A developing device capable of improving the fluidity of a developer and
alleviating the stress generated in the developer, and a process
cartridge and an image forming apparatus that use this developing device.
In a connecting portion, there is formed a storage portion for storing
the developer, in which the cross-sectional area thereof has width D2
that continuously becomes wider toward the top, compared to the width D1
of the cross-sectional area of an opening portion by which the developer
is lifted up from the second screw, and becomes wider than D1 at the
central part thereof. Furthermore, from this storage portion, the width
of the cross-sectional area thereof continuously becomes narrow, whereby
the width of the opening portion at which the developer is delivered to
the first screw becomes D3 narrower than D2. Accordingly, the developer
that is lifted up at the second screw is dispersed in a fan-like form and
stored in the storage portion. Thereafter, the developer is sent to the
first screw at high transfer speed.