A developing device, comprising:
- a developer container including
- first and second conveying chambers which are arranged side by side,
- a first partition wall which partitions between the first and second conveying chambers along a longitudinal direction,
- communication portions through which the first and second conveying chambers communicate with each other in opposite end parts of the first partition wall,
- a developer supply port through which developer containing magnetic carrier and toner is supplied, and
- a developer discharge portion which is provided in a downstream-side end part of the second conveying chamber and through which excessive developer is discharged;
- a developer carrying member which is rotatably supported on the developer container and which carries, on a surface thereof, the developer in the second conveying chamber;
- a first stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft and a first conveying blade formed on an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the first conveying chamber in a first direction;
- and
- a second stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft and a second conveying blade formed on an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the second conveying chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
- wherein
- the second stirring/conveying member includes
- a regulating portion which is formed adjacent to the second conveying blade on a downstream side thereof in the second direction and which is composed of a conveying blade for conveying the developer in a direction opposite to the second conveying blade, and
- a discharging blade which is formed adjacent to the regulating portion on a downstream side thereof in the second direction and which conveys the developer in a same direction as the second conveying blade to discharge the developer through the developer discharge portion,
- the communication portions are composed of
- a first communication portion through which, at a downstream side in the first direction, the developer is passed from the first conveying chamber to the second conveying chamber, and
- a second communication portion through which, at a downstream side in the second direction, the developer is passed from the second conveying chamber to the first conveying chamber,
- the developer container includes a second partition wall which is arranged adjacent to the regulating portion on a downstream side of the second communication portion in the second direction to partition between the first conveying chamber and the regulating portion, and
- the second partition wall has a smaller height than the first partition wall, and an upper end part of the second partition wall is located between an upper end part and a lower end part of the rotary shaft of the second stirring/conveying member.