Patent ID: 6928255

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the latent image carrier; a developer carrier configured to carry a two-component developer including a toner and magnetic particles on a surface of the developer carrier; an electric field forming device configured to form a developing electric field to develop the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with the toner in a developing region where the developer carrier faces the latent image carrier; a magnetic brush formed by magnetically adsorbing the two-component developer onto the surface of the developer carrier, said latent image being developed with the toner in the magnetic brush while transferring the toner in the magnetic brush to the latent image; and a developing gap between the developer carrier and the latent image carrier in the developing region set so as not to press the toner in the magnetic brush against a surface of the developer carrier facing a non-image portion of the latent image carrier and set so as not to fix the toner onto the developer carrier, wherein the toner comprises at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, wherein the toner exhibits a peak molecular weight within a range of 1,000 to 10,000, and has a half peak width of 15,000 or less for a molecular weight distribution determined from a soluble content in tetrahydrofuran by gel permeation chromatography, and wherein the developing gap for a potential difference between said developer carrier and said latent image carrier in the developing region at most approximately 700 V satisfies a following condition: 0.35 mm≦GP≦2.0 mm, where GP is the developing gap between the developer carrier and the latent image carrier in the developing region.