Patent ID: 8538301

Claim:
A developing device for supplying a developer to an image bearing member and receiving new developer from a container, comprising: a housing configured to define a passage for movement of the developer, a partition wall disposed in the housing and partitioning the passage into a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path, the second conveyance path having a first end in communication with a first end of the first conveyance path and a second end in communication with a second end of the first conveyance path, the housing further having a replenishment path projecting from the first end of the second conveyance path, the replenishment path being configured to communicate with the passage and supply the developer to the passage; a conveyor configured to move the developer in the passage and the replenishment path; and a switching device configured to make the conveyor switch one moving direction to another moving direction of the developer to selectively move the developer toward the replenishment path, so that the developer that is moved toward the replenishment path by the conveyor breaks resultant blocking from the new developer.