ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20080019735A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ochi, Atsushi, Uematsu, Hiroki, Ogaki, Harunobu, Shimada, Akira, Kikuchi, Toshihiro, Kawahara, Masataka, Sumida, Takayuki, Koganei, Akio, Maruyama, Akio, Teramoto, Kyoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/159
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0517 comprising one or more cyclic groups consisting of carbon-atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0567 Other polycondensates comprising oxygen atoms in the main chain; Phenol resins
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0578 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0592 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their structure or by their chemical properties, e.g. block polymers, reticulated polymers, molecular weight, acidity
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0696 Phthalocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/10 Bases for charge-receiving or other layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/102 consisting of or comprising metals
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/104 comprising inorganic material other than metals, e.g. salts, oxides, carbon
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/147 Cover layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14765 Polyamides; Polyimides

Abstract

An electrophotographic photosensitive member has, on the surface of its photosensitive layer, has a plurality of depressed portions which are independent from one another, and, where the major-axis diameter of each depressed portion is represented by Rpc and the depth that shows the distance between the deepest part of each depressed portion and the opening thereof is represented by Rdv, the depressed portions each have a ratio of depth to major-axis diameter, Rdv/Rpc, of from more than 1.0 to 7.0 or less.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member which comprises a support and provided thereon a photosensitive layer, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a surface having a plurality of depressed portions which are independent from one another, and, where the major-axis diameter of each depressed portion is represented by Rpc and the depth that shows the distance between the deepest part of each depressed portion and the opening thereof is represented by Rdv, the depressed portions each have a ratio of depth to major-axis diameter, Rdv/Rpc, of from more than 1.0 to 7.0 or less.

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, which has the depressed portions in a number of from 50 or more to 70,000 or less in 100 μ

m square of the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member surface.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein, in the electrophotographic photosensitive member having on its surface the depressed portions specified in claim 1, the average depth (Rdv-A) of the depressed portions is from more than 3.0 μ

m to 10.0 μ

m or less.

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein, in the electrophotographic photosensitive member having on its surface the depressed portions specified in claim 1, the ratio of average depth (Rdv-A) to average major-axis diameter (Rpc-A), Rdv-A/Rpc-A, of the depressed portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member surface is from more than 1.0 to 7.0 or less.

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 4, wherein the ratio of average depth (Rdv-A) to average major-axis diameter (Rpc-A), Rdv-A/Rpc-A, of the depressed portions is from more than 1.3 or more to 5.0 or less.

6. A process cartridge which comprises the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, and at least one device selected from the group consisting of a charging device, a developing device and a cleaning device;

the process cartridge being detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic apparatus.

7. An electrophotographic apparatus which comprises the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device and a transfer device.