Abstract: A camera having a body portion with a cartridge chamber for retaining a film cartridge and a film chamber for retaining a filmstrip includes a cover coupled to the body portion and movable in opposite directions between an opened and a closed position having a gear rack having a set of linearly arranged engagement teeth. A drive gear having an engaging portion for engaging the film cartridge is moved into engagement with the gear rack to wind the filmstrip into the film cartridge when said cover is moved in one of the opposite directions, and is moved out of engagement with the gear rack when the cover is moved in the other direction to prevent film winding.

Abstract: A camera includes a body portion having a cartridge chamber for retaining a film cartridge and a film chamber for retaining a filmstrip a pump cover coupled to the body portion and movable in opposite directions between an opened and a closed position, as well as a rotatable film winding for engaging the film cartridge to wind filmstrip into the film cartridge as the gear is rotated. An engageable locking lever prevents the gear from being rotated until disengaged by movement of the cover in one of the opposite directions in which a movable gear rack having a set of engagement teeth engages the unlocked film winding gear and rotates the film winding gear when the cover is moved in one of the opposite directions to wind film into a film cartridge.

Abstract: A film drive gear has a thumbwheel that is rotated by a camera user and also has a shutter cam surface that rotates with the thumbwheel to reset a shutter mechanism and has a film metering cam surface that rotates with the thumbwheel to release a film metering mechanism. The shutter cam surface and the film metering cam surface are axially separated along a shaft of the film drive gear that extends outwardly from the thumbwheel. The drive gear can include a toothed sprocket that actuates a film transport mechanism such that revolution of the thumbwheel rotates the toothed sprocket and moves the photographic film a predetermined distance. The thumbwheel also can be provided with an outer circumferential surface that is coupled to an exposure counter wheel having frame index numbers such that a predetermined number of revolutions of the thumbwheel moves the exposure counter wheel by one frame index number relative to the thumbwheel.

Abstract: A camera includes a body portion having a cartridge chamber for a film cartridge and a film chamber for a filmstrip, a high energy lever returnable to a cocked position, and a film metering pawl movable in engagement with the filmstrip. The film metering pawl is placed in engagement with the filmstrip to prevent winding of the filmstrip into the cartridge, and released from engagement when the high energy lever is being returned to its cocked position to permit the filmstrip to be wound into the cartridge. The film metering pawl is movable to a film metered position where it is locked and the film advance is disabled.

Abstract: A photographic camera, including an electrically responsive camera feature, includes an electrical circuit in communication with the camera feature, the electrical circuit being actuable to operate the feature. A pressure/force sensor having electrical resistance variable in response to pressure application is disposed in the camera electrical circuit such that the application of pressure on the force sensor controls the operation of the feature.

Abstract: A camera includes a depressible shutter relase button; and a film metering mechanism for metering a filmstrip in the camera. The shutter release button is positioned on one side of a pivotable trigger which raises a release element when the shutter release button is depressed. The release element, coupled to the film metering mechanism, remains in a raised position until the film metering mechanism has metered the filmstrip. Preferably, the shutter release can be used in a pump-action camera, the shutter release remaining hidden until a succeeding exposure frame has been advanced and metered.

Abstract: A camera includes a depressible shutter release, and a film drive gear in which the shutter release and the film moving element have respective coaxial mechanisms for coaxially engaging one another only when the shutter release is depressed. In a preferred embodiment, the shutter release is part of a pivotable trigger which supports a drive spline which engages a film driving gear only when the shutter release is depressed.

Abstract: A camera film transport mechanism includes a torque limiting one-way drive clutch for preventing film damaging excessive torque loading or reverse rotation of the drive. The clutch includes coaxial inner and outer members. A resilient arm extends generally tangentially from one of the members with a free end biased against the other member and engagable with a tooth or abutment thereon to transmit torque therebetween. A sloping surface on one or both of the tooth and the arm end limits torque transmission by camming the arm out of engagement when the friction force is overcome. Multiple arms and/or abutment teeth may be provided and the arms may be arranged for either compressive or tensile loading. Slip torque deviation is limited by making the engaging surfaces from diverse materials, for example, an amorphous polymer, such as polycarbonate styrene, for one surface and a semi-crystalline polymer, such as nylon or acetal, for the other.

Abstract: A recyclable camera having a removable film door which provides access to each of the film cassette and battery compartments to allow sequential but not simultaneous removal of the film cartridge and the battery from the camera. In a preferable arrangement, the battery compartment and the film cassette compartments are orthogonally arranged so that the film cassette can be removed from the cassette compartment through an open end, and the battery can then be removed from the battery compartment through an open end through the film cassette compartment after the film cassette has been removed from the camera.

Abstract: A camera includes a frame having a movably attached film engaging member including a metering pawl for engaging a contained filmstrip. A light locking cover attached to the frame prevents ambient light from entering a defined light tight enclosure surrounding the film engaging member with the exception of an opening to allow a locking portion of a second movable lever within the lighttight enclosure for engaging the film engaging member. The lever includes an integral light locking portion adjacent the locking portion which blocks the opening of the first light locking cover but allows the locking portion to engage the film engaging member. The access opening of the light locking cover is sufficiently large to allow pivoting movement of the locking portion, the cover preferably including a recess to allow the light blocking portion of the lever to effectively cover the opening in a lighttight manner.

