Patent ID: 7647009

Claim:
A developing apparatus, comprising: a developing roller which is freely rotatably disposed so as to face an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed when exposed to light in accordance with image information; a developer container for housing a developer; and an agitating/supplying section for agitating the developer housed in the developer container and supplying the developer to the developing roller, wherein the agitating/supplying section comprises: a rotary shaft member which is made rotatable about its rotation axis; a plurality of blade support members disposed intersectionally with respect to the rotation axis of the rotary shaft member; and a plurality of blade members formed between respective adjacent blade support members so as to be arranged around the rotation axis of the rotary shaft member and extend in a direction of the rotary shaft member, wherein in the plurality of blade support members, an opening is formed so that the rotary shaft member penetrates the opening, except for the one positioned outermost in the direction of the rotation axis, and the blade member and the rotary shaft member are disposed apart from each other.