JPH06337543A - Toner for developing electrostatic charge image and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image not damaging the surface of a photoreceptor or a dielectric in a cleaning process, not causing filming phenomenon to the surface of the photoreceptor or a cleaning member and having stable repetitive characteristics. CONSTITUTION:Fine oxide particles of silica, titanium oxide or alumina having 5-100nm average particle diameter and nearly spherical fine particles of silicone rubber having 10-70 rubber hardness are added to tone particles consisting of at least a bonding resin and a colorant. The average particle diameter (dt) of the toner particles and the average particle diameter (ds) of the fine particles of silicone rubber satisfy an inequality 1.2dt>=ds. The resulting toner is useful for a photoreceptor and a dielectric whose surfaces are made of an org. material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic charge image developing toner used for developing an electrostatic latent image in an electrostatic recording method or an electrophotographic method, and an image forming method using the toner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electrophotography, an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor or the like is developed with a developer, the toner image on the photoconductor is transferred to a transfer medium such as paper or sheet, and then the image is heated. The toner is fixed by using pressure, solvent and the like to obtain a permanent image, and the toner remaining on the photoconductor at that time is removed from the photoconductor by a cleaning device. Therefore, in order for the electrophotographic method to be completed as a system having stable repeating characteristics, it is necessary that each process for forming an image be fully functional. In each of these processes, when the photoconductor and the cleaning member are in direct contact with each other in the cleaning process, damage to the photoconductor surface such as scratches and abrasion, filming, etc., and image defects due to poor cleaning may occur. There is. Therefore, a high cleaning property is required in the cleaning process. In recent years, the use of recycled paper has increased to save resources. Generally, recycled paper generates a large amount of paper dust, so paper dust and the like enter between the photoconductor and the cleaning member, resulting in black streaks and the like. There is a problem of inducing poor cleaning, and higher cleaning performance is required.

Conventionally, it has been proposed to externally add various additives to toner particles in order to improve fluidity, durability, or cleaning property. For example, it has been proposed to obtain a toner by adding fine powder of an inorganic compound such as silica, alumina or titania (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-226).
355, JP 61-23160, JP 63-118757, JP 2-1870, JP 2-90175, etc.). However,
When silica, alumina, fine powder of an inorganic compound such as titania is added, the fluidity of the toner is remarkably improved, but since the hardness of these fine powders is high, a dent or a scratch is easily formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, Further, there is a problem that the toner is likely to adhere to the damaged portion.

In order to solve these problems, a method of externally adding a fatty acid metal salt, polyolefin or the like as an additive to the toner particles has been studied (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-16219).
JP, JP-A-60-198556, JP, JP-A-61
-231562, JP-A-61-231563, etc.). However, all of the fatty acid metal salts and polyolefins disclosed in the above publications have an initial effect, but since the additive itself has a property of easily filming on the photoreceptor, repeated cleaning is performed. In the meantime, due to the pressure between the photoconductor and the cleaning member,
There is a problem in that non-uniform filming occurs on the surface of the photoconductor, resulting in a decrease in density due to a decrease in the sensitivity of the photoconductor, fogging, white spots in an image, and image blur. On the other hand, it has been studied to coat the surface of the photoconductor with resin fine powder of a homopolymer or a copolymer of acrylic acid ester monomer, methacrylic acid ester monomer, styrene monomer, etc. (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-3188). However, recently, the copying speed of a copying machine or a printer tends to be higher, and the stress (load, speed) applied to the photoconductor at the time of cleaning is also increased accordingly. There is a problem that it is deformed by and causes problems such as filming.

Further, in order to reduce the stress at the time of cleaning, a method of externally adding silicon resin fine particles to toner particles has been studied (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-49052).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-106073, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-260
93354, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-55367, etc.).
Addition of silicone resin fine particles to the toner is an effective means for improving the cleaning property, and cleaning failure or
This has the effect of reducing toner adhesion to the photoreceptor. However, the silicon resin fine particles have a smaller effect than the inorganic compound fine powder described above, but also have an effect as an abrasive. Therefore, if the surface of the photoconductor is repeatedly cleaned at high speed, the photoconductor is worn or the photoconductor is abraded. There is a problem of being hurt.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrostatic charge image with stable repeating characteristics without damaging the surface of the photoconductor or the dielectric in the cleaning step, and without causing a filming phenomenon or the like on the photoconductor surface or the screening member. To provide a developing toner. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method capable of forming a highly reliable image for a long period of time without any image trouble such as white spots, fog, density reduction, white spots, image blur, and black streaks. .

