Electrophotographic image-forming apparatus with uniform toner usage control

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electrostatic latent image carrying body;
• an electrifying means for electrifying said image carrying body;
• means for irradiating light onto said image carrying body to form a first electrostatic latent image thereon in accordance with first image information;
• means for irradiating light onto said image carrying body to form a second electrostatic latent image thereon in accordance with second image information;
• a developing unit, including a developing roller and a developer receiving box, for discharging toner to said image carrying body so as to develop said first and second latent images and to form first and second toner images thereon;
• a transfer unit for transferring said first toner image from said image carrying body to a recording medium;
• means for conveying said recording medium through said transfer unit;
• a cleaning means for removing residual toner of said first toner image and toner of said second toner image from said image carrying body;
• means for recirculating said toner removed from said image carrying body to said cleaning means to said developer receiving box;
• and
• means for controlling, not to transfer said second toner image to said recording medium, but to form said second toner image on a position on said image carrying body corresponding to a non-transfer area, or an area defined between adjacent recording mediums, based on toner usage in said first toner image.