Patent ID: 8600268

Claim:
A developing device comprising: a developer containing section for containing a developer including a toner and a carrier; a first carrying member for carrying the developer while stirring the developer, the first carrying member being provided in the developer containing section; a second carrying member for carrying the developer while stirring the developer, the second carrying member (i) being provided, in the developer containing section, in parallel with the first carrying member and (ii) carrying the developer in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first carrying member carries the developer; a partition member for partitioning an internal space of the developer containing section into (a) a first carrying path in which the developer is carried by the first carrying member and (b) a second carrying path in which the developer is carried by the second carrying member, the partition member being provided between the first carrying member and the second carrying member; a supply opening via which the toner is supplied into the first carrying path, the supply opening being formed as a part of a cover section of the developer containing section; and a developing roller for supplying the developer from the second carrying path to an image bearing member in a developing area which is an area facing the image bearing member, the developing roller supplying the developer in such a manner that the developing roller rotates while carrying the developer on a surface of the developing roller, the first carrying path and the second carrying path being connected to each other via spaces at both ends of the partition member, the developer being circulated through the first carrying path and the second carrying path, the developing device further comprising: a sliding member having an inclined plane for carrying a residual developer from the developing roller toward the first carrying path, which residual developer remains on the surface of the developing roller out of the developer provided on the surface of the developing roller, the sliding member being provided downstream from the developing area in a rotational direction of the developing roller, the partition member having a carrying wall surface section for carrying a part of the residual developer received from the sliding member to the second carrying path, the carrying wall surface section being positioned downstream from the inclined plane of the sliding member, the carrying wall surface section having an opening section that is a through-hole facing the first carrying path, the opening section being provided on an imaginary extended plane of the sliding member.