Abstract: A camera comprising a shutter blade supported to move open to expose a frame on a filmstrip, a shutter actuator supported for movement to move the shutter blade open and for movement to be re-cocked, an actuating spring for urging the shutter actuator to move the shutter blade open, and a metering/re-cocking member having a metering pawl for engaging the filmstrip at a perforation during exposure of the frame, is characterized in that the metering/re-cocking member has a re-cocking portion and is supported for movement to move the re-cocking portion against the shutter actuator to move the shutter actuator to be re-cocked, a film tensioning spring urges the metering/re-cocking member, when the metering pawl engages the filmstrip at a perforation, to prevent the frame being exposed from shifting during exposure, and the shutter actuator is supported for movement to be spaced from the metering/re-cocking member, when the shutter actuator is re-cocked, to prevent the actuating spring from exerting any influence

Abstract: A film cartridge having a housing, a spool rotatable in film winding and unwinding directions within the housing, a film roll wound onto the spool and having a clock-springing tendency to urge the spool in the film unwinding direction, and an anti-backup pawl and cooperating ratchet teeth arranged on the housing and the spool for the pawl to engage any one of the ratchet teeth to prevent the clock-springing tendency of the film roll from urging the spool in the film unwinding direction and for the pawl to be disengaged from successive ones of the ratchet teeth when the spool is rotated in the film winding direction to wind the film roll onto the spool, is characterized in: that the housing includes a sheath that partially covers the film roll, that has a film passage opening, and that is resilient to permit the sheath to be flexed; and the pawl and the ratchet teeth are rigid and one of them is arranged on the sheath to allow the pawl and successive ones of the ratchet teeth to flex the sheath in order to dis

Abstract: A shutter mechanism comprising a shutter blade supported to move open and closed, a shutter actuator having an actuating striker and supported for movement to cause the actuating striker to strike the shutter blade to move the shutter blade open and for movement to be re-cocked, and a closing spring for moving the shutter blade closed, is characterized in that the shutter actuator is supported for unidirectional movement to cause the actuating striker to strike the shutter blade to move the shutter blade open and is supported to undergo a different direction of movement to move the actuating striker out of the way of the shutter blade to permit the shutter blade to be moved closed and to prevent the shutter blade from obstructing the actuating striker when the shutter actuator is re-cocked, and a guide device controls movement of the shutter actuator to effect the unidirectional movement and the different direction of movement of the shutter actuator.

Abstract: A combined frame counter and viewfinder unit comprising a pair of front and rear viewfinder lenses, a support piece having respective spaced slots that support the front and rear viewfinder lenses parallel to one another, and a counter wheel rotatable to provide a visible frame count, is characterized in that a top piece supports the counter wheel to be rotated immediately over the front and rear viewfinder lenses. This allows the counter wheel to hold the front and rear viewfinder lenses in the slots.

Abstract: A camera comprising an aperture through which ambient light is passed to cause a film exposure, a shutter blade pivotable open to uncover the aperture to permit ambient light to pass through the aperture and pivotable closed to re-cover the aperture and susceptible of being moved accidentally due to mechanical shock such as when the camera is dropped or jarred, and a shutter actuator movable to pivot the shutter blade open to uncover the aperture, is characterized in that a blocking device is positioned within a blocking range of the shutter blade to block the shutter blade from being pivoted open to uncover the aperture when the shutter blade is moved accidentally due to mechanical shock, and the shutter blade is supported to be moved out of the blocking range of the blocking device when the shutter actuator is moved to pivot the shutter blade open to uncover the aperture.

Abstract: A camera comprising a rotatably supported film winding wheel that has a series of teeth and is manually rotated in a film winding direction, and an anti-backup pawl that is resiliently supported for successive ones of the teeth to deflect the anti-backup pawl out of engagement with the respective teeth when the film winding wheel is manually rotated in the film winding direction and that continuously engages any one of the teeth to substantially prevent rotation of the film winding wheel in a reverse direction when it is attempted to manually rotate the film winding wheel in the reverse direction, is characterized in that the anti-backup pawl is connected with a catch and is resiliently supported for any one tooth that is engaging the anti-back up pawl to push the anti-backup pawl when it is attempted to manually rotate the film winding wheel in the reverse direction, and a fixed reinforcing stop is spaced from the catch to allow the anti-backup pawl to be deflected out of engagement with the respective teeth

