Abstract: To prevent photographs from being blurred by film creep, a camera having a spring-loaded shutter driver member that is movable from a cocked position to an uncooked position to operate the camera shutter and then to deactivate a film metering mechanism, is provided with a blocking member that is movable temporarily into the path of the shutter driver to stop the driver at an intermediate position after it has operated the shutter but before it deactivates the metering mechanism.

Abstract: Zoom lenses having a positive unit facing the long conjugate and consisting of a cemented doublet and a single element therebehind; a negative unit movable for zooming and consisting of a negative element and a negative doublet concave toward each other; a second positive unit movable for zooming and consisting of a single component including at least one positive element; and a stationary rear unit consisting of a triplet or triplet derivative wherein any element additional to three is a positive element. The zoom lens has a zoom range greater than 5.times., a total coverage exceeding 48.degree. at some zoom position and an f-number faster than f-1.2 when the number of elements in the lens is 12 or less and faster than f-1.6 when the number of elements is 10 or less.

Abstract: In a scanning apparatus, a scanned transverse region of a moving web is illuminated by focused illumination from an elongate incandescent lamp with a long filament maintained in tension and supported only at its ends to prevent shadows or other luminance variations along the length of the lamp.

Abstract: In an apparatus for scanning a transverse region of moving web, the speed of the web being scanning adjusts the clock of the camera that controls the scanning rate of the camera, to maintain a constant spacing of the scan regions, rather than vice versa, thereby allowing wide variations in web speed while maintaining constant scan region spacing. Additionally, the intensity of the web illumination is controlled as a function of web speed so that each scan region receives the same amount of light from the illumination means during each scan interval regardless of variations in web speed.

Abstract: A plurality of narrowly spaced electrodes of an electronic device are connected to a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced electrodes of another electronic device by two superimposed mutually separated layers of wires. The lower wires of the lower layer are bonded to outer bonding pads of alternate device electrodes that are located in a first row near the corresponding edges of the respective devices. Inner bonding pads of the other device electrodes are located in a second row further from the corresponding device edges between the outer pad electrodes and are bonded to the wires of the upper layer, the connecting ends of which extend beyond the corresponding ends of the lower wires.

Abstract: An LED array module for use in an LED array printhead is fabricated on a frame of tape-automated bonding (TAB) tape that provides all of the wiring for connecting the chips together, for connecting the module to one or more external circuit boards and for testing the module; thereby protecting the delicate components and allowing the module to be completely tested prior to excising it from the TAB frame and mounting it to the printhead support member.

Abstract: An LED array printhead comprises an elongate support bar of generally rectangular cross section with a row of LED array chips mounted end-to-end along one of the narrow elongate edge faces of the bar. The bar is sandwiched between heat sink members confronting its wide faces. The heat sink members dissipate heat from the bar and also support circuit board means electrically connected to the LED chips.

Abstract: An electronic printer using edge-perforated continuous-form paper is adapted to print and sequentially stack cards that are initially carried by a paper carrier sheet corresponding to continuous-form paper. The printer includes paper tractor means above the printing means for feeding the paper upwardly past the printing means. A card separating attachment includes another paper driving device above the tractor means for drawing the paper carrier rearwardly over a separator bar. This separates the carrier paper from the cards, which are guided by guide means so that they fall face downwardly into a receptacle, thereby providing a stack of cards arranged in the order in which they were printed.

Abstract: A device for mounting a load and orienting the load in two orthogonal senses includes two facing elements. One element has three spheres disposed in first, second and third seats. A line joining the first and second seats is orthogonal to a line joining the first and third seats. The sphere in the first seat contacts a conical contact surface on the other element. The sphere in the second seat contacts a planar contact surface on the other element. The sphere in the third seat contacts a vee-groove contact surface on the other element. Displacement means, in the form of conical surfaces on threaded rods, associated with the second and third seats serve to displace the spheres outwardly of the second and third seats to cause tipping and tilting of the contact surface bearing element relative to the one element.

Abstract: An LED array module for use in an LED array printhead is fabricated on a frame of tape-automated bonding (TAB) tape that provides all of the wiring for connecting the chips together, for connecting the module to one or more external circuit boards and for testing the module; thereby protecting the delicate components and allowing the module to be completely tested prior to excising it from the TAB frame and mounting it to the printhead support member.

