According to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method of the present invention, an image is formed by arranging powders 200 on a surface of a resin image composed of sheet S and a color toner layer (resin layer 100) arranged thereon. The image forming apparatus includes: a powder spraying section 98 for supplying powders 200 on the surface of resin layer 100 which is adjusted to be in a softened state; and rubbing roller 74 for rubbing, from a side of resin layer 100, the resin image to which powders 200 have been supplied.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member and a rotatable developer bearing member. The image bearing member, configured to carry a toner image, includes first recess portions provided at intervals substantially equal to a first pitch Pdr (mm) in a rotation direction of the image bearing member. The developer bearing member, configured to carry developer comprising toner and carrier and to form the toner image on the image bearing member, includes second recess portions provided at intervals substantially equal to a second pitch Ps (mm) in a rotation direction of the developer bearing member. The following relationship is satisfied
Vs/Vdr<Ws/Pdr where Vdr represents a movement speed (mm/sec) of the first recess portions, Vs represents a movement speed (mm/sec) of the second recess portions, and Ws represents a length (mm) of each of the second recess portions in the rotation direction of the developer bearing member.

A sealing material reduces heat due to friction produced by contact with a rotating body. The sealing material 1 has cut pile woven fabric 3c having stripes. The sealing material 1 prevents leakage of powder 8 from rotating body or straight body 7b. The woven pile fabric 3b constituting sealing material 1 is woven pattern 3a having stripes which is woven from pile yarn 6 comprising a plurality of filaments 9, woven pattern 3a being cut pile woven fabric 3c having cut pile 4 at which pile 4 is of prescribed length, cut pile woven fabric 3c having steps 7e produced by differences in thickness of cut pile 4 including woven pattern 3e having stripes. The length of cut pile 4 of prescribed length has cut pile length 4d which is greater than the spacing of a pitch between pile supporting yarns 5 that support pile 4.

An image forming apparatus includes a stacking portion which is a part of a top surface of an exterior of the image forming apparatus. The stacking portion is positioned downstream of a discharging outlet in a discharging direction and on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked and includes a first surface on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked, and a second surface which is positioned outward with respect to the discharging outlet in a width direction orthogonal to the discharging direction. A supplying inlet is located below the first surface, wherein a downstream end of the first surface is positioned downstream of a downstream end of the second surface in the discharging direction, and wherein the first surface is rotatable to expose the supplying inlet.

According to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method of the present invention, an image is formed by arranging powders 200 on a surface of a resin image composed of sheet S and a color toner layer (resin layer 100) arranged thereon. The image forming apparatus includes: a powder spraying section 98 for supplying powders 200 on the surface of resin layer 100 which is adjusted to be in a softened state; and rubbing roller 74 for rubbing, from a side of resin layer 100, the resin image to which powders 200 have been supplied.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member and a rotatable developer bearing member. The image bearing member, configured to carry a toner image, includes first recess portions provided at intervals substantially equal to a first pitch Pdr (mm) in a rotation direction of the image bearing member. The developer bearing member, configured to carry developer comprising toner and carrier and to form the toner image on the image bearing member, includes second recess portions provided at intervals substantially equal to a second pitch Ps (mm) in a rotation direction of the developer bearing member. The following relationship is satisfied

Vs/Vdr<Ws/Pdr where Vdr represents a movement speed (mm/sec) of the first recess portions, Vs represents a movement speed (mm/sec) of the second recess portions, and Ws represents a length (mm) of each of the second recess portions in the rotation direction of the developer bearing member.

A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A rotation load applicator is coupled to one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator to apply a rotation load to the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The rotation load is in a range of from 0.1 Nm to 0.6 Nm.

A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A rotation load applicator is coupled to one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator to apply a rotation load to the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The rotation load is in a range of from 0.1 Nm to 0.6 Nm.

A magnet roller includes a shaft, a plurality of magnets, and an adhesive. The plurality of magnets is arranged in a circumferential direction of a shaft center of the shaft on an outer surface of the shaft. The adhesive bonds the shaft and the plurality of magnets to each other. At least one of the magnets has a recess portion recessed with respect to a surface of the shaft, the surface facing the outer surface.