[0007]

The toner for developing an electrostatic charge image of the present invention comprises toner particles comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant, and silica particles having an average particle diameter of 5 nm to 100 nm.
Oxide fine particles selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide and alumina and substantially spherical silicon rubber fine particles are added, and the rubber hardness of the silicon rubber fine particles (JIS
6301A hardness tester) is 10 to 70, and the average particle diameter of the toner particles and the average particle diameter of the silicon rubber fine particles satisfy the following formula (1). 1/2 dt ≧ ds (1) (where, dt represents the average particle diameter of the toner particles, and ds represents the average particle diameter of the silicon rubber fine particles.) The image forming method of the present invention A step of forming a latent image on a latent image carrier whose surface layer is made of an organic material, a step of developing the latent image with a developer, a step of transferring the formed toner image onto a transfer body, a latent image In the image forming method having a step of removing the residual toner on the holding body, the above-mentioned toner for developing an electrostatic image is used as a developer.

The present invention will be described in detail below. As the toner particles used in the present invention, conventionally known toner particles composed of a binder resin and a colorant are used. Typical examples of the binder resin used include styrenes such as styrene and chlorostyrene, monoolefins such as ethylene, propylene, butylene and isoprene, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl benzoate and vinyl acetate. Α-Methylene aliphatic monoesters such as vinyl ester, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, dodecyl acrylate, octyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, dodecyl methacrylate. Examples thereof include carboxylic acid esters, vinyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether and vinyl butyl ether, and homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone and vinyl hexyl ketone. Particularly representative binder resins include polystyrene, styrene-alkyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-alkyl methacrylate copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like. further,
Other examples include polyester, polyurethane, epoxy resin, and silicone resin. Among these, styrene resin and polyester resin are particularly preferably used.

Typical colorants used include carbon black, aniline blue, calcoil blue, chrome yellow, DuPont oil red, quinoline yellow, phthalocyanine blue, rose bengal, C.I. I. Pigment Red 48: 1, C.I. I. Pigment Red 122, C.I. I. Pigment Red 57:
1, C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 97, C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 12, C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15:
1, C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15: 3 and the like.

A charge control agent may be added to the toner particles if necessary. As the charge control agent, known compounds can be used, but it is preferable to use an azo metal complex, a salicylic acid metal complex, nigrosine or a quaternary ammonium salt. Further, other known components such as low molecular weight polypropylene, low molecular weight polyethylene, offset preventing agents such as wax, polyvinylidene fluoride fine particles, polystyrene fine particles, polymethylmethacrylate fine particles and the like can be added. Further, the toner particles in the present invention may be a magnetic toner containing a magnetic material or a capsule toner. The average particle size of the toner particles is 3 μm to 20 μm.
The range of m is preferable.

In the present invention, the oxide particles to be externally added to the toner particles are selected from silica (SiO ₂ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) and have an average particle size. Fine particles having a particle size of 5 nm to 100 nm are used. The oxide fine particles are added in the range of 0.01 to 10 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.

In addition to the above oxide fine particles, the substantially spherical silicon rubber fine particles externally added to the toner particles are
Formula _{- (R 2 SiO) n -} ······ (2) ( wherein, R is a methyl group, an ethyl group, an alkyl group such as propyl, aryl groups such as phenyl and tolyl groups, and chloro It represents an organic group selected from halogenated alkyl groups such as a methyl group.). The production of these spherical silicon rubber fine particles is

[Chemical 1] The ones given by Among these, those obtained by addition-polymerizing an organopolysiloxane containing two or more vinyl groups and an organohydrogenpolysiloxane by the reaction (3) in the presence of a platinum-based catalyst and curing are preferable. The molecular structure of the silicone rubber may be linear or branched, and may be a mixture thereof.

