JP2005215457A - Method for manufacturing electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor employing an insert pushing method which flexibly pushes inserts of various shapes and is excellent in terms of mass production and cost. <P>SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing the electrophotographic photoreceptor having: a photosensitive layer on an outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support; and an insert on an inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, includes a photosensitive layer forming process of forming the photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support and an insert pushing process of pushing the insert by a pushing member to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support. The pushing member has a plurality of freely expandable and contractible projections in the pushing direction and has a projection fixing means for fixing the projections in the prescribed positions. The insert pushing process pushes the inserts to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by exerting the pushing force in the pushing direction of the inserts from the projections fixed in the prescribed position by the projection fixing means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support and an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus.

  In the electrophotographic system, an electrostatic latent image is formed by charging and exposure (image exposure) on the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support, and the electrostatic latent image is formed with toner. A system that employs a process in which a toner image is formed by development and an image formed product (copy, print) is obtained by transferring the toner image onto a transfer material such as paper is generally used. Further, the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member after the toner image is transferred is cleaned as necessary.

  In an electrophotographic apparatus employing this process, noise may be generated due to various causes.

  One cause of noise generation is charging of the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

  Conventionally, a corona charging device, which is a non-contact charging device, has been widely used as a charging device. However, in recent years, a voltage is applied from an external power source to a contact charging member placed in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A contact charging device for charging the surface of the substrate has been put into practical use.

Contact as the charging device, from the viewpoint of charging uniformity, the contact charging member from an external power source applies a vibration voltage obtained by superimposing the alternating voltage of the DC voltage and 2 kV _P-P of about 1~2kV the electrophotographic photosensitive member A device that charges the surface is common.

  However, since the contact charging member to which the oscillating voltage is applied repeats contact and separation with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the electrophotographic photosensitive member may vibrate and noise called charging noise may be generated.

  Another cause of noise generation is cleaning of the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

  As the electrophotographic photosensitive member becomes more durable in recent years, the frictional force between the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning member increases, and as a result, vibration noise (noise) occurs between the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning member. Sometimes. This is because the stick-slip vibration increases due to the frictional force between the rotating electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning member, particularly when the electrophotographic photosensitive member starts rotating or when the rotation stops, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member vibrates excessively. It is a vibration sound generated by doing.

  As one of the methods for preventing these noises, it is known to push an insertion body such as an elastic body, resin, metal or the like into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support of the electrophotographic photosensitive member (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05/1995). No. 035048 (Patent Document 1) and the like. Various methods are known for the shape and fixing method of the insert (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-019377 (Patent Document 2), etc.).

However, in these conventional techniques, the shape of the end face of the insert is limited, and if the accuracy of the end face of the insert is low, the automatic push-in device or the like may be clogged during insertion. In addition, the inserts having different end face shapes cannot be pushed in continuously (low mass productivity), and the inserts having special shapes cannot be automated (the production cost is high).
JP 05-035048 A JP 06-019377 A

  An object of the present invention is to manufacture an electrophotographic photoreceptor using an insert push-in method that solves the conventional problems and can insert various shapes of inserts flexibly and is excellent in mass productivity and cost. It is to provide a method.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having an electrophotographic photosensitive member manufactured by the above manufacturing method.

The present invention is a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support, and having an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support,
A photosensitive layer forming step of forming the photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support;
In the method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising: an insertion body pushing step of pushing the insertion body into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by a pushing member;
The push-in member has a plurality of protrusions that can expand and contract in the push-in direction, and has a protrusion fixing means that fixes the protrusions at a predetermined position.
In the inserting body pushing step, the inserting body is applied to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support body by applying a pushing force in the pushing direction to the inserting body from the protrusion fixed at a predetermined position by the protrusion fixing means. An electrophotographic photosensitive member production method characterized by being a pressing step.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member that employs an insert push-in method that can flexibly push inserts of various shapes and is excellent in mass productivity and cost.

  In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having the electrophotographic photosensitive member manufactured by the above manufacturing method.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an insertion body pushing device.

  In FIG. 1, 101 is a cylindrical support, 104 is a photosensitive layer, 106 is an insert, 107 is a protrusion, 108 is a protrusion fixing means, 109 is a pushing member, 110 is a support portion, and 111 is an insert guide rail.

