JPS6311940B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A photoreceptor for an electrophotographic copying machine is manufactured by coating a photosensitive material on the circumferential surface of a photoreceptor substrate, and there are various methods for this application. One of these methods is to immerse the substrate in a coating solution, but the present invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing this dip coating.

In the dip coating method, the photoreceptor substrate is immersed in a coating solution with its axis vertical, and then pulled up and dried. During this drying, the surface exposed to the outside air dries and solidifies first. It becomes a film,
The inside will solidify later. Even in this state where only the surface is solidified, the internal undried coating liquid flows down along the surface of the photoreceptor substrate, resulting in a disadvantage that the surface quality of the finished product becomes extremely poor. This drawback becomes more pronounced as a faster drying solvent is used. Furthermore, when using a material that has high hygroscopicity or a high evaporation rate, or a material that has a large latent heat of vaporization, there is a drawback that brushing may occur due to the humidity of the outside air if the coated area is directly exposed to the outside air during the drying process.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and uses a cover during drying to maintain solvent vapor pressure within the cover, thereby slowing down the drying speed and preventing moisture absorption from the outside air. It is characterized by this.

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated embodiments.
1a and 1b are support columns, and the bottom substrate 3 on the pedestal 2
The upper substrate 4 is fixed to the upper end thereof. Bearings 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b attached to the bottom board 3 and the top board 4, respectively
The feed screws 7a and 7b are supported vertically and parallel to each other. Feed screw 7
Wheels 8a and 8b are fixed to the lower ends of wheels a and 7b, and a chain 9 is hung between them and a drive wheel (not shown). A lifting platform 11 equipped with screw holes 10a and 10b that are screwed into both feed screws 7a and 7b, respectively, is supported by the screw holes 10a and 10b, and is maintained in a horizontal state by rotating both feed screws 7a and 7b. Go up and down. A cylindrical container 12 is mounted on the lifting platform 11. container 12
has an overflow reservoir 1 on the outer surface near its upper edge.
It has 3.

A cylindrical cover 14 is fixed to the upper substrate 4. The cylindrical cover 14 is vertically divided as shown in FIG. 3, and can be opened and closed using a hinge as shown by arrow A. It also includes an observation window 23 covered with a transparent plate, and a large number of holes 16 that can be opened and closed. Since the cover 14 is arranged concentrically with the container 12 and its inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the overflow reservoir 13 of the container 12, the two can be fitted together.

The photoreceptor drum base 15 to be subjected to dip coating is a hollow body, but both ends thereof are closed with lids 16 and 17. That is, the lower end of the support shaft 18 is screwed into the center of the lid 17 that closes the lower end, the support shaft 18 is passed through the photoreceptor drum base 15, and then projected upward, and then the support shaft 18 is screwed into the center of the lid 16. Insert the support shaft 18 into the provided hole.
The lid 16 is placed over the upper end surface of the photoreceptor drum base 15 with the spacer 16 being penetrated, and then the spacer 19 is placed on the lid 16. Then, the upper end of the support shaft 18 penetrates the support plate 20 fixed to the upper substrate 4 and projects upward. By screwing a nut 21 into this protrusion and tightening it, the photosensitive drum base 15 is fixed to the upper substrate 4 in a hanging state. The above installation work can be performed without being obstructed by the cover 14 and container 12 by opening the cover 14 as shown in FIG. 3 and lowering the lifting platform 11 as shown in FIG. Ru.

In addition, when heating for drying is performed from inside the photoreceptor drum base 15, a heater is set inside the photoreceptor drum base 15 during the above-mentioned mounting operation.

After injecting the coating liquid 22 to a predetermined level in the container 12 as shown in FIG.
Increase 1. As a result, the container 12 rises.
The photoreceptor drum base 15 is suspended concentrically with the container 12, and the inner diameter of the container 12 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the photoreceptor drum base 15. 15 and the cover 14, it rises between them, reaches the upper limit position shown in FIG. 2, and stops there. Since the coating liquid 22 is prevented from entering the inside of the photoconductor drum base 15 by the lids 16 and 17, the coating liquid 22 in the container 12 is pushed away by the photoconductor drum base 15. As the liquid level rises, the liquid finally slightly overflows from the upper edge of the container 12 and flows into the overflow reservoir 13. The photoreceptor drum base 15 is thereby completely immersed in the coating liquid 22.

Next, drive the chain 9 in the opposite direction to
When a and 7b are rotated in the opposite direction, the lifting platform 11 is lowered and the container 12 is also lowered. the result,
The photoreceptor drum base 15 that has been dip-coated is pulled out from the container 12, and drying is started in this state.

This drying process is performed with the cover 14 surrounding the photoreceptor drum base 15. By closing the hole 16, the cover 14 can shield the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum base 15 from the outside air. As a result, the solvent evaporated from the coating liquid 22 fills the cover 14, and its vapor pressure increases, so that the coating liquid 22 is gradually dried. Also, moisture from the outside air will not enter. The progress of drying can be observed through the window 23, and the drying speed can be adjusted by adjusting the opening degree of the holes 16.

As described above, the present invention provides an apparatus for relatively moving a container filled with a coating solution and a photoconductor substrate to immerse the substrate in the coating solution. A cover that can be opened and closed vertically is installed around the substrate, so the drying process is carried out in an atmosphere shielded from the outside air, which blocks moisture from the outside air and allows drying in a state where the vapor pressure of the solvent is high. is carried out, the drying rate can be reduced. As a result, brushing is reduced, the surface quality of the product is improved, and the photoreceptor can be attached and detached without being hindered by the cover.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure shows an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a front view in the drying process, FIG. 2 is a front view in the dipping process, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cover. 7a, 7b...Feed screw, 12...Container, 14
...Cover, 15...Drum base for photoreceptor, 22
...Coating liquid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an apparatus that relatively moves a container filled with a coating liquid and a photoreceptor substrate to immerse the substrate in the coating liquid, a vertical column is placed around the photoreceptor substrate after it has been lifted from the coating liquid. A dip coating device for a photoreceptor, characterized by having a cover that can be opened and closed by splitting.