Image forming apparatus

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: (a) a charging means for primarily charging a photosensitive member which is a first image carrying member wherein said photosensitive member includes an organic photoconductive material and a layer forming the surface of said photosensitive member, said layer comprising a polycarbonate resin; (b) an exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member to light so as to form a latent image thereon; (c) a developing means for reversely developing the latent image on said photosensitive member to form a toner image on said photosensitive member, wherein said developing means comprises (i) a sleeve having a surface layer of a thin layer of electrical conductive material containing carbon particles dispersed therein which forms an irregular surface and (ii) a developer supported on said thin layer containing insulating magnetic toner particles triboelectrically chargeable to a negative polarity comprising (a) a styrene-acrylic type copolymer or a polyester resin and (b) magnetic powder, wherein said insulating magnetic toner includes: (i) from about 17-60% by number (N) of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less; said magnetic toner particles having said particle size of 5 microns or less having a particle size distribution of the formula: N/V=-0.05 N+k wherein N is as above; V is the percent by volume of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less and k is a positive number from 4.6 to 6.7; (ii) from about 5-50% by number of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size ranging from 6.35 to 10.08 microns; (iii) said magnetic toner particles having a volume-average particle size from 6 to 9 microns; (iv) from about 2% by volume or less of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size from 12.70 microns or higher; (d) a transfer means for transferring the toner image on said photosensitive member onto a second image carrying member; and (e) a cleaning means for removing toner particles remaining on said photosensitive member after the transfer has been completed.

Claim 3

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a styrene-acrylic type copolymer.

Claim 4

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a crosslinked styrene-acrylic type copolymer.

Claim 5

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a crosslinked styrene-acrylate copolymer.

Claim 6

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a crosslinked styrene-methacrylate copolymer.

Claim 7

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a polyester resin.

Claim 8

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a crosslinked polyester resin.

Claim 9

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive member is in the form of a drum and includes a conductive supporting member, a charge generating layer, and a charge transporting layer.

Claim 10

The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said photosensitive drum has a charge transporting layer as the surface layer, and wherein said charge transporting layer contains a polycarbonate resin.

Claim 11

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a styrene-acrylic type copolymer, said photosensitive member has charge transporting layer as the surface layer, and said charge transporting layer contains a polycarbonate resin.

Claim 12

The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said styrene-acrylic type copolymer comprises a crosslinked styrene-acrylic type copolymer.

Claim 13

The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said magnetic toner contains a crosslinked polyester resin.

Claim 14

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic toner contains a polyester resin as the first binder resin, said photosensitive member has a charge transporting layer as the surface layer, and said charge transporting layer contains a polycarbonate resin.

Claim 15

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive member is in the form of a drum which carries a negative electrostatic latent image.

Claim 16

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning means has a cleaning blade.

Claim 17

The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said cleaning blade is made of urethane rubber.

Claim 18

A facsimile machine comprising an electrophotographic apparatus and a reception means for receiving image information from a remote terminal, said photoelectric apparatus comprising: (a) a charging means for primarily charging a photosensitive member which is a first image carrying member, wherein said photosensitive member includes an organic photoconductive material and a layer forming the surface of said photosensitive member, said layer comprising a polycarbonate resin; (b) an exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member to light so as to form a latent image thereon; (c) a developing means for reversely developing the latent image on said photosensitive member to form a toner image on said photosensitive member, wherein said developing means comprises (i) a sleeve having a surface layer of a thin layer of an electrical conductive material containing carbon particles dispersed therein, which forms an irregular surface and (ii) a developer supported on said thin layer, containing insulating magnetic toner particles triboelectrically chargeable to a negative polarity comprising (a) a styrene-acrylic type copolymer or a polyester resin and (b) magnetic powder, wherein said insulating magnetic toner includes: (i) from about 17-60% by number (N) of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less, said magnetic toner particles having said particle size of 5 microns or less having a particle size distribution of the formula: N/V=-0.05 N+k wherein N is as above; V is the percent by volume of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less and k is a positive number from 4.6 to 6.7; (ii) from about 5-50% by number of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size ranging from 6.35 to 10.08 microns; (iii) said magnetic toner particles having a volume-average particle size from 6 to 9 microns; (iv) from about 2% by volume or less of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size from 12.70 microns or higher; (d) a transfer means for transferring the toner image on said photosensitive member onto a second image carrying member; and (e) a cleaning means for removing toner remaining on said photosensitive member after the transfer has been completed.

Claim 19

A facsimile machine comprising an electrophotographic apparatus and a reception means for receiving image information from a remote terminal, said photoelectric apparatus comprising: (a) a charging means for primarily charging a photosensitive member which is a first image carrying member, wherein said photosensitive member includes an organic photoconductive material and a layer forming the surface of said photosensitive member, said layer comprising a polycarbonate resin; (b) an exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member to light so as to form a latent image thereon; (c) a developing means for reversely developing the latent image on said photosensitive member to form a toner image on said photosensitive member, wherein said developing means comprises (i) a sleeve having a surface layer of a thin layer of an electrical conductive material containing carbon particles dispersed therein, which forms an irregular surface and (ii) a developer supported on said thin layer, containing insulating magnetic toner particles triboelectrically chargeable to a negative polarity comprising (a) a styrene-acrylic type copolymer or a polyester resin and (b) magnetic powder, wherein said insulating magnetic toner includes: (i) from about 17-60% by number (N) of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less, said magnetic toner particles having said particle size of 5 microns or less having a particle size distribution of the formula: N/V=-0.05 N+k wherein N is as above; V is the percent by volume of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size of 5 microns or less and k is a positive number from 4.6 to 6.7; (ii) from about 5-50% by number of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size ranging from 6.35 to 10.08 microns; (iii) said magnetic toner particles having a volume-average particle size from 6 to 9 microns; (iv) from about 2% by volume or less of said magnetic toner particles having a particle size from 12.70 microns or higher; (d) a transfer means for transferring the toner image on said photosensitive member onto a second image carrying member; and (e) a cleaning means for removing toner remaining on said photosensitive member after the transfer has been completed.