  A cylindrical support 101 provided with a photosensitive layer 104 on the outer peripheral surface side is set on a support 110, and an insert 106 is set on an insert guide rail 111 (FIG. 1A). Next, the pushing member 109 having the protrusion 107 and the protrusion fixing means 108 is moved to expand and contract the protrusion 107 so as to follow the shape of the end portion of the insert 106, and the protrusion 107 is fixed at a predetermined position by the protrusion fixing means 108. To do. In this state, a pressing force in the pressing direction is applied from the protrusion 107 to the insertion body 106 to push the insertion body 106 into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support 101 (FIG. 1B). After insertion, the fixing can be released and each projection can be returned to the origin.

  With this configuration, any shape of the end of the insert 106 can be pushed into the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical support 101.

  Next, the layer structure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor will be described.

  As described above, the electrophotographic photoreceptor produced by the production method of the present invention is an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical support (hereinafter also simply referred to as a support).

  The photosensitive layer is separated into a charge generating layer containing a charge generating material and a charge transporting layer containing a charge transporting material even if it is a single layer type photosensitive layer containing the charge transporting material and the charge generating material in the same layer. A laminated type (functional separation type) photosensitive layer may be used, but a laminated type photosensitive layer is preferred from the viewpoint of electrophotographic characteristics. The laminated photosensitive layer has a normal layer type photosensitive layer laminated in the order of the charge generation layer and the charge transport layer from the support side, and a reverse layer type photosensitive layer laminated in the order of the charge transport layer and the charge generation layer from the support side. However, a normal photosensitive layer is preferred from the viewpoint of electrophotographic characteristics.

  As a support body, what is necessary is just to have electroconductivity (conductive support body), for example, metal supports, such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, and stainless steel, can be used. Moreover, the said metal support body and plastic support body which have the layer in which aluminum, aluminum alloy, the indium oxide tin oxide alloy etc. were formed into a film by vacuum deposition can also be used. In addition, a support in which conductive particles such as carbon black, tin oxide particles, titanium oxide particles, and silver particles are impregnated into plastic or paper together with an appropriate binder resin, or a plastic support having a conductive binder resin, etc. Can also be used.

  Between the support and the photosensitive layer (charge generation layer, charge transport layer) or an intermediate layer described later, there is a conductive layer for the purpose of preventing interference fringes due to scattering of laser light or the like and covering the scratches on the support. It may be provided. The conductive layer can be formed by dispersing conductive particles such as carbon black and metal particles in a binder resin. The thickness of the conductive layer is preferably 0.1 to 30 μm, and more preferably 0.5 to 20 μm.

  Further, an intermediate layer having a barrier function or an adhesive function may be provided between the support or the conductive layer and the photosensitive layer (charge generation layer, charge transport layer). The intermediate layer is formed for the purpose of improving the adhesion of the photosensitive layer, improving the coating property, improving the charge injection property from the support, and protecting the photosensitive layer from electrical breakdown. The intermediate layer can be formed using materials such as casein resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, ethyl cellulose resin, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, polyamide resin, modified polyamide resin, polyurethane resin, gelatin resin, and aluminum oxide. The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably 0.05 to 5 μm, and more preferably 0.3 to 1.5 μm.

  Examples of the charge generating material used in the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention include azo pigments such as monoazo, disazo, and trisazo, phthalocyanine pigments such as metal phthalocyanine and nonmetal phthalocyanine, indigo pigments such as indigo and thioindigo, Perylene pigments such as perylene acid anhydride and perylene imide, polycyclic quinone pigments such as anthraquinone and pyrenequinone, squarylium dyes, pyrylium salts and thiapyrylium salts, triphenylmethane dyes, selenium, selenium-tellurium, amorphous Examples thereof include inorganic substances such as silicon, quinacridone pigments, azulenium salt pigments, cyanine dyes, xanthene dyes, quinoneimine dyes, styryl dyes, cadmium sulfide, and zinc oxide. These charge generation materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  When the photosensitive layer is a laminated photosensitive layer, examples of the binder resin used for the charge generation layer include polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, polyarylate resin, butyral resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, diallyl phthalate resin, and acrylic resin. Methacrylic resin, vinyl acetate resin, phenol resin, silicone resin, polysulfone resin, styrene-butadiene copolymer resin, alkyd resin, epoxy resin, urea resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, and the like. In particular, a butyral resin is preferable. These can be used singly or in combination of two or more as a mixture or copolymer.

