Patent ID: 7990576

Claim:
An image forming apparatus for forming toner images of a plurality of colors on image bearing members and then transferring and fixing the toner images on a recording medium, said image forming apparatus comprising: a signal processing unit for processing an input image signal into image signals for a plurality of colors; a signal converting unit for converting the image signals for a plurality of colors other than a predetermined color into an image signal for the predetermined color; and a separation processing unit for separating the image signal for the predetermined color into signals for a dark color toner and a light color toner which have the same hue and have different densities, wherein said separation processing unit separates the image signal for the predetermined color into the signals for the dark color toner and the light color toner so that an amount per unit area of toner at each pixel on the image bearing member after the image signal for the predetermined color is separated into the signals for the dark color toner and the light color toner does not exceed a predetermined amount and so that an amount of use of the light color toner is maximum.