JPH0832317B2 - Film forming equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus, for example, an apparatus for coating a photosensitive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

B. 2. Description of the Related Art In forming a layer of a photoreceptor, each layer must be formed as a thin film and uniformly. As such a coating method, for example, spray coating, dip coating, blade coating, roll coating and the like have been studied. Above all, in order to form a uniform coating film on a cylindrical conductive substrate, etc.,
Dip coating is often used.

However, such a dip coating method has the following problems.

(A). Since the required amount of the coating liquid is very large and the ratio of the coating liquid effectively used for forming a coating film is low, the coating liquid is wasted a lot.

(B). By the vertical movement of the liquid level of the coating liquid, the coating liquid adheres to the wall surface of the coating tank, and the adhered coating liquid dries to produce a dry solid. Therefore, inconveniences such as coating defects occur.

(C). In the so-called overflow type dip coating device, the coating liquid is circulated between the coating tank and the tank by the power of the pump, so that the coating liquid is generated by the shearing force applied to the coating liquid when the coating liquid passes through the pump. to degrade.

As another method, there is a method in which a conductive substrate drum is passed through a coating device such as a slide hopper and the photosensitive liquid is coated on the outer peripheral surface of the drum during the passage. In this case, it is common to feed the substrate drums one by one to the coating means, but if the substrate drums can be fed continuously, productivity,
It is extremely advantageous in terms of preventing the coating liquid from changing over time and making the coating conditions uniform.

However, in the past, vibration of the substrate drum transfer device (ball screw or the like) during supply or discharge of the substrate drum to the coating means,
Impact etc. was transmitted to the substrate drum, resulting in uneven coating. If the speed is precisely controlled when the substrate drum is connected, such a problem can be alleviated, but instead, complicated electric control is required, which is complicated, the device is complicated, and the cost is increased.

C. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a film forming apparatus which can supply a product having a uniform film and stable quality and which does not require complicated control.

D. According to the present invention, a film forming treatment means for performing a film forming treatment on a drum-shaped substrate by relatively moving the drum-shaped substrate, and the drum-shaped substrate before the film forming treatment to the film forming treatment means. And a transfer means having at least one of the functions of transferring the drum-shaped substrate during the film forming process and discharging the drum-shaped substrate whose film is in an undried state, and the transfer means. The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus having a cushioning mechanism provided in.

In the above, the "buffer mechanism" means a mechanism (combination of elements) that absorbs and absorbs energy such as shock, vibration, speed difference between both ends of the mechanism, and includes coil springs, cylinders (pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure, etc.), slide rails. , A cushioning rubber, etc., and a combination of these cushioning mechanisms.

E. Examples Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described.

 FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a coating device.

Ball screws 22 facing up and down are provided inside the pair of coating device main bodies 20 facing each other.
A lifting member 23 is attached to each ball screw 22. Spacer grippers 28A and 28B are fixed to the elevating member 23, and the elevating member 23 and the spacer gripper 28 are driven by driving the drive motor 21 and the ball screw 22.
A and 28B can be raised and lowered. The spacer grippers 28A and 28B are both U-shaped gripper bodies 34.
Each of the upper and lower hand gripping portions 30 is fixed with a spacer gripping hand 29.

A U-shaped bent portion 34a is provided at the center of the gripping tool body 34, and a coil spring 50 is fixed to each ball screw side end of each bent portion 34a, and the other end of the coil spring 50 is fixed. Is fixed to the lifting member 23.

A supply device 24 is installed between the coating device bodies 20, and a drum lifting hand 33 is attached to the supply device 24 via a coil spring 50. A spacer 26C, a conductive substrate drum (drum) 27B, a spacer 26B, a drum 27A, and a spacer 26A are sequentially connected to the upper side of the hand 33, and the drum discharge hand 25 is arranged above the spacer 26A. A lifting device (not shown) is provided on the upper side of the drum discharging hand 25 via a coil spring 50.

