Electrophotographic photosensitive member, method for producing electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, electrophotographic apparatus, and imide compound

• US 8,940,465 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sekido, Kunihiko, Tomono, Hiroyuki, Sekiya, Michiyo, Okuda, Atsushi, Ishiduka, Yuka, Nakamura, Nobuhiro, Ito, Yota
• Primary Examiner(s): VAJDA, PETER L
• Application Number:
  US13/930,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 430/60, 430/62, 427/74, 546/66
• US Class Current: 430/60
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/00 Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern G03G16/00, G03G17/00 take precedence ; xerographic printers for data processors per se G06K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/751 relating to drum G03G15/757 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0525 Coating methods
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0592 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their structure or by their chemical properties, e.g. block polymers, reticulated polymers, molecular weight, acidity
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0607 containing at least one non-six-membered ring
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0648 containing two relevant rings
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/065 containing three relevant rings
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0651 containing four relevant rings
• 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 5/0764 triarylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0766 benzidine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/142 Inert intermediate layers

Abstract

An undercoat layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a polymerized product of a composition that contains an isocyanate compound having a specific structure, a resin having a specific structure, and an electron transporting substance having a specific structure.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:

a support;

an undercoat layer formed on the support; and

a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer, wherein the undercoat layer comprises a polymerized product of a composition comprising

(i) an isocyanate compound which has three to six groups selected from the group consisting of —

NCO group and —

NHCOX¹ group and has a molecular weight of 200 to 1300, the molecular weight being calculated without taking X¹ into account when the isocyanate compound has the —

NHCOX¹ group, X¹ being a group represented by any one of formulae (1) to (7) below

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1,

wherein, in formula (A),

α

represents the alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms, the alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with the alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, the alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with the benzyl group, the alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with the alkoxycarbonyl group, or the alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with the phenyl group,

one of the carbon atoms in the main chain of the alkylene group may be replaced with O, NH, or NR¹⁹, R¹⁹ representing an alkyl group.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1,

wherein the isocyanate compound has a cyclic structure.

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 3,

wherein the cyclic structure is an isocyanurate structure.

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1,

wherein the resin having a repeating structural unit represented by formula (B) is a polyvinyl acetal resin.

6. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1,

wherein the molecular weight of the electron transporting substance is 150 to 1000.

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1,

wherein the ratio of the isocyanate compound to the electron transporting substance is 3/20 to 50/20 by the molecular weight.

8. A method for producing the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a coating film by using a coating solution for forming an undercoat layer, the coating solution containing the composition; and

heat-drying the coating film to form the undercoat layer.

9. A process cartridge detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, the process cartridge comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1; and

at least one device selected from the group consisting of a charging device, a developing device, a transferring device, and a cleaning device,

wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the at least one device are integrally supported.

10. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1;

a charging device;

an exposure device;

a developing device; and

a transferring device.

11. An imide compound represented by formula (21) or (22) below

12. An imide compound represented by formula (23) or (24) below