Patent ID: 7783231

Claim:
A developing device, comprising: a developer carrier that carries a developer containing toner and carrier and develops a latent image formed on a latent image carrier; a developer container that contains the developer to be supplied to the developer carrier; developer supply means for supplying the developer to the developer carrier; a developer restricting member that sets the thickness of the developer on the developer carrier to a thickness appropriate for development; developer recovering means for recovering the developer separated from the developer carrier after necessary developer is applied to the latent image carrier; developer stirring/carrying means, which is an alternative path for carrying the developer to a space between a section of the developer supply means and a section of the developer recovering means; an opening that communicates a downstream part of the developer stirring/carrying means with an upstream part of the developer supply means; and an opening that communicates an upstream part of the developer stirring/carrying means and a downstream part of the developer recovering means, wherein a central axis of the developer supply means, a central axis of the developer recovering means, and a central axis of the developer stirring/carrying means are positioned at an equal distance from a central axis of the developer carrier, as viewed cross-sectionally.