A protrusion 40 is provided on the spacer 26A, and the protrusion 40 is fitted in the hollow portion 27a of the drum 27A. Similarly, the drum 27A and the spacer 26B, the spacer 26B and the drum 27B, and the drum 27B and the spacer 26C are also fitted and fixed, respectively.

The coating means 31 is mounted on a coating means mounting base 32, and the coating means mounting base 32 is held by holding means (not shown). The coating means 31 and the coating means mounting table 32 are for coating the coating liquid on the drums 27A and 27B like a coating device (see FIGS. 5 to 7) described later, and in the example of FIG. As the drums 27A and 27B rise, coating films are sequentially formed on the drums 27A and 27B.

2A is an enlarged plan view showing the spacer gripping hand and the hand gripping portion, and FIG. 2B is a right side view of FIG. 2A.

The hand grip 30 is provided with a piston 30a and a cylinder 30b, the spacer gripping hand main body 29c is attached to the piston 30a or the cylinder 30b with a screw 30e, and is attached to the main body of the hand grip 30 with a screw 30d. Two adjustment units 29b are fixed to each body 29c, and four adjustment units have spacers 26 facing each other.
It is supposed to be held between 29b. Each adjustment unit 2
The position 9b is for position adjustment so that the center positions of the drums 27A and 27B are not displaced in the radial direction. A bearing 29a is provided at the tip of each adjusting unit 29b, and the spacer 26 has four
It is pressed and held by the individual bearings 29a.

In FIG. 2 (a), the cylinder 30 is indicated by the solid line.
By operating b (this operation is performed by a known means such as air pressure), the spacer 26 is gripped. Note that 30c is an adjusting screw.

Next, when the cylinder 30b is operated as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, the main body 29c rotates about the screw 30d as the fulcrum as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, the bearing 29a and the spacer 26 are separated, and the gripping of the spacer 26 is released. To be done.

FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (h) are main part schematic front views showing a process of forming a coating film on the outer peripheral surface of the drum when the above coating device is used.

In the state shown in FIG. 3 (a), the spacers 26A and 26B are gripped by the spacer gripping hand (hereinafter also referred to as a hand) 29 provided on the spacer gripping tool 28A, and the spacers 26A and 26B. The drum 27A for which application has been completed is fitted and held between and. In FIG. 3, an arrow G represents a state in which the spacer is held by the spacer gripping hand (hereinafter referred to as a holding state). The hand 29 on the side of the spacer gripping tool 28B is released from holding the spacer (hereinafter referred to as a released state).
Has become. The drum 27B is held by the drum lifting hand 33 via the spacer 26C.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the drum discharging hand 25 is fitted to the spacer 26A, and the drum lifting hand 33 is raised to mount the drum 27B on the lower end surface of the spacer 26B.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), a spacer gripping tool
28A side hand 29 is released and the spacer gripper 28B
The side hand 29 is held. At the same time, the drum discharge hand 25 is raised to raise the spacer 26A and the drum 27A after coating, and the drum 27A is discharged from the coating device. After that, the discharged drum 27A is subjected to other processing as necessary. Further, the gripping of the spacer 26C by the drum lifting hand 33 is released, and the drum lifting hand 33 is released.
33 descends.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3 (d), a spacer gripping tool
28B rises while holding the spacers 26B and 26C, and as a result, the drum 27B passes through the inside of the coating means 31 and the drum 27B
The coating liquid is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the. On the other hand, the spacer gripping tool 28A descends to the height at which the spacer gripping tool 28B was disposed in FIG. 3 (c).

Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (e), the spacer gripping tool 28B is raised to a predetermined height (the same height as the spacer gripping tool 28A in FIG. 3 (a)), and also for raising and lowering the drum. Spacer on the hand 33 by known means
26D and drum 27C are fitted and mounted. In this state, the coating on the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27B is completed, and the state becomes exactly the same as that in FIG. 3 (a) (that is, the relationship between FIG. 3 (a) and FIG. 3 (b) is a mirror image, That is, the left and right are swapped.)

