Abstract: A compact camera comprises a body portion, and a flash unit supported to be flipped up from the body portion for picture-taking and to be flipped down to the body portion for storage. The body portion is configured to form an exterior flash receiving pocket for receiving the flash unit when the flash unit is flipped down. An unexposed-film storage slot inside the body portion longitudinally extends at least part way around the flash receiving pocket. An exposed-film chamber inside the body portion is located to receive successive sections of a filmstrip from the unexposed-film storage slot after each film section is exposed. A film take-up spool is rotatable to draw successive sections of the filmstrip from the unexposed-film storage slot to the exposed-film chamber. This particular design is especially useful when the flash unit has a number of flash illumination sources and, therefore, requires a relatively large flash receiving pocket.

Abstract: A camera comprising a chamber for a film cassette having a light lock pivoted open to permit film movement into the cassette interior and closed to prevent ambient light from entering the cassette interior, and a lid for closing the chamber, is characterized in that a stop-protrusion is located in the chamber in the way of the light lock, when it is open, to prevent the film cassette from being moved against the lid to move the lid to open the chamber and to be clear of the light lock, when it is closed, to permit the film cassette to be moved against the lid to open the chamber.

Abstract: A family of different type cameras is intended for use with a film cassette which is capable of being operated to thrust a filmstrip out of the cassette housing, regardless of whether the filmstrip is unexposed or is partially exposed, and which has film exposure-status indicating means for providing visible indications that the filmstrip inside the cassette housing is unexposed or is partially exposed. One type camera intended to be used only with a film cassette containing an unexposed filmstrip includes single indication means for providing a visible indication similar only to the one the film cassette provides that the filmstrip inside the cassette housing is unexposed, to advise that the camera can be used only with a film cassette containing an unexposed filmstrip.

Abstract: A battery especially useful in single use cameras has the insulative layer or wrapping removed therefrom to expose the metal jacket of the battery which functions as the positive terminal of the battery. The battery is then slid longitudinally into a cylindrical cavity in the camera to axially engage a first contact with the negative terminal of the battery and to be engaged radially by a second contact which contacts the metal jacket. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the metal jacket is contacted at a point between a groove in the jacket and a second end face of the battery which is unitary with the metal jacket. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second contact has a spring arm with an edge which engages a wall of the groove so as to prevent removal of the battery by the customer.

Abstract: A metered film holding device in a camera comprising a metered film holding element supported to enter a film perforation in a metered filmstrip to substantially prevent unintended movement of the filmstrip, is characterized in that the metered film holding element is a ball supported to roll in place continuously in contact with the filmstrip when the filmstrip is advanced in the camera. The ball has a diameter greater than a maximum dimension of the film perforation in order to be able to roll only partly into the film perforation.

Abstract: A camera for use with a film cassette having a light lock to be closed when a filmstrip is wound completely into the cassette and to be open when the filmstrip is outside the cassette, is characterized in that a closing part biased to close the light lock is supported for movement to be positioned against the filmstrip to be restrained by the filmstrip from closing the light lock when the filmstrip is outside the cassette and to be positioned across a particular space formerly occupied by the filmstrip to close the light lock when the filmstrip is wound completely into the cassette.

Abstract: A display package assembly comprising a main closed portion housing a camera, and another closed portion housing a consumable such as a film cartridge and/or one or more batteries, is characterized in that the main portion housing the camera is permanently sealed to prevent removal of the camera from the main portion without breaking open the main portion, and the other portion housing the consumable has a removable cover to permit the other portion to be opened and re-closed to replace the consumable without breaking open the other portion.

Abstract: A camera comprises a film winding knob manually rotatable to rotate a spool to wind a filmstrip onto the spool, a clutching mechanism located between the film winding knob and the spool for allowing the film winding knob to be manually rotated without rotating the spool, and a shutter release button manually depressible to initiate picture-taking. The clutching mechanism includes a clutch component supported to be depressed to initiate picture-taking responsive to manual depression of the shutter release button.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a film cassette having a light lock pivoted open to permit film movement into the cassette interior and pivoted closed to prevent ambient light from entering the cassette interior and a locking pawl movable into engagement with the light lock when the light lock is closed to secure the light lock closed and movable out of engagement with the light lock when the light lock is closed to permit the light lock to be pivoted open, is characterized in that a driver is moveable in engagement with the light lock to pivot the light lock closed to allow the locking pawl to move into engagement with the light lock and has a void which prevents the driver from moving the locking pawl out of engagement with the light lock, whereby the driver can be pushed against the film cassette to push the film cassette out of the camera without any possibility of the driver being moved in engagement with the light lock to pivot the light lock open.

