Electrophotographic photosensitive member, and electrophotographic apparatus, device unit and facsimile machine employing the photosensitive member

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• developing means for developing the formed electrostatic latent image;
• and transfer means for transferring the developed image onto a transfer medium,
• said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed thereon, said photosensitive layer containing an acetal resin having a component unit represented by the following formula (1):
• ##STR24## wherein X is ##STR25## R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom and a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• R.sub.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• A is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group and ##STR26## R.sub.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.5 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• and
• n and m are each 0, 1, 2 and 3.

A device unit comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and means selected from the group consisting of charging means, developing means and cleaning means,

• said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed thereon, said photosensitive layer containing an acetal resin having a component unit represented by the following formula (1):
• ##STR27## wherein X is ##STR28## R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom and a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• R.sub.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• A is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group and ##STR29## R.sub.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.5 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• n and m are each 0, 1, 2 and 3;
• and
• said electrophotographic photosensitive member and means selected from the group consisting of charging means, developing means and cleaning means being assembled together to form said device unit which is detachable from the main body of an electrophotographic apparatus.

A facsimile machine comprising:

• an electrophotographic apparatus, and receiving means for receiving image data from a remote terminal,
• said electrophotographic apparatus having an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed thereon, said photosensitive layer containing an acetal resin having a component unit represented by the following formula (1):
• ##STR30## wherein X is ##STR31## R.sub.2 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom and a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• R.sub.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• A is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group and ##STR32## R.sub.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sub.5 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group;
• and
• n and m are each 0, 1, 2 and 3.