Patent ID: 7680443

Claim:
A developing device, comprising: a developer support member configured to develop a latent image supported on a latent image support with a developer supported on a surface of the developer support member; a first holding chamber configured to hold a developer to be supplied to the developer support member; a developer supply member configured to supply the developer supported on a peripheral face thereof to the developer support member due to rotation within the first holding chamber; a second holding chamber, disposed above the first holding chamber, configured to hold a developer that replenishes the first holding chamber; a communication opening provided between the two chambers configured to allow the developer inside the second holding chamber to drop down into the first holding chamber; an opposing side wall that extends from a location where the developer is supplied to the developer supply member, to a location adjacent the peripheral face of the developer supply member, to a location where the developer that has dropped through the communication opening into the first holding chamber is supplied to the developer support member by the developer supply member, wherein the opposing side wall opposes, via a predetermined gap, at least a region between a portion of the peripheral face of the developer supply member that faces the communication opening and a portion of the peripheral face of the developer supply member that contacts the developer support member; and an advance impeding member configured to impede the advance of the developer, that has dropped through the communication opening into the first holding chamber, into the predetermined gap, wherein the advance impeding member spans the predetermined gap from the opposing side wall to the developer supply member.