Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a main body part, a cover part that can be separated at least partially from the main body part, and a viewfinder having a pair of front and rear viewing lenses optically aligned for viewing a subject to be photographed, is characterized in that the cover part is connected to one of the front and rear viewing lenses to move the one viewing lens out of optical alignment with the other viewing lens when the cover part is separated at least partially from the main body part, whereby the one viewing lens can be readily identified to prevent the viewfinder from being erroneously reused. Preferably, the one viewing lens is connected to the main body part in addition to being connected to the cover part in order to hold the cover part to the main body part. A fracture line of weakness exists between the one viewing lens and the main body part which is broken when the one viewing lens is moved out of optical alignment with the other viewing lens.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism for a camera comprises a support including an integrally formed post and a retainer defining a path; a HEL with a projecting finger, the finger being movable along the path; and a shutter blade pivotally mounted on the post. The shutter blade has a lever portion and a masking portion and is movable into an exposure position by the finger. According to one embodiment the support is a camera frame. According to another embodiment the support is a mechanical plate.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a main body part, and a pair of front and rear cover parts that house the main body part between them, is characterized in that the front and rear cover parts have integral hinge portions with aligned openings, and a hinge pin is positioned in the openings to permit the front and rear cover parts to be pivoted away from one another to access the main body part, and is constructed of the same material as the front and rear cover parts to permit the hinge pin to be ground up together with the front and rear cover parts, without removing the hinge pin from the openings, to form a common substance that can be molded into new cover parts.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism for a camera having an integrally molded plastic frame is provided. The shutter mechanism includes a high energy lever (HEL) having an arm rotatably mounted to the camera frame, and a finger projecting from an end of the arm that moves across an arcuate path when the lever arm rotates; a shutter blade pivotally mounted on the frame having a lever portion for pivoting a masking portion into an exposure position when struck by the finger of the HEL, and a retainer including a wall that is integrally connected to the camera frame for retaining the finger of the lever in a shutter-striking arcuate path when the arm rotates. The length of the lever arm is relatively short relative to the length of the projecting finger that strikes the shutter blade in order to eliminate unwanted flexing of the high energy lever during an exposure operation.

Abstract: A camera comprising a film winding thumbwheel supported for rotation in a film winding direction and an opposite film unwinding direction, an anti-backup wheel supported for rotation in engagement with the thumbwheel, and an arresting device for preventing rotation of the anti-backup wheel in order to prevent rotation of the thumbwheel in the film unwinding direction, is characterized in that the arresting device is a stop engageable with the anti-backup wheel to prevent rotation of the anti-backup wheel and disengageable from the anti-backup wheel to permit rotation of the anti-backup wheel, and the anti-backup wheel is supported to be moved out of position spaced from the stop and into engagement with the stop, without becoming disengaged from the thumbwheel, when the thumbwheel is attempted to be rotated in the film unwinding direction.

Abstract: A camera including a viewfinder for viewing a subject to be photographed, a masking a device for the viewfinder having a number of different format mask configurations, a taking lens for forming an image of the subject, and a lens cover for the taking lens, is characterized in that the masking device and said lens cover are supported to be moved at the same time for any one of the mask configurations to be in a masking position partially masking the viewfinder when the lens cover is not covering the taking lens and for every one of the mask configurations to be respective non-masking positions not partially masking the viewfinder when the lens cover covers the taking lens.

Abstract: A camera comprising a particular device (such as an electronic flash unit) that requires electrical energy to operate, a power switch capable of being changed from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical power to the device and biased to return to the normal state, and a protective cover (such as a lens cover) that changes the power switch from the normal state to the working state as the protective cover is moved from being closed to being open, is characterized in that the protective cover is supported for manual movement when open, without being moved to close, to change the power switch from the normal state to the working state when the power switch has returned to the normal state.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a plug which must be separated from a chamber to permit removal of an article from the chamber, and a breakable retainer for the plug which is broken to allow the plug to be separated from the chamber, is characterized in that the plug and the retainer have respective engaged portions arranged relative to one another to make the plug be separated from the chamber as the retainer is broken.

Abstract: A camera comprising a film frame counter rotatable at a central hub to successive numbered settings, and a metering cam rotatable in response to film advancement and having at least one tooth for intermittently engaging the frame counter to rotate the frame counter to its next numbered setting when the metering cam is rotated, characterized in that a cantilevered flexible beam has two ends, and is supported at one end to permit the beam to be bent at the other end for the beam to forcibly press between the two ends against the central hub of the frame counter to prevent an unintended rotation of the frame counter, and the metering cam has a cam lobe arranged to bend the beam at its other end for the beam to forcibly press between its two ends against the frame counter when the tooth is not engaged with the frame counter.

