Abstract: A camera includes a film drive motor, that connected through a series of gears, drives a bi-directional moving control element. The moving control element is, in turn, mechanically linked to a shutter striker, shutter striker release mechanism, lens focus mechanism and aperture control mechanism. The film drive motor also drives a film advance gear mechanism and a film rewind gear mechanism. Under the control of an electronic control system, by selectively changing the rotation direction of the film advance motor, and hence the direction of travel of the moving control element, the moving control element is first driven in the forward direction to sequentially move a shutter striker to a cocked position and then to set a preferred picture taking position for the lens focusing mechanism and an aperture control mechanism.

Abstract: A compact camera includes lens cover doors movable between closed standby positions and open operating positions. A lens hood is movable between a retracted standby position and an extended operating position. The hood prevents extraneous light from entering the camera and the doors protect the lens. The doors and hood are coupled by a cam system so they move simultaneously. Springs urge the doors and hood toward their operating positions, and a latch system retains the doors and hood in their standby positions. In the operating position, the doors are nested within and protected by the hood.

Abstract: A zoom lens assembly for a camera includes front and rear lens assemblies and a cam assembly mounted in a cylindrical lens barrel. Rotation of the cam assembly results in axial movement of the lens assemblies and change of the focal length. The cam assembly includes discrete front and rear sections respectively defining front lens and rear lens cam surfaces. The sections are attached together with the lens assemblies captured internally. Integral projections on the front lens assembly engage the front lens cam surface and axial grooves in the barrel. Integral projections on the rear lens assembly engage the rear lens cam surface and axial grooves in the front lens assembly. A coil spring urges the lens assemblies apart and against the cam surfaces.

Abstract: A low-cost remote control triggering mechanism for the shutter of a camera utilizes a remote control transmitter that utilizes a pulsed light emitting diode transmitter to generate triggering pulses having a predetermined pulse width and pulse spacing. A receiver at the camera receives the pulses and utilizes filtering, threshold detection and pulse width and interval criteria to distinguish triggering pulses from ambient light sources.

Abstract: An infrared ranging system for a battery-powered camera uses a light-emitting diode and associated pulse circuitry for producing a single ranging flash concentrated by a lens into a narrow cone of light generally centrally located in the field of view. The diode is powered by a capacitor bank charged in parallel and discharged in series to provide the necessary current pulse to the diode from a 2.0 volt system. The received pulse is concentrated on a photosensing diode by means of an infrared-passing lens to produce a voltage pulse related to amplitude of the reflected light, and hence to the range to a centrally located object in the field, this pulse being processed to set the state of one or more range-indicating latch circuits. The state of the latch circuits is used to govern the final setting of a driven adjustable focus lens. The system is equally applicable to setting the camera aperture in flash mode wherein the aperture is a range-dependent function.

Abstract: A packaged camera assembly comprises a camera enclosed by a clam shell container of elongated rectangular shape so that the container is at least about twice as long as it is wide. A camera is supported between closely confronting transparent main walls of front and rear sections of the clam shell container which have outwardly projecting pockets for receiving the front and rear halves respectively of the camera. The camera is supported in the container so that the long dimension of its front face angles at least about 45 degrees and preferably about 60 degrees from the narrow dimension of the container. The container preferably has a display card sandwiched between said transparent main walls, the card having an aperture through which the camera passes. The container has support means along its long and short margins to support the packaged assembly upright for display with its long dimension upright or horizontal.

Abstract: A camera has a housing with a multi-panel wrapper adhesively secured thereto. The wrapper is printed on its outer face with markings, indicia or decorations desired. The wrapper has front, top, bottom and side panels arranged to be applied to like walls of the housing. Joint portions and tabs extend from the panels to cover bevels occurring at the margins of the housing walls. The camera has a side mounted viewfinder and a notch in the side panel to facilitate application of the wrapper on the housing. The wrapper is made from an integral sheet of plastic material cut to the dimensions of the housing walls.

Abstract: A substantially shortened camera for use with the 110 cassette is achieved by removing the customary dispensing spool chamber from the camera entirely, and by configuring the outer surface of the imaging station wall to closely correspond to the confronting wall of the dispensing chamber of the cassette. The rear portion of the camera is completely open to allow direct insertion of a cassette, and the customary loading door is completely eliminated. A storable slide is insertable to be captively retained by slide-engaging grooves so that the slide when inserted covers the otherwise open back of the camera. The slide retaining grooves are configured to lie in the film plane of an inserted cassette so that an inserted slide will strike a film-engaging cocking lever to actuate it to a cocking position. Insertion of the slide thus cocks the system for testing shutter operation with the cassette removed.

