Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, and a developing unit, wherein the charging unit has a conductive member contactable with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a conductive layer of the conductive member has a matrix-domain structure; at least some of the domains are exposed at the outer surface; a volume resistivity R1 of the matrix and a volume resistivity R2 of the domains satisfy specific relationship; Martens hardness G1 of the matrix and Martens hardness G2 of the domains satisfy relationship G1<G2; the surface roughness Ra of the conductive member is not more than 2.00 ?m; the toner has an external additive having a shape factor SF-1 of not more than 115; and A<Dms is satisfied where A is the number-average diameter of the external additive and Dms is a distance between adjacent walls between the domains.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, and a developing unit, wherein the charging unit has a conductive member contactable with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a conductive layer of the conductive member has a matrix-domain structure; at least some of the domains are exposed at the outer surface; a volume resistivity R1 of the matrix and a volume resistivity R2 of the domains satisfy specific relationship; Martens hardness G1 of the matrix and Martens hardness G2 of the domains satisfy relationship G1<G2; the surface roughness Ra of the conductive member is not more than 2.00 ?m; the toner has an external additive having a shape factor SF-1 of not more than 115; and A<Dms is satisfied where A is the number-average diameter of the external additive and Dms is a distance between adjacent walls between the domains.

Abstract: In order to maintain the image quality of a recent high-speed electrophotographic apparatus, a charging member is provided which hardly causes charging unevenness of a photosensitive member even when vibration of the photosensitive member occurs. The charging member includes an electro-conductive support, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and a surface layer. The elastic layer contains a resin having an epichlorohydrin chain in the molecular structure and a specific flavonoid compound having two or more hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a TiSiN film having a desired film characteristic includes: forming a TiN film by executing an operation of supplying, into a process container in which a substrate is accommodated, a Ti-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas in this order a number of times X, X being an integer of 1 or more; and forming a SiN film by executing an operation of supplying, into the process container, a Si-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas in this order a number of times Y, Y being an integer of 1 or more, wherein forming a TiN film and forming a SiN film are executed in this order a number of times Z, Z being an integer of 1 or more, and wherein, in forming a SiN film, a flow rate of the Si-containing gas is controlled to be a flow rate determined according to the desired film characteristic.

Abstract: In order to maintain the image quality of a recent high-speed electrophotographic apparatus, a charging member is provided which hardly causes charging unevenness of a photosensitive member even when vibration of the photosensitive member occurs. The charging member includes an electro-conductive support, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and a surface layer. The elastic layer contains a resin having an epichlorohydrin chain in the molecular structure and a specific flavonoid compound having two or more hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure.

Abstract: Provided is a charging member capable of suppressing the occurrence of an image defect due to the non-uniform abrasion of a photosensitive member and a stain, in a long-term use. The charging member includes an electro-conductive elastic layer as a surface layer. The electro-conductive elastic layer contains a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening. The surface of the charging member has a concavity and a protrusion derived from the bowl-shaped resin particle. The relations represented by the following formulae are satisfied, 0.2 ? S = ? S ? ? 5 - S ? ? 1 ? S ? ? 1 ? 0.5 0.15 ? d = ? d ? ? 5 - d ? ? 1 ? d ? ? 1 ? 0.

Abstract: Provided is a charging member capable of suppressing the occurrence of an image defect due to the non-uniform abrasion of a photosensitive member and a stain, in a long-term use. The charging member includes an electro-conductive elastic layer as a surface layer. The electro-conductive elastic layer contains a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening. The surface of the charging member has a concavity and a protrusion derived from the bowl-shaped resin particle. The relations represented by the following formulae are satisfied, 0.2 ? S = ? S ? ? 5 - S ? ? 1 ? S ? ? 1 ? 0.5 0.15 ? d = ? d ? ? 5 - d ? ? 1 ? d ? ? 1 ? 0.

Abstract: A roller for electrophotography including a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel is provided. The elastic layer contains a hollow particle in a region from the surface of the elastic layer to a depth of 100 ?m. A cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a first plane and a cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a second plane each have a ratio of the length of the long axis to the length of the short axis of 1.2 or more and 1.9 or less.

Abstract: A charging member is provided, suppressing the occurrence of streak-like images resulting from resistance increase caused by degradation of the charging member due to electric conduction for a long period. A process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus are also provided, suppressing the occurrence of streak-like images and stably forming a high-quality electrophotographic image. The charging member comprises an electroconductive support and an electroconductive surface layer, the surface layer comprising at least one of the compounds respectively represented by formula (1), formula (3), and formula (4) defined in the specification, a binder resin, and a conducting agent. The process cartridge and the electrophotographic apparatus use the charging member.

Abstract: The electrophotographic member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer as the surface layer on the substrate. The electro-conductive resin layer contains a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle; the surface of electrophotographic member has a concavity derived from the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, a protrusion derived from the edge portion of the opening and the electro-conductive resin layer; and when the surface of the member is observed using a scanning electron microscope at an accelerating voltage (1 kV) and a magnification (×2000) while applying a DC voltage (50 to 100 V) between an electrode disposed opposite to the electrophotographic member and the substrate, the brightness of the protrusion, K1, the brightness of the bottom of the concavity, K2, and the brightness of the exposed surface of the electro-conductive resin layer, K3, satisfy K2<K1, K3<K1 and 0.8?K2/K3?1.2.