  The charge generation layer can be formed by applying and drying a charge generation layer coating solution obtained by dispersing a charge generation material together with a binder resin and a solvent. Examples of the dispersion method include a method using a homogenizer, an ultrasonic wave, a ball mill, a sand mill, a roll mill, a vibration mill, an attritor, a liquid collision type high-speed disperser, and the like. The ratio between the charge generating material and the binder resin is preferably in the range of 1: 0.3 to 1: 4 (mass ratio).

  The solvent used in the coating solution for the charge generation layer is selected from the solubility and dispersion stability of the binder resin and charge generation material used, and the organic solvents include alcohols, sulfoxides, ketones, ethers, esters, aliphatic halogens. Hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds.

  The thickness of the charge generation layer is preferably 5 μm or less, and more preferably 0.1 to 2 μm.

  In addition, various sensitizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, plasticizers, and the like can be added to the charge generation layer as necessary.

  Examples of the charge transport material used in the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention include triarylamine compounds, hydrazone compounds, styryl compounds, stilbene compounds, pyrazoline compounds, oxazole compounds, thiazole compounds, and triarylmethane compounds. These charge transport materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  When the photosensitive layer is a laminated photosensitive layer, examples of the binder resin used for the charge transport layer include acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polyacrylamide resin, acrylonitrile resin, polyamide resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinyl acetate. Examples include resins, phenoxy resins, phenol resins, polystyrene resins, polyester resins, polycarbonate resins, polyarylate resins, polysulfone resins, polyphenylene oxide resins, epoxy resins, polyurethane resins, alkyd resins, and unsaturated resins. In particular, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin and the like are preferable. These can be used singly or in combination of two or more as a mixture or copolymer.

  The charge transport layer can be formed by applying and drying a charge transport layer coating solution obtained by dissolving a charge transport material and a binder resin in a solvent. The ratio between the charge transport material and the binder resin is preferably in the range of 5: 1 to 1: 5 (mass ratio), and more preferably in the range of 3: 1 to 1: 3 (mass ratio).

  Solvents used in the charge transport layer coating solution include ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, esters such as methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene, ethers such as 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene. , Hydrocarbons substituted with halogen atoms such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are used.

  The thickness of the charge transport layer is preferably 5 to 50 μm, and more preferably 10 to 35 μm.

  In addition, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorber, a plasticizer, and the like can be added to the charge transport layer as necessary.

  When the photosensitive layer is a single-layer type photosensitive layer, the single-layer type photosensitive layer is a coating for a single-layer type photosensitive layer obtained by dispersing the charge generation material and the charge transport material together with the binder resin and the solvent. It can be formed by applying a liquid and drying.

  Further, a protective layer may be provided on the photosensitive layer for the purpose of protecting the photosensitive layer. The protective layer can be formed by applying and drying a protective layer coating solution obtained by dissolving the various binder resins described above in a solvent.

  The thickness of the protective layer is preferably 0.5 to 10 μm, and particularly preferably 1 to 5 μm.

  When applying the coating liquid for each of the above layers, for example, a coating method such as a dip coating method (a dip coating method), a spray coating method, a spinner coating method, a roller coating method, a Meyer bar coating method, a blade coating method, or the like is used. Can do.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus provided with a process cartridge having an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is driven to rotate at a predetermined peripheral speed in the direction of an arrow about an axis 2.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 that is rotationally driven is uniformly charged to a predetermined positive or negative potential by a charging unit (primary charging unit: charging roller or the like) 3, and then subjected to slit exposure, laser beam scanning exposure, or the like. Exposure light (image exposure light) 4 output from exposure means (not shown) is received. In this way, electrostatic latent images corresponding to the target image are sequentially formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1.

