Electrophotographic member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

An electrophotographic process cartridge which is configured to be detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and equipped with a developing apparatus including an electrophotographic member, wherein

• the electrophotographic member includes an electroconductive support and an elastic layer on the support,
• the electrophotographic member has convex portions composed of the elastic layer on a surface of the electrophotographic member,
• the electrophotographic member has a filled portion containing a resin at a valley portion between the convex portions,
• the filled portion has a height lower than heights of the convex portions,
• the surface of the electrophotographic member includes
• a first region which is a surface of the elastic layer uncovered with the filled portion and
• a second region which is a surface of the filled portion, and wherein when
• a Martens hardness measured at a surface of the first region is defined as H1, and a Martens hardness measured at a surface of the second region is defined as H2, H1 and H2 satisfy a following relationship:
• H2>H1.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier for carrying an electrostatic latent image;
• a charging apparatus for primarily charging the image carrier;
• an exposure apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier primarily charged;
• a developing apparatus for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image;
• and
• a transfer apparatus for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material, wherein
• the developing apparatus includes an electrophotographic member,
• the electrophotographic member has convex portions composed of an elastic layer on a surface of the electrophotographic member,
• the electrophotographic member has a filled portion containing a resin at a valley portion between the convex portions,
• the filled portion has a height lower than heights of the convex portions,
• the surface of the electrophotographic member includes
• a first region which is a surface of the elastic layer uncovered with the filled portion and
• a second region which is a surface of the filled portion, and wherein when
• a Martens hardness measured at a surface of the first region is defined as H1, and a Martens hardness measured at a surface of the second region is defined as H2, H1 and H2 satisfy a following relationship:
• H2>H1.