Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A process cartridge configured to be detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, in which an occurrence of an image failure is suppressed, wherein the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a cleaning member arranged in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein an elastic deformation modulus of a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is 35% or larger, and the cleaning member is formed of a urethane foam, wherein a density of the urethane foam is 200 to 500 kg/cm 3 , and a 25% compressive load of the urethane foam is 0.3 MPa or smaller.
1. A process cartridge configured to be detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising:
an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a cleaning member arranged in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein
an elastic deformation modulus of a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is 35% or larger, and
the cleaning member is formed of a urethane foam, said urethane foam having a density of 200 to 500 kg/m 3 and a 25% compressive load of 0.3 MPa or smaller.
2. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the urethane foam comprises a cell structure with a cell diameter of 350 μm or smaller.
3. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a charge transporting substance and a resin having a structure represented by formula (II)
where X 2 represents a single bond, an oxygen atom, a divalent alkylene group or a divalent cycloalkylene group, and R 11 to R 18 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.
4. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a charge transporting substance and a resin having a structure represented by formula (I) and a structure represented by formula (II)
where X 1 represents a divalent group; and
where X 2 represents a single bond, an oxygen atom, a divalent alkylene group or a divalent cycloalkylene group, and R 11 to R 18 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.
5. The process cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the structure represented by formula (II) comprises a structure represented by formula (II-1) and a structure represented by formula (II-3)
where R 21 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group or a phenyl group, R 22 and R 23 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R 24 to R 27 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and m is an integer from 0 to 3; and
where R 41 to R 44 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.
6. The process cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the structure represented by formula (I) has a structure represented by formula (I-1)
7. The process cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member further comprises a silica particle having a volume average particle diameter of 30 to 400 nm.
8. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a process cartridge configured to be detachably attachable to a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a cleaning member arranged in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein
an elastic deformation modulus of a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is 35% or larger, and
the cleaning member is formed of a urethane foam, said urethane foam having a density of 200 to 500 kg/m 3 and a 25% compressive load of 0.3 MPa or smaller.