Image forming method, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

A process cartridge comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a charging unit that charges the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a cleaning unit that removes a toner from the surface the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a static elimination unit that removes residual charge from the surface the electrophotographic photosensitive member by irradiating the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member with destaticizing light, the process cartridge being configured to be detachable from the body of an electrophotographic apparatus,
• wherein a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a compound having a structure represented by formula (1) below in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by mass based on the total mass of the surface layer;
• and
• when in a charged region of the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member charged by the charging unit, a charged region in which the electrostatic latent image is formed is referred to as an “image forming region” and a charged region in which the electrostatic latent image is not formed is referred to as a “non-image forming region”, the process cartridge further comprises a member for shielding or reducing the destaticizing light irradiating the non-image forming region,
• in formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a phenyl group.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a charging unit that charges the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing the charged surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a development unit that forms a toner image on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image to a transfer material through or without through an intermediate transfer body;
• a cleaning unit that removes the toner from the surface the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a static elimination unit that removes residual charge from the surface the electrophotographic photosensitive member by irradiating the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member with destaticizing light,
• wherein a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a compound having a structure represented by formula (1) below in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by mass based on the total mass of the surface layer;
• and
• when in a charged region of the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member charged by the charging unit, a charged region in which the electrostatic latent image is formed is referred to as an “image forming region” and a charged region in which the electrostatic latent image is not formed is referred to as a “non-image forming region”, the electrophotographic apparatus further comprises a member for shielding or reducing the destaticizing light irradiating the non-image forming region,
• wherein in formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a phenyl group.