Toner, image forming method, and image forming apparatus

An image forming method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first latent image corresponding to a first color image on a latent image bearing body,
• developing the first latent image employing a developer comprising a first color toner to form a first color toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the first color toner image on the latent image bearing body to an intermediate transfer body to form a first color toner image on the intermediate transfer body;
• forming a second latent image corresponding to a second color image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the second latent image employing a developer comprising a second color toner to form a second color toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the second color toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body having the first color image;
• forming a third latent image corresponding to a third color image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the third latent image employing a developer comprising a third color toner to form a third color toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the third color toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body to form a third color toner image on the intermediate transfer body having the first and second color images;
• forming a fourth latent image corresponding to a fourth color image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the fourth latent image employing a developer comprising a fourth color toner to form a fourth color toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the fourth color toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body to form a fourth color toner image on the intermediate transfer body having the first, second and third color images;
• transferring the first color, second color, third color and fourth color toner images on the intermediate transfer body to an image forming support;
• and
• fixing the toner images formed on the image forming support with a fixing apparatus using a heating roller fixing system,
• wherein each of the toners is a first color, second color, third color, or fourth color toner containing at least a resin and a colorant, and ratio (Dv50/Dp50) of each toner, is from 1.00 to 1.15 in which (Dv50) is the 50 percent volume particle diameter and (Dp50) is the 50 percent number particle diameter;
• ratio (Dv75/Dp75) is from 1.00 to 1.20 wherein (Dv75) is the cumulative 75 percent volume particle diameter from the largest particle diameter of each of the toner and (Dp75) is the cumulative 75 percent number particle diameter of the same;
• and in addition, the proportion of toner particles having a diameter of at most 0.7×(Dp50) is less than or equal to 10 percent by number.

An image forming method comprising the steps of:

• forming a latent image corresponding to a yellow image on a latent image bearing body,
• developing the latent image corresponding to a yellow image employing a developer comprising a yellow toner to form a yellow toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the yellow toner image on the latent image bearing body to an intermediate transfer body to form a yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer body;
• forming a latent image corresponding to a magenta image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the latent image employing a developer comprising a magenta toner to form a magenta toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the magenta toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body;
• forming a latent image corresponding to a cyan image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the latent image employing a developer comprising a cyan toner to form a cyan toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the cyan toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body to form a cyan toner image on the intermediate transfer body;
• forming a latent image corresponding to a black image on the latent image bearing body,
• developing the latent image employing a developer comprising a black toner to form a black toner image on the latent image bearing body,
• transferring the toner image on the latent image bearing body to the intermediate transfer body to form a yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer body;
• transferring the yellow, magenta, cyan and black toner images on the intermediate transfer body to an image forming support;
• and
• fixing the toner images formed on the image forming support with a fixing apparatus using a heating roller fixing system,
• wherein each of the toners is a yellow, magenta, cyan, or black toner containing at least a resin and a colorant, and ratio (Dv50/Dp50) of each toner, is from 1.00 to 1.15 in which (Dv50) is the 50 percent volume particle diameter and (Dp50) is the 50 percent number particle diameter;
• ratio (Dv75/Dp75) is from 1.00 to 1.20 wherein (Dv75) is the cumulative 75 percent volume particle diameter from the largest particle diameter of each of the toner and (Dp75) is the cumulative 75 percent number particle diameter of the same;
• and in addition, the proportion of toner particles having a diameter of at most 0.7×(Dp50) is less than or equal to 10 percent by number.