Patent ID: 7695878

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one image bearing member; a charging device configured to charge the at least one image bearing member; a light irradiating device configured to irradiate the charged image bearing member with light to form an electrostatic latent image on the at least one image bearing member; at least one developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the at least one image bearing member; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image onto a receiving material optionally via an intermediate transfer medium; and a cleaning device configured to remove toner particles remaining on the at least one image bearing member without being transferred, wherein the toner satisfies the following relationships (1)-(4): 5.0μm<Dv<5.5μm; (1) C 4 ≧20% by number; (2) 1.00 <SF -1 /SF -2<1.15 for an average particle of the toner; and (3) C SF2-115 ≧67.8% by number, (4) wherein Dv represents a volume average particle diameter of the toner; C 4 represents a content of toner particles having a particle diameter of not greater than 4.0 μm; SF-1 and SF-2 represent first and second shape factors of the toner, respectively, and C SF2-115 represents a content of toner particles having a SF-2 of not less than 115.