Abstract: A shutter release is manually movable in opposite directions from an intermediate position to respective terminal positions to release a camera shutter to make an exposure. Thus, a user is provided two alternative ways to manually operate the shutter release rather than a single way.

Abstract: A storage assemblage is disclosed for cassettes each of which holds an image bearing medium having recorded images and for index print sheets each of which has printed pictures that match the images on the image bearing medium in one of the cassettes. According to the invention, there is provided one or more containers each of which includes a flat transparent cover and a flat back dimensioned to snugly hold an index print sheet between them with the pictures on the index print sheet visible through the cover. The back has a fulcrum projecting from one of edge of the back, and a nest open at an inner side of the back to receive a cassette and which projects from an outer side of the back to hold the cassette out of the way of the index print sheet.

Abstract: A camera body has a pair of right-hand and left-hand symmetric openings for alternatively receiving a manually actuated camera device, such as a shutter release, thereby allowing the camera body to be tailored selectively for right-hand or left-hand use of the manually actuated camera device.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool core supported for rotation in an unwinding direction about an axis, a filmstrip coiled about the spool core to form a film roll, and annular constraining means supported for rotation about the axis of the spool core but inclined with respect to the axis to position the constraining means partially encircling an outermost convolution of the film roll to confine the outermost convolution and partially not encircling the outermost convolution to allow a leading end of the film roll to escape confinement of the outermost convolution when the spool core is rotated in the unwinding direction. The spool core and the annular constraining means include respective engagement means for engaging when the spool core is rotated in the unwinding direction, to make the constraining means rotate with the spool core in the same direction.

Abstract: A compact camera comprises a flash unit adapted to be flipped up from a camera body for use and flipped down towards the camera body for storage and having a viewfinder opening for viewing a subject to be photographed, and an elongate resiliently flexible supporting part for the flash unit constrained to be flexed longitudinally in opposite directions when the flash unit is flipped up and down to operate as an overcenter spring for urging the flash unit alternatively to flip up or down and having a viewfinder opening arranged to be located behind the viewfinder opening of the flash unit when the flash unit is flipped up. According to the invention, a non-flexible lens element is connected to the flexible supporting part over its viewfinder opening but only at in-line points spaced apart laterally across the supporting part, as opposed to longitudinally along the supporting part, to prevent the lens element from interfering with flexing of the supporting part longitudinally.

Abstract: In a compact camera having a flash unit that is flipped up from the camera body to separate the flash unit from a taking lens to reduce the possibility of red-eye during exposure, the flash unit is supported for further movement to increase its separation from the taking lens.

Abstract: A container is disclosed for a cassette holding an image bearing medium having a plurality of images recorded on it and for an index print sheet on which are printed a plurality of pictures that match the plurality of images on the image bearing medium. According to the invention, the container comprises a transparent sheet-like cover having a length and width slightly larger than corresponding dimensions of the index print sheet to closely overlay the index print sheet, and a sheet-like back having a length and width similar to the length and width of the cover to store the index print snugly between the cover and the back with the plurality of pictures on the index print sheet visible only through the cover. The back includes an integrally formed nest blown outward to hold the cassette out of the way of the index print sheet.

Abstract: An attitude sensor for determining camera orientation comprises gravity responsive means supported for movement to various positions in accordance with changes in camera orientation and fixed means for determining the gravity responsive means has moved to anyone of its positions. The gravity responsive means includes a plurality of discrete sections which have different degrees of light reflectivity or light transmissivity and are arranged to alternately occupy a predetermined location when the gravity responsive means is moved to respective ones of its positions. The fixed means includes photo-emitting means for directing light to whichever one of the discrete sections of the gravity responsive is occupying the predetermined location and photo-responsive means for providing a measure of light reflected from or transmitted by that one section.

Abstract: A group of film cassettes individually comprise a rotary disk, a bar code on the disk having alternating spaces and bars which when optically detected can provide film-related information and a measure of the angular position of the disk, and eye detectable film exposure status indicia and a corresponding indicator one of which is on the disk and the other is fixed to align respective ones of the exposure status indicia and the indicator in accordance with the angular position of the disk. The bar code is visible substantially only to infrared radiation to make it essentially invisible to the human eye but to allow it to be optically detected with infrared radiation, and has at least one space and/or bar with the same location on the disk for each of the cassettes.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a cartridge shell has respective sections that are asssembled together to define an internal film chamber and a film passageway leading out of the chamber. A light-trapping material is located in the passageway to prevent ambient light from entering the chamber. According to the invention, at least one of the shell sections has a frame device hingedly connected to the one section for folding against the one section to secure the light-trapping material in place and for unfolding to release the light-trapping material to permit it to be removed.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a spool is supported for rotation in an unwinding direction inside a cassette shell, a filmstrip is coiled about the spool to form a film roll with an outermost convolution having a leading end, a pair of flanges are coaxially arranged along the spool with respective peripheral annular lips overlapping the outermost convolution adjacent opposite longitudinal edges of the outermost convolution to radially confine the film roll, respective notches are cut in the longitudinal edges at individual locations nearby the leading end which receive sections of the annular lips to allow sections of the longitudinal edges between the notches and the leading end to overlap the annular lips to hold the leading end spaced from a next-inward convolution of the film roll, and a stripper is positioned closer to one of the longitudinal edges than to the other for receipt between the leading end and the next-inward convolution to divert the leading end into a passageway out of the shell when the spool is rota