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (f), the drum discharge hand 25 is fitted to the spacer 26B, and the drum lifting hand 33 is raised to mount the drum 27C on the lower end surface of the spacer 26C.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (g), the hand 29 on the side of the spacer gripping tool 28B is released, and the spacer gripping tool 2
The hand 29 on the 8A side is held. Then, the drum discharge hand 25 is raised to pull up the spacer 26B and the drum 27B for which coating has been completed, and the drum 27B is discharged from the coating device. In addition, the spacer 26D drum lifting hand 33
The grip by is released, and the drum lifting hand 33 is lowered.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (h), the spacer gripper 28A moves upward while gripping the spacers 26C and 26D,
As a result, the drum 27C passes through the inside of the coating means 31, and the drum 2C
The coating liquid will be applied to the outer peripheral surface of 7C. On the other hand, the spacer gripping tool 28B descends to a predetermined height.

After that, the spacer gripping tool 28A is raised to a predetermined height, the spacer and the drum are fitted and mounted on the drum lifting hand 33, and the state shown in FIG. 3 (a) is restored. As a result, one cycle of the coating process is completed and the two drums are coated.

The coating apparatus of this example can exert the following remarkable effects.

(A). According to the conventional coating apparatus that coats each base drum one by one, the work is interrupted every time one drum is coated, a new drum must be placed, and the blade must be cleaned. It was impossible to apply. For this reason, the work efficiency is lowered, and the physical properties of the coating liquid are changed or dry solids are generated during the interruption of the work, which causes unevenness of the coating film and coating defects. .

On the other hand, in the coating apparatus of the present example, by alternately operating the two spacer gripping tools, the drum can be continuously supplied to the coating apparatus and the coating layer can be continuously formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. As a result, the coating device can be operated continuously, so that productivity is significantly improved, and the deterioration of physical properties of the coating liquid and the production of dry solids due to the interruption of work can be prevented, resulting in a uniform and high-quality coating. Can be stably supplied.

(B). Since the spacer is gripped, the gripper does not come into contact with the drum surface, and it is possible to prevent adverse effects on the drum surface before coating film formation and the coating film already applied.

(C). The spacers fitted and fixed to the upper and lower ends of the drum are held together, and the drums are raised by raising these spacers at the same speed to coat the outer peripheral surface of the drum. It is fixed, and in particular, horizontal rolling in the left-right direction does not occur in FIG. 3, and the positional accuracy can be sufficiently improved. Therefore, the coating can be stably performed, and the coating layer can be formed uniformly in the circumferential direction.

(D). When the lifting member 23, the drum supply hand 33, and the drum discharge hand 25 are driven, vibrations from a drive source (motor or the like) are inevitably transmitted to the spacer and the base drum.

However, in this example, the hands 25 and 33, the base drum gripping tool
Since both 28A and 28B are connected and held to the drive source through the coil spring 50, the above-mentioned vibration is absorbed and attenuated as a minute vibration of the coil spring 50. It does not reach the drum 27A and (Figs. 3 (a) to (c)). Therefore, the coating film is not disturbed and a uniform coating film can be formed.

As shown in FIG. 3 (b), when the drum 27B is mounted on the lower end surface of the spacer 26B, the rising speed of the drum gripping hand 33 is higher than the rising speed of the gripping tool 28A. Inevitably the impact of time, the already applied base drum 27
It is transmitted to A. However, this shock is due to the drum supply hand 3
Coil spring 50 fixed to 3 and drum gripping tool 28A
It is absorbed and relaxed by the coil spring 50 on the side. Similarly, when the drum discharge hand 25 is attached to the spacer 26A (FIG. 3 (b)), the impact of the drum discharge hand 25 is also reduced.
Are absorbed and relaxed by the coil springs 50 fixed to the drum grippers 28A.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 (b) to 3 (c), when gripping by the drum gripping tool 28B and releasing of the gripping tool 28A are performed, there is a difference in moving speed between the gripping tools 28A and 28B. The vibration is generated based on this difference. In order to eliminate this, it is conceivable to perform precise synchronization by using, for example, an electric control means, but the mechanism becomes complicated as described above. However, in this point, in the present example, the above-mentioned vibration can be absorbed by each two coil springs 50 fixed to the grippers 28A and 28B. Therefore, there is no need for sophisticated control for synchronizing the moving speeds of the grippers 28A and 28B.