Abstract: A simplified miniature camera features a spring-actuated shutter-striking slider member having a film-engaging finger integral therewith for engaging a film during film advance to move the striker member to an energized position. The slider member energizing spring is disposed to provide not only translational urging to the slider member, but also rotational urging to provide such film engagement. The film engaging member, as well as an arresting pawl configured to arresting engage the takeup spool gearing drive are all integral in a one-piece slider member slidably mounted to a post in the camera body. Exposure is initiated by operator actuation of a rotatable control member rotating the sliding member to disengage the film-engaging finger from its captured state in a film perforation, thereby releasing the slide to strike an impulse shutter.

Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled exposure control system for a camera uses a modified analogue-to-digital ramp-type converter to trigger an amplitive comparator after a time lapse proportional to the scene brightness as sensed by a photosensor. The comparator output is interrogated at a rate algorithmically governed according to filmspeed sensings to provide an interrogation rate proportional to the filmspeed. A running tally of the number of interrogations until the comparator triggers is kept in memory storage, the resulting number being a digital representation of the filmspeed-scene brightness product. The need for algorithmic multiplication of the digital representations of these two numbers is eliminated.

Abstract: An electrically operated camera is operated automatically from between far-focus and near-focus lens settings responsively to ambient light sensings. The far-focus lens setting is less than infinity. Under strong lighting conditions, the aperture is automatically set between a range of values, the largest of which is no greater than the hyperfocal aperture value corresponding to the far-focus setting of the lens, thereby setting the outer boundary of the depth of field at infinity. In weak light, a flash system is automatically enabled, the lens is set to a near-focus position, and the aperture is automatically set at its maximum value. Timed energization of a single electrically operated solenoid is used to establish all settings in both modes.

Abstract: An automatic focusing camera is operated between daylight and flash modes automatically responsively to ambient light photosensings. The lens is operable between a near-focus setting and a far-focus setting, taking the far-focus setting automatically in the daylight mode. In flash mode the aperture is automatically set to its maximum value, whereas in daylight mode the aperture is automatically set to one of at least two reduced aperture settings. The largest aperture setting in daylight mode is the hyperfocal aperture setting corresponding to the far-focus lens setting. A further reduction in aperture below the hyperfocal value is governed by a filmspeed entry system and ambient light sensings. The changeover threshold between daylight and flash mode is also governed by the filmspeed entry system.

Abstract: A delayed shutter actuation system for cameras providing from pre-flash or ambient light sensings automatic focusing control, automatic aperture control, or both, features a spring-energized shutter slide member coupled to a velocity limiter over an initial portion of the release stroke. A spring-driven focus control member, or a spring-driven exposure control member, or both, are coupled through movable regulator members to the shutter slide through lost motion couplings so that their respective movement rates are governed by the velocity limiter until they are locked in proper position by electrically controlled locks controlled responsively to such sensings. During a terminal portion of the motion of the shutter slide the velocity limiter automatically disengages to allow an unimpeded motion of the slide to actuate the shutter.

Abstract: A camera shutter cocking system employs a specially configured cam driven synchronously with a film-engaging sprocket to actuate a shutter cocking lever from a released to a shutter cocking condition by means of a cam follower mounted on the cocking lever. The cam preferably has two lobes, each configured to maintain the shutter cocking load on an electric motor drive system generally constant throughout substantially the entire film advancing operation. Excessive terminal overspeed of the motor drive system is thereby suppressed. A one-way clutch between the cam and the sprocket disengages the shutter cocking system from the motor drive during rewind and traps the cocking lever in a released position, thus preventing multiple double exposure of the film if the shutter release button is accidentally held down by the user during this operation.

Abstract: The camera preferably has a slotted take-up spool which when the film compartment covering door is opened is automatically rotated into an ideal position where a hook in a film-capturing slot thereof has an outward facing orientation ideal for capturing a film leader perforation when the film leader is inserted therein. The slot is preferably configured as a lengthwise passage leading into a hollow axially disposed chamber within the take-up spool, the trailing edge of the slot nearest the imaging station being provided with the hook. This edge is positioned so that it does not come into confronting engagement with the film during initial advance thereof until the film is firmly captively secured over the hook.

Abstract: A completely mechanical disc film camera features film advance and shutter actuation by direct mechanical coupling to an external shutter release button. Shutter button actuation is automatically blocked after the fifteenth frame so as to prevent double exposure and film tearing. Selective film-flattening back pressure is applied to the disc film cassette during the terminal phase of the shutter depression stroke immediately prior to shutter tripping so as to hold the film in the proper imaging plane. Back pressure is released during the film advancing phase to as to relieve system loads and avoid film scratching. The film advance is secured by the oscillatory movement of a film notch engaging pawl carried by a claw driven into oscillatory motion by operation of the shutter button. Means are provided for coupling additional mass to the claw during the terminal phase of the film advancing stroke to reduce the speed of film advance, thereby providing protection against film overtravel.