JPS6314471B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for forming a conductive path, and particularly to a method for forming a conductive path suitable for forming a conductive path in a moving conductive member.

Generally, the photoreceptor used in plain paper copying machines is
It consists of at least a photosensitive layer, a conductive layer and a base layer.

The photosensitive layer, that is, the photoconductive layer, has an inorganic photoconductive pigment-polymer binder system or an organic photoconductive material system, and the inorganic photoconductive pigment-polymer binder system includes:
Photoconductive materials such as cadmium sulfide particles, zinc oxide particles, selenium particles, binders such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, butadiene polymers, butadiene-styrene copolymers, acrylic resins, phenolic resins, etc. Sensitizers can be used depending on the material. In addition, the organic photoconductive substance-based photoconductive layer includes:
Photoconductive substances such as polyvinylpyrene, polyvinylcarbazole derivatives, anthracene derivatives, and polyvinylindole derivatives can be used, and if necessary, reinforcing agents such as acrylic resins, polyester resins, polycarbonate resins, and polystyrene resins can be used, as well as suitable sensitizers. can also be added.

A thin aluminum layer is generally used as the conductive layer. That is, a thin aluminum layer is formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer by vacuum evaporation.

For the base layer, aluminum is usually used for a drum-shaped photoreceptor, but for a belt-shaped photoreceptor, a flexible rubber or synthetic resin with poor conductivity is used.

In order to obtain clear copies, an accurate electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image must be formed on the surface of the belt-shaped photoreceptor. For this purpose, it is necessary that the surface of the photoreceptor, which is uniformly charged by corona discharge, becomes conductive only in the exposed areas, so that the potential of the areas approaches the ground potential ( ^OV ). However, since the base layer of the belt-shaped photoreceptor is a poor conductor as described above, a conductive path must be formed from the conductive layer to the ground member via another conductive member.

Therefore, the uppermost surface photosensitive layer (including the insulating layer covering this photosensitive layer) of the vest-like photoreceptor is peeled off and removed at the edge in the width direction of the belt to expose the conductive layer outward. A method has been proposed in which a conductive brush made of carbon fiber, metal fiber, or other conductive fiber is brought into contact with the exposed surface of the conductive layer to form part of a conductive path.

However, according to this method, in the case of a weak brush such as carbon fiber, the conductive layer may be made of vapor-deposited aluminum with a thickness of 1 μm or less, but the fibers may break due to insufficient strength.
It has the disadvantage that it tends to fall off, causing electrical troubles. On the other hand, in the case of a strong brush such as a metal wire, the above-mentioned electrical troubles due to breakage or falling off are reduced, but there is a risk of damaging the conductive layer that is the contact surface. The strength or weakness of the waist is determined by differences in material, wire diameter, shape, or rigidity characteristics. At present, it is difficult to select a conductive member that does not damage the conductive layer or cause breakage or falling off, and it is also not easy to adapt to the characteristics of the conductive layer.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention solves the conventional drawbacks while using conventional materials, does not damage the conductive layer surface, prevents fiber breakage and falling off, and provides a stable and good conduction state. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a conductive path.

The purpose of this is to use a conductive path forming method for forming a conductive path between at least a pair of conductive members, in which a part of one conductive member, which is composed of a mixture of multiple types of conductive thin wires with different characteristics, is connected to the other conductive member. This is achieved by a method for forming a conductive path, which is characterized in that the conductive path is formed by contacting a conductive member.

According to the present invention, a brush-like conductive member or a woven fabric can be manufactured by using a plurality of types of conductive thin wires having different characteristics, such as metal fibers and carbon fibers, or wires and fibers having different wire diameters and stiffnesses. Since it is possible to configure a shaped conductive member, arbitrary characteristics can be selected, and it is easy to adapt to the characteristics of the conductive layer. A stable and good conduction state can be ensured without causing damage.

Hereinafter, a detailed explanation will be given with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows the internal mechanism of a plain paper copying machine suitable for carrying out the method for forming conductive paths of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a belt-shaped photoreceptor. The belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 is wrapped around a drive roller 3 and a driven roller 2, respectively, and is rotated by the drive roller 3 in the direction of the arrow. A static eliminator 4 is disposed above the driven roller 2 and at a predetermined distance from the surface of the belt-shaped photoreceptor 1, and a cleaning device 5, a charger 6, and an exposure device 7 are arranged in order downstream. Next, a developing device 8 is provided laterally to the driving roller 3, and a transfer device 9 is provided below the driven roller 2, respectively. Reference numeral 10 indicates a fixing device.

The belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 is composed of a photoconductive layer, a conductive layer, and a base layer, and is uniformly charged by a charger 6 by corona discharge. The manuscript image not shown is
A light image is formed on the surface of the belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 via the exposure device 7, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductive layer. This electrostatic latent image is converted into a visible image by the developing device 8. The copy sheet S enters the contact area between the belt-like photoreceptor 1 and the transfer device 9, and the visible image is transferred onto the copy sheet S in this contact area. The copied copy sheet S passes through the fixing device 10, and the copying process is completed. A conductive device embodying the present invention is provided at a portion surrounded by a dotted line A and in contact with a belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 wound around a driven roller 2.

FIG. 2 shows a first electrically conductive member forming part of the electrically conductive device. In this figure, the first conductive member 11 has a brush-like structure, and includes a base frame 13 made of aluminum alloy or the like, a large number of thin metal wires 15 and a large number of carbon fibers 17 implanted in the base frame 13. It is made up of The thickness and number of the thin metal wires 15 and the thickness and number of the carbon fibers 17 are preferably determined experimentally depending on the characteristics of the conductive layer serving as the contact surface. In this way, thin metal wire 15
The tip of the mixed fiber of the carbon fiber 17 and the carbon fiber 17 is shaped into an arc shape that almost matches the curvature of the driven roller 2, as clearly shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of a conductive device embodying the present invention, FIG. 3a is a side view, and FIG. 3b is an enlarged sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3a. That is, in these figures, the belt-shaped photoreceptor 1
has a photoconductive layer 19 on the top, a conductive layer 21 as a second conductive member in the middle, and a base layer 23 on the bottom.
The photoconductive layer 19 is peeled off and removed from one side edge of the belt-like photoconductor, so that the surface 21a of the intermediate conductive layer 21 is exposed. Base layer 23
is in contact with and wound around the surface of the driven roller 2.

The first conductive member 11 is brought into contact with the conductive layer surface 21a of the belt-shaped photoreceptor so that its arcuate tip portion matches the curvature of the driven roller 2, and During the rotation, the tip part is bent slightly while touching the conductive layer surface 2 of the belt-shaped photoreceptor.
It is designed to come into sliding contact with 1a.

The base frame 13 is electrically connected via a lead wire 27 to a third conductive member 25 called ground.

Therefore, even while the belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 is rotating, the second and third conductive members 21 and 25 are electrically connected through the first conductive member 11, and a conductive path is formed there.

FIG. 4 shows another example of an apparatus implementing the present invention. That is, in this figure, the reference numeral 20 indicates the second
A reinforcing member formed on the surface 21a of the conductive layer 21, which is a conductive member, is shown. The reinforcing member 20 is
For example, it is a coating member such as a conductive paint, and is for protecting the conductive layer surface 21a. The effect in this case is that the durability is increased compared to the previous example.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show still another example of an apparatus implementing the present invention. As clearly shown in these figures, a sheet formed by knitting thin metal wires 31 and carbon fibers 33 is held by a base frame 35 having a concave shape. In this case as well, the tips of the thin metal wires 31 and the carbon fibers 33 in the opening of the base frame 35 are shaped into arcs that match the curvature of the driven roller. Moreover, the thickness and number of the thin metal wires 31 and the carbon fibers 33 are of course determined depending on the characteristics of the conductive layer that is the contact surface.

In the device examples exemplified above, metal thin wires and carbon fibers are shown as multiple types of conductive thin wires, but the present invention is not limited to these combinations. Of course, the characteristics may also be changed depending on the wire diameter.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the case of forming a conductive path connecting the conductive layer of a belt-shaped photoreceptor of a plain paper copying machine and the ground, but can also be applied to other recording devices such as electrostatic recording devices using dielectric materials. Of course it is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the internal mechanism of a plain paper copying machine suitable for implementing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a conductive member that is a part of a conductive device implementing the present invention, and FIG. a and b are a side view showing an example of a device implementing the present invention and an enlarged sectional view taken along line B-B of the side view; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a device implementing the present invention; FIG. 6 is a front view showing still another example of an apparatus embodying the present invention. 1... Belt-shaped photoreceptor, 2... Driven roller, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Conductive member, 13... Base frame, 15... Metal thin wire, 17... Carbon fiber, 19... Photoconductive layer, 21... Conductive layer, 23... Base layer, 25...
...Earth, 27...Lead wire.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 In a method for forming a conductive path between at least a pair of conductive members, a part of one conductive member composed of a mixture of multiple types of conductive thin wires with different characteristics is attached to the other conductive member. A method for forming a conductive path, the method comprising forming a conductive path by contacting the conductive path.