Patent ID: 8019259

Claim:
A development device comprising: a developer carrier to supply a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image; a bearing member to rotatably support the developer carrier axially; a biasing member provided on a side of the bearing member opposite the image carrier to apply a force to the bearing member to move the bearing member and the developer carrier toward the image carrier; and a guide having a contact surface portion and a non-contact surface portion opposite the contact surface portion, the guide being disposed about the bearing member to enable the bearing member to move therebetween and guide the bearing member toward the image carrier, wherein the non-contact surface portion is provided upstream from a nip between the developer carrier and the image carrier in a direction of rotation of the developer carrier and the bearing member does not contact the non-contact surface portion, and the bearing member comprises a rotatable part to rotate and slide over the guide while contacting the guide.