Patent ID: 7536138

Claim:
A development apparatus, comprising: a developer container for containing developer made of carrier and toner, said developer container having an opening opposite an electrostatic latent image carrier, a developer supply inlet through which new developer including carrier is supplied, and a developer outlet through which developer is discharged; a developer carrier for holding and carrying developer, rotatably positioned in a portion facing to the opening of said developer container; a developer stirring/carrying mechanism, rotatably provided behind said developer carrier, for carrying the developer in a direction in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the developer carrier, while stirring the developer wherein the developer stirring/carrying mechanism includes at least one rotating member having a spiral blade along its length; and a first regulation member that regulates a height of an upper surface of the developer, provided adjacent to and downstream of said developer outlet in terms of a travel direction of the developer carried by said developer stirring/carrying mechanism, wherein an arcuate bottom surface of the first regulation member is located over the at least one rotating member so that it does not interfere with the spiral blade.