Patent ID: 7526235

Claim:
An image-forming device comprising: a plurality of image bearing members including 1st to N th image bearing members, N being an integer number greater than 3, the 1st to N th image bearing members having 1st to N th surfaces respectively, 1st to N th electrostatic latent images being formable on the 1st to N th surface respectively; a plurality of developing units including 1st to N th developing units provided in one-to-one correspondence with the 1st to N th image bearing members, the 1st to N th developing units having 1st to N th monochromatic developers respectively, the 1st monochromatic developer being of monochromatic black and comprising a toner particle substantially spherical in shape, the 1st to N th monochromatic developers being superimposed one on the other in order to form a black image, the 1st to N th developing units developing the 1st to N th electrostatic latent images with the 1st to N th monochromatic developers respectively in order to form 1st to N th developer images respectively; and a transfer unit that transfers the 1st to N th developer images to a recipient in a superimposed manner in order of the 1st to N th developer image, wherein N is greater than 3 and the Nth monochromatic developer has the largest amount of adhering per unit area (M/A) among the monochromatic developers other than black.