Device for drying and fixing in electronic photocopying machine

Claim 1

A drying and fixing device for an electrophotographic copying machine comprising a copy paper feeding unit for feeding copy paper one by one, a main driving unit for feeding said copy paper to a predetermined exposing section, a photographing unit for airflow said copy paper, a developing unit for developing said exposed copy paper and a drying and fixing unit for drying and fixing said developed copy paper by a flow of heated air, said drying and fixing unit being disposed adjacent said developing unit and extending along a passage for copy paper delivered from the developing unit, said drying and fixing unit including a drier extending along said passage, and a blower for supplying air to said drier, said drier being hollow and having a flow passage for air from said blower, said drier including a heater arranged in the airflow passage, said drier having an opening beyond said heater for the outflow of heated air against copy paper traveling in said passage, said drier having a further opening disposed between said blower and heater and adjacent said developing unit for partial bypass of airflow from the blower against copy paper coming out of said developing unit whereby to form an air curtain for shielding said developing unit from heated air delivered to said copy paper from said drier through said outlet opening.