Patent ID: 8385754

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member for bearing a latent image; a developing device, including a developer carrying member for carrying and feeding a developer including toner and a carrier to a developing position in which the developer opposes said image bearing member, for developing the latent image formed on said image bearing member; a discharging portion for permitting discharge of an excessive developer present in said developing device by supplying the developer into said developing device; a feeding member for feeding the developer in said developing device; a controller for controlling a forced discharging operation for discharging the excessive developer from said discharging portion by changing a driving condition of at least one of said developer carrying member and said feeding member; and detecting means for detecting information correlating to flowability of the developer in said developing device, wherein said controller is capable of controlling the forced discharging operation so that a frequency or execution time of the result forced discharging operation when the flowability the developer in said developing device is lower than a predetermined value is higher or longer than that of the forced discharging operation when the flowability of the developer in said developing device is higher than the predetermined value.