Abstract: The invention is directed to an engaging mechnism. The engaging mechanism comprises a cam element which moves upon modification of an engaging position, a cam follower abutted against a cam surface of the cam element, a detecting element for detecting a position of the cam follower, and a section to be detected provided on the cam follower, for giving at least three different kinds of output values to the detecting element.

Abstract: A variable illuminating angle mechanism which can vary the illuminating angle of a flash unit. The variable illuminating angle mechanism includes a device which prevents a light emitting body or an illuminating lens from being moved in excess of a range of normal movement. The variable illuminating angle mechanism includes a drive shaft having a screw thread formed on a circumferential surface of the drive shaft and a drive device to rotationally drive the drive shaft. A transmission member in threaded connection to the drive shaft is moved by rotation of the drive shaft, and a transmission device moves the light emitting unit or the illuminating lens via movement of the transmission member. An escape device is positioned at at least one end of the drive shaft to disconnect the transmission member from the drive shaft when the transmission member is moved beyond a normal operating range of the light emitting unit or illuminating lens.

Abstract: A field frame changeover mechanism suitable for a single-lens reflex camera, which allows clear confirmation of the photo range without increasing the size of the camera. The mechanism has darkening plates movable between a darkening position where the plates cover a part of the focusing screen and an open position where the focusing screen is uncovered by the plates. When the mirror which reflects the light transmitted from the photo-taking lens of the camera to the optical system of the viewfinder of the camera moves from an observation position located in the path of light transmitted through the photo-taking lens to a photo-taking position, the darkening plates retract from the locus of the mirror's movement in a correlated manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-use camera comprising a mechanism for repetitive flashing not connected to shutter operation.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photographic film unit has a main body which is provided with a film supply chamber and a film take-up chamber on opposite horizontal sides of an exposure chamber. A portion of the film unit including the exposure chamber and the film supply chamber is reduced in thickness. The front cover which is attached to the main body has a grip projection having the same shape as the film take-up chamber and a flat portion located in front of the exposure chamber and the film supply chamber. The flat portion is recessed with respect to the grip portion so as to reduce the thickness of most of the film unit. The grip projection makes it possible to hold the film unit with ease. The film unit is surrounded by an outer cover which exposes the grip projection.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus which is capable of maintaining a predetermined clearance between a printing surface of a printing object and an ink-jet head, includes a printing object mounting portion, on which the printing object is mounted, an ink-jet unit provided so as to be capable of relative movement in an opposing direction with respect to the printing object mounting portion, and mounting an ink-jet head which can oppose the printing surface of the printing object, shifting means for shifting the ink-jet unit mounting portion relative to the printing object mounting portion in the opposing direction, and a clearance adjusting sensor provided at the side of the ink-jet unit mounting portion so as to be capable of contacting the printing surface of the printing object.

Abstract: A camera for use with a compact film cartridge having a battery arranged in the front end portion of a grip portion, and a cartridge chamber in which a compact film cartridge is stored is arranged at the boundary between the grip portion and a camera body. A motor is arranged between the battery and the cartridge chamber. A main capacitor for causing an electronic flash to emit light is horizontally arranged above the cartridge chambers and motor. In the camera arranged as described above, although the camera body and a lens barrel are smaller than those of a conventional camera in order to achieve miniaturization commensurate with miniaturization of the film, the grip portion has a size and height which are equal to those of the grip portion of the conventional camera. Accordingly, in the camera, of the present invention a release operation can be easily performed, and a shape having good holding properties can be obtained.

Abstract: A camera includes (i) a detection circuit for detecting a relative moving state or a vibrating state between the camera and an object and (ii) a focusing adjustment apparatus for focusing on the object. The focusing adjustment apparatus is capable of performing a focusing operation in different focusing areas and locking the focusing area to a predetermined focusing area based on a result of a detection by the detection circuit.

Abstract: An ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Abstract: The camera has an enlarged macro photographic range and the control method for the camera controls the diaphragm, enlarges the photographic range and takes the photograph of the object a the flash, so that a photograph having a suitable exposure can be obtained. The camera includes a switch block, a motor driving circuit, a micro controller, an automatic distance measuring circuit, a brightness measuring circuit and a strobo.

