Agitating member, developing apparatus and process cartridge

A developing apparatus comprising:

• a developer bearing member bearing a developer thereon;
• a developer container containing the developer therein;
• and
• an agitating member provided in s aid developer container for agitating the developer while supplying the developer to said developer bearing member, said agitating member including:
• a metal shaft;
• a plate member joined to said metal shaft;
• and
• a sheet member joined to said plate member, said sheet member being free to curve.

A developing apparatus comprising:

• a developer bearing member bearing a developer thereon;
• a developer container containing the developer therein, said developer being a monocomponent developer of which a weight average grain diameter is 7 μm or less;
• and
• an agitating member provided in said developer container for agitating the developer while supplying the developer to said developer bearing member, said agitating member including:
• a straight metal shaft;
• an L-shaped metallic plate member joined to said metal shaft, an end of said plate member being incapable of contacting an end of said developer container;
• a sheet member joined to said plate member, said sheet member being free to curve, and an end of said sheet member being capable of contacting with a bottom portion of said developer container;
• another agitating member, agitation loci of said agitating member and said another agitating member overlapping each other in a vertical direction, a diameter of the agitation locus of said another agitating member being larger than a diameter of the agitation locus of said agitating member, an agitation center of said another agitating member lying above an agitation center of said agitating member, the diameter of the agitation locus of said another agitating member being 30 mm to 50 mm, a peripheral speed of said another agitating member and a peripheral speed of said agitating member having differences relative to said developer bearing member, the peripheral speeds of said another agitating member and said agitating member differing from each other;
• and
• a developer regulating member for regulating the developer borne on said developer bearing member, an amount of applied developer regulated by said developer regulating member being 1.5 mg/cm2 or less.

A process cartridge detachably attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• a developing apparatus including:
• a developer bearing member bearing a developer thereon;
• a developer container containing the developer therein;
• and
• an agitating member provided in said developer container for agitating the developer while supplying the developer to said developer bearing member, said agitating member including:
• a metal shaft;
• a plate member joined to said metal shaft;
• and
• a sheet member joined to said plate member, said sheet member being free to curve.