ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20130344422A1
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: IWANAGA, Takeshi, HIRAKATA, Masaki, KATSUHARA, Hideya, SASAKI, Tomoya, TORIGOE, Nobuyuki, IMAI, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,993,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/56
• 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 5/08 characterised by the photoconductive material being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14704 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14708 comprising organic material

Abstract

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer that is provided on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer that is provided on the organic photosensitive layer, wherein the inorganic protective layer includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer in this order from the organic photosensitive layer side and satisfies the relationship of the following expression (1):

ρ3≦ρ1<ρ2  Expression (1):

wherein ρ1 represents a volume resistivity (Ω·cm) of the first layer, ρ2 represents a volume resistivity (Ω·cm) of the second layer, and ρ3 represents a volume resistivity (Ω·cm) of the third layer.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising:

a conductive substrate;

an organic photosensitive layer that is provided on the conductive substrate; and

an inorganic protective layer that is provided on the organic photosensitive layer,

wherein the inorganic protective layer includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer in this order from the organic photosensitive layer side and satisfies the relationship of the following expression (1);

ρ

3≦

ρ

1<

ρ

2 

 

Expression (1);

wherein ρ

1 represents a volume resistivity (Ω

·

cm) of the first layer, ρ

2 represents a volume resistivity (Ω

·

cm) of the second layer, and ρ

3 represents a volume resistivity (Ω

·

cm) of the third layer.

2. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1,

wherein the organic photosensitive layer contains a p-type charge-transporting organic material, and

the inorganic protective layer contains an n-type or i-type charge-transporting inorganic material.

3. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1,

wherein the inorganic protective layer has a thickness of from 0.4 μ

m to 5.0 μ

m.

4. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 2,

wherein the inorganic protective layer has a thickness of from 0.4 μ

m to 5.0 μ

m.

5. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1,

wherein the first layer has a thickness of from 0.05 μ

m to 1.0 μ

m.

6. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 2,

wherein the first layer has a thickness of from 0.05 μ

m to 1.0 μ

m.

7. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1,

wherein the inorganic protective layer contains a metal oxide.

8. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 2,

wherein the inorganic protective layer contains a metal oxide.

9. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1,

wherein the inorganic protective layer contains at least gallium and oxygen.

10. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 2,

wherein the inorganic protective layer contains at least gallium and oxygen.

11. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 9,

wherein the inorganic protective layer satisfies the relationship of the following expression (2):

C3≦

C1<

C2 

 

Expression (2);

wherein C1 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the first layer, C2 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the second layer, and C3 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the third layer.

12. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 10,

wherein the inorganic protective layer satisfies the relationship of the following expression (2):

C3≦

C1<

C2 

 

Expression (2);

wherein C1 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the first layer, C2 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the second layer, and C3 represents a ratio (oxygen/gallium) of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of gallium atoms in the third layer.

13. A process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photoreceptor,

wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor is the electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1.

14. The process cartridge according to claim 13,

wherein the organic photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains a p-type charge-transporting organic material, and

the inorganic protective layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains an n-type or i-type charge-transporting inorganic material.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an electrophotographic photoreceptor;

a charging unit that charges a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor;

a latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor;

a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image, formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, using a toner to form a toner image; and

a transfer unit that transfers the toner image, formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, onto a recording medium,

wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor is the electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the organic photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains a p-type charge-transporting organic material, and

the inorganic protective layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains an n-type or i-type charge-transporting inorganic material.