Patent ID: 10613466

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a charging unit that charges a surface of the image carrier; an electrostatic image forming unit that forms an electrostatic image on the charged surface of the image carrier; a developing unit that contains an electrostatic image developing toner and develops the electrostatic image formed on the surface of the image carrier with the electrostatic image developing toner to form a toner image; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier to a recording medium; a cleaning unit that removes the electrostatic image developing toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier; a first supply unit that has a replenishment toner transport path for transporting a replenishment toner for the electrostatic image developing toner and supplies the replenishment toner to the developing unit; a second supply unit that collects the electrostatic image developing toner removed by the cleaning unit, that has a collected toner transport path for transporting the collected toner to the developing unit, and that supplies the collected toner to the developing unit; and a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred to the recording medium. The electrostatic image developing toner contains toner particles and an external additive and satisfies the following inequalities: (ln η(T1)−ln η(T2))/(T1-T2)≤−0.14, (ln η(T2)−ln η(T3))/(T2-T3)≥−0.15, (ln η(T1)−ln η(T2))/(T1-T2)<(ln η(T2)−ln η(T3))/(T2-T3), wherein η(T1) represents a viscosity of the electrostatic image developing toner at 60° C., η(T2) represents a viscosity of the electrostatic image developing toner at 90° C., and η(T3) represents a viscosity of the electrostatic image developing toner at 130° C.