The substantially spherical silicon rubber fine particles used in the present invention must have a rubber hardness of 10 to 70, preferably 20 to 50. When the rubber hardness is lower than 10, the silicone rubber fine particles are likely to aggregate with each other, resulting in insufficient cleaning property. On the other hand, when it is larger than 70, the surface of the photoconductor is easily scratched. In the present invention, the rubber hardness means a rubber hardness measured by an A-type hardness tester according to JIS K6301. The average particle diameter of the silicone rubber fine particles is preferably 0.1 to 10 μm.
However, in the present invention, the average particle diameter of the silicone rubber fine particles and the average particle diameter of the toner particles need to satisfy the relationship represented by the above formula (1). It is preferably in the range of / 2dt to 1 / 50dt. The average particle size of the silicone rubber fine particles is the above formula (1).
If the relationship is not satisfied, filming on the surface of the photoconductor and cleaning failure occur, and the wear amount of the photoconductor also increases. The spherical silicon rubber fine particles are preferably added in an amount of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the toner particles.

Next, the image forming method of the present invention will be described. An electrophotographic photosensitive member and a dielectric are used as the latent image holding member whose outermost surface layer used in the step of forming a latent image is made of an organic material. As the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the outermost surface layer is made of an organic photosensitive layer in which a photoconductive material is dispersed in a binder resin, a protective layer made of a synthetic resin, etc.
Known ones are used. Specific examples include a charge transport layer in which a charge transport agent is dispersed in a polycarbonate resin. As the dielectric whose outermost layer is made of an organic material, one having a dielectric layer made of a synthetic resin such as polyester or polycarbonate resin on a substrate is used. The latent image can be formed by a conventional method. For example, in the case of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, it can be formed by uniform charging by a corona charger and image exposure. The latent image thus formed is developed using the above-mentioned toner for developing an electrostatic charge image. The toner for developing an electrostatic charge image may be used as either a one-component developer or a two-component developer. Good. The toner image formed by development is transferred onto a transfer body such as transfer paper by a conventional method and is fixed by heating to form an image. On the other hand, the toner remaining on the latent image holding member is cleaned by the cleaning member, and is supplied to the next copying operation.

[0015]

The above-mentioned silicon rubber fine particles in the present invention are rubber-like elastic fine particles, and the details thereof are unclear by adding them to the toner particles. However, due to the stress received from the cleaning member, spherical silicon rubber fine particles are obtained. It is considered that the fine particles are elastically deformed, and the restoring force thereof agitates the toner in the vicinity of the cleaning member to enhance the cleaning effect. Furthermore, it is considered that this effect and the low surface energy of the silicon rubber fine particles suppress the transfer of the silicon rubber fine particles to the photoconductor and suppress filming on the photoconductor. Further, since it is rubber-like elastic fine particles, it is considered that it acts softly on the photoconductor and does not damage the photoconductor. Further, when the average particle diameter of the spherical silicon rubber fine particles is larger than 1/2 dt, the adhesive force with the toner particles becomes weak, and the spherical silicon rubber fine particles are detached from the toner particles due to stirring stress in the developing device. It is considered that the cleaning effect becomes easy to separate, and the cleaning effect is not conveyed to the cleaning area, so that the sufficient cleaning effect cannot be exerted.

[0016]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Example 1 (Production of Silicon Rubber Fine Particles) 250 g of methyl vinyl siloxane and 30 g of methyl hydrogen polysiloxane
Were mixed in a flask to prepare an organosiloxane composition. Next, polyoxyethylene octyl ether 1
0 g and 300 g of pure water were added, an emulsion was prepared using a homomixer, and while stirring this emulsion, 0.5 g of a toluene solution of a chloroplatinic acid-olefin complex (platinum content 0.02) and polyoxyethylene. A mixture of 0.5 g of octyl ether was added and reacted at 30 ° C. for 7 hours. Next, this emulsion is heated to 80 ° C., 30 g of potassium sulfate is added to break the emulsion, pressure filtration is performed with a 300 mesh filter, 1000 g of pure water is added to this cake-like substance, and stirring and washing are performed. It was Then, the mixture was pressure filtered with a 300-mesh filter, and the obtained separated product was dried with a hot air drier to obtain spherical silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm. The rubber hardness was 50.

