ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20190332022A1
• Filed: 04/17/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimada, Tsuyoshi, Tanabe, Kan, Mitsuda, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,732,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0189 primary transfer to an intermediate transfer belt G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0266 Arrangements for controlling the amount of charge
• 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 5/047 characterised by the charge-generation layers or charge transport layers G03G5/0433 and G03G5/0436 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0622 Heterocyclic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/078 comprising silicon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/142 Inert intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/144 comprising inorganic material

Abstract

An electrophotographic apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging roller disposed so as to come into contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a charging device operable to apply only a DC voltage to charge the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support member, an undercoat layer over the support member, and a photosensitive layer over the undercoat layer and having a plurality of discrete recesses in the surface thereof. The undercoat layer contains zinc oxide particles and a binder resin. The undercoat layer has cavities therein, and the cavities account for 5.00% or less of the volume of the undercoat layer.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

an electrophotographic photosensitive member having discrete recesses in the surface thereof;

a charging roller disposed so as to come into contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and

a charging device operable to apply only a DC voltage to electrically charge the electrophotographic photosensitive member,

wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes;

a support member,

an undercoat layer over the support member, the undercoat layer containing zinc oxide particles and a binder resin and having cavities therein, the cavities accounting for 5.00% or less of the volume of the undercoat layer, and

a photosensitive layer over the undercoat layer.

2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cavities in the undercoat layer account for 0.05% or more of the volume of the undercoat layer.

3. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cavities in the undercoat layer account for 0.46% to 1.99% of the volume of the undercoat layer.

4. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the undercoat layer has a thickness of 25.0 μ

m or more.

5. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recesses have a depth of 3.0 μ

m or less.

6. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive layer includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer, and wherein the total thickness of the charge transport layer and layers overlying the charge transport layer is 15.0 μ

m or more.