Lexmark International, Inc.

Scott Daniel Reeves

Mark Thomas Bellino

Weimei Luo

Tanya Yvonne Thames

David Glen Black

David Glenn Black

Daniel Lee Thomas

Neilson Gutay Navarrete

Alexander Lloyd Chapman

Michael Todd Phillips

James Alan Hartman

Clare Cabahug Maxino

Dat Quoc Nguyen

Brian David Munson

Edward Wayne Weidert

Douglas Harris

Gerald Hugh Ciecior

Weimel Luo

A system for sensing material within a container includes a container having a reservoir for storing material and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the container to cause vibration of the container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of the material in the container based on the sensed vibration of the container.

Material sensing using container vibration

A system for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a toner container having a reservoir for storing toner and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the toner container to cause vibration of the toner container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the toner container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the toner container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in the reservoir based on the sensed vibration of the toner container.

Toner level sensing using toner container vibration

An improved overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a triphenylamine charge transport containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups and a urethane resin containing six radical polymerizable functional groups. The amount of the triphenylamine charge transport containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups in the curable composition is about 20 to about 80 percent by weight. The amount of the urethane resin containing six radical polymerizable functional groups in the curable composition is about 20 to about 80 percent by weight. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and ultimately providing a photoconductor with a longer useful life when compared to other organic photoconductors commercially available.

Photoconductor overcoat having a radical polymerizable charge transport molecule containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups and urethane acrylate resins containing six radical polymerizable functional groups

An overcoat layer and method to make an overcoated photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device using irradiation such as with electron beam (EB) or ultraviolet (UV) light is provided. The photoconductor drum is then cured using EB dose of between 10 and 100 kiloGrays (kGy), preferably between 20 and 40 kGys or UV irradiation with an exposure of between 0.1 and 2 J/cm. The unique overcoat layer of the present invention is formed having a biphasic morphology comprised of a highly cured crosslinked phase and a second phase enriched in uncured material. The desired amount of uncured uncrosslinked material found in the second phase of the biphasic structure, is between 2-70 wt % range, with particularly good combination of long-life and electrical performance when present at the 5-50 wt % level, and the best performance at the 15-40 wt % level. The biphasic morphology of the overcoat layer using the method of the present invention gives rise to the good wear rates while allowing rapid transport of the electrical charge and thus fast discharge properties of the photoconductor drum.

Overcoat formulation for long-life electrophotographic photoconductors and method for making the same

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups and a charge transport molecule having at least one radical polymerizable functional group. The amount of the urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. The amount of the charge transport molecules having at least one radical polymerizable functional group in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its useful life.

Photo conductor overcoat comprising radical polymerizable charge transport molecules and hexa-functional urethane acrylates

A method of preparing a photoconductor drum having an overcoat layer is provided. The photoconductor drum is used in an electrophotographic image forming device. The photoconductor drum is prepared from a curable composition including a urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups and a charge transport molecule having at least one radical polymerizable functional group. The amount of the urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. The amount of the charge transport molecules having at least one radical polymerizable functional group in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the photoconductor drum from damage and extending its useful life.

Photoconductor overcoat having radical polymerizable charge transport molecules containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups and urethane acrylate resins containing six radical polymerizable functional groups

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups. The at least six radical polymerizable functional groups may include acrylate group, methacrylate group, styrenic group, allylic group, vinylic group, glycidyl ether group, epoxy group, or combinations thereof. This overcoat layer has an improved wear resistance, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its useful life.

Wear resistant urethane hexaacrylate materials for photoconductor overcoats

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from an (UV) ultraviolet curable composition including a urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups and a charge transport molecule having at least one radical polymerizable functional group. The amount of the urethane resin having at least six radical polymerizable functional groups in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. The amount of the charge transport molecules having at least one radical polymerizable functional group in the curable composition is about 35 percent to about 65 percent by weight. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its useful life.

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a urethane methacrylate functional charge transport molecule, and a photoinitiator. The urethane acrylate functional charge transport molecule is a reaction product of hydroxyl functional charge transport molecule and a monomer having an isocyanate group and an acrylate group. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its useful life.

Crosslinkable urethane acrylate charge transport molecules for overcoat

An electrophotographic photoconductor system for use in an electrophotographic device and method of using the same. The electrophotoconductor system comprises an electroconductive support, a charge generation layer disposed on the electroconductive support, and a charge transport layer disposed on the charge generation layer. The charge generation layer includes a photosensitive material comprising titanyl phthalocyanine, and at least one oligomeric phenylene additive. The electrophotographic photoconductor system is capable of absorbing light having a wavelength of about 350 nm to about 850 nm.

Photoconductor system for electrophotographic device

Photoconductors are disclosed having an overcoat layer of silsesquioxane substituted with 4-[3-(triethoxysilylpropoxy]-2-hydroxybenzophenone. The degree of substitution is believed not critical. Similarly, the thickness of the coating is not critical and may vary according to the wear anticipated, as well as the electrical requirements of the specific application. Improvements are realized using this material in comparison to unsubstituted silsesquioxane.

Photoconductor with protective overcoat

A polyurethane-silica hybrid, or polyurethane-silica/silsesquioxane hybrid overcoat improves the life of the photoconductor drum without significantly altering the electrophotographic properties of the PC drum. Wear can be caused by a variety of factors, which include contact with the cleaner blade, paper, or intermediate transfer member or by erosion or scratching from toner components. The combination of hard and soft segments allows for a tough, wear resistant material with the added flexibility to prevent erosion from toner particles that are swept along the surface of the drum by the cleaner blade. A benzophenone ultraviolet absorber chemically linked to the silsesquioxane appears to inhibit room light fatigue and improve the electrostatic cycling of the PC drum. The overcoat also inhibits crazing.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, CO, United States of America

Scott Daniel Reeves