  The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 is developed with toner contained in the developer of the developing means 5 to become a toner image. Next, the toner image formed and supported on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 is transferred from a transfer material supply means (not shown) to the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 and the transfer means by a transfer bias from a transfer means (transfer roller or the like) 6. 6 (contact portion) is sequentially transferred onto a transfer material (paper or the like) P taken out and fed in synchronization with the rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1.

  The transfer material P that has received the transfer of the toner image is separated from the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 and introduced into the fixing means 8 to receive the image fixing, and is printed out as an image formed product (print, copy). Is done.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 after the transfer of the toner image is cleaned by a cleaning means (cleaning blade or the like) 7 to remove the developer (toner) remaining after transfer, and further from a pre-exposure means (not shown). After being subjected to charge removal processing by pre-exposure light (not shown), it is repeatedly used for image formation. As shown in FIG. 2, when the charging unit 3 is a contact charging unit using a charging roller or the like, pre-exposure is not necessarily required.

  Among the above-described components such as the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, the charging unit 3, the developing unit 5, the transfer unit 6 and the cleaning unit 7, a plurality of components are housed in a container and integrally combined as a process cartridge. The process cartridge may be configured to be detachable from an electrophotographic apparatus main body such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer. In FIG. 2, the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, the charging unit 3, the developing unit 5 and the cleaning unit 7 are integrally supported to form a cartridge, and the electrophotographic apparatus is used by using a guide unit 10 such as a rail of the electrophotographic apparatus main body. The process cartridge 9 is detachable from the main body.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these. In the examples, “part” means “part by mass”.

(Example 1)
An aluminum cylinder having a diameter of 30 mm, a thickness of 0.75 mm, and a length of 260 mm was used as a support (cylindrical support).

Next, 10 parts of SnO ₂ coated barium sulfate (conductive particles), 2 parts of titanium oxide (for resistance adjustment), phenol resin (trade name: Priorofen J-325, manufactured by Dainippon Ink & Chemicals, Inc.) 6 Particulates, 0.001 part of silicone oil (leveling agent), and a mixed solvent of 4 parts of methanol / 16 parts of methoxypropanol were dispersed for 2 hours in a sand mill using glass beads having a diameter of 1 mm to obtain a coating solution for a conductive layer. Was prepared.

  This conductive layer coating solution was applied by dip coating on a support and thermally cured at 140 ° C. for 30 minutes to form a conductive layer having a thickness of 15 μm.

  Next, 3 parts of N-methoxymethylated nylon and 3 parts of copolymer nylon were dissolved in a mixed solvent of 65 parts of methanol / 30 parts of n-butanol to prepare an intermediate layer coating solution.

  This intermediate layer coating solution was dip coated on the conductive layer and dried at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to form an intermediate layer having a thickness of 0.5 μm.

  Next, 4 parts of an azo pigment (charge generation material) having a structure represented by the following formula:

Disperse 2 parts of polyvinyl butyral resin (trade name: ESREC BLS, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 35 parts of cyclohexanone for 12 hours in a sand mill using glass beads having a diameter of 1 mm, and then add 60 parts of methyl ethyl ketone. A coating solution for charge generation layer was prepared.

  This charge generation layer coating solution was dip coated on the intermediate layer and dried at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to form a charge generation layer having a thickness of 0.3 μm.

  Next, 7 parts of an amine compound (charge transport material) having a structure represented by the following formula:

1 part of an amine compound (charge transport material) having a structure represented by the following formula:

And 10 parts of polycarbonate resin (trade name: Iupilon Z200, manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Ltd.) was dissolved in 80 parts of chlorobenzene to prepare a coating solution for charge transport layer.

  This charge transport layer coating solution was dip coated on the charge generation layer and dried at 120 ° C. for 1 hour to form a charge transport layer having a thickness of 30 μm.

  Next, 0.1 g of cyanoacrylate instantaneous adhesive was applied to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, and then a columnar insert made of aluminum (outer diameter 28.48 mm, length 65 mm, see FIG. 4). 3 was pushed to the center of the support using the push-in member having five protrusions with a diameter of 2 mm shown in FIG. 3 and the insert push-in device having the configuration shown in FIG.

  Thus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support and an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support was produced.

  This operation was performed 100 times to produce a total of 100 electrophotographic photoreceptors. As a result, the insert was not clogged when the insert was pushed.

