Patent ID: 8095046

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a surface-traveling latent image bearer configured to bear a latent image on the surface thereof; an image developer configured to feed a toner in a two-component developer comprising the toner and a carrier to the latent image in a developing area facing the latent image bearer to develop the latent image to form a toner image, comprising: a developer container configured to contain the two-component developer, comprising circulation paths comprising a first path through which the developer fed onto the surface of the developer bearer passes and a second path connected with the first path directly; a developer bearer configured to bear the two-component developer on the surface, to pass the two-component developer through the developing area and to return the two-component developer into the developer container; a developer stirrer and feeder configured to circulate the two-component developer in the circulation paths while stirring the two-component developer, comprising: a first stirring and feeding member configured to feed the two-component developer in the first path; a second stirring and feeding member configured to feed the two-component developer in the second path; and a driver configured to independently drive the first and the second stirring and feeding members; a transferer configured to transfer the toner image onto a recording material; and a controller configured to control the driver such that an amount of the two-component developer fed by the second stirring and feeding member per unit time is relatively larger than that of the two-component developer fed by the first stirring and feeding member when a predetermined increase condition of stirring is satisfied.