DEVELOPING APPARATUS

A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing magnetic particles and for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member; a magnetic member, provided in the developer carrying member, for magnetic confinement of the developer on a surface of the developer carrying member, wherein the magnetic member has a set of repelling poles including a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole which have the same magnetic polarity; and a magnetic seal provided opposed to the developer carrying member at a side remote from the image bearing member; wherein the magnetic seal includes a third magnetic pole and a fourth magnetic pole having a magnetic polarity opposite that of the first magnetic pole at a position opposed to the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole, respectively, and includes only one fifth magnetic pole having the same polarity as that of the first magnetic pole.