Moreover, in the present example, the above effects can be achieved by a very simple mechanism called a coil spring.

(E). As shown in FIG. 3 (b), when the drum 27B is mounted on the lower end surface of the spacer 26B, and when the drum discharge hand 25 is mounted on the spacer 26A, both the undried base drum 27A and Spacers 26A and 26B are interposed between the impact occurrence sites. Therefore, shock the spacer
26A and 26B also have the effect of mitigating the shock, so that the shock absorption becomes more complete in combination with the buffering action of the coil spring.

(F). When the impact and vibration described above are transmitted to the undried substrate drum that has already been applied, the distorted portion of the coating film remains as an image when the coating film (carrier generation layer, carrier transport layer, etc.) of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is formed. Will appear.

On the contrary, in this example, the coating film can be made uniform and the disturbance of the coating film can be prevented, so that the disturbance of the image can be prevented and a high quality image can be provided.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing another spacer holding hand.

The spacer 26 is sandwiched by a pair of spacer holding hands 39A and 39B that are provided to face each other.
26 are held. Here, 39a is a bearing, 39b is an adjusting unit, and 39c is a hand main body. And another set of hands 39, which is also provided with the spacer 26 in between.
C and 39D are separated from the spacer 26, and the holding is released.

Each of the spacer gripping hands 39A, 39B, 39C, 39D can be operated by a known actuator such as a cylinder or a spring that is pneumatically operated in a direction indicated by an arrow. Similarly, the holding state in which the spacer is held and the released state in which the holding is released can be selected.

In this example, unlike the hand 29 of FIG. 2, a pair of separate hands 39B, 39A or 39 facing each other are provided.
The spacer 26 is held by C and 39D, and the pair of hands 39A and 39B or 39C and 39D perform the same function as the hand 29 of FIG.

When the hands 39A, 39B and the like of this example are used, the hands 39A, 39B, 39C, 3
It is necessary to raise and lower 9D respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, ball screws 22 are installed on the back surfaces of the hands 39A, 39B, 39C and 39D, respectively, so that the hands can be raised and lowered.

FIG. 5 exemplifies a coating means usable in the present invention, and FIG. 5 (a) is a sectional view showing a state in which the coating liquid is coated on the conductive substrate drum 27 by using a slide hopper device. FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the slide hopper device.

The coating liquid S supplied to the coating liquid supply pipe 14 by a pump (not shown) in an amount necessary for coating is supplied to the coating liquid distribution chamber 12
Are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction by the distribution slit 13
And flows down the slide surface 17 uniformly in the circumferential direction.
Thereafter, the coating liquid S forms a bead between the hopper edge 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27. When the conductive substrate 27 is driven in the direction of arrow A with the bead and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27 in contact with each other, the coating layer 3 is applied onto the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27. In FIG. 5, numeral 15 is a liquid receiver.

According to such a coating device, when the coating liquid S is coated on the conductive substrate drum, the solvent is quickly evaporated from the coating layer 3 which has been once coated. Further, since the coating liquid S is supplied in an amount necessary for coating, waste of the coating liquid is small and the cost of the material can be reduced.

Further, in the apparatus of this example, since the distribution slits are arranged seamlessly in the circumferential direction of the object to be coated, a uniform coating film having no seam is obtained, and the film thickness is the coating liquid supply amount,
Since it is determined by the viscosity and the moving speed of the conductive substrate, it is controllable, rapid coating is possible, and productivity is high.

Also, since the amount of coating liquid required for coating is supplied,
In particular, even when a coating liquid whose liquid properties are easily changed, such as a coating liquid for forming a carrier generating layer, is used, it is possible to suppress the change in physical properties of the coating liquid, which is advantageous.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which the coating liquid is applied on the conductive substrate drum by the extrusion hopper device.

