Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 10,416,581 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Yota, Nishida, Tsutomu, Hinata, Shoma, Yamaai, Tatsuya, Sakakibara, Akira, Miura, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Villaluna, Erika J
• Application Number:
  US15/667,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/75 Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing electrographic recording members per se G03G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0539 Halogenated polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0564 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0578 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0603 containing halogens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0612 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06142 arylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06144 diamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061443 benzidine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061446 terphenyl-diamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06147 alkenylarylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061473 plural alkenyl groups linked directly to the same aryl group
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06149 enamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0668 containing only one methine or polymethine group
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/078 comprising silicon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14756 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14773 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain

Abstract

An electrophotographic photosensitive member with suppressed potential variation even in the case that a protective layer including a cured material of a composition having a polymerizable functional group is used is provided. An electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material, and a protective layer, in the order presented, wherein the charge transport layer contains a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from a group A and a structure selected from a group B, and the protective layer includes a cured material of a composition containing a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising, in this order:

a support;

a charge generation layer;

a charge transport layer comprising a charge transporting material, and a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from group A and a structure selected from group B; and

a protective layer comprising a cured material of a composition comprising a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups, wherein

Group A is represented by formulae (101) and (102)

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the film thickness of the protective layer to the film thickness of the charge transport layer is 0.20 to 0.40.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the structure of the polycarbonate resin selected from group A is formula (101).

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 3, wherein R²¹⁵ is a methyl group.

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 4, wherein R²¹⁶ and R²¹⁷ are the same.

6. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content ratio of the structure selected from the group A to the polycarbonate resin is 20 to 80 mol %.

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity-average molecular weight of the polycarbonate resin is 20,000 to 70,000.

8. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content of the charge transporting material in the charge transport layer is 80 to 200% by mass based on the content of the polycarbonate resin.

9. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the charge generation layer comprises a gallium phthalocyanine crystal charge generating material.

10. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the polymerizable functional group of the compound having the polymerizable functional group is an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, an alkoxysilyl group or an epoxy group.

11. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising, in this order:

a support;

a charge generation layer;

a charge transport layer comprising a charge transporting material, and a polycarbonate resin having structures represented by formulae (121) and (104); and

a protective layer comprising a cured material of a composition comprising a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups

12. A method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising, in this order:

a support;

a charge generation layer;

a charge transport layer comprising a charge transporting material, and a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from group A and a structure selected from group B; and

a protective layer comprising a cured material of a composition comprising a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups, wherein

Group A is represented by formulae (101) and (102)

13. A process cartridge integrally supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a charging unit, a developing unit, a transferring unit and a cleaning unit and being attachable to and detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus,

the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising in this order a support;

a charge generation layer;

a charge transport layer comprising a charge transporting material, and a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from group A and a structure selected from group B; and

a protective layer comprising a cured material of a composition comprising a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups, wherein

Group A is represented by formulae (101) and (102)

14. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit and a transferring unit, the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising in this order:

a support;

a charge generation layer;

a charge transport layer comprising a charge transporting material, and a polycarbonate resin having a structure selected from group A and a structure selected from group B; and

a protective layer comprising a cured material of a composition comprising a compound having at least a functional group selected from chain-polymerizable functional groups and sequential polymerizable functional groups, wherein

Group A is represented by formulae (101) and (102)