Abstract: A multi-zone autofocus system for a still camera having at least three autofocus distance zone focus settings in which a two-zone autoranging circuit is operated sequentially at different threshold settings corresponding to different distances from the camera under control of a microprocessor to enable discrimination among at least three focus zone settings.

Abstract: A film-engaging sprocket drive for use with an edge-perforated filmstrip having successive uniform-pitch film perforations includes a set of two coaxial sprocket wheels each having a series of uniform-pitch film-engaging teeth that are similarly shaped to engage the filmstrip within the film perforations and that are arranged in successive pairs of one tooth from one sprocket wheel and another tooth from the other sprocket wheel. The sprocket wheels each are rotatable relative to the other to similarly increase the pitch of the two teeth in the respective pairs of teeth to greater than the pitch of the film perforations. A return spring is arranged to rotate one sprocket wheel relative to the other sprocket wheel to decrease the pitch of the two teeth in the respective pairs of teeth substantially to the pitch of the film perforations.

Abstract: A camera includes a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge having a rotatable film spool with an accessible end cavity, and a winding spindle for rotationally engaging the film spool inside its end cavity to wind exposed film into the film cartridge. The winding spindle has a concentric outer collar that is elastically expandable inside the end cavity to effect frictional torque contact with the film spool, and a concentric inner spool core that is rotatable within a center hole in the outer collar to force the outer collar to expand into frictional torque contact with the film spool. A slight reverse rotation of the inner spool core relative to the outer collar allows the outer collar to resiliently retract out of frictional torque contact with the film spool. Then, the winding spindle can be removed from the end cavity to permit the film cartridge to be removed from the cartridge receiving chamber.

Abstract: A camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for a film cartridge with a film leader that can be advanced from the film cartridge in preparation for film exposure and can be wound into the film cartridge after film exposure, a film door movable open to open the chamber and movable closed to close the chamber, and a door lock movable to lock the film door closed and movable to release the film door, is characterized in that a film sensor is originally positioned to be moved by the film leader as the film leader is advanced from the film cartridge, and a dual purpose indicator and blocker is connected to the film sensor to be moved to block the door lock from being moved to release the film door and to provide a visible indication when the film sensor is moved by the film leader, whereby the dual purpose indicator and blocker prevents the film door from being opened and warns that the film leader has been advanced from the film cartridge in preparation for film exposure.

Abstract: A camera housing comprises an exterior longitudinal edge that is curved widthwise; a single opening through the exterior longitudinal edge that interrupts the exterior longitudinal edge to create a gap in the exterior longitudinal edge; and an insert having a longitudinal edge that is curved widthwise the same as the exterior longitudinal edge and configured to fit in the opening to align the longitudinal edge of the insert with the exterior longitudinal edge in order that the longitudinal edge of the insert is positioned within the gap to appear to be a continuation of the exterior longitudinal edge, and including a viewfinder window with an exterior flat face that is inclined into the longitudinal edge of the insert to at least partially interrupt the longitudinal edge of the insert in order to prevent the occurrence of image distortion when looking though the viewfinder window in the vicinity of the longitudinal edge of the insert.

Abstract: A film support and circuit board assemblage for a camera includes a film support which has a group of film supporting projections that each project an identical height from a film facing side of the film support, and a circuit board which has a raised part. The film support has a film supporting projection that projects from the film facing side the same height as the group of film supporting projections and that is hollow to form an open cavity in an opposite side of the film support. The circuit board is arranged next to the opposite side of the film support, with the raised part protruding into the cavity to make the camera compact.

Abstract: A camera is enabled by film present and film door sensor switches to perform dry cycle operation for testing of camera operation only when film is not present and the film door sensor switch indicates that the film door is open. Provision is made to bypass a film rewind operation at the end of a dry cycle test operation.