Abstract: A unibody viewfinder for use in a single use camera includes a pair of optically aligned lenses integrally connected to a support structure which may, for instance, be at least a portion of the top surface of such a camera. A mold and method for making the viewfinder in a single molding process includes means for retracting the lens-forming elements to allow release of the viewfinder despite the presence of undercuts in the finished product. A process for recycling a single use camera having such a unibody viewfinder also is disclosed.

Abstract: A camera is provided with a front flip-up flash unit and a rear flip-up flash retainer having front and rear viewfinder openings that are aligned to view a subject to be photographed when the flash unit and the flash retainer are flipped up. If the flash unit is folded down for storage, the flash retainer is folded over the flash unit to secure the flash unit in place.

Abstract: A cassette retaining apparatus comprises a holding chamber into which a film cassette is to be inserted and from which the cassette may be removed, and retaining means biased into engagement with the film cassette to retain the cassette in the chamber. The retaining means exerts one force to be biased into engagement with the film cassette, which force incidentally resists insertion of the cassette into the chamber though is relatively weak to make it easy to manually insert the cassette into the chamber, and exerts another force to be biased into engagement with the film cassette, which force incidentally resists removal of the cassette from the chamber and is relatively strong to make it difficult for the cassette to be unintentionally dislodged from the chamber.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprises a housing having a film exit slit, and a film roll support rotatable inside the housing to unwind a filmstrip beginning with a film leader having several frame lengths from the film roll support to allow the film leader to be moved outwardly through the slit to accomplish film loading in a camera. A visible film-loaded indicator is located to be seen through a window in a camera. A cover strip covers the indicator to prevent the indicator from being seen. A tether has a forward portion located at the slit for releasably engaging the film leader and a rearward portion releaseably engaging the cover strip. An engageable portion is located on the film leader for engagement with the forward portion of the tether as the film leader is moved outwardly through the slit, to make the tether move with the film leader to draw the cover strip off the indicator when the film leader is moved out of the housing sufficiently to accomplish film loading in a camera.

Abstract: A photographic camera, system and method are presented for producing a composite image or print from an exposed film frame and a selected prerecorded image. The prerecorded image is selected by the photographer at the time of exposure of the film frame (14) from a known set of prerecorded images. A selected identifier (18) is imprinted, for example, optically or magnetically onto the film (10, 10') commensurate with exposure of a photographic image onto the film frame (14). The coding is employed in a subsequent automated scanning, integrating and printing operation (79) to produce the desired composite image.

Abstract: A variable format viewfinder for a camera comprises a pair of masking blades at least one of which is movable relative to the other to change the format of the view through the viewfinder to match the format of a picture to be taken. One of the masking blades has a plurality of format-indicators which are individually uncovered by the other blade each time at least one of the masking blades is moved to change the format of the view through the viewfinder. This permits the uncovered indicator to be seen to identify the format of the picture to be taken.

Abstract: A film spool has a film-unwound verifier that produces an audible indication that a particular length of a filmstrip has been unwound from the spool.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprises a housing having a film exit slit, and a film roll support rotatable inside the housing to unwind a filmstrip beginning with a film leader having several frame lengths from the film roll support to permit the film leader to be moved outwardly through the slit to accomplish film loading in a camera. A visible film-loaded indicator is located on the exterior of the housing to be seen through a window in a camera. A flexible cover strip has an opaque portion covering the film-loaded indicator to prevent the indicator from being seen and a film engaging portion located at the slit. Engageable means is located on the film leader for engagement with the film engaging portion as the film leader is moved outwardly through the slit, to make the opaque portion be drawn off the film-loaded indicator to uncover the indicator when the film leader is moved out of the housing sufficiently to accomplish film loading in a camera.

Abstract: A camera for use with a film cassette having a movable light lock supported within a film egress/ingress slot to be moved closed after a filmstrip is wound into the cassette, comprises a cassette-receiving chamber, and a movable driver to be moved to close the light lock before the cassette is removed from the chamber. An exterior ingress opening to the chamber is provided to admit an insertion tool into the chamber to push the cassette out of the chamber. The driver has a weakened portion and is located for the tool to push the driver to force the cassette out of the chamber. Fixed means is located to break the weakened portion during movement of the driver, whereby the camera will be disabled.

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: Optical film encoding apparatus comprising an LED with a pair of wire leads, and means for supporting the LED including its wire leads to precisely position the LED opposite a filmstrip to be optically encoded, is characterized in that the supporting means supports each one of the wire leads suitably bent at multiple angles to prevent stray ambient light from following the wire leads towards the filmstrip. Preferably, the supporting means includes a lead spreader which supports the wire leads bent at an initial one of the multiple angles closest to the LED in opposite directions to dynamically balance the deformation forces applied to the wire leads due to their being bent. This is done to prevent the deformation forces from otherwise tending to shift the LED from being precisely positioned relative to the filmstrip.