Polycarbonate Resin Surface Layer Crack Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electrophotographic photosensitive members are prone to cracking in the surface layer during low-temperature transportation due to shocks, and introducing siloxane resin to mitigate this is challenging due to the high stacking property of polycarbonate resin, which affects abrasion resistance.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a polycarbonate resin (α) with specific structural units and a polycarbonate resin (β) having a dimethylsiloxane moiety into the surface layer, which reduces the stacking property and allows easier integration of siloxane resin, enhancing flexibility and crack resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If siloxane resin is introduced into the surface layer to suppress cracks during low-temperature transportation, then crack resistance is improved, but the high stacking property of polycarbonate resin makes effective introduction difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrack resistanceVSAvoiddifficulty of introducing siloxane resin

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the polycarbonate resin by introducing specific structural units (formula A and formula B) that modify the stacking property. This parameter change enables better compatibility with siloxane resin while maintaining the necessary mechanical properties, thereby resolving the contradiction between crack resistance and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining polycarbonate resin with specific structural units and siloxane resin. This composite approach allows the siloxane resin to be effectively incorporated into the polycarbonate matrix, achieving both good crack resistance during low-temperature transportation and ease of manufacture through proper material selection and formulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If polycarbonate resin with high stacking property is used for the surface layer, then abrasion resistance is improved, but crack occurrence increases during low-temperature transportation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabrasion resistanceVSAvoidcrack resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the structural parameters of the polycarbonate resin by incorporating specific units (formula A and formula B) that adjust the stacking property. This parameter change allows the material to maintain abrasion resistance while reducing crack occurrence during low-temperature transportation, resolving the contradiction between strength and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent develops a composite resin system combining polycarbonate with specific structural units and siloxane resin. This composite material achieves a balance between abrasion resistance and crack resistance by leveraging the complementary properties of the constituent materials, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If siloxane resin is introduced to improve flexibility and crack resistance, then low-temperature transportation reliability is improved, but the high stacking property of polycarbonate resin hinders effective integration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelow-temperature transportation reliabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of resin integration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical and physical parameters of the polycarbonate resin by introducing specific structural units that modify stacking properties. This parameter change simplifies the integration process with siloxane resin while improving low-temperature transportation reliability, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a well-defined composite material system with specific compositional parameters that facilitate easy integration of siloxane resin into the polycarbonate matrix. This composite approach improves low-temperature transportation reliability while avoiding excessive complexity in the resin integration process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively suppresses the occurrence of cracks in the surface layer during low-temperature transportation while maintaining abrasion resistance, ensuring the quality of the image output.

Implementation Method 1

polycarbonate resin, which is generally used as a material for the surface layer of electrophotographic photosensitive members, has a high stacking property, and so introducing a siloxane resin into the surface layer effectively is difficult

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStacking property reduction:

Data Source

PatentUS20240201608A1Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.06.20 CANON KK

AI summary

An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a surface layer. The surface layer comprises a polycarbonate resin (α) and a polycarbonate resin (β). The polycarbonate resin (α) has a structural unit represented by a following formula (A) described herein and a structural unit represented by a following formula (B) described herein. The polycarbonate resin (β) has a structure having a dimethylsiloxane moiety.