Patent ID: 8155561

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; a developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; gap forming members respectively provided on opposite sides of the developer bearing member and configured to form a gap between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member; a pressing device configured to press the developer bearing member towards the image bearing member; first abutment portions respectively disposed on opposite sides of the image bearing member and on which the gap forming members respectively abut as a result of the developer bearing member being pressed by the pressing device; and second abutment portions respectively disposed on the opposite sides of the image bearing member and on which the gap forming members respectively abut as the result of the developer bearing member being pressed by the pressing device, the gap forming members abutting on the second abutment portions at positions different from where the gap forming members abut on the first abutment portions, wherein the first abutment portions and the second abutment portions are disposed so as to satisfy the condition θ 1 >θ 2 , wherein θ 1 denotes an angle formed between a direction of a reactive force F 1 and a direction of a reactive force F 2 , the reactive force F 1 being a reactive force applied to each gap forming member from the first abutment portion, the reactive force F 2 being a reactive force applied to each gap forming member from the second abutment portion, and wherein θ 2 denotes an angle formed between a direction of a force F and the direction of the reactive force F 2 , the force F being a force with which the pressing device presses each gap forming member.