Lexmark International, Inc.

Weimei Luo

Mark Thomas Bellino

David Glenn Black

Rudolph Wayne Hrobsky

Scott Daniel Reeves

Tanya Yvonne Thames

Ronald Harold Levin

James Alan Hartman

Dat Quoc Nguyen

David Glen Black

Scott Thomas Mosier

Matthew David Heid

Laura Lee Kierstein

Prasanna Shrestha

Kasturi Rangan Srinivasan

Gregory Walter Haggquist

Robert B Champ

Douglas Harris

Brian David Munson

Franklin Dilworth Zartman

Michael George Sloan

Gerald Hugh Ciecior

Julie Corrin House

Robert Max Lopez, Jr

A photoconductive drum includes an elongated support element with a shaped charge generation layer. The layer extends from the support element at various thicknesses along a length thereof. Thicker charge generation portions provides denser optical densities compared to thinner portions allowing tailoring the photoconductive drum to compensate for imperfect optical scanning systems. A charge transport layer overcoats the charge generation layer. Optionally, an oxidation layer underlies the charge generation layer as does a protective overcoat overlying the charge transport layer. Various thicknesses and shapes of the charge generation layer are also disclosed.

Shaped charge generation layer for a photoconductive drum

Shaping a photoconductive drum includes preparing a dispersion having a charge generation composition and dipping an elongated support element into the dispersion. Withdrawing from the dispersion portions of the support element at different speeds results in different thicknesses of charge generation composition on the support element. Faster withdrawal results in thicker charge generation composition than does slower withdrawal. Portions with thicker composition provide denser optical densities compared to thinner composition allowing tailoring the photoconductive drum to compensate for imperfect optical scanning systems. Coating the support element with a charge transport layer occurs next, then curing. Oxidation of the support element may occur prior to application of the charge generation composition. A protective overcoat may also exist over the charge transport layer.

Method for a shaped charge generation layer for photoconductive drum

A charge transport molecule contains four radical polymerizable functional groups of the general structure exemplified below: where Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group, Rand Rare hydrogen atoms, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group wherein the spacer group of R, R, Rand Ris an ethyl group and the radical polymerizable functional group of R, R, Rand Ris an acrylate group.

Charge transport molecule having hydrogen for an overcoat of a photoconductor

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum includes a curable composition having about 20 to about 80 percent by weight of a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups as exemplified below: where Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group, Rand Rare hydrogen atoms, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group. The curable composition may also include a non-radical polymerizable additive, such as a surfactant, and/or a curing agent.

Overcoat for a photoconductor with tetrafunctional radical polymerizable charge transport molecule having hydrogen

An improved organic photoconductor drum having a protective overcoat layer and method to make the same is provided. The protective overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including nano metal oxide particles sized less than 400 nm in combination with an urethane acrylate resin having at least 6 functional groups.

Organic photoconductor drum having an overcoat containing nano metal oxide particles and method to make the same

A method of preparing an organic photoconductor drum having a protective overcoat on its outermost surface is provided. In an example embodiment, a photoconductor drum having an electrically conductive substrate, a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer and an outermost protective overcoat layer is provided. The photoconductor drum is cured using a two-step process. The first curing step applies either ionizing irradiation, such as with an electron beam or by gamma rays or applies non-ionizing irradiation such as ultraviolet light to the photoconductor drum. A mask is sized and placed over the print area of the initially cured photoconductor drum, thereby exposing the outermost edges of the photoconductor drum. The outer edges of the masked photoconductor drum is then exposed to a second curing step using ultraviolet light irradiation.

Method to make a photoconductor drum having an overcoat using a dual curing process

An improved overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum used in an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below: wherein Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, Rand Rare a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one optional curing agent. 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 service life.

Photoconductor overcoat having a charge transport molecule with four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom and method of making the same

A method of curing a protective overcoat layer on the outermost portion of an organic photoconductor drum using dual curing process is provided. The first curing step applies either ionizing irradiation, such as with an electron beam or by gamma rays or applies non-ionizing irradiation such as ultraviolet light to the overcoated photoconductor drum. A mask or shield is sized to be placed over the print area of the initially cured photoconductor drum, thereby exposing the outermost edges of the photoconductor drum. The outer edges of the masked photoconductor drum is then exposed to a second curing step using non-ionizing irradiation such as ultraviolet light.

Method for curing an overcoat in a photoconductor used in an electrophotographic imaging device

A method to make an improved organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The improved organic photoconductor drum is prepared using a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below: wherein Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, Rand Rare a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one optional curing agent.

Photoconductor having protective overcoat layer with a charge transport molecule with four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom and method of making the same

An improved organic photoconductor drum used in an electrophotographic image forming device and method to make the same is provided. The organic photoconductor drum contains a protective overcoat. The protective overcoat is prepared from a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below: where Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, Rand Rare a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one curing agent. This organic photoconductor drum has excellent wear resistance without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its service life.

A charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups used in an overcoat for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups of the general structure exemplified below: where Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group, Rand Rare selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable functional group, a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and one each of a radical polymerizable functional group and a non-radial polymerizable functional group, and Rand Rcontain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group.

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Louisville, CO, United States of America

Weimei Luo