Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 9,971,258 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Wataru, Ikari, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Joseph S
• Application Number:
  US15/506,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• 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 15/751 relating to drum G03G15/757 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/754 relating to band, e.g. tensioning G03G15/757 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00957 Compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/047 characterised by the charge-generation layers or charge transport layers G03G5/0433 and G03G5/0436 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/07 Polymeric photoconductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/147 Cover layers

Abstract

In an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a circumferential surface has concave portions that are independent one another; each of the concave portions has an opening, a contour of the opening has an apex having an angle α of more than 0° and 90° or less on at least an upstream side of a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and has a largest width in an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less, a width of the contour in the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member decreasing from a portion having the largest width toward the apex, when viewing each of the concave portions in the axial direction, each of the concave portions has a depth that decreases from a deepest point of each of the concave portions toward the apex.

Claims

1. A cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member to be rotatably driven in an electrophotographic apparatus,

wherein,

a circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has concave portions that are independent one another,

each of the concave portions has an opening,

a contour of the opening has an apex having an angle α

of more than 0° and

90°

or less on at least an upstream side of a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and has a largest width in an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of 20 μ

m or more and 80 μ

m or less, a width of the contour in the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member decreasing from a portion having the largest width toward the apex,

and wherein,

when viewing each of the concave portions in the axial direction, each of the concave portions has a depth that decreases from a deepest point of each of the concave portions toward the apex.

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein an area of an opening surfaces of the concave portions in a square region having a side of 500 μ

m is 100000 μ

m² or more when the square region having a side of 500 μ

m is disposed in any position of the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, an angle formed by a straight line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, a largest angle formed by a line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the angle α

is more than 0° and

58°

or less.

6. A cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member,

wherein,

a circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has concave portions that are independent one another,

each of the concave portions has an opening,

a contour of the opening has an apex having an angle α

of more than 0° and

90°

or less on at least one of circumferential directions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and has a largest width in an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of 20 μ

m or more and 80 μ

m or less, a width of the contour in the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member decreasing from a portion having the largest width toward the apex,

and wherein,

when viewing each of the concave portions in the axial direction, each of the concave portions has a depth that decreases from a deepest point of each of the concave portions toward the apex.

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein an area of an opening surfaces of the concave portions in a square region having a side of 500 μ

m is 100000 μ

m² or more when the square region having a side of 500 μ

m is disposed in any position of the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

8. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, an angle formed by a straight line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

9. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, a largest angle formed by a line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portion is flushed.

10. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 6, wherein the angle α

is more than 0° and

58°

or less.

11. A process cartridge to be detachably attached to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus,

wherein,

the process cartridge comprises:

a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member to be rotatably driven in the electrophotographic apparatus, and

a cleaning blade disposed in contact with a circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member,

and wherein,

the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has concave portions that are independent one another,

each of the concave portions has an opening,

a contour of the opening has an apex having an angle α

of more than 0° and

90°

or less on at least an upstream side of a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and has a largest width in an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of 20 μ

m or more and 80 μ

m or less, a width of the contour in the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member decreasing from a portion having the largest width toward the apex,

and wherein,

when viewing each of the concave portions in the axial direction, each of the concave portions has a depth that decreases from a deepest point of each of the concave portions toward the apex.

12. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein an area of an opening surfaces of the concave portions in a square region having a side of 500 μ

m is 100000 μ

m² or more when the square region having a side of 500 μ

m is disposed in any position of a contact area between the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning blade, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

13. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, an angle formed by a straight line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

14. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, a largest angle formed by a line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

15. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the angle α

is more than 0° and

58°

or less.

16. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member to be rotatably driven in the electrophotographic apparatus, and

a cleaning blade disposed in contact with a circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member,

wherein,

the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has concave portions that are independent one another,

each of the concave portions has an opening,

a contour of the opening has an apex having an angle α

of more than 0° and

90°

or less on at least an upstream side of a rotational direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and has a largest width in an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of 20 μ

m or more and 80 μ

m or less, a width of the contour in the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member decreasing from a portion having the largest width toward the apex,

and wherein,

when viewing each of the concave portions in the axial direction, each of the concave portions has a depth that decreases from a deepest point of each of the concave portions toward the apex.

17. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an area of an opening surfaces of the concave portions in a square region having a side of 500 μ

m is 100000 μ

m² or more when the square region having a side of 500 μ

m is disposed in any position of a contact area between the circumferential surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning blade, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

18. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when each of the concave portions is viewed in the axial direction, an angle formed by a straight line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portions is flushed.

19. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when each of the concave portion is viewed in the axial direction, a largest angle formed by a line connecting the deepest point and the apex in the contour and an opening surface is 8.5°

or less, the opening surface being an ideal surface formed when each of the concave portion is flushed.

20. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the angle α

is more than 0° and

58°

or less.