Apparatus and method for applying coating liquid to cylindrical substrate, and electrophotographic photoreceptor produced by that method and electrophotographic apparatus provided with the same

An apparatus for applying a coating liquid to a cylindrical substrate, comprising:

• an applicator roll for applying a coating liquid to a cylindrical substrate, the applicator roll being provided so as to come into contact with the cylindrical substrate;
• a coating liquid supplying roll for supplying the coating liquid to the applicator roll, the coating liquid supplying roll having a portion of fine concaves in at least a part of a circumferential length thereof, the portion of fine concaves comprising a plurality of fine concaves arranged two dimensionally, and the portion of fine concaves being formed in such a manner that depths of the fine concaves in vicinities of both circumferential ends of the portion of fine concaves decrease as they become far from a center in a circumferential direction of the portion of fine concaves;
• and
• a coating liquid amount-control member for controlling an amount of the coating liquid attached onto a surface of the coating liquid supplying roll,
• wherein in the portion of fine concaves of the coating liquid supplying roll, a sum L (=L1+L2) of a circumferential length L1 of a portion in which fine concaves are formed in substantially a same depth and a circumferential length L2 of one of portions in which fine concaves are formed in such a manner that the depth decreases, is n times of a circumference Lc of the cylindrical substrate, wherein n is an integer of 1 or more.