Patent ID: 7773921

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrying member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a two-component developer carrying member which rotates while magnetically holding on an outer surface a developer containing carrier beads and toner particles, said two-component developer carrying member having magnetic element mounted therein; a toner carrying member carrying on an outer surface a thin toner layer formed of the toner particles supplied from said two-component developer carrying member; a toner collecting roller for collecting the toner particles scattered and suspended in the vicinity of said two-component developer carrying member and said toner carrying member; a housing having an inside wall accommodating said two-component developer carrying member, said toner carrying member and said toner collecting roller; and voltage applicator for applying a development bias voltage to at least one of said toner carrying member and said two-component developer carrying member for developing the electrostatic latent image; wherein said toner collecting roller is located between said two-component developer carrying member and the inside wall of said housing at a location downstream of an area where said two-component developer carrying member and said toner carrying member are closest to each other with respect to a rotating direction of said two-component developer carrying member, and the toner particles scattered and adhering to said toner collecting roller are retrieved by a magnetic brush formed on the outer surface of said two-component developer carrying member.