Patent ID: 7327973

Claim:
A color image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member for bearing a latent image; a plurality of developing devices, each of said developing devices containing developer that includes a predetermined ratio, in volume of developer particles having a diameter of a predetermined value or less with respect to an entire volume of toner, and being capable of developing said latent image using said developer contained therein; and a transferring medium that serves as a medium when transferring the developer on said image bearing member onto a transferring material, wherein said image forming apparatus forms a color image by performing an operation of developing said latent image bore on said image bearing member with said developer using each of said developing devices, and transferring the developer on said image bearing member onto said transferring medium in a state in which said image bearing member and said transferring medium are in contact with each other successively with each of said plurality of developing devices to superimpose different kinds of said developer onto said transferring medium; wherein said plurality of developing devices include a first developing device whose said ratio in volume of said developer particles is R 1 , and a second developing device whose said ratio in volume of said developer particles is R 2 ; and wherein said first developing device and said second developing device satisfy both of the following conditions (1) and (2): (1) said second developing device performs development later than said first developing device; and (2) R 2 is larger than R 1 .