Patent ID: 7024141

Claim:
A method of developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with toner, comprising: causing a developer carrier, which faces said image carrier and accommodates a magnet therein, to support a developer made up of a toner and a magnetic carrier supporting said toner and convey said developer to a developing zone between said developer carrier and said image carrier; and providing an apparent coating ratio M of a surface of said developer carrier coated with said developer, the apparent coating ration M is, in a zone upstream of said developing zone in a direction of rotation of said developer carrier, expressed as: M=αA 2 +β(%), where α denotes a coefficient representative of the coating ratio, A 2 denotes an amount of developer for a unit area, β denotes a value determined by a powder characteristic of said developer for an apparent coating ratio calculated with A 2 =0 and said coating ratio M is between 90% and 120%.