Photoconductive element with unsaponified alkyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer interlayer

Claim 2

AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER COMPRISING A SUPPORT WHOSE SURFACE RESISTIVITY IS LESS THAN 10**9 OHMS, OVERLYING THE SUPPORT AN INTERMEDIATE LAYER LESS THAN 10 MICRONS THICK FOR PREVENTING ELECTRIC DETERIORATION AND FATIQUE PHENOMENA DUE TO REPEATED USES, SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN UNSAPONIFIED COPOLYMER OF AN ALKYLVINYLETHER AND MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, IN WHICH THE NUMBER OF CARBON ATOMS IN THE ALKYL RADICAL OF SAID ALKYLVINYLETHER IS 1-12 AND A PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER, OVERLYING SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER, SAID PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN ORGANIC PHOTOCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL.

Claim 3

An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein said alkylvinylether is selected from the group consisting of methylvinylether, ethylvinylether, hexylvinylether, and dodecyvinylether.

Claim 4

An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl radical of said alkylvinylether is 1-6.

Claim 5

An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a support whose surface resistivity is less than 109 ohms, overlying the support an intermediate layer less than 10 microns thick for preventing electric deterioration and fatique phenomena due to repeated uses, said intermediate layer consisting essentially of (1) an unsaponifed copolymer of an alkylvinylether and maleic anhydride, in which the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl radical of said alkylvinylether is 1-12, and (2) a mutually soluble plasticizer, and a photoconductive layer overlying said intermediate layer, said photoconductive layer consisting essentially of an organic photoconductive material.

Claim 6

An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a support whose surface resistivity is less than 109 ohms, overlying the support an intermediate layer less than 10 microns thick for preventing electric deterioration and fatique phenomena due to repeated uses, said intermediate layer consisting essentially of (1) an unsaponifed copolymer of an alkylvinylether and maleic anhydride, in which the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl radical of said alkylvinylether is 1-12, and (2) a mutually soluble plasticizer, and a photoconductive layer overlying said intermediate layer, said photoconductive layer consisting essentially of an organic photoconductive material.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 4 wherein said plasticizer is present in an amount between about 10 percent to about 50 percent by weight.

Claim 8

An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 5 wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of trichloroethyl phosphate, tricresylphosphate and diphenyl chloride.