Patent ID: 9250565
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A developing device comprising: a developer bearing member configured to carry a developer for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried by the developer bearing member; and a space ensuring member configured to define a space between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member, wherein the space ensuring member includes a maintaining unit configured to maintain the space between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member by being in contact with the image bearing member, a rotation regulating portion configured to prevent the space ensuring member from moving in a rotational direction of the developer bearing member, and a cover portion disposed to be not in contact with a surface of the developer bearing member and configured to cover a part of the developer bearing member, and wherein the cover portion is configured to cover at least part of an area in which the developer bearing member faces the image bearing member in the rotational direction of the developer bearing member, the area being on an outer side of an end portion of the developer regulating member in a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member.