Patent ID: 7749674

Claim:
A method of producing a toner, comprising: dissolving or dispersing a polyester prepolymer having a functional group comprising a nitrogen atom, a polyester resin, a colorant and a release agent in an organic solvent to prepare a toner constituent liquid; dispersing the toner constituent liquid additionally comprising at least one of a crosslinking agent and an elongation agent in an aqueous medium comprising a particulate resin which is different from a binder resin in said toner to perform at least one of a crosslinking reaction and an elongation reaction to cross-link or elongate the polyester prepolymer, forming toner particles comprising the crosslinked or elongated prepolymer, said polyester, said colorant and releasing agent, wherein said particulate resin is adhered to the surfaces of said toner particles, and mixing inorganic particulate material with said toner particles, wherein the toner comprises toner particles comprising said crosslinked or elongated prepolymer, said polyester, said colorant and releasing agent, said particulate resin, and said inorganic particulate material disposed on a surface of the toner particles, wherein the toner particles have a surface roughness of between 1 and 30 nm, a standard deviation of the surface roughness of between 10 and 90 nm and include 1 to 20 convexities per 1 μm having a height not less than 10 nm, and include a convexity having a vertical interval not less than 10 nm between a bottom of a concavity and a top of the convexity between 1 and 20 pieces/μm in number.