Charging member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Abstract

In order to maintain the image quality of a recent high-speed electrophotographic apparatus, a charging member is provided which hardly causes charging unevenness of a photosensitive member even when vibration of the photosensitive member occurs. The charging member includes an electro-conductive support, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and a surface layer. The elastic layer contains a resin having an epichlorohydrin chain in the molecular structure and a specific flavonoid compound having two or more hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charging member comprising:
 an electro-conductive support,   an electro-conductive elastic layer, and   a surface layer, wherein:   the elastic layer comprises   a resin having an epichlorohydrin chain in the molecular structure, and   at least one compound selected from the group consisting of   a compound represented by the following formula (1),   a compound represented by the following formula (3), and   a compound represented by the following formula (4):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  represents a hydroxyl group or a substituent represented by the following formula (2), and R 2  to R 10  each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, wherein at least two of R 1  to R 10  are hydroxyl groups; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein * represents a bonding portion with the 3-position carbon atom of a compound represented by the formula (1); 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 11  to R 20  each independently represent an atom or a group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, and a methoxy group, wherein at least two of R 11  to R 20  are hydroxyl groups; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 21  to R 30  each independently represent an atom or a group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, and a methoxy group, wherein at least two of R 21  to R 30  are hydroxyl groups. 
       
     
     
         2 . The charging member according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elastic layer comprises a compound represented by the formula (1),   wherein the compound represented by the formula (1) being at least one compound selected from the group consisting of   a compound represented by the following formula (5),   a compound represented by the following formula (6),   a compound represented by the following formula (7), and   a compound represented by the following formula (8):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         3 . The charging member according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elastic layer comprises a compound represented by the formula (4),   wherein the compound represented by the formula (4) being at least one compound selected from the group consisting of   a compound represented by the following formula (9) and   a compound represented by the following formula (10):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . The charging member according to  claim 1 , wherein the resin is a copolymer having an epichlorohydrin chain, an ethylene oxide chain, and an allyl glycidyl ether chain in the molecular structure. 
     
     
         5 . An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member according to  claim 1  arranged for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member. 
     
     
         6 . A process cartridge integrally having
 a charging member according to  claim 1  and   at least one selected from the group consisting of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing unit, a transferring unit and a cleaning unit,   wherein the process cartridge is detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.