(Preparation of Toner) Styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer (80/20) 100 parts by weight (weight average molecular weight 145,000) Carbon black (Regal 330: manufactured by Cabot Corp.) 5 parts by weight Low molecular weight polypropylene (Viscor 660P : Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd.) 5 parts by weight Charge control agent (Bontron N-04: Orient Chemical Co., Ltd.) 2 parts by weight The above components are melt-kneaded by a Banbury mixer, cooled, coarsely pulverized, and finely pulverized by a jet mill. Then, the finely pulverized product is cut into fine powder with a classifier, and the average particle size is 1
1 μm toner particles were obtained. To 100 parts by weight of the toner particles, 2 parts by weight of TiO ₂ fine particles having an average particle diameter of 40 nm were added and mixed by a Henschel mixer, and then 1.0 parts of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm were used.
A toner was prepared by adding and mixing parts by weight with a Henschel mixer. (1/2 dt = 5.5> ds = 1.8) (Preparation of carrier) Styrene-butyl methacrylate copolymer (70/30) 100 parts by weight (weight average molecular weight 800,000) Magnetic powder (EPT-1000 : Manufactured by Toda Kogyo Co., Ltd.) 200 parts by weight polyvinylidene fluoride 5 parts by weight (Kyner: manufactured by Penn Walt) The above components are melt-kneaded by a pressure kneader, pulverized by a turbo mill, and classified by a classifier to obtain an average particle diameter of 60 μm. Carrier was prepared. (Preparation of developer) 5 parts by weight of the above toner and carrier 95
A developer was prepared by mixing parts by weight. Using this developer, a copying machine 5075 modified by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. (a photoreceptor having an outermost surface layer made of a polycarbonate resin and a charge-transporting material) was subjected to a copying test of 100,000 sheets to perform image evaluation. Further, the cleaning performance was evaluated using this copying machine. The cleaning performance was evaluated by carrying out blade cleaning on a black belt having a width of 5 cm in a non-transferred state, repeatedly cleaning 3000 sheets, and investigating occurrence of cleaning failure.

Example 2 (Production of Silicon Rubber Fine Particles) 350 g of ethyl vinyl siloxane and 40 g of methyl hydrogen polysiloxane
Were mixed in a flask to prepare an organosiloxane composition, and silicon rubber fine particles were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained silicone rubber fine particles had an average particle diameter of 2.9 μm and a rubber hardness of 40. The toner (1/2 dt = 5.0.5%) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the above silicone rubber fine particles (average particle diameter 2.9 μm, rubber hardness 40) were used instead of the silicone rubber fine particles in Example 1.
5> ds = 2.9), a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner. Example 3 The same as Example 1 except that silicon rubber fine particles (KMP594: manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicon Co., Ltd.) having an average particle diameter of 5 μm with a rubber hardness of 30 were used in place of the silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 1. Similarly, toner (1/2 dt =
5.5> ds = 5), a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner.

Example 4 (Preparation of Toner) Styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer (80/20) 100 parts by weight (weight average molecular weight 145,000) Carbon black (Regal 330: manufactured by Cabot) 10 parts by weight Low molecular weight polypropylene 5 parts by weight (Viscor 660P: manufactured by Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd.) Charge control agent (Bontron P51: manufactured by Orient Chemical Co., Ltd.) 2 parts by weight The above components are melt-kneaded by a Banbury mixer, cooled, coarsely pulverized, and finely pulverized by a jet mill. Then, the finely pulverized product is finely cut with a classifier to obtain an average particle size of 7
μm toner particles were obtained. To 100 parts by weight of the toner particles, 1.5 parts of TiO ₂ fine particles having an average particle diameter of 20 nm are used.
After adding and mixing 1 part by weight with a Henschel mixer, 1.5 parts by weight of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm produced in Example 1 were added and mixed with a Henschel mixer to prepare a toner. (1/2 dt = 3.5> ds =
1.8) A carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the above toner was used.

Example 5 The toner (1/1) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 4 except that the silicone rubber fine particles prepared in Example 2 were used in place of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 4. 2d
t = 3.5> ds = 2.9), a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 1 A toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that silicon rubber fine particles were not added. Comparative Example 2 (Production of Silicon Rubber Fine Particles) 250 g of methyl vinyl siloxane and 60 g of ethyl hydrogen polysiloxane
Was mixed in a flask to prepare an organosiloxane composition, and silicon rubber fine particles were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained silicon rubber fine particles had an average particle diameter of 2.2 μm and a rubber hardness of 95. Instead of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 1, the above silicone rubber fine particles (average particle diameter 2.2 μm
m, rubber hardness 95), a toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. Comparative Example 3 A toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that fine particles of zinc stearate having an average particle diameter of 5 μm were used in place of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm. And evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 4 A toner, a carrier, and a toner were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that SiO ₂ particles having an average particle diameter of 0.05 μm were used instead of the silicone rubber particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm.
A developer was prepared and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 5 In place of the silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm of Example 4, silicon rubber fine particles having a rubber hardness of 30 and an average particle diameter of 5 μm (KMP594: manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicon Co., Ltd.) were used. Toner, carrier,
A developer was prepared and evaluated in the same manner.

