Process for processing surface of electrophotographic photosensitive member and process for producing electrophotographic photosensitive member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9335643-B2
Application number	US-201313839640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 17, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

In the cross-section perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, when an arc which is a line at the intersection of the cross-section with a contacting face (face where the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the molding member contact), is represented by an arc AB, the center of a circle of the cross-section of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is represented by a center O, and the point at the intersection of a straight line via the center O among straight lines of a direction of the pressure contact of the molding member with the arc AB is represented by an intersection C, the uneven structure on the surface of the molding member transfers to the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member so that ∠AOC and ∠BOC satisfy the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively:

0.5°≦∠AOC≦45°  (1), and

0.5°≦∠BOC≦45°  (2).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for forming an uneven structure on a surface of a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member containing a resin layer, the process including the following steps of:
bringing a molding member having a surface structure corresponding to the uneven structure into pressure contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member at a contacting face formed between the molding member and the cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member; and
transferring the surface structure corresponding to the uneven structure on the surface of the molding member to the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member while rotating the electrophotographic photosensitive member,
wherein, with respect to a cross-sectional perspective perpendicular to an axis of rotation, defined by a center O, of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the following geometrical relationships occur:
(a) contacting face is represented by an arc AB defined between a point A and a point B positioned about a circumferential surface of the cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member; and
(b) a radial direction of the pressure contact of the molding member with the arc AB is represented by a point C, which is the point at which a radial line from the center O intersects arc AB which is circumferentially positioned between points A and point B about the arc AB,

wherein the surface corresponding to the uneven structure on the surface of the molding member transfers to the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member so that angle ∠AOC and angle ∠BOC satisfy the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively:
0.5°≦∠AOC≦45°  (1), and

0.5°≦∠BOC≦45°  (2), and

wherein the molding member comprises:
a transfer layer having the surface structure made of metal on a surface thereof;
a metallic layer formed directly under the transfer layer; and
an elastic layer formed directly under the metallic layer.

2. The process for processing a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 , wherein
a Young's modulus of the surface of the molding member measured by an ultra-micro-hardness tester, is 69 MPa or more and 230 MPa or less, and
a compressive stress of the surface of the molding member by compressive test in the direction of the pressure contact, is 0.42 MPa or more and 5.9 MPa or less.

3. The process for processing a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 ,
wherein
a tension strength of a total of the transfer layer and the metallic layer, is 260 MPa or more and 1230 MPa or less, and
a thickness of the total of the transfer layer and the metallic layer, is 0.1 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

4. The process for processing a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the angle ∠AOC and the angle ∠BOC further satisfy the following formulas (3) and (4), respectively:
1°≦∠AOC≦15°  (3), and

1°≦∠BOC≦15°  (4).

5. A process for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, which has an uneven structure on a surface thereof, comprising the steps of:
producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and
forming the uneven structure on the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the process according to claim 1 .

6. The process for processing a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the thickness of the elastic layer is 1.0 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

7. The process for processing a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 , wherein
the pressurization force when bringing the molding member into pressure contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member is 5 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nishida Tsutomu
• Kawai Yasuhiro
• Takahashi Koji

Classifications

• B29C59/005

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29C59/02

  by mechanical means, e.g. pressing {(B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627)} · CPC title

• G03G5/0525

  Coating methods · CPC title

• G03G5/04

  Photoconductive layers; Charge-generation layers or charge-transporting layers; Additives therefor; Binders therefor · CPC title

• G03G5/00 Primary

  Recording-members for original recording by exposure, e.g. to light, to heat or to electrons; Manufacture thereof; Selection of materials therefor · CPC title