Toner, and two component developer and image forming apparatus using the toner

1. A toner comprising, at least one of each of the following components:

a binder resin;

a colorant;

a release agent; and

an external additive,

wherein the toner has an average circularity of from 0.940 to 0.965 and comprises, on the toner surface, at least one crater having a depth of from 0.02 to 0.1 μm, wherein the at least one crater contains an amount of the external additive per unit of surface area that is larger than an average amount of the external additive per unit of surface area thereof on the toner.

2. The toner of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an area of the at least one crater to an area of a remainder of the toner surface is from 0.1 to 0.4, wherein the remainder of the toner surface comprises surface area other than the surface of the crater being measured.

3. The toner of claim 1 , further comprising an organic particulate resin, wherein the crater is formed by the organic particulate resin.

4. The toner of claim 3 , wherein a ratio (A/B) of a concentration (A), in units of percent of the organic particulate resin, to a BET specific surface area (B), in units of m 2 /g thereof, is from 1.1 to 2.1.

5. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner has a loose apparent density not less than 0.37 g/cm 3 .

6. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner has a first shape factor SF- 1 of from 100 to 180, and a second shape factor SF- 2 of from 100 to 180.

7. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner has a volume-average particle diameter (Dv) of from 3.0 to 8.0 μm, and a ratio (Dv/Dn) of the volume-average particle diameter (Dv) to a number-average particle diameter (Dn) of from 1.00 to 1.40.

8. The toner of claim 7 , wherein the toner comprises particles having a volume-average particle diameter not greater than 3.17 μm in an amount of from 8 to 15% by number.

9. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner has a spindle shape, and wherein a ratio (r 2 /r 1 ) of a major axis particle diameter (r 1 ) of the toner to a minor axis particle diameter (r 2 ) thereof is from 0.5 to 0.8 and a ratio (r 3 /r 2 ) of a thickness (r 3 ) of the toner to the minor axis particle diameter (r 2 ) thereof is from 0.7 to 1.0.

10. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner is prepared by a method comprising:

dissolving or dispersing a toner composition comprising a first binder resin and a second binder resin comprising a modified polyester resin, in an organic solvent to prepare a solution or a dispersion;

mixing the solution or the dispersion with a compound having an active hydrogen atom, in an aqueous medium comprising a particulate resin material, to react the modified polyester with the compound to prepare an emulsion;

removing the organic solvent from the emulsion to prepare toner particles; and

washing the toner particles to remove excess particles of the particulate resin material from a surface thereof.

11. The toner of claim 1 , wherein the toner further comprises a magnetic particulate material.

12. A two-component developer comprising:

a silicone-coated magnetic carrier having an average particle diameter of from 20 to 50 μm; and

the toner according to claim 1 .

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a charger configured to charge an electrophotographic photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon;

an image developer configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with the two-component developer according to claim 12 to form a toner image thereon;

a transferer configured to transfer the toner image onto a transfer sheet;

a fixer configured to fix the toner image on the transfer sheet; and

a cleaner configured to clean the electrophotographic photoreceptor to remove the developer remaining thereon.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a process cartridge detachable from the image forming apparatus, wherein the process cartridge comprises:

the image developer; and

at least one member selected from the group consisting of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, the charger and the cleaner.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a magnetic permeability sensor configured to control a toner concentration of the two-component developer.