Patent ID: 7183034
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming method, which comprises: two or more toner image forming processes comprising at least electrifying the surface of a latent image-carrier; forming a latent image on the surface of the electrified latent image-carrier; and forming a toner image by developing the latent image formed on the surface of the latent image-carrier with an electrostatic image developer, which is stored in a developing device and contains a toner and a carrier, wherein in at least one of the two or more toner image forming processes, the development is performed while appropriately supplying a supplementary developer containing a toner and a carrier to a developing device, and collecting excess electrostatic image developer that appears in the developing device due to the supplying of the supplementary developer, and an image is formed on a transfer receiving material by overlaying a toner image, the overlaying comprising successively overlaying a toner image formed by each of the two or more toner image forming processes, and a circularity of toner particles contained in at least the supplementary developer is in the range of 0.940 to 0.980; a first ratio is 5% or less, wherein the first ratio is a ratio of a number of particles having a circularity of 0.970 or greater among particles having a diameter less than or equal to 3/5 of a specific circle-equivalent diameter to a total number of particles having a diameter less than or equal to 3/5 of the specific circle-equivalent diameter; and a second ratio is 10% or less, wherein the second ratio is a ratio of a number of particles having a circularity of 0.950 or less among particles having a diameter greater than or equal to 7/5 of the specific circle-equivalent diameter to a total number of particles having a diameter greater than or equal to 7/5 of the specific circle-equivalent diameter.