Abstract: The improved light-sensitive material transporting device includes a belt conveyor for transporting a light-sensitive material as it is placed thereon; and an auxiliary belt conveyor that is driven in the same direction as a transport direction of the belt conveyor and which is spaced above the belt conveyor wherein a distance between the auxiliary belt conveyor and the belt conveyor decrease progressively from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the light-sensitive material. The light-sensitive material transporting device is capable of transporting the light-sensitive material in a consistent and smooth manner while correcting the "curls" it has. In addition, by adopting the device in the distributing section which distributes individual sheets of the light sensitive material into a plurality of rows, the pathlength of the light-sensitive material can be shortened while, at the same time, the cost of the apparatus is measurably reduced.

Abstract: A casing for a projection screen system that includes a fascia removable from the spine of the casing without the use of tools. The casing is provided with a roll locking hinge formed by a cooperating lip and socket furnished on the fascia and the spine. The roll locking hinge is configured to permit the fascia to be preliminarily mated with the spine when the fascia is disposed in an upwardly rotated arrangement. After the preliminary mating of the fascia with the spine, when subsequently rotated downward relative to the spine, the fascia is locked to the spine by the roll locking hinge, thereby preventing inadvertent fascia removal.

Abstract: A cartridge is disposed in a chamber of a cartridge receiving apparatus. An actuating member on the apparatus is moveable a first increment to initiate an apparatus operation and moveable a second increment. A latch is positioned to prevent the actuating member from being moved the second increment after it is moved the first increment. The actuating member is moved the second increment only when the cartridge is at least partially removed from the chamber. The cartridge receiving apparatus may further include a prevention member to prevent the chamber from receiving an exposed filmstrip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for simultaneously scanning a record medium by a plurality of laser beams includes a beam detector capable of simultaneously detecting all of the scanning laser spots, a position detector for detecting the arrival of the laser spots at a predetermined position in response to an output signal of said beam detector, and a distributor for distributing the beam position detection signal outputted by said position detector. The initiation of recording of the laser beams is controlled by the distributed beam position detection signal.

Abstract: A method and system for compensating for film unit defects. In the method, a film unit is manufactured that has a unique identifier and a predetermined image quality defect. The image quality defect is subject to compensation by a predetermined digital compensation. A logical memory unit is allocated to the film unit. The logical memory unit is remote from the film unit. The logical memory unit indicates the identifier and a plurality of photofinishing parameters for the film unit including the predetermined digital compensation.

Abstract: A camera including a hole drilled in the top surface of the outer housing member of the camera, a shaft extending across and fixed within the hole, a release button mounted within the hole in a manner such that the release button pivots about the shaft, a step formed within the hole to restrain the pivotal motion of the release button in one direction, a hole drilled in the top surface of the outer housing in the vicinity of the side where the pivotal motion of the release button is restrained by the step, and a photograph mode button mounted in the hole in a manner such that the photograph mode button is pressed to operate. With these plurality of operational members mounted in close vicinity, the camera not only imposes no complex operation on a photographer but also helps the photographer make less erratic operations.

Abstract: A camera frame assembly, for use with a roll of photographic film. The camera frame assembly has a frame having a film take-up chamber, a film roll chamber, and an intermediate section between the chambers. The film roll chamber defines a cylindrical film space. The film roll chamber has a throat exterior to the film space and a pair of opposed ends. A guard partially occludes the throat. The guard has a gate portion and a stem portion. The gate portion faces the intermediate section. The stem portion is joined in fixed relation to the throat. The stem portion has a pair of opposed margins. The margins are inset from the ends of the film roll chamber. The margins and the film roll chamber define at least one accessway extending through the throat and communicating with the film space.

Abstract: An opaque rear cover part for a one-time-use camera comprising a door cover portion and a remaining cover portion arranged to permit the door cover portion to be pivoted open relative to the remaining cover portion about a pivot axis, and a fracture line of weakness formed between the door cover portion and the remaining cover portion to create a break along the fracture line of weakness which permits the door cover portion to be separated from the remaining cover portion when the door cover portion is pivoted open, is characterized in that the fracture line of weakness is not coincident with the pivot axis in order to effect a shearing stress in addition to a bending stress at the fracture line of weakness, which causes the door cover portion to separate from the remaining cover portion when the door cover portion is pivoted open.