Abstract: An ultra high resolution photographic printing system that generates and rasterizes multiple sub-images synchronized with positioning coordinates that program a moving-matrix light valve during sequentially timed exposures. Diagonal displacement masking operations prepare a 16384.times.12288 ultra high resolution image for bicubic resampling that generates four unique 4096.times.3072 intermediate images. These four intermediate images are sieve-sorted based on X and Y modal logic into four unique image sets of 16 unique 1024.times.768 raster images per set. Each of the 64 unique images sequentially reconstruct a unique "window screen view" of the original high resolution image as dictated by the geometry of the moving-matrix light valve. The moving-matrix light valve is positioned with dual axis micro-stepping motors and leadscrew assemblies. The serial geometry of the light valve RGB elements is sequentially converted to parallel geometry in the printed image.

Abstract: The channels through which ink flows to the firing chambers of an ink-jet printhead are provided with selectively controlled valves for restricting flow at specified times for reducing blowback from the firing chamber while decreasing the turn on energy of the printhead.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing images from a liquid crystal display included within an image capture device including a source of fluorescent light; a liquid crystal display responsive to fluorescent light from the source for producing an image captured by the image capture device; a printer which includes photosensitive media which is adapted to be illuminated by the fluorescent light image from the liquid crystal display; and a filter disposed within the printer for correcting color error in the fluorescent light image prior to its illumination of the photosensitive media.

Abstract: In a camera of the present invention, when a shutter button is depressed half, a focusing and a photometry are executed. If the shutter button is held in a state of being depressed half, the results are retained. In this case, if an MF button is depressed, the photometry result is retained while the MF button 48 is being depressed, even if the shutter button is released. When the shutter button is depressed half again, only the photometry is performed.

Abstract: A stereo camera is designed to photograph images of an object on a plurality of frames and includes a device for securing focus detecting data of a distance to a chief object and a data recording device for recording parallax data derived from the focus detecting data or data capable of finding the parallax data on an image recording medium. A printing system for stereoscopic photography is such that images to be printed are recorded on the image recording medium by the stereo camera, and has a device for using the parallax data, as data independent of a photographic image, derived from the focus detecting data of the distance to the chief object or the data capable of finding the parallax data to automatically adjust the position of a combined image.

Abstract: An ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Abstract: A camera including a camera body, a lens barrel, a power supply source to supply power to circuits of the camera, and a main switch to switch the power supply source between a power supplied status and power-not-supplied status. The lens barrel has a first position which is where the lens barrel is completely retracted within the camera body, a second position which is where the lens barrel is set when the main switch has gone into the power supplied status, and a reference position which is for positional control of the lens barrel with respect to the camera body. The reference position is between the first position and the second position of the lens barrel. If a new battery is inserted into the camera, the lens barrel is not moved, thereby preventing a camera holder from dropping the camera.

Abstract: A flashlight control apparatus having a device for emitting flashlight towards a subject and a device for receiving the light reflected from the subject through a photographing lens. An output is generated which corresponds to the received light which is time-integrated in order to calculate the amount of light received. An optimum integration level is calculated which is to be integrated. This optimum integration level corresponds to an optimum quantity of flashlight to be emitted by the emitting means, based on film speed information. A time limit is also calculated, which is shorter, by a predetermined length of time, than an optimum emission time of the emitting device. This optimum emission time is based on aperture value information and object distance information. The emitting device is controlled to stop emitting flashlight when the time limit elapses, in the case where a quantity of light received by the light receiving devices has reached an optimum quantity before the time limit elapses.

Abstract: A compact focus state detection device having a plurality of focus state detection areas at the center of and away from the center of the photo field. A first focus state detection optical system has focus state detection areas away from the center of the photo field and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction from the center point. The optical axis of each re-imaging lens of the first focus state detection optical system is decentered toward the optical axis of the shooting lens from the center of each corresponding aperture stop. Therefore, when focus state detection light rays pass through the re-imaging lens, the exit direction of the light rays deflects toward the optical axis of the shooting lens.

Abstract: A camera with a visual line position detection device is capable of shortening the time required for auto focus detection and capable of more accurate selection of the focus detection point. The camera includes a focus detection device to output the results of distance measurements at a plurality of points where focus detection is possible and to detect focus for one of these points. A liquid crystal display device displays on a screen specified symbols overlapping the subject image on the positions corresponding to each of the points. A microprocessor accepts the results of the distance measurements from the focus detection system and selects one of the points based on the photographer visual line position as the point for focus detection among all the points whose distances are measured and on which focus detection is possible, excluding the points with an infinite focus distance.