Patent ID: 7715763

Claim:
A development device comprising: a developer carrying member configured to rotate while bearing thereon a developer including a toner and a carrier to carry the developer to a development region, in which the developer carrying member is disposed opposite a latent image carrier and develops a latent image on the latent image carrier; a developer collection conveyance path including a developer collection conveyance member collecting the developer from the developer carrying member after the developer on the developer carrying member passes through the development region, the developer collection conveyance path disposed obliquely above the developer carrying member and configured to convey the collected developer in a first direction parallel to an axis of the developer carrying member and having first and second openings within a development region width; and a developer supply conveyance path including a developer supply conveyance member supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, the developer supply conveyance path disposed below the developer collection conveyance path and configured to convey the developer in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the developer supply conveyance path having third and fourth openings within the development region width, the developer on a downstream side of the developer collection conveyance path conveyed by the developer collection conveyance path being transferred to an upstream side of the developer supply conveyance path through the first and third openings, the developer on a downstream side of the developer supply conveyance path conveyed by the developer supply conveyance path being transferred to an upstream side of the developer collection conveyance path through the fourth and second openings.