Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

A process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a means selected from the group consisting of a charging means for electrostatically charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing means for developing with a toner an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a cleaning means for collecting any toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after a transfer step;

• said electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of said means being supported as one unit and being detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic apparatus;
• and
• said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an aluminum support, a subbing layer containing a polyamide resin, a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer provided on said aluminum support in this order, wherein
• said charge transport layer contains a polycarbonate resin as a binder resin,
• said subbing layer is present on said aluminum support without any intervening layer therebetween and has a thickness from 0.3 μm to 1 μm,
• said charge generation layer contains a charge-generating material in an amount of more than 2 parts by weight and not more than 5 parts by weight based on 1 part by weight of a binder resin, wherein said charge-generating material is an azo pigment, and
• said aluminum support has a surface roughness in which a maximum height RmaxD, a 10-point average roughness Rz, an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra and an unevenness average distance Sm fulfill the following conditions:
• 1.2 μm≦RmaxD≦5.0 μm,
• 1.2 μm≦Rz≦3.0 μm,
• 0.15 μm≦Ra≦0.5 μm,
• 30 μm<Sm≦80 μm.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging means for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically, an exposure means for subjecting the charged electrophotographic photosensitive member to exposure to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing means for developing with a toner the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member to form a toner image, and a transfer means for transferring to a transfer medium the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;

• said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an aluminum support, a subbing layer containing a polyamide resin, a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer provided on said aluminum support in this order, wherein
• said charge transport layer contains a polycarbonate resin as a binder resin,
• said subbing layer is present on said aluminum support without any intervening layer therebetween and has a thickness from 0.3 μm to 1 μm,
• said charge generation layer contains a charge-generating material in an amount of more than 2 parts by weight and not more than 5 parts by weight based on 1 part by weight of a binder resin, wherein said charge-generating material is an azo pigment, and
• said aluminum support has a surface roughness in which a maximum height RmaxD, a 10-point average roughness Rz, an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra and an unevenness average distance Sm fulfill the following conditions:
• 1.2 μm≦RmaxD≦5.0 μm,
• 1.2 μm≦Rz≦3.0 μm,
• 0.15 μm≦Ra≦0.5 μm,
• 30 μm<Sm≦80 μm.