In an image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is
reverse-developed by a developing device with a development bias applied,
through conveying a two-component developer layer containing toner
particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 3 to 5 .mu.m by a
developer carrying member rotatably provided, a developed toner image is
transferred onto a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body, and
untransferred toner particles remaining on an image forming body having
passed a transfer region are removed by a cleaning member provided in
pressure contact with the surface of the image forming body. The length in
an axis direction of the image forming body of an useless toner image
formed on the image forming body at the starting time and the ending time
of an image formation sequence denoted by L, the total charge quantity of
the toner particles making up the useless toner image is 0.04L .mu.C or
less.
