Patents Represented by Attorney Roger A. Fields

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  • Opened light-shielding door of film cassette overlaps extension of film gate device to bridge a gap between the cassette and gate device
    Patent number: 5473398
    Abstract: A light-shielding door of a film cassette when opened overlaps an extension of a film gate device to bridge a gap between the film cassette and the film gate device, to facilitate movement of a leading end of a filmstrip from the film cassette onto film support rails of the film gate device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Susan J. Metler, David C. Smart, Dennis R. Zander
  • Spool drive for film cartridge in single-use camera
    Patent number: 5471270
    Abstract: A single-use camera comprises a film cartridge including a cartridge shell and a film spool rotatably supported inside the shell with a cylindrical drive hub end axially protruding from the shell, and a manually rotatable film advance thumbwheel with an axially depending drive spindle engaging the drive hub end to rotate the spool. The cylindrical drive hub end has a pair of adjoining semi-cylindrical wall portions, one of which protrudes farther from the shell than the other. The drive spindle has a single semi-cylindrical wall portion matingly shaped to engage the cylindrical drive hub end at its pair of adjoining semi-cylindrical wall portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Edward N. Balling
  • Film transport mechanism for camera
    Patent number: 5467159
    Abstract: A film transport mechanism for a camera comprises a film take-up spool rotated to advance a filmstrip from a film cartridge onto the take-up spool, and a perforation sensor for detecting a turn-around perforation in a trailing end portion of the filmstrip to initiate return of the filmstrip from the take-up spool to the film cartridge. The perforation sensor is movable to a sensing position against the filmstrip to be able to drop into the turn-around perforation when the turn-around perforation is advanced to the perforation sensor. A film-on-spool sensor is located against an outermost convolution of the filmstrip as the filmstrip accumulates on the take-up spool, and is moved in response to increased accumulation of the filmstrip on the take-up spool to effect movement of the perforation sensor to its sensing position before the turn-around perforation can be advanced to the perforation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Joel S. Lawther
  • Fold-in information-bearing panel and fold-out write-on panel for outer cover of single-use camera
    Patent number: 5463439
    Abstract: A decorative outer cover for a camera body of a single-use camera comprises a single-piece information-bearing panel and write-on panel connected together at a common fold line. The information-bearing panel is located on top of the write-on panel to substantially conceal the write-on panel and is foldable beneath the write-on panel along the fold line to substantially reveal the write-on panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dennis R. Zander
  • Underwater single-use camera with guide to direct one's finger over obstruction during rotation of thumbwheel
    Patent number: 5461438
    Abstract: An underwater single-use camera comprises a water-resistant casing, and a thumbwheel positioned outside the casing to be manually rotated in a film winding direction. The casing has a protective raised sealing lip disposed at a location which would cause the raised lip to obstruct one's finger when the finger is moved in contact with the thumbwheel to rotate the thumbwheel in the film winding direction, and it has a guide positioned adjacent the thumbwheel to direct the finger over the raised lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jerry L. Hargrave
  • Camera with motorized film transport and alternative manual film rewind
    Patent number: 5453806
    Abstract: Disclosed is a camera with a motorized film transport for advancing a filmstrip out of and back into a film cassette and with an alternative manual film rewind to be used in case of a malfunction of the motorized film transport resulting from a film jam, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Wayne E. Stiehler
  • Single use photographic film package and camera
    Patent number: 5452033
    Abstract: A recyclable, single use photographic film package and camera comprising a light-tight camera mechanism having a frame forming exposure gate, a roll of unexposed film withdrawn from its cartridge and pre-wound on a film takeup spool disposed on one side of the exposure gate, the cartridge disposed on the other side of the exposure gate, and an externally operable film winding thumbwheel for winding the filmstrip through the exposure gate and back into its cartridge as the film is exposed frame by frame. When all frames are exposed, the exposed film is removed and processed, and the package is recycled by substituting a fresh film cartridge and new packaging for resale. To prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera mechanism by refilling it with other than genuine film, a component of the takeup spool is intentionally damaged upon winding the last image frame into the film cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Edward N. Balling, David A. Hodder
  • Driver device for opening light shield of film cassette biases light shield closed
    Patent number: 5452038
    Abstract: When a film cassette having a light shield that can be rotated open to permit film movement out of and into the cassette interior is loaded into a camera, a torsionally-compliant driver device of the camera for rotating the light shield open and closed is twisted, responsive to initial engagement with the light shield, to oppositely bias the light shield closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Douglas M. Csaszar, Christopher P. McCormick
