Image forming method and image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming method and image forming apparatus for charging a photosensitive member, exposing the charged photosensitive member thereby forming an electrostatic latent image, carrying toner with a toner carrying member to bring the toner into contact with the photosensitive member surface, thereby developing the electrostatic latent image and forming a toner image upon the photosensitive member, transferring the toner image that is on the photosensitive member to transfer material such as paper, and conducting a simultaneous developing-cleaning process which recovers residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member following the transfer process, so that toner consumption is greatly reduced and high image quality is maintained at the same time. The angle of contact of the photosensitive member surface to water is 85.degree. or greater, the toner is comprised of at least toner particles possessing binder resin and coloring agent, and an inorganic fine powder, and the toner has an average particle diameter by volume DV (.mu.m) of 3 .mu.m.ltoreq.DV.ltoreq.8 .mu.m, an average particle diameter by weight D4 (.mu.m) of 3.5 .mu.m.ltoreq.D4.ltoreq.9 .mu.m, and the ratio Nr of particles having a particle diameter smaller than 5 .mu.m in particle diameter distribution by number of 17% by number.ltoreq.Nr.ltoreq.90% by number.