Abstract: An auto wind motor control mechanism for a camera is provided which includes a user actuatable shutter release button (26) and a control switch (16) which upon closure thereof, activates a film advance motor (14) for advancing film disposed within the camera. A high energy lever (54) is provided which in response to movement of the shutter release button (26), sequentially actuates the switch (16) after actuating the shutter (24). A cam (36) serves to open the control switch (16) after the film has advanced a predetermined distance. The shutter release button (26) engages the lever (54) with first and second hooks (78 and 76). The lever (54) is released from the first hook (78) upon movement of the shutter release button (26) from its ready position towards its release position, whereby the shutter (24) is actuated. The lever (54) is then engaged by the second hook (76) until release of the button (26) by the user, whereby the lever (54) is released from the second hook (76) and the switch (16) is closed.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a light-shielding door for preventing ambient light from entering the cassette interior, a film spool supported for rotation in film unwinding and film winding directions, and a locking device supported for movement into engagement with the spool to secure the spool and out of engagement with the spool to release the spool. According to the invention, the door is supported for closing movement to prevent ambient light from entering the cassette interior and for opening movement, and includes cam means for moving the locking device into engagement with the spool responsive to closing movement of the door. Also, the locking device is resilient to permit it to be temporarily deformed should it be obstructed from being moved by the cam means to engage the spool and the light-shielding means is forcibly closed, or should it be engaging the spool and the spool is forcibly rotated in the film unwinding and winding directions.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprising a housing with 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, is characterized by verifier means for providing a visible indication only when the film leader is moved substantially completely through the slit, whereby the visual indication will verify that enough of the filmstrip has been unwound from the film roll support to accomplish film loading in a camera.

Abstract: A film and battery unit comprises a filmstrip having a photosensitive side with successive imaging areas at which respective exposures are to be made and a non-photosensitive side, and a thin, flat, flexible battery extending at least substantially along the non-photosensitive side of the filmstrip for providing electrical energy incidental to making the exposures, whereby the filmstrip and the flexible battery can be coiled into a roll inside a film cassette for example. Preferably, an adhesive releasably secures the flexible battery to the non-photosensitive side of the filmstrip to allow the flexible battery to be stripped from the filmstrip before the filmstrip is chemically processed to render the exposures visible.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprises a housing with a film exit slit, and a film roll support rotatable inside the housing to unwind a filmstrip beginning with a film leader to permit the film leader to be moved outwardly through the slit to accomplish film loading in a camera. According to one feature of the invention a protective strip is provided with a length and a width dimensioned to permit the protective strip to completely cover a non-emulsion side of successive frames of the filmstrip when individual ones of the frames are positioned outside the housing for exposure in a camera.

Abstract: A camera assemblage comprise a taking lens, a body section having a chamber and a front lens opening for the taking lens which is open to the chamber, and a light-baffle including a forward wall having an exposure opening and a plurality of baffle panels pivotably connected to the front wall for folding to fit the light-baffle into the chamber with the exposure opening behind the front lens opening. The forward wall is positioned to press the taking lens against the body section to clamp the taking lens within the chamber between the front lens opening and the exposure opening when the light-baffle is fit into the chamber.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a resistive heating element positioned to apply sufficient heat to a critical component of the camera, such as a plastic taking lens, to permanently damage the component when a battery in the camera is connected to the heating element, and a normally open switch which is closed to connect the battery and the heating element after the last available frame of a filmstrip in the camera has been exposed.

Abstract: A simple camera is disclosed without any film cassette or film spool. Instead, a filmstrip is stored in unexposed and exposed film chambers on respective film rolls. A light lock/film guide is rotated open to load the filmstrip into the unexposed film chamber, is closed to direct the filmstrip to the exposed film chamber, and is reopened to unload the filmstrip.

Abstract: A camera comprising a cassette-receiving chamber for holding a film cassette provided with a light lock which is to be completely closed before removing the cassette from the chamber, is characterized by built-in ejection means for forcibly ejecting the cassette from the chamber only when the light lock is completely closed.

Abstract: A recyclable single-use camera in which a front casing portion is separable from a main body portion to replace a taking lens during recycling of said camera, is characterized in that the taking lens has a front lens element and a rear lens element. The rear lens element is secured to the main body portion in order to prevent removal of the rear lens element. The front casing portion holds the front lens element in optical alignment with the rear lens element, and permits removal of the front lens element to allow it to be replaced whenever the front casing portion is separated from the main body portion during recycling of the camera.

Abstract: Magnetic record/reproduce apparatus for recording or reproducing information on a magnetic layer of a filmstrip in a camera, and more particularly, modular magnetic recording apparatus for optional attachment to photographic still cameras. Power and control signals supplied from within the module define the format and content of information recorded or reproduced from tracks in a substantially transparent magnetic layer. In one embodiment, the camera contains a record/reproduce head in the film transport path. In a further embodiment, the module contains the record/reproduce head, and the camera is adapted to receive the record/reproduced head in a record/reproduced aperture and position it in the film transport path on attachment of the module to the camera housing. In both embodiments, the magnetic head is preferably an elongated multi-head element array.

Abstract: To find a reference exposure located on a non-perforated leading and/or trailing portion of a filmstrip in conformity with picture-taking exposures made on the filmstrip between successive pairs of evenly spaced exposure-locating perforations in the filmstrip, a pair of perforation sensors are spaced apart a distance which is the same as the pitch of the exposure-locating perforations. When one of the two sensors detects an exposure-locating perforation and the other does not, the reference exposure made on the leading or trailing portion is found.

Abstract: A film transport mechanism for a camera comprises drive means for advancing a filmstrip beginning with a leading end portion along a defined film path from a film cartridge, and a perforation sensor for detecting a turn-around perforation in a trailing end portion of the filmstrip to initiate return of the filmstrip along the defined film path to the film cartridge. The perforation sensor has a sensing position in the defined film path to be received in the turn-around perforation when the turn-around perforation is advanced to the perforation sensor. A film divertor has a diverting position in the defined film path to direct a forward edge of the leading end portion of the filmstrip over the perforation sensor. A film presence sensor is located to sense the forward edge of the filmstrip after the film divertor directs the forward edge over the perforation sensor, for retracting the film divertor from the defined film path to allow the perforation sensor to be received in the turn-around perforation.

Abstract: A film cartridge has a folded-over tab protruding from a film egress slot in the form of a loop to be unfolded by a film leader moving outwardly through the slot and an electrically conductive patch located on the loop to be accessible for sensing only when the loop is unfolded. A sensor in a photographic camera or other film handling apparatus is positioned to detect the patch only when the loop is unfolded.