Abstract: A cassette (168) is disclosed for use with light-sensitive web material (238), the cassette including a hollow cassette housing (226) having an exit slit (244); mechanism (242) within the housing for rotatably supporting a roll (238) of light-sensitive web material; a roll of light-sensitive web material mounted on the mechanism for rotatably supporting; mechanism (246, 248) for engaging a leading end of the web material from the roll to drive the web material through the exit; device (192) for sending signals to a first associated apparatus (10; 800) which will receive the web material from the cassette; device (218-224, 254) for measuring a condition of the cassette, or the web material, or both and for producing at least one signal; and device (250-254) responsive to the at least one signal for disabling the device for sending signals when the measured condition is determined to be or to have been at or beyond a predetermined limit.

Abstract: Apparatus (10; 800) is disclosed for loading a camera (106) of a type including an external housing (320) having at least one movable closure (322, 324) which, in an open position of the closure, enables a discrete filmstrip (332) to be loaded from an exterior of the camera into the camera; the camera further including a memory feature (344) for storing and communicating information, the apparatus including a frame (40-50); a station (14, 138, 142; 804) to support a camera to be loaded; a source (150, 168) supported by the frame for unexposed photographic film; a film loading member (522) supported by the frame and extended between the source and the station for guiding film from the source to a camera; a mechanism (176, 246, 248) for driving film from the source, via the film loading member, and to a camera; a customer interface (18-30) supported by the frame for inputting at least one signal about a desired manner of photo-finishing; and means (212, 348) responsive to the at least one signal for communicati

Abstract: Film loading methods and apparatus using an overstressed scroll former and film housings. In the methods, a filmstrip is loaded into a housing and the filmstrip is propelled into the housing. During the propelling, the filmstrip is curled into a roll within a scroll former radially compressing the roll. The scroll former is overstressed during or after the curling.

Abstract: A compact camera comprising a frame counter disk supported for rotation to indicate the number of exposures remaining to be made on a filmstrip, is characterized in that the frame counter disk is flexible, has a curved periphery, is bent along a straight line joining two spaced points on the curved periphery to be located in two different planes in order to conserve space, and has a plurality of exposure related indicia that is moved successively from one of the planes to the other plane as the frame counter disk is rotated.

Abstract: Apparatus (10; 800) is disclosed for loading of film into a photographic camera (106), the camera including an external housing (320) having at least one movable closure (322, 324) which, in an open position of the closure, enables a discrete filmstrip (332) to be loaded from an exterior of the camera into the camera; the camera further including a memory feature (344) for storing and communicating information about at least one type of film appropriate for the camera, the apparatus including a frame (40-50); a station (14, 138, 142; 804) supported by the frame for a camera to be loaded; means (109, 148) supported by said frame for communicating with a camera to receive from the camera a first signal corresponding to a type of film appropriate for the camera; a source (150, 168) supported by the frame for unexposed photographic film, the source including at least one type of unexposed photographic film; a film loading member (522) supported by the frame and extended between the source and the station for guid

Abstract: An easy-load camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge with a protruding film leader that has one longitudinal edge extending straight from a reduced-width forward-most leader portion to a full-width leader portion following the reduced-width leader portion and an opposite longitudinal edge extending curved from the reduced-width leader portion to the full-width leader portion, and a leader insertion slot for first receiving the reduced-width leader portion and then receiving the full-width leader portion when the film leader is inserted into the leader insertion slot, is characterized in that an inclined film edge guide is located between the cartridge receiving chamber and the leader insertion slot to contact the longitudinal edge that extends curved from the reduced-width leader portion to the full-width leader portion, but only at the reduced-width leader portion and not at the full-width leader portion, when the film leader is inserted into the leader insertion slot,