The coating liquid S, which is supplied to the coating liquid supply pipe 14 by a pump (not shown) in an amount necessary for coating, is evenly distributed in the circumferential direction by the coating liquid distribution chamber 12, and is pushed out through the distribution slit 13 to form a hopper. It uniformly and continuously flows out from the edge 16 to form a coating liquid bead with the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27, whereby the coating layer 3 is coated.

Hopper edge 16 length is 0.1-10mm, preferably 0.5
~ 4mm is good. Inclination angle of hopper edge is 3 from below vertically
The range is preferably up to 0 °, more preferably up to 20 ° from below. When the inclination angle of the hopper edge exceeds 30 degrees, the cross-linking of the coating solution becomes short and it becomes difficult to obtain a good coating film.

If the object to be coated having an endless continuous surface is cylindrical, the coating liquid distribution slit is circular, and the diameter is slightly larger than this cylindrical substrate diameter (0.05 to 1 mm larger diameter). The coating can be suitably performed by using a coating device having a conical surface having a terminal end portion.

A pipe is preferably used as the coating liquid supply means for supplying the coating liquid to the coating liquid distribution chamber, and two or more pipes may be used. 2 for safety and uniformity of coating liquid
One or more pipes may be used.

The gap between the diameter of the end of the slide surface and the outer diameter of the body to be coated (cylindrical) is preferably 0.05 to 1 mm, more preferably 0.1 to 0.6 mm. The inclination angle of the slide surface is preferably 10 ° to 70 ° with respect to the horizontal, and more preferably 20 ° to 45 °.

The viscosity of the coating solution should be in the range of 0.5 to 700 Cp, 1 to 500 C
p is even better.

In order to make the coating liquid flow out uniformly from the coating liquid distribution slit in the circumferential direction, in the slide hopper device, the distribution chamber resistance (Pc) and the slit resistance when flowing through the coating liquid distribution slit. (Ps) is Ps / Pc ≧ 80,
It is more preferably in the range of 100 to 100,000, and in the extrusion hopper device, the distribution chamber resistance (Pc) and the slit resistance (Ps) when flowing through the coating liquid distribution slit are Ps / Pc.
By maintaining the relationship of ≧ 40, more preferably within the range of 40 to 100,000, it is possible to apply the coating solution stably and uniformly.

The distribution chamber resistance (Pc) and the slit resistance (Ps) may be determined according to the coating liquid supply speed, viscosity, and supply pressure.

In the extrusion hopper device, the hopper edge is 0.05 to 1 mm larger than the outer diameter of the object to be coated, more preferably in the range of 2 ho mm to 4 ho mm when the coating film thickness is ho mm, and the coating direction length is 0.1 to 10 mm. Preferably 0.5-4m
It is desirable to have m. Further, the hopper edge is inclined vertically downward from the upper end and within 30 degrees from it, and is inclined toward the opposite side of the base material, more preferably vertically downward and inclined within 20 degrees from it. The one that extends is good. If the inclination of the hopper edge exceeds 30 degrees, the cross-linking of the coating solution becomes short, the bead becomes unstable, and it becomes difficult to obtain a good coating film.

Each coating liquid supplied to the coating device is temporarily stored in each coating liquid distribution chamber, and the coating liquid is evenly distributed to each coating liquid distribution slit connected thereto. The pressure loss ratio of each coating liquid distribution chamber to each coating liquid distribution slit is set so that each coating liquid evenly distributed to each slit and each coating liquid distributed to each slit can be uniformly coated on the substrate surface. Is a slide type
It is 80 or more, preferably in the range of 80 to 100,000, and in the extrusion type, the pressure loss ratio is 40 or more, preferably in the range of 40 to 100,000. If the pressure loss is less than 80 (slide type) and 40 (extrusion type), it will be difficult to evenly distribute and apply the coating liquid. If both exceed 100,000, the coating liquid distribution chamber will be enlarged or slits will be created. It is necessary to increase the length, which causes a problem in the structure of the device.

