Patent ID: 9195168
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A developing device comprising: a developer carrier that has a cylindrical shape and that is configured to rotate while carrying developer to supply the developer to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a container that contains the developer carrier; a discharge-path forming member that is provided along an outer peripheral surface of the developer carrier, that covers a top portion of a path along which the outer peripheral surface moves, the top portion being located at an uppermost position of the path, and that forms a discharge path configured to discharge air from inside of the container to outside of the container, between the discharge-path forming member and an inner wall surface of the container, the discharge path having an outlet located closer to the developer carrier than the top portion; a first supplying unit that extends in a rotational axis direction of the developer carrier and that is configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier; and a second supplying unit that extends in the rotational axis direction while being spaced from the first supplying unit, that is configured to supply the developer to the first supplying unit from an end pc ion of the second supplying unit, and in which a passage that allows the air to flow to the first supplying unit is formed, wherein each portion of the discharge path in the rotational axis direction has a size that decreases as a pressure drop in a corresponding portion of the passage decreases.