Abstract: Apparatus (10; 800) is disclosed for loading film into a photographic camera (106), the camera including an external housing (320) having at least one movable closure (322, 324) which, in an open position of the closure, enables a discrete filmstrip (332) to be loaded from an exterior of the camera into the camera, the apparatus including a frame (40-50); a station (14, 138, 142; 804) supported by the frame for a camera to be loaded; a customer interface (18-30) supported by the frame for inputting a first signal corresponding to a type of film desired for a camera; a source (150, 168) supported by the frame for unexposed photographic film, the source including at least one type of unexposed photographic film; a film loading member (522) supported by the frame and extended between the source and the station for guiding film from the source into a camera at the station; a mechanism (176, 246, 248) supported by the frame for driving film from the source, via the film loading member, and to a camera at the stati

Abstract: In a low cost camera, film initialization to a first exposure frame by a time constant controlled drive circuit in which the time constant circuit is reset by a door sensor switch as a consequence of unloading and/or loading of film in the camera. This ensures that newly loaded film will be automatically initialized to the first exposure position without requiring the camera user to remember to actuate a shutter release button multiple times to achieve proper initialization. A film advance sensor switch is further employed to prevent subsequent frame advance if film initialization is for any reason not properly achieved.

Abstract: A camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for a film cartridge with a filmstrip including a film leader, a film takeup chamber, a backframe opening located between the cartridge receiving chamber and the film take-up chamber, a metering sprocket for engaging the filmstrip, and a film slit between the cartridge receiving chamber and the backframe opening to permit the film leader to be longitudinally inserted through the film slit from the cartridge receiving chamber across the backframe opening and to the film take-up chamber when the film cartridge is placed in the cartridge receiving chamber, is characterized in that a film guide is supported for movement in a first direction relative to the metering sprocket to be able to guide the film leader over the metering sprocket when the film leader is inserted through the film slit from the cartridge receiving chamber across the backframe opening and to the film take-up chamber and for movement in a reverse direction relative to the metering sprocket to be

Abstract: Apparatus (10, 800) is disclosed for loading film into and vending photographic cameras (106), the cameras including an external housing (320) having at least one movable closure (322, 324) which, in an open position of the closure, enables a discrete filmstrip (332) to be loaded from an exterior of the camera into the camera, the apparatus including a frame (40-50); a station (14, 138, 142; 804) to support a camera to be loaded, or unloaded, or vended; a first source (60; 826) supported by said frame for a plurality of cameras to be loaded, or vended, or both; a guide (66; 806) for moving a camera from the first source to the station; a second source (150, 168) supported by the frame for at least one type of unexposed photographic film; a film loading member (522) supported by the frame and extended between the second source and the station for guiding film from the second source to a camera; and a mechanism (176, 246, 248) supported by the frame for driving film from the second source, via the film loading

Abstract: A camera including a cartridge receiving chamber for a film cartridge with a filmstrip including a film leader, a film take-up chamber, a backframe opening located between the cartridge receiving chamber and the film take-up chamber, a film platen located over the backframe opening, a film slit between the cartridge receiving chamber and the backframe opening to permit the film leader to be longitudinally inserted through the film slit from the cartridge receiving chamber across the backframe opening and to the film take-up chamber when the film cartridge is placed in the cartridge receiving chamber, and a film support movable to a leader supporting position within the backframe frame opening to prevent the film leader from becoming jammed in the backframe opening and for guiding the film leader to the film take-up chamber, is characterized in that the film platen is supported for movement in a first direction relative to the backframe opening to move the film support to its leader supporting position and for

Abstract: A camera including a normally closed door moveable to be opened, and a sprocket wheel retractable from a film engageable position, is characterized in that an actuator is moveable simultaneously to move the door open and to retract the sprocket wheel from its film engageable position.

Abstract: A camera comprising a backframe opening for exposing successive sections of a filmstrip, a rigid deflector pivotally supported at one end of the backframe opening to permit a leading edge of the filmstrip which is advanced against the deflector to pivot the deflector away from the backframe opening to allow the leading edge to be advanced over the deflector rather than become trapped in the backframe opening, and a return spring which is weaker than the force of the leading edge against the deflector for returning the deflector to an original position, is characterized in that the deflector and the return spring are an integrally formed single piece.