Abstract: A one time-use camera comprising a film cassette with a light lock that is to be rotated closed after an exposed filmstrip is wound into the cassette, and a driver which initially is rotated to rotate the light lock closed and then is translated to eject the cassette with its light lock closed from the camera, is characterized in that the driver is a translation-to-rotation converter which when initially translated is rotated in response to translation to rotate the light lock closed without translating the cassette and then when further translated is translated without being rotated to eject said cassette with its light lock closed from the camera.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a film cartridge and a filmstrip, a lighttight camera body having an interior chamber for the film cartridge and an exterior cover portion for light-tightly sealing the chamber that can be separated from another exterior (remaining) portion to open the chamber in order to remove the film cartridge, and matching respective indicia on the outside of the camera body and on the film cartridge and/or the filmstrip. The indicia on the outside of the camera body is positioned partially on the exterior cover portion and partially on the other exterior portion to be divided in order to be visually obliterated when the exterior cover portion is separated from the other exterior portion to open the chamber. Thus, the one-time camera cannot practically be reused without removing or covering the part of the indicia on the other exterior (remaining) portion of the camera body.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a film winder wheel rotatable in a film winding direction and a rear cover part with an integral door portion that is to be opened to remove a film cartridge from a cartridge chamber, an integral anti-backup pawl for engaging the film winder wheel to prevent rotation of the film winder wheel in a reverse direction opposite to the film winding direction, and a weakened longitudinal section between the door portion and another portion of the rear cover part that fractures when the door portion is opened, is characterized in that the anti-backup pawl and the door portion are connected to cause the anti-backup pawl to be moved with the door portion when the door portion is opened, and the weakened longitudinal section extends between the anti-backup pawl and the other portion of the rear cover part to fracture between the anti-backup pawl and the other portion, in addition to fracturing between the door portion and the other portion, when the door portion is opened, whereby the an

Abstract: A camera comprising a film frame counter rotatable to successive numbered settings, and a counter actuator movable in engagement with the frame counter to rotate the frame counter to its next numbered setting, is characterized in that a bearing support for the frame counter supports the frame counter, first to permit the frame counter to be axially shifted to become separated from the counter actuator, and then to permit the frame counter to be rotated freely to reset the frame counter to an initial setting.

Abstract: A camera comprising a rear cover part having a rear opening, a rotatable film advance thumbwheel protruding from the rear opening to permit the thumbwheel to be manually rotated in a film winding direction and having a continuous alternating series of teeth and spaces, and a flexible beam projecting from the rear cover part and having an anti-backup pawl to be received in anyone of the spaces to prevent reverse rotation of the thumbwheel but being pushed out of anyone of the spaces to make the beam flex away from the thumbwheel when the thumbwheel is rotated in the film winding direction, is characterized in that the beam has a pair of opposite ends fixed to the rear cover part and said pawl is located between the fixed opposite ends, to make the beam be flexed intermediate its fixed opposite ends when the pawl is pushed out of anyone of the spaces because of manual rotation of the thumbwheel in the film winding direction, whereby the natural frequency of vibration of the beam can be raised to make the noise

Abstract: A camera comprises manually rotatable film winding means, and a uni-directional clutch coupled to the film winding means to permit film winding rotation of the film winding means and to prevent reverse rotation of the film winding means. The film winding means includes a rotatable winder wheel having a toothed periphery. The uni-directional clutch includes a rotatable idler wheel having a toothed periphery engaging the toothed periphery of the winding wheel and provided with less teeth than the toothed periphery of the winding wheel, and a coil spring coiled tightly about a shank of the idler wheel and having an end portion secured with respect to the shank. The coil spring tightens on the shank to prevent the idler wheel and the winding wheel from being engagingly rotated when reverse rotation of the film winding means is attempted and relaxes on the shank to permit the idler wheel and the winding wheel to be engagingly rotated when film winding rotation of the film winding means is initiated.

Abstract: A single-use camera comprises an exterior decorative cardboard casing having an open end, and a plastic light-tight camera housing arranged partly inside the exterior casing and having an end portion with a film cartridge receiving chamber located outside the exterior casing. According to the invention, the end portion of the camera housing includes chamber covering means supported for opening movement to undercover the cartridge receiving chamber without being obstructed by the exterior casing, whereby a film cartridge may be removed from the cartridge receiving chamber without first tearing the exterior casing off the camera housing.