Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 7,045,261 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaku, Kenichi, Ogaki, Harunobu, Takaya, Itaru, Tanaka, Takakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/647,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 430/58.05, 430/58.15, 430/58.35, 430/58.5, 430/58.6, 430/58.7, 399/159
• US Class Current: 430/58.05
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0557 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsatured bonds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0575 Other polycondensates comprising nitrogen atoms with or without oxygen atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/075 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds G03G5/078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0763 comprising arylamine moiety
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14747 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14795 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their physical properties

Abstract

In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a support, and provided thereon a photosensitive layer, a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 1,000 or more to 9,000 or less, and the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material to a number-average molecular weight Mn of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material, Mw/Mn, is from more than 1.00 to 1.10 or less. Also disclosed are a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus which have such an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a support, and provided thereon a photosensitive layer, wherein;

a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 1,000 or more to 9,000 or less; and

the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material to a -number-average molecular weight Mn of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material, Mw/Mn, is from more than 1.00 to 1.10 or less.

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material has an weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 1,500 or more to 4,000 or less.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material is a homopolymer having a repeating structural unit represented by the following Formula (1):

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material is a random copolymer having a repeating structural unit represented by the following Formula (21) and a repeating structural unit represented by the following Formula (22):

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material is an alternating copolymer alternately having a repeating structural unit represented by the following Formula (31) and a repeating structural unit represented by the following Formula (32):

6. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said surface layer contains an electrically insulating binder resin.

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein said electrically insulating binder resin is a polycarbonate resin or a polyarylate resin.

8. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said surface layer is said photosensitive layer.

9. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive layer has a charge generation layer containing a charge-generating material and a charge transport layer containing said high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material, and said surface layer is the charge transport layer.

10. A process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on a support, and at least one means selected from the group consisting of a charging means, a developing means, a transfer means and a cleaning means which are integrally supported;

and being detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic apparatus;

wherein;

a surface layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 1,000 or more to 9,000 or less; and

the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material to a number-average molecular weight Mn of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material, Mw/Mn, is from more than 1.00 to 1.10 or less.

11. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on a support, a charging means, an exposure means, a developing means and a transfer means, wherein;

a surface layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 1,000 or more to 9,000 or less; and

the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material to a number-average molecular weight Mn of the high-molecular-weight charge-transporting material, Mw/Mn, is from more than 1.00 to 1.10 or less.