Patent ID: 8676099

Claim:
A developing apparatus containing a developer including a toner and a carrier and configured to develop a latent image formed on an image carrier, the developing apparatus comprising: a developer carrier including a plurality of magnetic poles and disposed opposite to the image carrier; a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrier; and a developer circulating unit configured to transport the developer in a horizontal direction in a circulating path, wherein an edge of the developer regulating member is disposed opposite to a lower part of the developer carrier, wherein the developer circulating unit includes a rotatable first transport member configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier while transporting the developer in the horizontal direction and is disposed at a position below the developer carrier such that the rotatable first transport member faces the developer carrier, a shielding member configured to prevent the developer separated from the developer carrier from flowing back toward the rotatable first transport member, and a rotatable second transport member configured to collect the developer separated from the developer carrier and transport the developer in the horizontal direction, wherein the rotatable second transport member is disposed at a position obliquely below the rotatable first transport member and spaced apart from the developer carrier by a distance greater than a distance between the developer carrier and the rotatable first transport member, and the rotatable second transport member is configured to rotate in a direction so as to lift the developer from a position obliquely below the rotatable second transport member and towards the rotatable first transport member, and wherein a first pole of the plurality of magnetic poles overlaps the rotatable first transport member and the edge of the developer regulating member.