Developing device allowing selection of a stirring/conveying member to be used from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft-diameters and image forming apparatus therewith

A developing device comprising:

• a developer container which stores developer containing toner;
• a developer carrier which carries on a surface thereof the toner in the developer container;
• a stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container,
• wherein
• during manufacturing of the developing device, the stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters,
• the developing device can be mounted on a plurality of image forming apparatuses with different unit lives of the developing device, and
• when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively short unit life, compared to when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively long unit life, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a larger shaft diameter is selected.

A developing device comprising:

• a developer container which stores developer containing toner;
• a developer carrier which carries on a surface thereof the toner in the developer container;
• a stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container,
• wherein
• during manufacturing of the developing device, the stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters,
• the developing device can be mounted on each of a plurality of image forming portions in an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming portions corresponding to images of a plurality of different colors, and
• when the developing device is mounted on the image forming portion that consumes a relatively small quantity of toner, compared to when the developing device is mounted on an image forming portion that consumes a relatively large quantity of toner, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a larger shaft diameter is selected.