Patent ID: 8615186

Claim:
A development device comprising: a development portion, to develop a latent image formed on a latent image carrier with developer including toner and carrier particles; a developer agitation container to contain the developer, positioned separately from the development portion; a circulation system through which the developer is circulated between the development portion and the developer agitation container; a developer replenishing device to supply fresh developer to the developer agitation container; an agitator, provided inside the developer agitation container, to agitate and mix the collected developer collected from the development portion through the circulation system and the fresh developer from the developer replenishing device; and a developer escape chamber to discharge surplus developer in the developer agitation container, projecting from and continuous with the developer agitation container, the developer escape chamber defining a communication pathway in a side of the developer agitation container between the developer agitation container and the developer escape chamber through which the developer is moved between the developer agitation container and the developer escape chamber, and the developer escape chamber having a discharge opening whose lower end is positioned higher than the communication pathway.