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US5525447A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrophotographic photoconductor

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-10-07
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Granted: 1996-06-11
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Expires: 2014-10-07
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Abstract

Abstract An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on the electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on the photoconductive layer, the surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, containing therein an additive element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, fluorine, boron, phosphorous, chlorine, bromine and iodine, with the atomic ratio of the additive element to the carbon contained in the surface protective layer being larger in the vicinity of the top surface of the surface protective layer than in the vicinity of the photoconductive layer adjacent to the surface protective layer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Ikuno
  • 👤 Narihito Kojima
  • 👤 Hiroshi Nagame
  • 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
  • 👤 Shigenori Hayashi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 02:52
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/14; G03G5/147; G03G5/14704

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 103 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, fluorine, boron, phosphorous, chlorine, bromine and iodine, with the atomic ratio of said additive element to said carbon in said carbon structure being larger in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer than in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 103 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, fluorine, boron, phosphorous, chlorine, bromine and iodine, with the atomic ratio of said additive element to said carbon in said carbon structure being larger in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer than in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 92 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises nitrogen, with the atomic ratio of said nitrogen to said carbon in said surface protective layer, N/C ratio, being 0.005 or less in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer, and 0.05 or more in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 92 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises nitrogen, with the atomic ratio of said nitrogen to said carbon in said surface protective layer, N/C ratio, being 0.005 or less in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer, and 0.05 or more in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 92 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises fluorine, with the atomic ratio of said fluorine to said carbon in said surface protective layer, F/C ratio, being 0.001 or less in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer, and 0.005 or more in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 92 words
An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising: an electroconductive support; a photoconductive layer formed on said electroconductive support; and a surface protective layer formed on said photoconductive layer, said surface protective layer having a hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon structure or amorphous carbon structure, which comprises fluorine, with the atomic ratio of said fluorine to said carbon in said surface protective layer, F/C ratio, being 0.001 or less in the vicinity of said photoconductive layer adjacent to said surface protective layer, and 0.005 or more in the vicinity of the top surface of said surface protective layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1, wherein said surface protective layer has a thickness of 5,000 Å to 50,000 Å.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 2, wherein said surface protective layer has a thickness of 5,000 Å to 50,000 Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 3, wherein said surface protective layer has a thickness of 5,000 Å to 50,000 Å.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5258250A Cited
US4702979A Cited
US5262262A Cited
US5268247A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-06-11 1999-12-11 2000-06-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-06-11 2003-12-11 2004-06-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-06-11 2007-12-11 2008-06-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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