Patent ID: 7662532

Claim:
An image forming method, comprising: forming an image of a toner on a receiving material; and fixing the toner image on the receiving material upon application of heat and pressure thereto, wherein the following relationships (1) to (6) are satisfied: 2.0 μm≦D4≦4.5 μm (1), P≦ 15 N/cm 2 (2), P×D 4≧30 N/cm 2 ·μm (3), 3,000 Pa·s≦ Gw 110≦40,000 Pa·s (4), 100 Pa·s≦ Gw 140≦1,000 Pa·s (5), and Gw 110 /Gw 140≧30 (6), wherein D 4 represents a weight average particle diameter of the toner; Gw 110 and Gw 140 represent melt viscosities of the toner at 110 and 140° C., respectively; and P represents the pressure.