Toner, developing apparatus, and image-forming apparatus provided with toner

A toner comprising:

• a toner particle containing a colorant, an amorphous polyester, and a binder resin containing a vinyl resin, wherein
• a softening point of the toner is 110 to 140° C.,
• the amorphous polyester has a monomer unit derived from a linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6 to 12 carbons and a monomer unit derived from an alcohol component,
• a content of the monomer unit derived from a linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6 to 12 carbons is 10 to 50 mol % relative to a total monomer unit derived from a carboxylic acid component constituting the amorphous polyester, and
• in a cross section of the toner particle observed with a transmission electron microscope, the vinyl resin forms a matrix and the amorphous polyester forms a domain where a number-average diameter of the domain of the amorphous polyester is 0.3 to 3.0μm, and a proportion for the domain of the amorphous polyester present in a region within 25% of a distance from a contour of the cross section to a centroid of the cross section is 30 to 70 area % relative to a total area of the domain of the amorphous polyester.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electrostatic latent image bearing member;
• a charging member for charging the electrostatic latent image bearing member;
• a toner comprising a toner particle containing a binder resin, an amorphous polyester, and a colorant, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image bearing member;
• and
• a toner bearing member for contacting the electrostatic latent image bearing member and transporting the toner, and recovering the toner remaining on the electrostatic latent image bearing member after transfer, wherein
• a softening point of the toner is 110 to 140° C.;
• an integrated value f1 for stress of the toner is not more than 10 g·m/sec, as measured using a tack tester, with a temperature for a probe end being 150° C. and a press holding time being 0.01 seconds;
• and
• an integrated value f2 for stress of the toner is at least 30 g·m/sec, as measured using a tack tester, with a temperature for a probe end being 150° C. and a press holding time being 0.1 seconds.