Abstract: A film assemblage comprises a cassette shell having a film ingress/egress slot through which a leading section of a filmstrip coiled in a roll inside the shell may be moved outside the shell, and a pull-strip for engaging the leading section which can be manually pulled outwardly through the slot to similarly draw the leading section outside the shell. According to the invention, respective cooperating means are affixed to the shell and the pull-strip for constraining the pull-strip to be manually pulled around the exterior of the shell to draw the leading section of the filmstrip outwardly through the slot.

Abstract: A single-use camera comprises an exterior decorative cardboard casing having an open end, and a plastic light-tight camera housing arranged partly inside the exterior casing and having an end portion with a film cartridge receiving chamber located outside the exterior casing. According to the invention, the end portion of the camera housing includes chamber covering means supported for opening movement to undercover the cartridge receiving chamber without being obstructed by the exterior casing, whereby a film cartridge may be removed from the cartridge receiving chamber without first tearing the exterior casing off the camera housing.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a lighttight housing, a spool rotatably supported inside the housing, a filmstrip wound onto the spool, a film leader attached to a leading end of the filmstrip, and a sprocket coaxially connected to the spool with identical pitch teeth adapted to be received in respective perforations along an edge section of the leader wider than the filmstrip for advancing the leader (but not the filmstrip) from the housing when the sprocket and the spool are rotated in a film unwinding direction. Among the perforations that receive the teeth the perforation closest to the filmstrip is longer than the others to allow anyone of the teeth to readily enter that perforation when the leader is wound onto the spool after the filmstrip.

Abstract: In a compact camera, a deployable flash unit is supported at its opposite sides by a pair of pivotable slidable legs that collapse against the camera body when the flash unit is retracted to a storage position.

Abstract: A storage assemblage is disclosed for cassettes each of which contains an image bearing medium having recorded images and for index print sheets each of which has printed pictures that match the images on the image bearing medium in one of the cassettes. According to the invention, there is provided envelopes each of which is dimensioned to store an index print sheet with its printed pictures visible, holders each of which is shaped to store a cassette and includes means for engaging an envelope substantially at one of its edges to affix the holder to the envelope and for disengaging the envelope to release the holder from the envelope, and a storage base for the envelopes and the holders. Respective means on the envelopes and the storage base movably support the envelopes mutually aligned with their edges at which the holders engage the envelopes being located outermost.

Abstract: A container is disclosed for a cassette capable of advancing a filmstrip with visible recorded images through a film passageway out of the cassette responsive to unwinding rotation of a spool which supports the filmstrip inside the cassette and for an index print sheet with printed pictures that match the visible images on the filmstrip. The container comprises a transparent sheet-like cover having a length and width larger than corresponding dimensions of the index print sheet to overlay the index print sheet and a sheet-like back having a length and width similar to the length and width of the cover to store the index print snugly between the cover and the back with the printed pictures on the index print sheet visible through the cover. The cover and/or the back includes an integrally formed nest for storing the cassette and having an access opening arranged to be aligned with the spool and a film egress opening arranged to be aligned with the film passageway when the cassette is located in the nest.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a cassette shell and a film spool rotatably supported inside the shell. The spool has one end accessible from outside the shell for engagement to rotate the spool. An end cap is sized and shaped to cover the one end of the spool and can be removed from the shell to uncover the one end by pushing against a lip-like portion of the end cap that protrudes from the shell. A tamper-proof label is affixed to the shell and the end cap which is torn along a series of perforations when the end cap is separated from the shell.

Abstract: In a film cartridge, a shell-like enclosure and a lid are latchingly engaged when the lid is closed, to hold the lid closed, and are latchingly engaged when the lid is opened part way to allow film movement in and out of the enclosure, to prevent the lid from being opened farther. The enclosure and the lid can be disengaged to permit the lid to be opened farther or to be closed.