Abstract: A simple and compact opening and closing apparatus for a film cartridge which has a cylindrical body. The apparatus includes an opening section projecting over the body. The opening section has a film opening and a film cover which opens and closes the film opening. The apparatus also includes a chamber which holds the cartridge and has a loading opening for loading the cartridge into the chamber. A cartridge cover opens and closes the loading opening, and there is provided a lock for the film cover. A driver couples the cartridge cover, and a connector connects the lock with the driver so that the film cover is opened when the cartridge cover is closed. The connector is arranged in a concave area which is formed by the surface of the cylindrical body of the cartridge and the opening section projecting over the body.

Abstract: A camera wherein a finder cam follower and a flash cam follower are elastically pulled in a wide direction and are in contact with a cam surface of a cam. The cam rotates clockwise or counterclockwise following a zoom movement of a photographic lens. With the rotation of the cam, the finder cam follower moves, thereby moving a finder lens, and the flash cam follower moves, thereby moving a xenon flash lamp and a reflector.

Abstract: A device, having a planetary gear and a single motor, in use for switching and transmitting a driving force of the motor to any one of station gears and for driving each station gear in both rotational directions. The operation of locking levers for preventing a planetary gear from revolving around a sun gear is controlled by a cam. The cam is actuated by a driving force of the motor. A spring frictionally connecting the cam and an output shaft of a speed reduction system is interposed therebetween, and a magnet is disposed so as to restrict the movement of the cam when the motor rotates. A sun gear is connected with the output shaft of the speed reduction system with a "play" or gap in order that the rotation of the sun gear is reversed behind time corresponding to the play when the rotation of the motor is reversed, thus making it possible to start actuating the cam earlier than the sun gear for making sure that the locking levers are shifted.

Abstract: A mechanism, provided in a camera with a cartridge compartment to which a film cartridge having a light-intercepting door is loaded, which opens the light-intercepting door only if a cover of the cartridge compartment is closed. The mechanism has a film detecting lever which detects if a film is fed out of the film cartridge or not; and a switching lever, for opening and closing the cover in association with an opening and closing movement of the light-intercepting door of the film cartridge, whose operation is controlled by a position of the film detecting lever. That is, if the film detecting lever detects that the film is fed out of the film cartridge, the film detecting lever prevents the switching lever from being unlocked from the compartment cover, while if the film detecting lever detects that the film is not fed out of the film cartridge, the film detecting lever allows the switching lever to be unlocked from the compartment cover.

Abstract: A zoom viewfinder system for a single reflex camera comprises a relay optical system through which said first object image is formed as a second object image and plural reflecting members for reflecting light rays of said first object image, wherein the reflecting members except one reflecting member provided closest to a first object image is moved in order to adjust an angle of light rays of the first object image to the reflecting members. The zoom viewfinder system also comprises a holder for holding the reflecting members located parallel in the relay optical system in order to determine relative positions of the reflecting members precisely. The zoom viewfinder system further comprises holding members for holding plural parts of an optical system respectively, wherein each part is fixed to compose a viewfinder system, so that assembly and maintenance can be easy and the optical axis can be prevented from deviating.

Abstract: A cover-locking mechanism for locking a cover with respect to a cartridge compartment so that the cover is prevented from being opened when a film cartridge is accommodated inside the cartridge compartment with a film thereof being outside the film cartridge.The cover-locking mechanism is operated by using a driving force to drive either a film-feeding mechanism or a light-intercepting door of the cartridge disposed at an entrance/exit of the film thereof. If the mechanism is of a type of being operated by the driving force of the film-feeding mechanism, it is constructed to be controlled by a driving force to drive the film-feeding mechanism so that the cover is prevented from being opened when the film is outside the cartridge.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera body, the camera body including a cartridge compartment, the cartridge compartment having a cover, the cover being movable between an open and a closed position. The camera includes a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism having a locking state in which the cover is prevented from being moved to the open position from the closed position, even if an operation to open the cover is executed, and an unlocking state in which the cover is movable from the closed position to the open position. The camera further includes a drive mechanism which drives a photographing lens, and an actuating mechanism, the actuating mechanism being movable between a first and a second position of the actuating mechanism by the drive mechanism. The actuating member switches the lock mechanism to the locking state when the drive mechanism moves the actuating mechanism to the first position of the actuating mechanism.

Abstract: In a camera having a head for writing information onto a film or reading information written previously, the head is positioned beside an exposure aperture so as to contact the back surface of the film. At least one of a viewfinder mechanism, a light detecting section of a light measuring device and an auto-focusing distance measuring device is arranged in a space formed in front of the head so that the space is effectively used, to permit down-sizing of the camera.

Abstract: A float stopper is attached to the free end of a thermoplastic switch case constituting part of a liquid level sensor by forming the free end of the switch case into a hollow, cylindrically shaped projection, fitting the float stopper over the projection through a hole formed in the stopper and, forcibly inserting a caulking tool, heated to a temperature which is lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic material constituting the switch case, into the cylindrically shaped projection to soften and spread the projection until its outer surface abuts against the rim of the hole formed in the float stopper. Upon curing the spread portion of the caulking projection holds the float stopper rigidly in place with excellent mechanical strength.

Abstract: A fluid reservoir assembly including a reservoir cap for closing a cylindrical opening of the reservoir, the reservoir assembly including an outward flange formed on an outer periphery of an upper portion of the reservoir, nail members provided on the reservoir cap and having a tip portion bent radially inwardly, a biasing member biasing the nail members into engagement with the outward flange and a nail operating mechanism connected to the nail members for moving the nail members against the biasing member.