Abstract: A film edge driving film loader, film loading method, and related camera frame assembly. In the method, a filmstrip is loaded in a film roll chamber. The film roll chamber has a central axis. The filmstrip has a central region and a pair of opposed edges. The method includes the steps of: transporting the filmstrip into the film roll chamber; cinching a leading portion of the filmstrip; winding the filmstrip into a film roll about the axis; and during said cinching and winding steps, engaging the filmstrip only along a pair of opposed edges of the filmstrip.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprising a housing having an outer array of electrically sensible areas which can be sensed by a similar array of electrical probes in a camera, is characterized in that a masking slide is supported on the housing for movement between a non-masking position not covering the outer array of electrically sensible areas on the housing, to permit the electrical probes to sense the respective areas, and a masking position covering at least a portion of the outer array of electrically sensible areas, to prevent the electrical probes from sensing the covered areas. Optionally, the housing has an outer exposed film indicator, and the masking slide covers the exposed film indicator when the masking slide is in its non-masking position and uncovers the exposed film indicator when the masking slide is in its masking position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for producing a photographic image sequence showing an apparent movement of a camera in an x-axis direction, with respect to a filmed object, without actual movement of the camera along the x-axis.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for testing wind and trip in camera units for use with photographic film. Each camera unit encloses and defines a film path and includes a film driven preset member and a film spindle. The preset member extends into the film path. In the method, the film spindle of the camera unit is wound; and, in tandem with the winding, a film surrogate is propelled along the film path from a position upstream from the preset member to a position downstream from the preset member. During the propelling, the film surrogate is maintained in the film path.

Abstract: A camera having a viewfinder for viewing a subject to be photographed, and a flash unit for illuminating the subject which is supported for movement between an operative position in which the flash unit faces the subject and a storage position in which the flash unit does not face the subject, is characterized in that the viewfinder has an image-reflecting mirror that is arranged on the flash unit for movement with the flash unit to reflect an image of the subject when said flash unit is moved from the storage position to the operative position.

Abstract: A strobe circuit for use in a lens-fitted film unit is composed of a metallic thin plate punched in a circuit pattern; and insulating plate materials covering both obverse and reverse surfaces of the metallinc thin plate; wherein a part of the metallic thin plate is used as a component of the strobe circuit.

Abstract: Camera module device (1), which can be mounted onto a camera main body and that is used in a state in which it is mounted onto the camera main body, is provided with a circuit for generating data to be written, and thus camera main body (2) need not be equipped with a function for generating data to be written or a communication function for sending the generated data to camera module device (1). Camera main body (2) simply issues pulse signal X1 for a write instruction, and then data is generated by camera module device (1). Therefore, the camera main body can be made inexpensively. Furthermore, camera module device (1) is provided with a self-check function, and signal RD1 from camera main body (2) places this function in the active mode during photographic film loading. In this mode, circuit board (16) reads the data that has actually been written and determines whether or not the writing operation was performed correctly based on the comparison result of comparison circuit (162).

Abstract: In a shutter device having a first driving lever which engages a shutter blade and which is given an urging force by a first spring and a second driving lever which is given an urging force by a second spring and which pushes the first driving lever from behind during an exposure action, the shutter device comprises a charge mechanism which, after the exposure action is performed by the shutter blade, causes the first spring and the second spring to be overcharged by moving the first driving lever and the second driving lever to an overcharging position and which, after that, returns to an initial position, wherein the first driving lever and the second driving lever are arranged to be moved from the overcharging position to an exposure start position by the urging forces of the first spring and the second spring, and wherein, after moving the first driving lever and the second driving lever to the overcharging position, the charge mechanism is urged toward the initial position by the urging force of the seco

Abstract: A camera interlocking mechanism adjusts a visual field angle of a finder and/or an irradiation angle of a strobe in synchronization with a lens barrel being further extended from a photographable position upon telephoto photographing. A driving gear and a driven gear are provided with a thin tooth to temporarily keep a driving force of the driving gear from being transmitted to the driven gear, thus allowing the driving gear to idle. Consequently, a finder lens and a strobe flash bulb do not move more than necessary, whereby the space for installing the finder and strobe can be minimized, thus allowing the camera to have a smaller size.

Abstract: A double dial mechanism for a camera includes two coaxially-arranged rotatable dials, and two dial rotational position detecting mechanisms. The two dial rotational position detecting mechanisms are respectively arranged at positions that differ in an axial direction and overlap in a radial direction.

Abstract: A film supporting plate made of a plastic is formed with a window into which a head holder made of a metallic thin plate is inserted. The head holder has an opening for baring a magnetic head, and holds a head base on which the magnetic head is mounted. An adhesive is applied so as to extend from a peripheral face of the head base to a rear face of the head holder. When the adhesive is hardened, the head base adheres to the head holder and is fixed relative to the film supporting plate. A thickness of the head holder is thin in comparison with that of the film supporting plate. The head holder is fitted into a front portion of the window of the film supporting plate so that the head base enters the window. A protrusion amount of the head base toward the back side is reduced by an amount of the head base entering the window.

Abstract: When a switching lever is positioned for horizontal photographing, an exposure frame composed of two switching frames is switched to a horizontal photographing exposure frame. When the switching lever is positioned for vertical photographing, a wheel ring starts rotating about a photographic optical axis, and the switching frames start moving by the operation of elongated holes. When the switching lever is positioned for vertical photographing, the exposure frame composed of two switching frames is switched to a vertical photographing exposure frame.