Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member; and a charging member forming a nip with the image bearing member to charge the image bearing member. Conductive particles are provided in the nip and a time factor &agr; represented by a following equation satisfies a condition &agr;>15: &agr;=2&pgr;·k·Nc·(W/Vc)/(&rgr;·Cd·Z) Z=−0.5·1n(&pgr;·k·Nc)−1n({square root over (&bgr;)}·D/2) (&bgr;=1.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image bearing member, and a charging member for forming a nip with the image bearing member thereby charging the image bearing member, wherein conductive particles are provided in the nip, wherein a time factor a represented by a following equation satisfies a condition &agr;>15:

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is formed by disposing a photosensitive layer and a protective layer in this order on a support. The protective layer comprises an applied and cured product of the following solution (A) or (B); (A) a solution comprising a curable resin component and a polymerization initiator having a polymeric recurring structure, or (B) a solution comprising a curable resin component, a polymerization initiator free from a polymeric recurring structure and a polymerization initiator aid having a polymeric recurring structure. Because of the polymerization initiator or polymerization initiator aid having a polymeric recurring structure used for constituting the protective layer, the resultant photosensitive member can exhibit improved durability as well as good electrophotographic performances.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed which comprises a conductive support and a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive support. A surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a polycarbonate resin having a chain fluoroalkyl group having 4 or more carbon atoms. Also, an electrophotographic apparatus and a device unit are disclosed which comprise the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: A toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred on to an intermediate transfer member, and then, from the intermediate member onto a sheet material. The forming width of charge transporting layer of this photosensitive drum (forming width along the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum) is longer by more than 4 mm (2 mm each at the both ends) than the width of the intermediate transfer member. As a result, no image blur occurs in the transferred images even when repeating formation of a transferred image onto the intermediate transfer member and formation of the transferred image onto the sheet material.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus has an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive support, a charging means provided in contact with the photosensitive member, and image exposure means, a development means, and an image transfer means. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a surface layer containing electroconductive particles having particle surface treated with a fluorine-containing compound, and a binder resin.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed which comprises a conductive support and a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive support. A surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a polycarbonate resin having a chain fluoroalkyl group having 4 or more carbon atoms. Also, an electrophotographic apparatus and a device unit are disclosed which comprise the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus which comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member provided in contact therewith for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member by being applied with a voltage, a light exposure device, a developing device, and a transfer device, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a surface layer containing an organic compound having a reduction potential of 0.5 V or lower, and the charging is injection charging.

Abstract: This invention relates to a charging system for charging a body to be electrified, comprising a body to be electrified, and a charging member which can be applied with voltage to brush the surface of said body to be electrified and charge it. Wherein the surface of the body to be electrified exhibits a contact angle of 90.degree. or more for water.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer formed on a supporting member and a protective layer formed on the photosensitive layer if necessary. At least one of the photosensitive layer and the protective layer is formed of a material containing a cured resin obtained by end-reactive curing of a polycarbonate having glycidyl end groups.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus is disclosed which has an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a transfer device. The photosensitive member has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer, and further has a surface layer formed of a binder resin, fluorine atom- or silicon atom-containing compound particles incompatible with the binder resin, and a fluorine atom- or silicon atom-containing compound compatible with the binder resin. In the surface layer, the proportion of fluorine atoms and silicon atoms to carbon atoms, (F+Si)/C, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is 0.01 to 1.0. Additionally, the transfer device is a multiple-transfer device.

Abstract: An electrophotographic toner showing a good fixability onto recording paper is constituted by at least a binder resin and a colorant, the binder resin comprising a resin component having a polar group, the binder resin having a molecular weight distribution according to gel permeation chromatography including a peak in a molecular weight region of 5.times.10.sup.3 -5.times.10.sup.4. The toner is used to develop an electrostatic image formed on a electrophotographic photosensitive member including at least an electroconductive support, a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer, and the resultant toner image is transferred onto a recording medium without difficulties such as occurrence of cracks on the photosensitive member or inferior transferability by using a photosensitive member having a surface layer containing a transition metal atom at 0.1-10 ppm.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member which has a surface layer of high hardness, high resistance to abrasion and scratching, and high durability. The surface layer of the photosensitive member contains a polymerization product of a monomer compound represented by the formula (1) or (2).

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus is disclosed which has an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a transfer member. The photosensitive member has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer, and further has a surface layer formed of a binder resin, fluorine atom- or silicon atom-containing compound particles incompatible with the binder resin, and a fluorine atom- or silicon atom-containing compound compatible with the binder resin. In the surface layer, the proportion of fluorine atoms and silicon atoms to carbon atoms, (F+Si)/C, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is 0.01 to 1.0. Additionally, the transfer member is a multiple-transfer member.

Abstract: A photosensitive member for electrophotography comprising: an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed thereon comprising an organic photoconductor is provided. the photosensitive layer contains at least, a compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 denotes a t-butyl or t-amyl group, and X.sub.2 denotes a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2-10 carbon atoms; and a compound represented by the following formula (II): ##STR2## wherein X.sub.3 and X.sub.4 respectively denote an alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2-10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a photosensitive layer containing an organic photoconductor provided on an electroconductive substrate, wherein said photosensitive layer contains a compound represented by the formula (1) shown below in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the photosensitive layer added;Formula: ##STR1## wherein R represents ##STR2## X.sub.1, X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 each represent hydrogen atom or methyl group, X.sub.4 represents ##STR3## X.sub.5 represents hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprises at least a charging means, an imagewise exposure means with a laser beam having a spot diameter of 100 um or less, a developing means, a transferring means and a cleaning means arranged around an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a charge generation material and a charge transport material comprising an organic photoconductive material and has a surface layer containing said charge transport material, wherein the absorption end of visible to UV spectroscopic absorption of the surface layer is substantially unchanged by exposure to nitric acid vapor for 10 minutes; an electrophotographic image forming process; and an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: A photosensitive member for electrophotography which is excellent in successive copying characteristics as well as mechanical durability is provided. The photosensitive member comprises a photosensitive layer, at least the surface portion of which comprises a lubricant, and a charge-transporting substance having an oxidation potential of 0.6 volt or above.