Toner for electrostatic image development and image forming method using the same

1. A toner for electrostatic image development, comprising toner particles in which not more than 13 percent by number of the toner particles have a particle diameter of smaller than 4 μm, not less than 20 percent by number of the toner particles have a particle diameter of 4 μm to 6 μm, not more than 2.0 percent by volume of the toner particles have a particle diameter of 16 μm or greater, wherein the toner particles have a volume average diameter of 4 μm to 9 μm and at least an external additive is added to the toner particles.

2. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein not more than 10 percent by number of the toner particles have a particle diameter of smaller than 4 μm, not less than 25 percent by number of the toner particles have a particle diameter of 4 μm to 5.04 μm, not more than 0.5 percent by volume of the toner particles have a particle diameter of 16 μm or greater, and the toner particles have a volume average diameter of 6.7 μm to 7.7 μm.

3. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the external additive is fine silica powder with an average particle diameter of 4 μm or smaller, and the additive is added in an amount of 0.01 to 8 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.

4. The toner according to claim 1 , wherein the toner is used together with magnetic carriers as a two-component developer.

5. The toner according to claim 4 , wherein the magnetic carriers have a volume average diameter of 30 μm to 100 μm and are used in an amount of 10 to 1000 parts by weight relative to 10 parts by weight of the toner.

6. The toner according to any one of claims 1 or 4 which is used in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member;

electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the supporter;

developer supply means for supplying a developer to the supporter to form a toner image;

transportation means for transporting a transfer material to a transfer position on the supporter; and

transfer means for transferring the toner image from the supporter to the transfer material at the transfer position.

7. An image forming method comprising the steps of:

forming an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member;

supplying to the image bearing member a two-component developer containing at least a toner and magnetic carriers to form a toner image; and

transferring the toner image to a transfer material,

wherein the toner comprises a toner according to claim 1 .