PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20190163119A1
• Filed: 11/21/2018
• Published: 05/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamaai, Tatsuya, Noguchi, Kazunori, Iwasaki, Shuhei, Sakakibara, Akira, Miura, Daisuke, Ogaki, Harunobu, Furukawa, Takumi, Tomomizu, Yuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,663,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0233 Structure, details of the charging member, e.g. chemical composition, surface properties
• 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 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• 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 5/0525 Coating methods
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0564 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06142 arylamine
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a process cartridge having a charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be charged by being in contact with the charging member, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer in this order, and a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a Martens hardness of 230 N/mm² or less.

Claims

1. A process cartridge, comprising a charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be charged by being in contact with the charging member, wherein

the charging member has an electroconductive substrate and a conductive elastic layer as a surface layer,

the elastic layer containing a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening,

the opening being retained in a state of being exposed on a surface of the charging member,

a surface of the elastic layer, having a concave portion derived from the opening and a convex portion derived from an edge of the opening, and

the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer in this order,

a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, having a Martens hardness of 230 N/mm² or less.

3. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein

the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a charge transport material and a polycarbonate resin having a structure represented by the formula (I) and a structure represented by the formula (II):

4. The process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) is at least one structure selected from the structures represented by the formulas (II-1) to (II-5):

5. The process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) is at least one structure selected from the structures represented by the formulas (II-1), (II-2), and (II-3):

6. The process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein

the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (I) in the polycarbonate resin is 20 mol % or more and 60 mol % or less.

7. The process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein

the charge transport material has a content of 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less relative to a content of the polycarbonate resin in the surface layer.

8. The process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) has a structure represented by the formula (II-1) and a structure represented by the formula (II-2).

9. The process cartridge according to claim 8, wherein

the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (II-1) is 0.1 or more and 1.0 or less time the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (II-2) in terms of a molar ratio in the polycarbonate resin.

2. A process cartridge, comprising a charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be charged by being in contact with the charging member, wherein

the charging member has an electroconductive substrate and a conductive elastic layer as a surface layer,

a surface of the elastic layer, containing an insulating hollow particle and an insulating binder,

the hollow particle forming a convex portion exposed on the surface of the elastic layer,

the hollow particle having a recess at the apex part of the convex portion,

the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer in this order,

a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, having a Martens hardness of 230 N/mm² or less.

11. The process cartridge according to claim 2, wherein

the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a charge transport material and a polycarbonate resin having a structure represented by the formula (I) and a structure represented by the formula (II):

12. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) is at least one structure selected from the structures represented by the formulas (II-1) to (II-5):

13. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) is at least one structure selected from the structures represented by the formulas (II-1), (II-2), and (II-3):

14. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein

the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (I) in the polycarbonate resin is 20 mol % or more and 60 mol % or less.

15. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein

the charge transport material has a content of 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less relative to a content of the polycarbonate resin in the surface layer.

16. The process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein

the structure represented by the formula (II) has a structure represented by the formula (II-1) and a structure represented by the formula (II-2).

17. The process cartridge according to claim 16, wherein

the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (II-1) is 0.1 or more and 1.0 or less time the proportion of the structure represented by the formula (II-2) in terms of a molar ratio in the polycarbonate resin.

10. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising a process cartridge,

the process cartridge having a charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be charged by being in contact with the charging member, wherein

the charging member hays an electroconductive substrate, and a conductive elastic layer as a surface layer,

the elastic layer containing a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening,

the opening being retained in a state of being exposed on a surface of the charging member,

a surface of the elastic layer, having a concave portion derived from the opening and a convex portion derived from an edge of the opening, and

the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer in this order,

a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, having a Martens hardness of 230 N/mm² or less.

18. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising a process cartridge,

the process cartridge having a charging member, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be charged by being in contact with the charging member, wherein

the charging member has an electroconductive substrate, and a conductive elastic layer as a surface layer,

a surface of the elastic layer, containing an insulating hollow particle and an insulating binder,

the hollow particle forming a convex portion exposed on the surface of the elastic layer,

the hollow particle having a recess at the apex part of the convex portion, and

the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer in this order,

a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, having a Martens hardness of 230 N/mm² or less.