Patent ID: 8588662

Claim:
A developing device, comprising: a developer container for storing a developer including a toner and a carrier; a developing roller provided in the developer container; a carrying path including a first side wall and a second side wall, the first side wall being closer to the developing roller than the second side wall is; a carrying member which is provided in the carrying path and which rotates about a rotary shaft so as to carry the developer while stirring the developer; and a supply opening which is formed in an upper wall of the developer container and via which the toner is supplied into the carrying path; the developing roller (i) rotating while holding, on a surface, the developer that has been carried by the carrying member and (ii) supplying the developer to an image bearing member in a developing area, in which the developing roller faces the image bearing member, and the developing device further comprising: a developer collecting guide member which is provided downstream from the developing area in a rotational direction of the developing roller and which carries a residual developer on the surface of the developing roller in a direction from the developing roller to the carrying member, the developer collecting guide member including: a first inclined plane which guides the residual developer to a first position in the carrying path which first position is between the first side wall and the rotary shaft of the carrying member; and a second inclined plane which has an angle of inclination, the angle being smaller than an angle of inclination of the first inclined plane and which guides the residual developer to the carrying path, the second inclined plane (i) having an end section present downstream in a first direction in which the residual developer is guided on the second inclined plane, the end section reaching a second position between the second side wall and the rotary shaft of the carrying member and (ii) tapering in area to the end section, and further comprising: a third inclined plane for guiding, to the carrying path, the residual developer that has been carried via the second inclined plane, wherein: the third inclined plane has (i) a start-end section for receiving the residual developer from the second inclined plane, the start-end section coinciding with a side of the second inclined plane which side is present on an upstream side in a second direction in which the carrying member carries the developer, and (ii) a rear-end section from which the residual developer drops, the rear-end section being positioned vertically above the carrying member and being provided so as to form a predetermined angle with respect to the rotary shaft of the carrying member.