Light shock resistant protective layer
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsMarkus R. Silvestri, Johann Junginger, Vladislav Skorokhod
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments pertain to a novel imaging member, namely, an imaging member or photoreceptor comprising a removable protective outer layer which comprises light-absorbing material which substantially prevents any light absorption by the overcoat layer. Thus, the light-absorbing material reduces the intrinsic light shock suffered by conventional overcoat layers without negatively impacting electrical properties of the overcoat layer while improving print quality.
Claims20
An imaging member, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a charge generation layer disposed on the substrate;
- a charge transport layer disposed on the charge generation layer;
- an overcoat layer disposed on the charge transport layer;
- and
- a removable protective layer comprising an ultraviolet or visible light-absorbing material, wherein the removable protective layer protects the imaging member from light shock.
An image forming method, comprising:
- forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to components of an image of a document on an imaging member, the imaging member comprising
- a substrate;
- a charge generation layer disposed on the substrate;
- a charge transport layer disposed on the charge generation layer;
- an overcoat layer disposed on the charge transport layer;
- and
- a removable protective layer comprising ultraviolet or visible light-absorbing material, wherein the removable protective layer protects the imaging member from light shock;
- developing the electrostatic latent images with one or more toners so as to form corresponding visible toner images on the imaging member;
- electrically charging a surface of the toner image retaining member;
- transferring the toner images formed on the imaging member onto the toner image retaining member by bringing the electrically charged surface of the toner image retaining member into contact with the imaging member at a transfer station so as to form an image on the toner image retaining member;
- and
- transferring the image formed on the toner image retaining member onto a substrate to form a print, wherein the removable protective layer is removed from the imaging member by a cleaning component prior to the first print.
An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising:
- a) an imaging member having a charge retentive-surface for receiving an electrostatic latent image thereon, wherein the imaging member comprises
- a substrate;
- a charge generation layer disposed on the substrate;
- a charge transport layer disposed on the charge generation layer;
- an overcoat layer disposed on the charge transport layer;
- and
- a removable protective layer comprising ultraviolet or visible light-absorbing material, wherein the removable protective layer protects the imaging member from light shock;
- b) a development component for applying a developer material to the charge-retentive surface to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on the charge-retentive surface;
- c) a transfer component for transferring the developed image from the charge-retentive surface to a copy substrate;
- d) a fusing component for fusing the developed image to the copy substrate;
- and
- e) a cleaning component for removing any developer material remaining on the charge-retentive surface, wherein the cleaning component removes the removable protective layer after a first few cycles of operation of the image forming apparatus and directs the removed developer material to a toner waste container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.