Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 9,164,406 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Anezaki, Takashi, Shida, Kazuhisa, Kumoi, Hirofumi, Tanaka, Daisuke, Sugiyama, Kazumichi, Nishi, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US14/152,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 430/66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/04 Photoconductive layers; Charge-generation layers or charge-transporting layers; Additives therefor; Binders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/051 Organic non-macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0514 not comprising cyclic groups
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0517 comprising one or more cyclic groups consisting of carbon-atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0521 comprising one or more heterocyclic groups
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/056 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0564 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0589 Macromolecular compounds characterised by specific side-chain substituents or end groups
• 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 5/061443 benzidine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06147 alkenylarylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061473 plural alkenyl groups linked directly to the same aryl group
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06149 enamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0616 Hydrazines; Hydrazones
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14756 Polycarbonates

Abstract

The charge transporting layer as the surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a charge transporting substances represented by any one of formulae (1) to (5), a specific compound, and a specific resin (binder resin). The specific compound is hexanol, heptanol, cyclohexanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, diethylene glycol, diethylene glycol ethyl methyl ether, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, nitrobenzene, pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, acetophenone, methyl salicylate, dimethyl phthalate, or sulfolane.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:

a support;

a charge generating layer formed on the support; and

a charge transporting layer formed on the charge generating layer;

wherein the charge transporting layer is a surface layer, and the surface layer comprises;

(α

) at least one charge transporting substance selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (1), a compound represented by the following formula (2), a compound represented by the following formula (3), a compound represented by the following formula (4) and a compound represented by the following formula (5);

(β

) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hexanol, heptanol, cyclohexanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, diethylene glycol, diethylene glycol ethyl methyl ether, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, nitrobenzene, pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, acetophenone, methyl salicylate, dimethyl phthalate, and sulfolane; and

(γ

) at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polycarbonate resin having a siloxane moiety at the end, and a polyester resin having a siloxane moiety at the end;

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the compound of the (β

) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of cyclohexanol, benzyl alcohol, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, acetophenone, methyl salicylate, and dimethyl phthalate.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content of the compound of the (β

) is 0.001 mass% or more and 2.0 mass% or less relative to the total mass of the surface layer.

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the polycarbonate resin having a siloxane moiety at the end is a polycarbonate resin D having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A) and an end structure represented by the following formula (D):

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 4, wherein the Z¹ is a divalent group represented by the following formula (E):

6. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the polyester resin having a siloxane moiety at the end is a polyester resin E having a structural unit represented by the following formula (B) and an end structure represented by the following formula (D):

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein the Z¹ is a divalent group represented by the following formula (E):

8. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the content of the charge transporting substance of the (α

) in the surface layer is 10 mass% or more and 800 mass% or less relative to the mass of the compound of the (β

).

9. A process cartridge integrally supporting 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, and a cleaning device, the process cartridge being detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophoto graphic apparatus.

10. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, and a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, and a transfer device.