  • Apparatus and method for making a reference exposure on a leading and/or trailing portion of a filmstrip
    Patent number: 5452055
    Abstract: To locate a reference exposure on a non-perforated leading and/or trailing portion of a filmstrip in conformity with scene exposures associated with respective 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 leading or trailing portion is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: David C. Smart
  • Film spool with internal flexures to engage and release film end
    Patent number: 5449125
    Abstract: A film spool comprises a rigid spool core having a slot, first and second resilient flexures located inside the slot for flexing away from each other in response to axial compression at opposite ends of the flexures to permit a film end to be inserted between or removed from the flexures and being biased to return toward each other when the compression is removed, a film engagement protrusion projecting from the first flexure to between the first and second flexures to engage a film end to secure the film end to the spool core when the flexures are returned toward each other, and a film stripper protrusion projecting from the second flexure to between the first and second flexures to disengage a film end from the film engagement protrusion when the flexures are flexed away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stephen M. Reinke, Thomas P. Melanson
  • Light-shielding door of film cassette has notches that mate with film support rails of camera
    Patent number: 5450150
    Abstract: A light-shielding door of a film cassette has a pair of notches or indentations that mate with film support rails of a camera to facilitate movement of a leading end of a filmstrip from the film cassette onto the film support rails when the light-shielding door is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David C. Smart, Dennis R. Zander
  • Film spool with integral cantilever to engage and release film end
    Patent number: 5445343
    Abstract: A film spool comprises a spool core having a slot for receiving a film end, a cantilevered beam supported at only one end inside the slot to prevent movement of the beam along the slot and to allow the beam to be swung laterally within the slot, a film engagement protrusion projecting into the slot from either one of the spool core or the cantilevered beam to engage a film end within the slot, and a film stripper protrusion projecting into the slot from whichever one of the spool core or the cantilevered beam the film engagement protrusion does not project from to disengage a film end from the film engagement protrusion when the beam is swung laterally within the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Stephen M. Reinke
  • Internal film drive for thrusting film cartridge
    Patent number: 5445336
    Abstract: A film cartridge is provided with an internal mechanism for engaging and pulling a leading end of film from a roll to extend the film through a cartridge exit port. A one-way clutch, including a rotational element captured in a ramped cage, moves in one direction to capture the film between the ball and cage and advance the film through the exit. Movement in the opposite direction releases the film and repositions the clutch for the next advance. Still more specifically, the cartridge includes a second and opposite working one-way clutch for preventing premature retraction of the film. A release mechanism is employed for disabling both clutches when desired for intentional rewinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Daniel M. Pagano
  • Compact camera with cover for handle
    Patent number: 5436686
    Abstract: A compact camera has a flash unit/viewfinder which in a non-operative folded position covers a handle for the camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Desmond M. Walsh
  • Camera viewfinder with masking device for varying the viewing field
    Patent number: 5430517
    Abstract: A camera viewfinder comprises a viewfinder window defining a viewing field, and a masking device movable to position respective mask openings having different aspect ratios over the viewfinder window to vary the viewing field. The masking device includes a pair of separate independent masks, each of which has one of the mask openings and is movable relative to the other over the viewfinder window from respective locations at opposite sides of the viewfinder window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dennis R. Zander
  • Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of single-use camera and permitting authorized reuse of the camera
    Patent number: 5418585
    Abstract: When an exposure counter in a single-use camera indicates that the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera have been exposed, a function of the camera such as an electronic flash capability is disabled to prevent unauthorized recycling of the camera. A reset code must be inputted to the camera to initialize the exposure counter and to enable the electronic flash capability, to permit authorized reuse of the camera with another roll of film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dwight J. Petruchik, Clay A. Dunsmore
  • Camera with deployable cartridge receiving chamber
    Patent number: 5418587
    Abstract: A camera has a deployable cartridge receiving chamber that is supported for opening movement unidirectionally about one pivot and bidirectionally about another pivot point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Anthony DiRisio
  • Camera with flip up flash
    Patent number: D358831
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Tomio Kozu
  • Package for flash camera
    Patent number: D364561
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Steven S. Chapman, Daniel C. Jackson
  • Daylight camera
    Patent number: D364635
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Steven S. Chapman, John K. McBride, James G. Rydelek