Patent ID: 7856188

Claim:
A developing method in an image-forming device, comprising the steps of: (a) charging a photoreceptor; (b) exposing the photoreceptor to form a first latent image on the photoreceptor; (c) applying a first potential to a first developing unit for developing the first latent image to form a first toner image; and (d) discharging the photoreceptor having the first toner image, such that the first toner image has a second potential and a non-image area outside the first toner image has a third potential, and such that when the photoreceptor is charged again, the first toner image on the photoreceptor has a fourth potential, and the fourth potential is approximately the same as the first potential of the first developing unit, wherein an absolute value of the second potential is equal to or smaller than an absolute value of the third potential.