An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a photoconductive layer comprising a photoconductor, a support for the photoconductive layer and a surface layer formed on the photoconductive layer and comprising a curable resin film and an inorganic insulator pieces having a size larger than the film thickness of the curable resin film. In order to prevent the image blurring of an a-Si:H photoreceptor, on the outermost surface of the photoreceptor was formed a surface layer having a structure in which inorganic insulator pieces have protruded from the curable resin film. Since the curable resin is of high resistance and shows no quality change by corona irradiation, and besides the protruding inorganic insulator pieces prevent the abrasion of the resin, the surface layer having a long life and excellent humidity resistance, durability for corona irradiation and abrasion resistance can be realized. Further, by covering the surface layer with a fluorine-containing lubricant, the surface layer having a low friction coefficient and excellent cleaning characteristics is obtained, and besides the resin constituting the surface layer absorbs little moisture. As a result, it becomes possible to use the a-Si:H photoreceptors without a heater. Also, the surface layer of the present invention can be removed and then re-formed.
In a commutator of a rotary electric machine, each of commutator segments has a low-resistive layer made of a low-resistive material and a high-resistive layer made of a high-resistive material having a specific resistance higher than that of the low-resistive material. The low-resistive material contains a carbonic material and a binder. The high-resistive material contains a carbonic material, a binder and an inorganic substance such as boron nitride. A mixing ratio of the inorganic material to the high-resistive material is more than 20 wt %. Alternatively, a brush, which makes contact with the commutator segments, can have the high-resistive layer and the low-resistive layer.
An image forming method includes forming an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member having a surface of which contact angle with water is at least 90.degree., forming a toner layer on a toner carrying member, bringing the toner layer into contact with the surface of the image bearing member on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed, while rotating the image bearing member and the toner carrying member reciprocally, and developing the electrostatic latent image by the use of the toner of the toner layer to form a toner image.
A method and apparatus is provided for cleaning residual toner and paper fiber residue from an electrophotographic imaging member using an elastomeric cleaning blade. Reduced friction between the blade and the imaging member and enhanced cleaning without degrading image reproduction quality results from appropriate texturing of the imaging member. The texturing is impressed upon an overcoat layer formed on the photosensitive layer of the imaging member such that a uniform pattern of at least 20 very fine parallel grooves per centimeter are disposed parallel to the direction of process movement and extend along the entire circumference of the imaging member. The very fine parallel grooves have a depth and lateral width sufficiently shallow/narrow to prevent individual particles of toner material from lodging in the grooves and also to ensure copy quality is not degraded.
A heater roller assembly for use with a fuser apparatus includes a housing comprising a radiation shield enclosing a radiant heat source, and a heater roller that is disposed within the housing and is externally heated by the radiant heat source. The heater roller includes a core, a base cushion layer overlying the core, and an outer layer overlying the base cushion layer. The outer layer of the heater roller includes a fluorocarbon random copolymer having subunits of ##STR1## wherein x is from 10 to 90 mole %, y is from 10 to 90 mole %, x+y equal 100 mole %, and OR.sub.f is a perfluoroalkoxy group. A fuser apparatus includes a fuser roller whose outer surface is in contact with the outer layer of a heater roller included in a heater roller assembly.
An electrophotographic photoconductor having an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed on the support and having an outwardly facing surface. The photoconductive layer includes a charge transporting material, a charge generating material and an inorganic filler including .alpha.-alumina, wherein the concentration of the inorganic filler in the photoconductive layer decreases stepwise or continuously in the direction from the outwardly facing surface thereof to the opposite surface thereof.