(Example 2)
An electrophotographic photoreceptor in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the insert in Example 1 was changed to an aluminum cylindrical insert (outer diameter 28.48 mm, inner diameter 15 mm, length 65 mm, see FIG. 5). Was made.

  As in Example 1, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photosensitive members were produced, the insert was not clogged when the insert was pushed.

(Example 3)
Example 1 was the same as Example 1 except that the insert was changed to a cylindrical insert having an ABS resin slit (outer diameter 28.8 mm, inner diameter 15 mm, length 100 mm, see FIG. 6). An electrophotographic photosensitive member was produced.

  As in Example 1, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photosensitive members were produced, the insert was not clogged when the insert was pushed.

Example 4
In Example 1, except that the insert was changed to an insert (outer diameter 28.6 mm, see FIG. 7) formed by coating an iron core (outer diameter 10 mm, length 100 mm) with urethane rubber in a tube shape. An electrophotographic photosensitive member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

  As in Example 1, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photosensitive members were produced, the insert was not clogged when the insert was pushed.

(Example 5)
An electrophotographic photosensitive member was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pushing member was changed to a pushing member having two protrusions having a diameter of 2 mm shown in FIG.

  As in Example 1, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photosensitive members were produced, the insert was not clogged when the insert was pushed.

(Comparative Example 1)
In Example 1, the electrophotographic process was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pushing member was changed to a pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 15 mm shown in FIG. 9 (no protrusions and no protrusion fixing means). A photoconductor was prepared.

  As in Example 1, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photosensitive members were produced, clogging of the insert occurred when the insert was pushed in 5 out of 100.

(Comparative Example 2)
In Example 2, the electrophotography was performed in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the pushing member was changed to a pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 20 mm shown in FIG. 10 (no protrusion and no protrusion fixing means). A photoconductor was prepared.

  As in Example 2, a total of 100 electrophotographic photoconductors were produced. As a result, for 4 out of 100 electrophotographic photoreceptors, the insert was clogged when the insert was pushed.

(Comparative Example 3)
In Example 4, the electrophotographic process was performed in the same manner as in Example 4 except that the pushing member was changed to a pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 10 mm as shown in FIG. 11 (no protrusions and no protrusion fixing means). A photoconductor was prepared.

  As in Example 2, when a total of 100 electrophotographic photoreceptors were produced, about 8 out of 100 electrophotographic photoreceptors were clogged with the insert when the insert was pushed.

Schematic configuration of an insert pushing device. 1 is a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus including a process cartridge having an electrophotographic photosensitive member. Pushing member with 5 protrusions with a diameter of 2 mm. A cylindrical insert made of aluminum. A cylindrical insert made of aluminum. A cylindrical insert having a slit made of ABS resin. An insert formed by coating an iron core with urethane rubber in a tube shape. Pushing member with two 2 mm diameter protrusions. A pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 15 mm. A pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 20 mm. A pushing member having one abutting portion having a diameter of 10 mm.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Cylindrical support body 104 Photosensitive layer 106 Insertion body 107 Protrusion 108 Protrusion fixing means 109 Pushing member 110 Support part 111 Insertion body guide rail 1 Electrophotographic photoreceptor 2 Axis 3 Charging means 4 Exposure light 5 Developing means 6 Transfer means 7 Cleaning means 8 Fixing means 9 Process cartridge 10 Guide means

Claims (3)

A method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support, and having an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support,
A photosensitive layer forming step of forming the photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support;
In the method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising: an insertion body pushing step of pushing the insertion body into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by a pushing member;
The push-in member has a plurality of protrusions that can expand and contract in the push-in direction, and has a protrusion fixing means that fixes the protrusions at a predetermined position.
In the inserting body pushing step, the inserting body is applied to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support body by applying a pushing force in the pushing direction to the inserting body from the protrusion fixed at a predetermined position by the protrusion fixing means. A process for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is a pressing process.   An electrophotographic apparatus which integrally supports an electrophotographic photosensitive member produced by the production method according to claim 1 and at least one means selected from the group consisting of a charging means, a developing means, a transfer means and a cleaning means. A process cartridge which is detachable from the main body. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a transfer unit.

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