Patents by Inventor Alan V. Vandemoere

Alan V. Vandemoere has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5600391
    Abstract: A unibody viewfinder for use in a single use camera includes a pair of optically aligned lenses integrally connected to a support structure which may, for instance, be at least a portion of the top surface of such a camera. A mold and method for making the viewfinder in a single molding process includes means for retracting the lens-forming elements to allow release of the viewfinder despite the presence of undercuts in the finished product. A process for recycling a single use camera having such a unibody viewfinder also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan V. VanDeMoere, Ralph M. Lyon, Edward N. Balling
  • Patent number: 5353165
    Abstract: A unibody viewfinder for use in a single use camera includes a pair of optically aligned lenses integrally connected to a support structure which may, for instance, be the top surface of such a camera. A mold and method for making the viewfinder in a single molding process includes means for retracting the lens-forming elements to allow release of the viewfinder despite the presence of undercuts in the finished product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan V. VanDeMoere, Ralph M. Lyon, Edward N. Balling
  • Patent number: 5294953
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for bringing a portrait camera having a fixed-focus taking lens into coincidence with an optimum camera-to-subject distance appropriate for the lens regardless of differences in the size of a person's head to be photographed. According to the invention, a finder frame through which a person's head may be viewed can be set to one of several alternative settings corresponding to respective head sizes, for example small, medium and large, to select the particular setting that best matches the size of a person's head to be photographed at the optimum camera-to-subject distance. Then, the specific distance between the portrait camera and the person's head to be photographed is adjusted until the person's head, when viewed through the finder frame, appears to fill the finder frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Alan V. VanDeMoere
  • Patent number: 5285228
    Abstract: A photographic film package comprises a camera pre-loaded with a roll film and including a non-opaque body section having an integral front finder lens for viewing a subject to be photographed, and an outer opaque packaging tightly encasing the camera and having a front opening for the front finder lens. The outer packaging is coated with a light-absorbent substance at a location along its inside surface, which is sufficiently absorbent to prevent ambient light transmitted through the front finder lens to the location from being reflected off the inside surface at least to the front finder lens. Consequently, the peripheral edge of the front finder lens will not appear to have undesireable bright spots as in prior art cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Alan V. VanDeMoere
  • Patent number: 5229808
    Abstract: In a photographic camera, a neutral density or other light reducing filter in the viewfinder obscures details of a subject viewed through the viewfinder in low light to provide a warning that ambient light is insufficient for a proper daylight exposure. The filter has little or no light reducing capability at a central portion and along a peripheral portion to serve as aiming and framing features, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan V. VanDeMoere, David A. Hodder
  • Patent number: 5229801
    Abstract: A portrait camera is intended to be used for picture-taking in a horizontal orientation and in a vertical orientation. When the camera is oriented horizontally, two head-finder circles or the like are visible in the field of view of the viewfinder to frame the respective heads of two people. When the camera is oriented vertically, only one of the head-finder circles is visible in the field of view of the viewfinder to frame the head of one person. Thus, two people are to be photographed when the camera is oriented horizontally, but only one person is to be photographed when the camera is oriented vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Alan V. VanDeMoere
  • Patent number: 5220372
    Abstract: A photographic camera comprising a camera housing which has an internal viewfinder tunnel with a frame finder opening in a front wall of the housing, and a taking lens extension projecting longitudinally from the front wall, is characterized in that the taking lens extension has a channel-like cut-out substantially along its length which converges rearwardly toward the frame finder opening to effectively extend the viewfinder tunnel to facilitate aiming the photographic camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Alan V. VanDeMoere
  • Patent number: 4901097
    Abstract: In a disposable single-use camera comprising an inner camera shell pre-loaded with film and an outer paper pack which substantially encloses the camera shell, a lens shade connected to the shell overlies the paper pack at the perimeter of an opening in the pack for the taking lens. Thus, the paper pack is secured flatly in place between the camera shell and the lens shade to prevent the pack from shifting into the field of view of the taking lens or bowing away from the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan V. Vandemoere, William H. Goddard, Ralph M. Lyon
  • Patent number: 4801957
    Abstract: A disposable single-use camera is generally of the type wherein an inner camera part is pre-loaded with film and includes a taking lens, and an outer sealed pack contains the camera part and has an opening for the taking lens. According to the invention, the inner camera part has flash synchronization access ports and the outer sealed pack is constructed of a perforable material which overlays the access ports. An accessory re-usable electronic flash unit intended for use with the disposable camera includes electrically conductive flash synchronization pins shaped to perforate the outer sealed pack to enter the access ports, whereby the flash unit is removably connected to the inner camera part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Alan V. Vandemoere