Table 1 shows the evaluation results of Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-5.

[Table 1]

Example 6 Styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer (80/20) 100 parts by weight (weight average molecular weight 145,000) Carbon black (Regal 330: manufactured by Cabot) 10 parts by weight Low molecular weight polypropylene (Viscole 660P: Sanyo) Chemical Co., Ltd.) 5 parts by weight Charge control agent (Bontron N-04: Orient Chemical Co., Ltd.) 2 parts by weight The above components are melt-kneaded by a Banbury mixer, cooled, coarsely pulverized, and finely pulverized by a jet mill. Finely pulverized material is cut into fine powder with a classifier, and the average particle size is 1
1 μm toner particles were obtained. To 100 parts by weight of the toner particles, TiO ₂ fine particles having an average particle diameter of 40 nm were 1.
After adding and mixing 2 parts by weight with a Henschel mixer, 1.0 parts by weight of silicon rubber fine particles having a rubber hardness of 50 and an average particle size of 1.8 μm were added and mixed with a Henschel mixer, as in Example 1. Was prepared. (1
/2dt=5.5>ds=1.8) A carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the above toner was used.

Example 7 Instead of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle size of 1.8 μm in Example 6, the average particle size of 2. produced in Example 2 was used.
A toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6 except that 9 μm silicon rubber fine particles (rubber hardness 40) were used. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner. Example 8 Instead of the silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 6, silicon rubber fine particles having a rubber hardness of 30 and an average particle diameter of 5 μm (KMP594: manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicon Co., Ltd.)
A toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6 except that was used. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner.

Comparative Example 6 A toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6 except that silicon rubber fine particles were not added. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 7 The same as Example 6 except that the silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 6 were replaced with silicon resin fine particles having an average particle diameter of 2.2 μm and a rubber hardness of 95 produced in Comparative Example 2. A toner was prepared in the same manner. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 8 A toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6, except that fine particles of zinc stearate having an average particle diameter of 5 μm were used in place of the silicone rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 6. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 9 A toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6, except that SiO ₂ fine particles having an average particle diameter of 0.05 μm were used instead of the silicon rubber fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.8 μm in Example 6. Using this toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner. Comparative Example 10 A toner, a carrier and a developer were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 6 except that the TiO ₂ fine particles having an average particle diameter of 40 nm of Example 6 were not added and mixed.

Table 2 shows the evaluation results of Examples 6 to 8 and Comparative Examples 6 to 10.

[Table 2]

[0026]

By using the toner for developing an electrostatic charge image of the present invention, it is possible to form a film on the surface of the photosensitive member or the cleaning member without damaging the surface of the photosensitive member or the dielectric member in the cleaning step. It is possible to obtain an image with stable repeating characteristics for a long period of time without causing a phenomenon or the like. Therefore, according to the image forming method of the present invention, whitening, fog, density decrease, whitening,
It is possible to obtain a highly reliable image without image quality problems such as image blurring and black streaks.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A toner particle comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant, and an oxide particle selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium oxide and alumina having an average particle size of 5 nm to 100 nm and a substantially spherical silicon rubber particle. The rubber hardness of the silicon rubber fine particles is 10
To 70, and the average particle size of the toner particles and the average particle size of the silicone rubber fine particles satisfy the following formula: 1/2 dt ≧ ds (where dt represents the average particle diameter of the toner particles, and ds represents the average particle diameter of the silicone rubber fine particles) 2. A step of forming a latent image on a latent image carrier whose outermost surface layer is made of an organic material, a step of developing the latent image with a developer, and the formed toner image on a transfer body. An electrostatic latent image developing toner according to claim 1 is used as a developer in an image forming method including a step of transferring and a step of removing residual toner on a latent image carrier.