Abstract: A multi-facet holographic scanner spinner is described in which each facet has a sector shape, it being bounded by radial lines and, usually, the periphery of the holographic scanner spinner. Each facet includes a diffraction grating pattern. The pattern in each facet extends to the radial lines bounding the facet in regions between a first and a second, greater radial distance from the axis of the holographic scanner spinner, but is spaced from the radial lines in regions radially outwardly of the second radial distance. Thus, the width of each facet is no greater than is necessary to perform its function and is less than a prior art facet performing the same function.

Abstract: A wide-angle close-focus zoom lens for a single lens reflex camera, said lens having no more than a total of three independent movable lens element units or sub-units. The lens can have as few as eight lens elements without requiring any aspheric lens element surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the continuous production of microcellular plastic web material having integral unmodified laminar skin. In accordance with the invention a web of plastic material impregnated with an inert gas is delivered continuously to a degassing device in which the degree to which gas diffuses out of the surfaces of the web can be selectively and continuously controlled, whereupon the web enters a foaming station where it is reheated to induce foaming. The temperature of the reheated web and the duration of the foaming process prior to quenching are also selectively controllable to produce the desired web characteristics.

Abstract: A container component is made from microcellular foam material, no more than approximately 30 mils thick, having a core of very small uniformity distributed cells to provide uniform opacity that is locally eliminated by the application of heat and pressure to create window areas at least 60% as thick as the surrounding material.

Abstract: A generally conventional still camera having an exposure counter and adapted to use rewindable cassette loaded film, e.g. a 35 mm camera, includes a selector member movable to an "automatic rewind" position, a "mid-roll rewind" position and a "counter-reset" position. When the selector is in its automatic rewind position, the film is automatically rewound entirely into the cassette after all of the available exposures have been made, as is well known in the prior art. When the selector is moved to the mid-roll rewind position, a partially exposed roll of film is rewound into the cassette, leaving its leader portion extending from the cassette and the film counter continues to display the number of the last unexposed film frame. Preferably, a signal is also displayed in the viewfinder to alert the photographer to the fact that the camera has been adjusted to this mode of rewinding operation.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to photographic cameras adapted to receive film cartridge assemblies enclosing rotatable film disk units. When a film cartridge assembly is received in the camera, it cooperates with a camera mechanism that opens an exposure window in the cartridge assembly and rotates the film disk unit incrementally to locate successive exposure areas accurately in exposure position. Various novel camera mechanisms are also disclosed for supporting the film exposure area in a predetermined film exposure plane and for preventing accidental exposure of the film to ambient light.

Abstract: An automatic rangefinder and focusing apparatus is provided for use with a camera for determining the distance from an object to be photographed to the film plane of the camera and for positioning the camera's objective lens to focus an image of the object in the film plane. The apparatus comprises a photoresponsive device and a light emitter device that projects light in angularly intersecting relation to the optical axis along which light is received by a photodetector incorporated in the photoresponsive device. The light projected by the light emitter device is amplitude modulated at a frequency functionally related to the distance from the camera at which that light intersects the optical axis of the photoresponsive device.

Abstract: A lens carrier damping device is provided in a camera having a lens carrier that is selectively movable between two alternate positions to change a parameter of the camera's optical system. The two positions of the lens carrier are established by its operative engagement with respective abutment surfaces under the influence of bidirectional spring means that bias the lens carrier in the direction of its movement during the final portion of its movement toward contact with either of the abutment surfaces. The damping device is bidirectionally operable and is adapted to retard the final movement of the lens carrier to thereby cushion its impact against the abutment surface with which it is brought into contact by the spring means.

Abstract: A camera for perforated roll film includes a transport mechanism for advancing film along an exposure plane, a metering lever spring biased from an inactive toward an active position to disable the transport mechanism, and a sensing member for detecting the arrival of a perforation in the film at a predetermined position. The metering lever engages the film sensing member and biases the film sensing member into contact with the film. Sensing of a perforation and subsequent movement of the sensing member to a metering position disengages the sensing member from the metering lever and permits movement of the metering lever to its active position. Exposure operation of the shutter actuating mechanism returns the metering lever to its inactive position. A spring acting substantially parallel to the exposure plane is operative to return the sensing member to its sensing position upon subsequent operation of the film transport mechanism.

Abstract: A one-piece light cone baffle for use in a camera comprising a frame and four walls integrally connected to the frame. The frame has centrally located therein a light-transmitting window. Each of the walls is connected to the frame by a hinge and is movable between a relaxed position extending outwardly from the frame and an operative position in which the walls cooperate to form a light tight seal. Means are also provided for reflecting non-image-forming light passing through the window away from a light-sensitive material and for securing the baffle in place in the baffle recess of the camera.