Abstract: The electrophotographic member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer as the surface layer on the substrate. The electro-conductive resin layer contains a binder and a bowl-shaped resin particle; the surface of electrophotographic member has a concavity derived from the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, a protrusion derived from the edge portion of the opening and the electro-conductive resin layer; and when the surface of the member is observed using a scanning electron microscope at an accelerating voltage (1 kV) and a magnification (×2000) while applying a DC voltage (50 to 100 V) between an electrode disposed opposite to the electrophotographic member and the substrate, the brightness of the protrusion, K1, the brightness of the bottom of the concavity, K2, and the brightness of the exposed surface of the electro-conductive resin layer, K3, satisfy K2<K1, K3<K1 and 0.8?K2/K3?1.2.

Abstract: A roller for electrophotography including a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel is provided. The elastic layer contains a hollow particle in a region from the surface of the elastic layer to a depth of 100 ?m. A cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a first plane and a cross-section of the hollow particle intersected by a second plane each have a ratio of the length of the long axis to the length of the short axis of 1.2 or more and 1.9 or less.

Abstract: There are provided an image forming apparatus in which the generation of lateral streak images due to a decrease in the in-nip discharge intensity is suppressed while at the same time the generation of spot-like images due to abnormal discharge caused by smudges on the surface of a charging member is suppressed, and a process cartridge. The image forming apparatus and the process cartridge each has: a charging member containing a resin particle having a plurality of pores inside thereof; and a toner in which the coverage ratio X1 of a surface of the toner with silica fine particles is 50.0 area % or more and 75.0 area % or less, and when a theoretical coverage ratio with the silica fine particles is X2, a diffusion index represented by formula 1 satisfies formula 2. diffusion index=X1/X2??(formula 1) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.

Abstract: A charging member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer. The electro-conductive resin layer contains a binder, a plurality of bowl-shaped resin particles, and a plurality of hollow particles. The charging member has a surface having recesses due to openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions due to edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles, where the positional relationship between one bowl-shaped resin particle and the hollow particles lying in the vicinity of the bowl-shaped resin particle is that the number of the hollow particles being in the space under the bowl-shaped resin particle in a predetermined depth is at least four in average.

Abstract: There are provided an image-forming apparatus that inhibit the occurrence of a longitudinal streak image attributed to a cleaning failure, and a process cartridge. The image-forming apparatus and the process cartridge each have a charging member with a surface having a concavities derived from an opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, and a protrusions derived from an edge of the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, the coverage ratio X1 of a surface of the toner with the silica fine particles is 50.0 area % or more and 75.0 area % or less, and when a theoretical coverage ratio of the toner by the silica fine particles is X2, a diffusion index represented by the formula 1 satisfies the formula 2: diffusion index=X1/X2??(formula 1) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.

Abstract: A charging member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer. The electro-conductive resin layer contains a binder, a plurality of bowl-shaped resin particles, and a plurality of hollow particles. The charging member has a surface having recesses due to openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions due to edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles, where the positional relationship between one bowl-shaped resin particle and the hollow particles lying in the vicinity of the bowl-shaped resin particle is that the number of the hollow particles being in the space under the bowl-shaped resin particle in a predetermined depth is at least four in average.

Abstract: Uneven charging is improved, and production of a banding image attributed to a slip between the charging member and the electrophotographic photosensitive member is suppressed. An electrophotographic process cartridge including a charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is electrically charged upon being brought into contact with the charging member, wherein the charging member includes a electro-conductive substrate and a surface layer formed on the electro-conductive substrate; the surface layer contains at least a binder resin, an electron conductive agent, and a resin particle having a plurality of pores inside thereof; the surface of the surface layer has a protrusion derived from the resin particle; the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer formed on the support; and the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a specific component.

Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a charge transport layer as a surface layer having a matrix-domain structure including specific resins. The charging member comprises an electro-conductive substrate, and an electro-conductive elastic layer. The electro-conductive elastic layer comprises a binder, and holding a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening, so that at least a part of the bowl-shaped resin particle is exposed, and the charging member has a concavity derived from the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle on the surface thereof, and a protrusion derived from an edge of the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle on the surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a charging member. The charging member comprises an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the surface layer includes a binder resin, an electro-conductive particle dispersed in the binder resin, and a resin particle that roughens the surface of the surface layer; the surface layer has a plurality of protrusions each derived from the resin particle in the surface thereof; the resin particle that forms the protrusion has a pore inside thereof; has a porosity Vt of porosity is 2.5% by volume or less as a whole; and has a region whose porosity V11 is from 5% by volume to 20% by volume, wherein the region is farthest away from the electro-conductive substrate in the resin particle, and assuming that the resin particle is a solid particle having no pores, the region corresponds to a 11% by volume-occupying region of the solid particle.

Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a charge transport layer as a surface layer having a matrix-domain structure including specific resins. The charging member comprises an electro-conductive substrate, and an electro-conductive elastic layer. The electro-conductive elastic layer comprises a binder, and holding a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening, so that at least a part of the bowl-shaped resin particle is exposed, and the charging member has a concavity derived from the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle on the surface thereof, and a protrusion derived from an edge of the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle on the surface thereof.