Patent ID: 7862977

Claim:
A method to form an image using a trickle developing system comprising the steps of: (i) forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor; (ii) developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer to form a toner image using the trickle developing system, a mixture of a toner and a carrier being refilled to a developing device in the trickle developing system when an amount of toner is decreased to a prescribed level; and (iii) transferring the toner image onto a recording sheet, wherein (a) the toner comprises colorant particles with a volume median diameter of 3 to 8 Î¼m having first inorganic particles on surfaces of the colorant particles to form toner particles; (b) the carrier comprises magnetic particles with a weight average particle diameter (D4) of 20 to 40 Î¼m having second inorganic particles on surfaces of the magnetic particles to form carrier particles; and (c) an area ratio of element (A) based on a total area of surfaces of the carrier particles is 0.5 to 3.0 area % determined by using an X-ray analysis, provided that element (A) represents one or more elements commonly contained in the first inorganic particles and in the second inorganic particles.