Processing head for electrophotographic apparatus

A processing head for use in an electrophotographic apparatus for recording a frame image on an electrophotographic microfilm, comprising:

• (a) a charging exposure section (64) in which said microfilm is charged, and wherein the frame image is formed thereon by light exposure;
• (b) a developing section (66) disposed adjacent to and on a downstream side of said charging exposure section in a direction in which said microfilm is advanced, said developing section being adapted to develop said exposed microfilm with a liquid developer;
• (c) a drying section (68) disposed adjacent to and on a downstream side of said developing section in the microfilm advancing direction, said drying section having a central wall (I70) disposesd opposite the surface of said microfilm and a pair of flanking side walls (164E, 164F) individually disposed on opposite sides of said central wall and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the microfilm advancing direction such that said central wall, said side walls and the surface of said microfilm define in combination a drying chamber (174) surrounded thereby through which gas for drying is passed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the microfilm advancing direction, thereby drying said microfilm developed with the developer, and said drying section further having a pair of recesses (172) individually defined between said central wall and said side walls and extending in the direction in which said gas is passed;
• and
• (d) a fixing section (70) disposed adjacent to and on a downstream side of said drying section in the microfilm advancing direction to fix the frame image on said dried microfilm,
• whereby the flow rate of said gas passed through the recesses is made higher than that of the gas passed along said central wall, so that it is possible to prevent said developer from spoiling a frame image which is adjacent to said frame image.

A processing head for an electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a developing section (66) for developing an electrophotographic microfilm (24) with a liquid developer (136);
• (b) a drying section (68) disposed adjacent to and on a downstream side of said developing section in a direction in which said microfilm is advanced, to dry said microfilm wetted with said developer by means of a gas for drying which is passed through said drying section in a transverse direction that intersects the microfilm advancing direction, two opposite ends of said drying section in the microfilm advancing direction being respectively defined by a pair of first side walls (164E, 164F) extending in the direction in which said gas is passed;
• and
• (c) a pair of recesses (172) individually formed in close proximity with said first side walls and extending therealong, the flow rate of said gas passed through said recesses being higher than that of the gas passed along a central portion (170) of said drying section disposed between said first side walls.