The coating film formed on the object to be coated using the coating device is based on the coating liquid bead. That is, the layer of the coating liquid leaving the coating device is not directly applied to the object to be coated with a layer having the same thickness as when the coating device is leaving, but once a liquid pool (coating liquid bead) is formed, and from this bead The object to be coated draws off the coating liquid. Therefore, the coating film formed by this coating liquid bead is not actually formed directly from the coating device to the coating object, but the coating device simply maintains the coating liquid bead and the coating target is coated from the bead. To be done. The coating liquid bead is maintained by the coating liquid extruded from the coating liquid distribution slit or the coating liquid flowing down on the liquid slide portion.
It is formed by bridging between the object to be coated and the hopper edge. In coating with this bead, the thickness of the coating film applied on the object to be moved across the bead and intersecting with the bead is determined by the action of the bead, and the speed at which the object to be moved moves, It changes depending on the feed rate and feed pressure, the efficiency of the hopper structure, etc.

The coating liquid discharged from the discharge pipe may be circulated so that the coating liquid is supplied to the supply pipe again as a coating liquid after being subjected to treatment such as stirring by a stirrer.

A valve for regulating the discharge amount of the coating liquid is provided at the coating liquid discharge port or the discharge pipe for discharging the coating liquid in the coating liquid distribution chamber, and the liquid amount is adjusted not only on the supply side but also on the discharge side. May be.

The supply of the coating liquid is supplied from the supply pipe, part of which flows out to the coating surface through the coating liquid distribution slit, and the other part of which is discharged by the discharge pipe. The coating liquid may be supplied intermittently, for example, by supplying the coating liquid at regular intervals in consideration of the aggregation time of the liquid.

In the case of coating using the hopper device as described above, in order to regulate the film thickness of the coating film by the flow rate of the coating liquid bead,
In some cases, changes in the moving speed of the drum, turbulence, and vibration may appear as they are in a stepwise unevenness of the coating film, or even sagging of the coating film may occur.

In this respect, according to the coating device of the present invention, even when a hopper device is used as the coating film forming means, such a problem does not occur, and the effect is particularly remarkable.

 FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another coating means.

The bottom plate 62 is fixed to the loading plate 60, and the upper surface of the bottom plate 62 and the pressing plate
The blade 34 is clamped by 63. The coating liquid S is contained in the liquid tank 66, and a liquid supply plate 67 for replenishing the coating liquid S to the liquid tank 66 is attached to the upper surface of the liquid tank 66.
A pair of liquid supply ports 68 is provided at 67. The entire device is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The blade 64 is made of a flexible material such as rubber or synthetic resin, and is configured to hold the drum 27 in place.

The bottom plate 62, the pressing plate 63, the liquid tank 66 is provided with a hole portion 69a having substantially the same diameter, and the liquid supply plate 67 is provided with a hole portion 69b having a smaller diameter than the hole portion 69a. The blade 64 is provided with a hole portion 69c having a diameter smaller than that of the hole portion 69b. Then, with the drum 27 or the spacer fitted,
The peripheral edge of the hole portion 69c of the blade 64 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27 and the spacer, and a slight gap is formed between the peripheral edge of the hole portion 69b of the liquid supply plate 67 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 27 or the spacer.

Since the hole portion 69b is close to the drum 27 or the spacer, it is possible to suppress the evaporation of the solvent at the time of coating and also to prevent the abrupt drying of the surface of the already coated drum.

In the liquid tank 66, a photosensitive liquid storage portion 70 is provided in a lower half portion thereof, a liquid reservoir portion 71 is provided in an upper half portion thereof, and a plurality of communication holes 72 for flowing the coating liquid S in the liquid reservoir portion 72 are provided. Are formed in the circumferential direction. An overflow hole 73 for overflow is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the container 70 so that the liquid surface can always be kept at a constant height. A plurality of air holes 44 are provided in the inner peripheral wall of the housing portion 40 in the circumferential direction, and communicate with the outside air through the hole portions 69b. As a result, the photosensitive liquid in the liquid reservoir 71 gradually passes through the communication hole 72 and gradually descends depending on the size of the air hole 44, so that the liquid surface is stabilized in a calm state.

