IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND PROCESS UNIT

摘要

An image-forming method is provided which can provide stable image density irrespective of use environments and does not cause image defects such as fogging, tailing, or transfer voids, even when being applied to a developing sleeve with a reduced diameter. In the image-forming method, a latent image bearing member and a toner bearing member bearing a magnetic toner on its surface and having inside a unit for generating a magnetic field are placed with a predetermined interval, and an alternating field is applied between the latent image bearing member and the toner bearing member, and an electrostatic latent image borne by the latent image bearing member is developed with the magnetic toner. The toner bearing member has an outer diameter of 5.0 mm or more and less than 12.0 mm, and the magnetic toner has an average circularity of 0.950 or more and a compressibility of 30 or less obtained from the following expression (1): Compressibility = 1 - apparent density / tap density × 100 The total energy of the toner measured with a powder flowability measuring apparatus satisfies a specific value.