Patent ID: 7547496

Claim:
An image forming method comprising: developing a latent image formed on a cylindrical electrophotographic photoreceptor having a cylindricity of 5 to 40 μm, with a developer comprising toner in which a ratio Dv50/Dp50 of a 50% volume particle diameter Dv50 to a 50% number particle diameter Dp50 is 1.0 to 1.15, a ratio Dv75/ Dp75 of a cumulative 75% volume particle diameter from the largest volume particle diameter Dv75, to a cumulative 75% number particle diameter from the largest number particle diameter Dp75, is 1.0 to 1.20, and the number of toner particles having a particle diameter of 0.7×Dp50 or less is 10 percent by number or less, to form a toner image, the developer is provided from a development device; transferring the toner image from the photoreceptor to an intermediate transferring member, and supplying a surface energy lowering agent to the cylindrical electrophotographic photoreceptor from a surface energy lowering agent supplying device, wherein the cylindrical electrophotographic photoreceptor has a layer which contacts the toner in the developing step, and the layer has inorganic particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 1 nm to less than 100 nm.