) 3 g methanol / n-butanol = 10/1 (vol ratio) 1000 ml CGL-2 coating solution composition Perylene pigment (CGM-2) 500 g butyral resin (S-LEC BX-L manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) 500 g methyl ethyl ketone 24000 ml The above coating solution composition (solid content: CG for solid content)
M-2: BX-L = 2: 1) dispersed using a sand mill for 20 hours.

[0092]

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CTL-1 coating liquid composition CTM-1 (same as in Chemical formula 2) 500 g Polycarbonate (Z-200 manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company) 560 g 1,2-dichloroethane 2800 ml : Z-200
= 0.89: The thickness variation of the fixed resultant photoreceptor drum 1 at the portion within D of the central portion _0/2 (D ₀ = drum length) was within ± 0.64μ.

The obtained photoreceptor was manufactured using Konica U-BIX.
When the 10th and 1000th drums were actually photographed with a 3035 copier, the images after 1000 copies were evaluated. When the images were evaluated, there was no difference between the two, and there was no unevenness in density, fog unevenness, or image defects (black spots, white spots, dust, stripes, , Flaws) and the like.

[0095]

According to the continuous coating apparatus of the first invention of the present invention and the continuous coating method of the second invention, the means for supplying, gripping and transporting, positioning, coating, drying and separating / discharging the cylindrical substrate are continuously operated. Since it is possible to arrange and arrange each step of the above means continuously, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

(1) The coating film formed on the cylindrical substrate is uniform, and has good coating properties without coating unevenness and coating defects.

(2) The gripping / transporting performance of the cylindrical substrate is high, and long-term stable coating can be performed.

(3) The cylindrical substrate can be securely held without being deformed or damaged.

(4) Continuous stable production becomes possible, and productivity is improved.

(5) Since continuous and complete automation is achieved, a high quality product can be obtained without foreign substances such as dust and dirt mixing.

(6) Even if vibration occurs during gripping of the cylindrical base material, by preventing the vibration from being transmitted to the coating means, there is no coating defects such as coating unevenness and film thickness variation, and improves.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a continuous coating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the continuous coating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the gripping and conveying means.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a gripping means of the gripping transport means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the holding means of the holding and conveying means.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a positioning unit and an application unit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the application unit.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a relative positional relationship between the gripping / conveying means and the positioning means according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the coating means and a drying hood.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the drying hood.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a dryer.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an exhaust drying device as another embodiment of the drying means.

FIG. 13 is a state diagram showing a separation process by the separation and discharge means.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Cylindrical substrate (conductive support) 10 Supply means 20 Grip transport means 21, 22 Grip means 30 Positioning means 40, 40A, 40B, 40C Coating means 41 Coating head (coater) , hopper coating surface) 50 drying means 51, 52 drying hood 53 dryer 54 exhaust drying apparatus 60 separating discharging means (separator) D ₀ length of the cylindrical base material (drum length) D1, between D2 gripping means and the positioning means Distance K, K1, K2 Connection part (connection part) L Coating liquid (photosensitive liquid)

Claims (6)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A cylindrical base material having a cylindrical axis aligned and stacked,
Coating means for continuously applying a coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate while vertically pushing up the ring in the annular coating device from bottom to top, supply for supplying the cylindrical substrate to the coating means Gripping / transporting means for transporting the cylindrical substrate while correcting and stacking the cylindrical substrate, positioning means for aligning the center of the cylindrical substrate with an annular center of the annular coating device, and the coated cylindrical substrate. In a continuous coating apparatus comprising means for drying or adjusting the drying of the material and a separating and discharging means for taking out the coated cylindrical base material, the gripping and transporting means is provided between the positioning means and the gripping and transporting means. A continuous coating apparatus characterized in that at least one cylindrical base material that is not gripped by means is present. 2. The continuous coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coating means is a slide hopper type coating apparatus. 3. The continuous coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means is a ring-shaped positioning apparatus having a discharge port for spraying a fluid to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gripping and conveying means is a device for externally gripping a joint between cylindrical substrates.
4. The continuous coating device according to 1. 5. The continuous coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the coating units are provided, and a plurality of coating layers are sequentially formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate. 6. A stack in which the cylindrical axes of the cylindrical substrates are aligned.
Coating means for continuously applying a coating liquid onto the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical substrate while vertically pushing up the ring in the annular coating apparatus from bottom to top; supply for supplying the cylindrical substrate to the coating means Gripping / transporting means for transporting the cylindrical substrate while correcting and stacking the cylindrical substrate, positioning means for aligning the center of the cylindrical substrate with the annular center of the annular coating device, and the coated cylindrical substrate. In a continuous coating method in which the material is dried or adjusted by drying and a separating and discharging means for taking out the coated cylindrical substrate, the gripping is performed between the positioning means and the gripping and conveying means. At least one cylindrical base material that is not gripped by the transfer means
A continuous coating method characterized by being present in a continuous manner.