The coating apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 7 can be applied to the coating of the coating liquid for the organic electrophotographic photosensitive member.

At this time, the carrier generation layer, the carrier transport layer, and the like in the so-called function-separated type photoreceptor are
Alternatively, it can be provided by a method in which a carrier transporting material is dissolved or dispersed and suspended in a suitable solvent or a solution of a binder resin solvent, and the resulting solution is dried.

Examples of the solvent include N, N-dimethylformamide, benzene, toluene, xylene, monochlorobenzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, dichloromethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, tetrahydrofuran, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate and the like. be able to.

When the carrier generating layer and the carrier transporting layer are formed by applying and drying a coating material in which the carrier generating substance and the carrier transporting material are dispersed and suspended in a solvent or a binder resin solution, it is preferably provided by the following method. That is, a dispersion liquid obtained by making a carrier generating substance and a carrier transporting substance into fine particles in a dispersion medium by a ball mill, a homomixer or the like, adding a binder resin and mixing and dispersing the fine particles is used. In this method, it is preferable to uniformly disperse the particles under the action of ultrasonic waves.

As the carrier generating substance, either an inorganic pigment or an organic pigment can be used as long as it absorbs an electromagnetic wave and generates a free carrier.

 The following are exemplified.

(1) amorphous selenium, trigonal selenium, selenium-arsenic alloy, selenium-tellurium alloy, cadmium sulfide, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfate selenide, mercury sulfide, lead sulfide,
Inorganic pigments such as zinc oxide, titanium oxide, and amorphous silicon (2) Monoazo pigments, polyazo pigments, metal complex azo pigments, pyrazolone azo pigments, azo pigments such as stilbene azo and thiazole azo pigments (3) Anthraquinone derivatives, anthanthrone Derivatives, dibenzpyrenequinone derivatives, pyranthrone derivatives, violanthrone derivatives and isoviolanthrone derivatives, etc. Anthraquinone-based or polycyclic quinone pigments (4) Indigoide pigments such as indigo derivatives and thioindigo derivatives (5) Titanyl phthalocyanine, vanadyl phthalocyanine Various metal phthalocyanines such as α-type, β-type, γ
Type, τ type, τ 'type, η type, η' type and other phthalocyanine pigments such as metal-free phthalocyanine (6) Carbonyl pigments such as diphenylmethane pigment, triphenylmethane pigment, xanthene pigment and acridine pigment (7) Quinoneimine pigments such as azine pigments, oxazine pigments and thiazine pigments (8) Methine pigments such as cyanine pigments and azomethine pigments (9) Quinoline pigments (10) Nitro pigments (11) Nitroso pigments (12) Benzoquinone and naphthoquinone Pigments (13) Naphthalimide pigments (14) Perinone pigments such as bisbenzimidazole derivatives (15) Fluorenone pigments (16) Squarylium pigments (17) Azulenium compounds (18) Perylene anhydrides and perylene imides Perylene pigments Carrier transport materials include carbazole derivatives and oxazones. Derivative, oxadiazole derivative, thiazole derivative, thiadiazole derivative, triazole derivative, imidazole derivative, imidazolone derivative, imidazolidine derivative, bisimidazolidine derivative, styryl compound,
Hydrazone compounds, pyrazoline derivatives, oxazolone derivatives, benzothiazole derivatives, benzimidazole derivatives, quinazoline derivatives, benzofuran derivatives, acridine derivatives, phenazine derivatives, aminostilbene derivatives, triarylamine derivatives, phenylenediamine derivatives, stilbene derivatives, poly-N-vinyl It may be one or more selected from carbazole, poly-1-vinylpyrene, poly-9-vinylanthracene and the like.

Any one of the carrier generation layer, the carrier transport layer, the protective layer, or a plurality of layers thereof may include an electron accepting substance, a surface modifier, a durability improver, an antioxidant (hindered phenol, hindered amine, etc.), A polymer organic semiconductor or the like may be contained.

