Patent ID: 6440630
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming method comprising developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor to form a toner image employing a developer comprising a toner, transferring the toner image onto an image forming material, and fixing the transferred toner image onto the image forming material, employing a fixing unit wherein said fixing unit is downstream of said developer and, whereinthe fixing unit comprises a heating roller and a pressure roller which is brought into contact with said heating roller wherein said transferred toner image is fixed onto the image forming material by passing said image forming material with said transferred toner image between said heating roller and said pressure roller. the heating roller comprises a cylinder having an interior diameter of from 10 to 70 mm and a wall thickness of from 0.1 to 2 mm comprised of a metal or a metal alloy, and a heating member being incorporated in the interior, a surface of the cylinder being covered with a layer comprising a fluorine resin at a thickness of from 10 to 500 &mgr;m, the pressure roller comprises a metal cylinder covered with a covering layer comprising an elastic material having an Asker hardness C of less than 80 degrees at a thickness of 0.1 to 30 mm, and the toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a releasing agent, and is obtained by salting out/fusing resin particles comprising the releasing agent in binding resin and colorant particles.