Toner image carrying member and manufacturing method thereof, and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 7,266,329 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Yasuhiro, Kokubo, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans; Geoffrey T
• Application Number:
  US10/950,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20050069351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 399/159, 399/162, 399/279, 399/286, 399/302, 399/308
• US Class Current: 399/159
• 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 21/0005 for removing solid developer or debris from the electrographic recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00962 Electrographic apparatus defined by the electrographic recording member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/0026 Cleaning of foreign matter, e.g. paper powder, from imaging member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1606 for the photosensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

A toner image carrying member can be rotationally driven, and a plurality of grooves are formed on an outer peripheral surfaces of the toner image carrying member, the plurality of grooves extending along a rotation direction of the toner image carrying member and arranged in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the rotation direction, and the configuration of the outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member in the orthogonal direction is a periodic uneven-configuration. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing the toner image carrying member and an electrophotographic apparatus having the toner image carrying member.

Claims

1. A toner image carrying member on which a toner image is carried and which can be rotationally driven, wherein:

the toner image carrying member comprises a plurality of grooves formed on an outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member, the plurality of grooves extending along a rotation direction of the toner image carrying member, and arranged in an orthogonal direction which crosses to the rotation direction at right angles;

a configuration of the outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member in the orthogonal direction is a periodic uneven-configuration; and

the toner image carrying member is an intermediate transfer member.

2. The toner image carrying member according to claim 1, wherein an amplitude of an unevenness of the uneven-configuration is 0.2 to 1.0 μ

m.

3. The toner image carrying member according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle of the outer peripheral surface with respect to pure water is not smaller than 90 degrees.

4. The toner image carrying member according to claim 1, wherein the toner image carrying member is shaped into an endless belt.

5. The toner image carrying member according to claim 1, further comprising a coating layer as an outermost layer.

6. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member;

a charging means for charging an outer peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member;

an exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image by applying an exposure light to the outer peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

a developing means for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the exposure means;

a toner image carrying member as an intermediate transfer member that can be rotationally driven;

a primary transfer member for primarily transferring to an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer member the toner image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the developing means; and

a secondary transfer member for secondarily transferring to a transfer material the toner image on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer member primarily transferred by the primary transfer member,

wherein the toner image carrying member comprises a plurality of grooves formed on an outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member, the plurality of grooves extending along a rotation direction of the toner image carrying member and arranged in an orthogonal direction which crosses to the rotation direction at right angles, and

a configuration of the outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member in the orthogonal direction is a periodic uneven-configuration.

7. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a cleaning means for cleaning a toner from the outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member.

8. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning means comprises a cleaning blade arranged so as to contact on the outer peripheral surface of the toner image carrying member.