Patent ID: 8583015

Claim:
A developing device, comprising: a developer storing portion storing a developer containing a magnetic carrier and a non-magnetic toner while stirring the developer; a developer carrying body receiving the developer from the developer storing portion and carrying the developer to supply the developer to a predetermined image carrying body while rotating in a predetermined direction; a layer thickness regulating member made of a magnetic material and having a layer thickness regulating face that opposes the developer carrying body with a predetermined gap formed between the layer thickness regulating face and the developer carrying body to regulate a layer thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrying body, the layer thickness regulating member forming a magnetic path between the layer thickness regulating face and the developer carrying body; an installation member on which the layer thickness regulating member is installed; and an elastic sheet member so disposed in the gap as to contact a surface of the developer carrying body; a conveyance amount regulating portion having a conveyance amount regulating face that is positioned more upstream than the layer thickness regulating face with respect to the direction of rotation of the developer carrying body and that is set to be gradually separated from the developer carrying body toward an upstream side with respect to the rotation direction of the developer carrying body to regulate an amount of the developer conveyed to the layer thickness regulating face, the conveyance amount regulating portion being an extension portion extended from the elastic sheet member towards the upstream side with respect to the rotation direction; and a supporting member having a supporting face that supports the extension portion, the extension portion being mounted on the supporting face to form a space between the extension portion and the supporting face, the space extending toward the upstream side with respect to the rotation direction of the developer carrying body, the space being formed by creating a step between the layer thickness regulating face of the layer thickness regulating member and the supporting face of the supporting member.