Examples of the binder resin that can be used for manufacturing the photoconductor include polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinyl acetate resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, phenol resin, polyester resin, alkyd resin, polycarbonate resin,
Addition polymerization resins such as silicone resins and melamine resins, polyaddition resins, polycondensation resins and copolymer resins containing two or more of the repeating units of these resins, for example vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resins. Insulating resin such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymer resin,
Examples include polymer organic semiconductors such as poly-N-vinylcarbazole.

Although the present invention has been illustrated above, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

The buffer mechanism is not limited to the above. The buffer mechanism may be provided in any of the drum gripping tool, the drum supply (elevation) hand, and the drum discharge hand. For example, in FIG. 1, the coil spring 50 can be provided only on the pair of drum grippers 28A and 28B. The shape, size, number, etc. of the buffer mechanism can be freely changed.

 The coating means is not limited to those shown in FIGS.

In addition, in FIGS. 1 to 4, the structure, number, size, shape, etc. of the spacer gripping hand can be variously changed, and the spacer gripping tool is also the same. Further, the means for raising and lowering the spacer gripping tool is not limited to the ball screw. Further, as seen in the spacer gripping tool 28A in FIG. 1, it is not necessary to connect the upper hand 29 and the lower hand 29 by the gripping tool body 34, and both may be formed separately.

In the process of FIG. 3, the operating procedure of the coating device can be changed.

It is also possible to execute the process of FIG. 3 by using a coating device having a spacer gripping hand as shown in FIG.

Even in the film forming apparatus that supplies the drum bases to the film forming means one by one, the vibration during the transfer of the drum can be absorbed by the buffer mechanism.

The coating film forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied as various coating apparatuses, and can also be applied to other coating film forming means, for example, an apparatus for forming a vapor deposition film on a conductive substrate by vacuum vapor deposition.

F. EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the coating film forming apparatus of the present invention, at least one of supplying the drum-shaped substrate before the treatment to the coating film forming means, transferring the drum-shaped substrate during the treatment, and discharging the undried drum-shaped substrate. A buffer mechanism is provided in the transfer means that performs either of the above.
Therefore, the cushioning mechanism can absorb and mitigate vibrations and impacts on the drum-shaped substrate that is being processed by the film forming means and the undried drum-shaped substrate. Therefore, the disorder of the coating can be prevented and a uniform coating can be formed.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 7 show an embodiment, FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a coating device, and FIG. 2 (a) is an enlarged plan view showing the periphery of a spacer gripping hand. FIG. 3 (b) is a right side view of FIG. 3 (a), and FIGS. 3 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e),
(F), (g), and (h) are schematic front views of a main part showing a process of forming a coating film on the outer peripheral surface of the drum, and FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing another spacer holding hand, and FIG. (A) is a sectional view showing a state in which a coating liquid is applied to a substrate drum by using a slide hopper device, (b) is a perspective view showing a slide hopper device with a part thereof cut away, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a state in which the coating liquid is applied onto the substrate drum by the hopper device, and FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view showing a state in which the coating liquid is applied onto the substrate drum by another coating means. In the reference numerals shown in the drawings, 16 ... Hopper edge 17 ... Sliding surface 20 ... Coating device main body 22 ... Ball screw 23 ... Lifting member 25 ... Drum discharging hand 26, 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D ... ... Spacer 27, 27A, 27B, 27C ... Conductive substrate drum 28A, 28B ... Spacer gripping tool 29, 39A, 39B, 39C, 39D ... Spacer gripping hand 29a, 39a ... Bearing 30 ... Hand gripping part 30a ...... Piston 30b ...... Cylinder 33 ...... Drum supply hand 34 ...... Spacer gripping tool body 34a ...... Bent part 50 ...... Coil spring G ...... Holding state S ...... It is coating liquid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A film-forming treatment means for performing a film-forming treatment on a drum-shaped substrate by relatively moving the drum-shaped substrate, and supplying the drum-shaped substrate before the film-forming treatment to the film-forming treatment means. And a transfer means having at least one of the functions of transferring the drum-shaped substrate during the film forming process and discharging the drum-shaped substrate whose film is not dried. Forming apparatus having a shock absorbing mechanism.