Cleaning blades having excellent cleaning performance and durability, cleaning units, electrophotographic imaging apparatuses and electrophotographic cartridges employing the same

A cleaning unit to remove a residual toner present on a surface of an electrophotographic photoreceptor, the unit comprising:

• a cleaning blade;
• and
• a supporting member to support the cleaning blade by attaching to at least one part of the cleaning blade;
• wherein the cleaning blade removes the residual toner present on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor,
• wherein a value of the shear modulus of the cleaning blade over the change in a temperature range of about −5° C. to about 23° C. and a value of the shear modulus of the cleaning blade at a temperature of −5° C. obtained from a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement measured as a function of temperature in a temperature range of about −80° C. to about 50° C. under conditions of a frequency of 10 Hz, a heating rate of 2.0° C./min, and an initial strain rate of 0.03% satisfy the following conditions:
• 0.292≦ΔG*(MPa)/ΔT(° C.)≦0.490,
• 24.7≦G*(MPa)@−5° C.≦32.4, and
• wherein ΔG*(MPa)/ΔT(° C.) is a rate of the change in the shear modulus value G* (unit:
• MPa) over the change in a temperature range ΔT(° C.) of about −5° C. to about 23° C., and G*(MPa) @ −5° C. (unit:
• MPa) is the shear modulus value at the temperature of −5° C.

An electrophotographic cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photoreceptor;
• and
• a cleaning unit to remove a residual toner present on a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor after a visible image formed thereon having been transferred onto an image-receiving member,
• wherein the electrophotographic cartridge supports the electrophotographic photoreceptor and the cleaning unit and is attachable to and detachable from an electrophotographic imaging apparatus,
• wherein the cleaning unit comprises:
• a cleaning blade;
• and
• a supporting member to support the cleaning blade by attaching to at least one part of the cleaning blade,
• wherein the cleaning blade removes the residual toner present on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor,
• wherein a value of the shear modulus of the cleaning blade over the change in a temperature range of about −5° C. to about 23° C. and a value of the shear modulus of the cleaning blade at a temperature of −5° C. obtained from a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement measured as a function of temperature in a temperature range of about −80° C. to about 50° C. under conditions of a frequency of 10 Hz, a heating rate of 2.0° C./min, and an initial strain rate of 0.03%;
• satisfy the following conditions:
• 0.292≦ΔG*(MPa)/ΔT(° C.)≦0.490,
• 24.7≦G*(MPa)@−5° C.≦32.4, and
• wherein ΔG*(MPa)/ΔT(° C.) is a rate of the change in the shear modulus value G* (unit:
• MPa) over the change in a temperature range ΔT(° C.) of about −5° C. to about 23° C., and G*(MPa) @ −5° C. (unit:
• MPa) is the shear modulus value at the temperature of −5° C.