Photoconductor, electrophotographic method, electrophotographic apparatus, and electrophotographic process cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753384-B2
Application number	US-201615133915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2016
Priority date	May 8, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a photoconductor including a conductive support, an intermediate layer containing metal oxide particles, and a photoconductive layer. The intermediate layer and the photoconductive layer are provided over the conductive support in the order of reciting. An elastic power (We/Wt value) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 20.0% but less than 35.0%. A Martens hardness (HM) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 350 [N/mm 2 ] but less than 450 [N/mm 2 ].

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photoconductor comprising;
a conductive support;
an intermediate layer that comprises metal oxide particles; and
a photoconductive layer,
the intermediate layer and the photoconductive layer being provided over the conductive support in an order of reciting,
wherein an elastic power (We/Wt value) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 20.0% but less than 35.0%, and
wherein a Martens hardness (HM) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 350 [N/mm 2 ] but less than 450 [N/mm 2 ].

2. The photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises:
zinc oxide particles coated with a salicylic acid derivative; and
a thermosetting resin.

3. The photoconductor according to claim 2 ,
wherein an average particle diameter of the zinc oxide particles is greater than or equal to 50 nm but less than or equal to 200 nm.

4. The photoconductor according to claim 1 ,
wherein a film thickness of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 10 μm but less than 50 μm.

5. An electrophotographic method comprising
subjecting the photoconductor according to claim 1 to charging, image exposing, developing, and transferring.

6. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:
a charging unit;
an image exposing unit;
a developing unit;
a transfer unit; and
the photoconductor according to claim 1 .

7. An electrophotographic process cartridge comprising
the photoconductor according to claim 1 .

8. The photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide particles comprise zinc oxide particles coated with a salicylic acid.

Assignees

• Kurimoto Eiji
• Suzuki Tetsuro
• Asano Tomoharu
• Nii Daisuke
• Ishida Toshihiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kurimoto Eiji
• Suzuki Tetsuro
• Asano Tomoharu
• Nii Daisuke
• Ishida Toshihiro

Classifications

• G03G15/75

  Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing (electrographic recording members per se G03G5/00) · CPC title

• G03G5/144

  comprising inorganic material · CPC title

• G03G21/18

  using a processing cartridge {, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit} · CPC title

• G03G5/0517 Primary

  comprising one or more cyclic groups consisting of carbon-atoms only · CPC title

• G03G5/0507

  Inorganic compounds · CPC title