Electrophotographic Photosensitive Drum Composite Surface Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic photosensitive members face challenges in achieving both a reduction in torque during cleaning and improved image transferability due to differing requirements for reducing the area of contact with the cleaning blade and toner, respectively, which are not effectively addressed by existing surface structures.
Innovation Solution
The photosensitive member features a composite structure with two distinct groups of surface patterns: one with smaller appearance periods and lower heights for reducing torque, and another with larger appearance periods and higher heights for enhancing image transferability, isotropically arranged to maintain cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a single surface structure is used to reduce the area of contact with the cleaning blade, then torque during cleaning is reduced, but image transferability deteriorates due to excessive contact area with toner
Solution Approach 1:
The surface structure is segmented into two distinct groups: a first structure group with smaller appearance periods and lower heights for reducing torque, and a second structure group with larger appearance periods and higher heights for improving image transferability. This segmentation allows each structure to serve its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the photosensitive member surface are assigned different local qualities through the two structure groups. The first structure group provides low torque characteristics in certain areas, while the second structure group provides improved image transferability in other areas, creating spatially differentiated functional properties.
2Productivity
If the area of contact with the cleaning blade is reduced, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but residual toner escapes from the contact portion
Solution Approach 1:
The surface is divided into two structure groups with different appearance periods. The first structure group with smaller appearance periods reduces the contact area with the cleaning blade, improving cleaning efficiency. The second structure group with larger appearance periods ensures complete cleaning by preventing residual toner escape, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning efficiency and completeness.
3Force
If surface unevenness is increased to reduce contact area, then frictional force and torque are reduced, but the complexity of surface processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex surface unevenness is segmented into two distinct structural patterns with different appearance periods. This segmentation simplifies the processing by allowing each pattern to be formed through separate, well-defined procedures rather than attempting to create a single complex uneven surface, thus reducing processing complexity while maintaining the desired friction reduction effect.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive drum that achieves both of a reduction in torque of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum at the time of its cleaning and an improvement in image transferability. The electrophotographic photosensitive drum includes: a support; and a photosensitive layer arranged on the support, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum having arranged on an outer surface thereof at least two structure groups having different appearance periods, wherein when, out of the two structure groups, a group including structures having a smaller appearance period is defined as a first structure group, and a group including structures having a larger appearance period is defined as a second structure group, a height of the first structure group is lower than a height of the second structure group.