A development apparatus can uniform a toner density by controlling the
phase of a toner density fluctuation, and can inhibit fluctuation of the
toner density and variation of the toner charge amount. The development
apparatus is configured to have a phase control mechanism, which forms a
dividing point at a predetermined point (e.g., an opening section
provided on a partition plate between two screws) in a flow of a
developer within the development apparatus in which a toner density
fluctuates spatially due to toner replenishment or toner consumption
caused by development, causes the developer divided at the dividing point
to pass through different paths (path 1, path 2), thereby shifts a phase
of the fluctuation of the toner density within the developer, and
thereafter causes thus obtained developers having shifted phases to merge
with each other, to perform phase control. The developers spatially
having toner density fluctuations are superimposed with shifted phases,
thereby a high toner density and a low toner density are averaged so that
the toner density is uniformed.