Abstract: A translatable cover coupled to a lighttight camera body is movable between a cantilevered open position and a closed position relative to the body. Guide pins provided on different surfaces of the upper part of the cover interior engage longitudinal slots on the exterior of the camera body to allow a smooth sliding motion of the cover. Preferably, the guide pins include shoulders having a greater diameter than the remainder of the pin to minimize torquing of the cover when translated in combination with a lower cover portion which extends from an open end and engages the lower portion of the body to also minimize cantilevering of the cover. In another preferred embodiment, a guide arm extending from the free end can engage a sleeve of the body to minimize cantilevering and torquing while allowing a smooth travel of the cover with fairly loose tolerances.

Abstract: A camera includes a chamber for containing a film cartridge having a rotatable film spool with external engagement access to allow rotation of the spool. The chamber is closed by a lighttight door having a cavity including a status indicator member for determining the status of a contained film cartridge. The status indicator member is attached a cartridge engagement member which is rotatable with the cartridge film spool. The status indicator member includes a display disk for indicating the status of said cartridge based on the rotational position of said spool which is visible through an opening in the chamber door.

Abstract: A cylindrical container for containing a film cassette includes a bottom surface having a pair of radially extending rib members for engaging with a centering apparatus. According to the invention, the radially extending members are diametrically opposed to one another to reduce axial misalignment of the container when it is being centered on the centering apparatus. The centering apparatus includes a pair of restricting elements which engage the rib members when the container is mounted to the apparatus and which more accurately locate the container to a predetermined radial location due to the engagement of each restricting element with each of the rib members.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying the status of a film cartridge in a camera, the cartridge having a film exposure status indicator for identifying whether the cassette is fully unexposed, partially exposed, or fully exposed. The apparatus includes a blocking member which cooperates with the status indicator of the cartridge to prevent the loading of a fully exposed film cartridge, and a multiple state switching element which cooperates with the blocking member to sense the state of a loaded cartridge. An LCD provides user feedback as to the state of the camera depending on the state of the switching element.

Abstract: A recyclable camera having front and rear covers which when assembled together define chambers for containing a film cartridge and a film roll, respectively. According to the invention, a photographic module assembly including the photographic components of the camera is sandwiched between the front and rear covers and is preferably attached to the rear cover to form a completed camera unit. The photographic module assembly also includes the exposure chamber for an advanced filmstrip, but does not include the film roll retaining chamber or the film cartridge chamber which are instead formed within the front and rear cover portions of the camera.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for initializing a rotatable frame counter in a camera to a preliminary setting from a random setting, in which an engagement element is placed directly on a surface of the frame counter in a ready position to engage and thereby arrest the frame counter when the frame counter is rotated from the random setting to the preliminary setting. According to the present invention, the frame counter is rotated relative to the engagement element to bring an off-axis hole on the frame counter into contact with the engagement element only when the frame counter is at the preliminary setting, whereby the engagement element will arrest the frame counter at the preliminary setting.

Abstract: A camera includes a lighttight body portion and a cover having an interior recess sized for receiving an end of said body portion. The cover is coupled to the body portion and is movable in opposing directions between an opened position and a closed position. A portion of the body or the cover includes stop surfaces for preventing the cover from opening beyond the opening position which are deformable or detachable to allow the cover to be released from the body portion of the camera. Alternately, the cover can be part of a two part releasable assembly which can be separated either destructively or non-destructively from the camera.

Abstract: An apparatus including a camera body adapted to receive a thrust film cartridge, a thrust spindle for engagedly receiving a thrust cartridge spool, a take-up spool, and a mechanism for simultaneously driving both the thrust spindle and the take-up spool in an advance direction such that a surface speed of the take-up spool is faster than a surface speed of film being thrust from the thrust cartridge. A first one-way clutch is operatively positioned between a drive mechanism and the thrust spindle, and a second one-way clutch is operatively positioned between the drive mechanism and the take-up spool. A rewind spindle engagedly receives the thrust cartridge spool, and a rewind mechanism drives the rewind spindle in a rewind direction. A third clutch is operatively positioned between the rewind knob and the rewind spindle.

Abstract: A photographic camera for making pseudo photographs on film exposure areas upon opening of a camera shutter includes a light emitting diode disposed in the camera body for directly illuminating one or more positions on the film, an aperture disposed in the camera body between the light emitting diode and film for controlling illumination of the light emitting diode to provide a predetermined coded pattern of exposure on one or more positions of the film, and a lever positionable between the aperture and film to cover or uncover the aperture to regulate film exposure by the light passing through the aperture upon camera shutter opening.

Abstract: A camera includes a film rewind mechanism that allows manual rewinding of a film spool to a given position. The mechanism includes a one-way clutch that allows the rewind knob to drive the film spool only in a rewind direction. The clutch mechanism has a single arm for transfer of motion between the rewind knob and a spool driver. Use of the single arm clutch allows the rewind knob to be connected with the spool only in a single unique position or phase relation so that the operator can move the rewind knob to an indicated position of the camera body which corresponds with a similarly indicated position of the spool on the film cassette.