Electrophotographic photoconductor, image forming method and apparatus, and process cartridge using the photoconductor, and long-chain alkyl group containing bisphenol compound and polymer made therefrom

• US 20060035161A1
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Namba, Michihiko, Tanaka, Chiaki, Shimada, Tomoyuki, Nagai, Kazukiyo, Kawamura, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,122,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/59.600
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/047 characterised by the charge-generation layers or charge transport layers G03G5/0433 and G03G5/0436 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0507 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/056 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0564 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0575 Other polycondensates comprising nitrogen atoms with or without oxygen atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0589 Macromolecular compounds characterised by specific side-chain substituents or end groups

Abstract

An electrophotographic photoconductor has an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed thereon and contains at least one resin of a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, or a polycarbonate resin, each resin having at least a structural unit of formula (1):
wherein R¹, R², R³, a, b, and n are the same as those specified in the specification. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and method, and a process cartridge employ the above photoconductor. A long-chain alkyl group containing bisphenol compound is represented by formula (2):

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising:

an electroconductive support,

a photoconductive layer formed thereon, and

a protective layer which is formed on said photoconductive layer and comprises at least one polycarbonate resin wherein the resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27.

11. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said protective layer further comprises a filler.

19. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 7, wherein a contact angle which pure water makes with a surface of said protective layer is in a range of 85 to 140°

.

20. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 19, wherein said contact angle is in a range of 85 to 140°

after said surface of said protective layer is abraded by 1±

0.3 μ

m.

24. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 7, wherein a sliding angle at which pure water starts sliding down a surface of said protective layer is in a range of 5 to 65°

.

37. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 7, wherein n and m are equal.

8-10. -10. (canceled)

12-18. -18. (canceled)

21-23. -23. (canceled)

25. An electrophotographic image forming method comprising the steps of:

charging surface of a an electrophotographic photoconductor exposing said charged photoconductor to a light image to form a latent electrostatic image on said photoconductor,

developing said latent electrostatic image to a visible image, and

transferring said visible image formed on said photoconductor to an image receiving member,

wherein said electrophotographic photoconductor comprises an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed on said electroconductive support and comprises at least one polycarbonate resin wherein the resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or, R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27.

26. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said step of exposing said photoconductor to said light image employs a light source with a beam spot diameter of 10 to 30 μ

m.

27. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said light source is a semiconductor laser beam or a light emitting diode with wavelengths of 400 to 450 nm.

38. The electrophotographic image forming method according to claim 25, wherein n and m are equal.

28-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A long-chain alkyl group containing bisphenol compound of formula (2):

36. A polymer comprising a structural unit of formula (3):

39. An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising:

an electroconductive support,

a photoconductive layer formed thereon, and

a protective layer which is formed on said photoconductive layer and comprises at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane resin and a polyester resin, wherein said resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27.

40. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 39, wherein said protective layer further comprises a filler.

41. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 39, wherein a contact angle which pure water makes with a surface of said protective layer is in a range of 85 to 140°

.

42. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 41, wherein said contact angle is in a range of 85 to 140°

after said surface of said protective layer is abraded by 1±

0.3 μ

m.

43. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 39, wherein a sliding angle at which pure water starts sliding down a surface of said protective layer is in a range of 5 to 65°

.

44. An electrophotographic image forming method comprising the steps of:

charging surface of a an electrophotographic photoconductor exposing said charged photoconductor to a light image to form a latent electrostatic image on said photoconductor,

developing said latent electrostatic image to a visible image, and

transferring said visible image formed on said photoconductor to an image receiving member,

wherein said electrophotographic photoconductor comprises an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed on said electroconductive support and comprises at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane resin and a polyester resin, wherein said resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or, R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27.

45. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 44, wherein said step of exposing said photoconductor to said light image employs a light source with a beam spot diameter of 10 to 30 μ

m.

46. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 45, wherein said light source is a semiconductor laser beam or a light emitting diode with wavelengths of 400 to 450 nm.

47. An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising:

an electroconductive support,

a photoconductive layer formed thereon, and

a protective layer which is formed on said photoconductive layer and comprises at least one polycarbonate resin wherein the resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃ or a an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃ in which one or more hydrogen in replaced with a substituent group;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27, and

wherein a sliding angle at which pure water starts sliding down a surface of said photoconductive layer is in a range of 5 to 65°

.

48. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 47, wherein said protective layer further comprises a filler.

49. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 47, wherein a contact angle which pure water makes with a surface of said protective layer is in a range of 85 to 140°

.

50. The photoconductor as claimed in claim 49, wherein said contact angle is in a range of 85 to 140°

after said surface of said protective layer is abraded by 1±

0.3 μ

m.

51. The electrophotographic image forming method according to claim 49, wherein n and m are equal.

52. An electrophotographic image forming method comprising the steps of:

charging surface of a an electrophotographic photoconductor exposing said charged photoconductor to a light image to form a latent electrostatic image on said photoconductor,

developing said latent electrostatic image to a visible image, and

transferring said visible image formed on said photoconductor to an image receiving member,

wherein said electrophotographic photoconductor comprises an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed on said electroconductive support and comprises at least one polycarbonate resin wherein the resin comprises at least a structural unit represented by formula (1);

wherein R¹ and R² are each a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

R³ is an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃ or a an alkyl group represented by —

(CH₂)_mCH₃ in which one or more hydrogen in replaced with a substituent group;

a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4, and when a and b are each an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of groups represented by R¹ or, R² may be the same or different; and

n and m are each an integer of 8 to 27, and

wherein a sliding angle at which pure water starts sliding down a surface of said photoconductive layer is in a range of 5 to 65°

.

53. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 52, wherein said step of exposing said photoconductor to said light image employs a light source with a beam spot diameter of 10 to 30 μ

m.

54. The electrophotographic image forming method as claimed in claim 53, wherein said light source is a semiconductor laser beam or a light emitting diode with wavelengths of 400 to 450 nm.

55. The electrophotographic image forming method according to claim 52, wherein n and m are equal.