Surface-patterned photoreceptor

• US 8,660,465 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Woo Soo, Hu, Nan-Xing, Vong, Cuong, Gagnon, Yvan, Skorokhod, Vladislav
• Primary Examiner(s): RODEE, CHRISTOPHER D
• Application Number:
  US12/911,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 399/159, 399/350, 430/58.7, 430/56, 430/119.82, 430/119.84
• 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

Abstract

Presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotographic, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an electrophotographic imaging member having its outer surface patterned such that friction with the cleaning blade is significantly reduced.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an imaging member having a surface pattern on an outer layer of the imaging member, wherein the surface pattern comprises an array of periodically ordered indentations or protrusions and further wherein each indentation or protrusion has a depth of or height of less than 3 micrometers; and

wherein each indentation or protrusion has a diameter in a range of from about 30 microns up to about 50 microns;

a charging unit that applies electrostatic charge on the imaging member;

a developing unit that develops toner image onto the imaging member;

a transfer unit that transfers the toner image from the imaging member to a media; and

a cleaning unit that cleans the imaging member, wherein the cleaning unit comprises an elastic blade-type cleaner with one of its edge in contact with the imaging member, such that the contact edge deforms at a micro-scale level to complement the surface pattern of the imaging member, wherein the surface pattern comprises micro-grooves along the moving direction of the imaging member.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein each indentation or protrusion has a depth of or height of from about 0.05 to about 3 micrometers.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fraction f1 between the surface area of the imaging member comprising the protrusions and the entire surface area of the imaging member ranges from about 50 percent to about 90percent.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fraction f2 between the surface area of the imaging member minus the surface area comprising the indentations and the entire surface area of the imaging member ranges from about 50 percent to about 90 percent.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indentations or protrusions have a regular shape selected from the group consisting of circles, rods, ovals, squares, triangles, polygons, and mixtures thereof.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface pattern comprises a square lattice or a hexagonal lattice.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the micro-groove has a depth of from about 0.1 to about 3 micrometers and a width of from about 0.1 to about 100 micrometers.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blade-type cleaner comprises an elastic polymer with a hardness of from about 60 to about 120 Shore A.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging member comprises a photoconductive layer as the outer layer.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 being a color printer comprising four or more imaging members.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an imaging member further comprising

a substrate,

a photosensitive layer disposed over the substrate, and

an overcoat layer disposed over the photosensitive layer, wherein the overcoat layer has a surface pattern comprising an array of periodically ordered indentations or protrusions and further wherein each indentation or protrusion has a depth of or height of less than 3 micrometers; and

wherein each indentation or protrusion has a diameter in a range of from about 30 microns up to about 50 microns;

a charging unit that applies electrostatic charge on the imaging member;

a developing unit that develops toner image onto the imaging member;

a transfer unit that transfers the toner image from the imaging member to a media; and

a cleaning unit that cleans the imaging member, wherein the cleaning unit comprises an elastic cleaning blade with one of its edge in contact with the imaging member, such that the contact edge deforms at a micro-scale level to complement the surface pattern of the imaging member, wherein the surface pattern comprises micro-grooves along the moving direction of the imaging member.

12. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein each indentation or protrusion has a depth of or height of from about 0.05 to about 3 micrometers.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fraction f1 between the surface area of the imaging member comprising the protrusions and the entire surface area of the imaging member ranges from about 50 percent to about 90 percent.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fraction f2 between the surface area of the imaging member minus the surface area comprising the indentations and the entire surface area of the imaging member ranges from about 50 percent to about 90 percent.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the indentations or protrusions have a regular shape selected from the group consisting of circles, rods, ovals, squares, triangles, polygons, and mixtures thereof.

16. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the surface pattern comprises a square lattice or a hexagonal lattice.

17. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the micro-groove has a depth of from about 0.1 to about 2 micrometers and a width of from about 0.1 to about 100 micrometers.

18. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the blade-type cleaner comprises a polymer material having a hardness of from about 60 to about 120 Shore A.

19. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises multiple layers.

20. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an imaging member further comprising

a substrate,

a photosensitive layer disposed over the substrate, and

an overcoat layer disposed over the photosensitive layer, wherein the overcoat layer has a surface pattern comprising an array of periodically ordered indentations or protrusions and each indentation or protrusion has a depth of or height of less than 3 micrometers;

wherein each indentation or protrusion has a diameter in a range of from about 30 microns up to about 50 microns; and

further wherein the overcoat layer comprises a crosslinked composition of a tertiary arylamine charge transport component having a general formula of

21. The image forming apparatus of claim 20, wherein the crosslinked composition further comprises a melamine-formaldehyde resin.

22. The image forming apparatus of claim 20, wherein the crosslinked composition has an average modulus raging from about 3 to about 5 GPa as measured by nano-indentation method.