Patent ID: 9316947
Filing Date: 2016-04-19
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A developing device comprising: a developer carrying member configured to carry developer; a developer supplying roller rotatably supported, being in contact with the developer carrying member, and including a continuous foam elastic layer configured to supply the developer to the developer carrying member; and an agitator rotatable in the same direction as the developer supplying roller and configured to agitate and pass through at least part of a predetermined region above the developer supplying roller in a gravity direction, wherein a length of the predetermined region in the gravity direction is a length from an upper portion of the developer supplying roller to a location corresponding to a radius of the developer supplying roller, and wherein a region W where the elastic layer is elastically deformed from its natural state by coming into contact with the developer carrying member is near a side of the agitator with respect to a line connecting a center of the developer supplying roller and a center of the developer carrying member, and wherein the agitator conveys the developer to a region U where the elastic layer is elastically deformed into its natural state and the developer supplying roller sucks the developer.