Patent ID: 6904255

Claim:
A color image forming method for forming toner images of a plurality of colors on a medium, the method comprising the steps of: forming the toner images of the plurality of colors on at least one image bearing body by a plurality of developing units respectively accommodating toner of different colors; primary transferring the toner images of the plurality of colors onto an intermediate transfer body sequentially for respective colors; and secondary transferring the toner images of the plurality of colors on the intermediate transfer body onto the medium, wherein the toner image forming step includes a step of forming the toner images of the respective colors so that the potentials of toner layers transferred onto the intermediate transfer body are progressively lower in the order in which the plurality of colors are transferred; and wherein the toner image forming step includes a step of forming the toner images of the respective colors so that deposit amounts of the toner transferred onto the intermediate transfer body are progressively lower in the order in which the plurality of colors are transferred.