The invention provides a developing device employing a liquid developer
which is capable of effectively cleaning a development roller or the like
having an elastic outer layer. The developing device of the invention is
provided with an elastic roller such as a development roller for
developing a latent image formed on an image carrier. In image forming
process, toner particles uniformly dispersed in carrier are agglutinated
to the elastic roller side by means of compaction. A cleaning blade is
provided for cleaning the agglutinated toner particles. Assuming that an
angle of a contact face of the cleaning blade relative to a perpendicular
line perpendicular to a generating line of the elastic roller at a
contact point where the tip end of the cleaning blade is pressed against
and in contact with the elastic roller is .theta. and an angle of a
rising contour of a deformed portion of the elastic outer layer which is
deformed by the pressure of the cleaning blade against the elastic roller
relative to the perpendicular line is a, a relation a>.theta. is
established.