Abstract: A frame counter comprising a counter wheel rotatable about an axis to change a frame count, and a counter actuator supported for movement in engagement with the counter wheel to rotate the counter wheel in a predetermined direction to change the frame count, is characterized in that the counter actuator is supported to be returned each time it rotates the counter wheel in the predetermined direction to change the frame count, and the counter wheel is supported to be non-rotationally displaced with respect to its axis to permit the counter actuator to be returned without reverse rotating the counter wheel to allow the frame count to remain unchanged. Preferably, the counter actuator when returned displaces the counter wheel off its axis to avoid reverse rotating the counter wheel. An anti-backup pawl engages the counter wheel to prevent reverse rotation of said counter wheel and is resilient to urge the counter wheel towards its axis.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera having a film take-up chamber, a film spool rotatable in the film take-up chamber, a film winding thumbwheel supported for winding rotation in coaxial engagement with the film spool to similarly rotate the film spool to take up an exposed filmstrip, and an anti-backup pawl for preventing unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel, is characterized in that the anti-backup pawl engages said film spool to prevent unwinding rotation of the film spool, in order to prevent unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel. Preferably, a film door closes the film take-up chamber, and the anti-backup pawl is supported on the film door to engage the film spool.

Abstract: A camera includes an closure having a frame with a pair of opposed tracks. The frame defines a passage for the cartridge and placements for open and closed active light lock states. The closure has a door with a pair of opposed margins in slideable engagement with the tracks. The door is slideable along the tracks from a closed position, to a locking position, and then to an open position. The closure has a driver having an active light lock key. The driver is movable relative to the frame from a first position in which the key is in a placement for the open state and a second position wherein the key is in a placement for the closed state. The sliding of the door from the closed position to the locking position moves the driver from the first position to the second position. Sliding of the door from the locking position to the open position retains the driver in the second position.

Abstract: A subassembly for a one-time-use camera includes a main body part that has a film take-up chamber adapted to receive a film spool and a film supply chamber for an unexposed film roll, a film winding thumbwheel supported for winding rotation in engagement with the film spool to similarly rotate the film spool to take up an exposed filmstrip, and an anti-backup pawl engageable with the thumbwheel to prevent unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel and disengageable from the thumbwheel to allow unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel to permit the film spool to be similarly rotated to unwind a fresh exposed filmstrip from the film spool to form the unexposed film roll. The film take-up chamber is configured to allow the film spool to be received in the film take-up chamber in a film unwinding position for unwinding rotation of the film spool and a different film winding position for winding rotation of the film spool.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism for a camera comprises a support including an integrally formed post and a retainer defining a path; a HEL with a projecting finger, the finger being movable along the path; and a shutter blade pivotally mounted on the post. The shutter blade has a lever portion and a masking portion and is movable into an exposure position by the finger. According to one embodiment the support is a camera frame. According to another embodiment the support is a mechanical plate.

Abstract: A subassembly for a one-time-use camera comprises a main body part that has a film take-up chamber adapted to receive a film spool and a film supply chamber for an unexposed film roll, a film winding thumbwheel supported for winding rotation in engagement with the film spool to similarly rotate the film spool to take up an exposed filmstrip, and an anti-backup pawl normally engaging the thumbwheel to prevent unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel and disengageable from the thumbwheel to allow unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel to permit the film spool to be similarly rotated to unwind a fresh unexposed filmstrip from the film spool to form the unexposed film roll. The film take-up chamber is configured to allow the film spool to be received in the film take-up chamber in a film unwinding position for unwinding rotation of the film spool and to be in a different film winding position for winding rotation of the film spool.

Abstract: A camera comprising a chamber for a film cassette having a film spool inside the cassette that is windingly rotated to progressively wind an exposed filmstrip into the cassette and a light lock that is to be closed after the exposed filmstrip is completely wound into the cassette, a rotatable film winder for windingly rotating the film spool, a film sensor urged against the exposed filmstrip before the exposed filmstrip is completely wound into the cassette to sense the presence of the exposed filmstrip, and a closing mechanism movable to close the light lock when the exposed filmstrip is completely wound into the cassette, is characterized in that the film winder has an urging component that urges the film sensor against the exposed filmstrip only when the film winder is rotated, whereby the film sensor is not urged against the exposed filmstrip when the film winder is stationary. Thus, the film sensor will not distort the filmstrip during exposure.

Abstract: A camera comprising a chamber for a film cassette having a film spool inside the cassette that is windingly rotated to progressively wind an exposed filmstrip into the cassette and a light lock that is to be closed after the exposed filmstrip is completely wound into the cassette, a rotatable film winder for windingly rotating the film spool, and a closing mechanism operated to close the light lock, is characterized in that the film winder has a single, distinct, dual-function part configured on the film winder to engage the film spool in order to windingly rotate the film spool and to engage the closing mechanism to operate the closing mechanism.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a filmstrip having a certain width and a film leader for the filmstrip having another width that is greater than the width of the filmstrip, a film-exposure backframe opening, a pair of parallel film edge guides located apart from each other a distance substantially equal to the width of the filmstrip to guide the filmstrip over the backframe opening, and a pair of leader edge guides located parallel to the film edge guides and apart from each other a distance less than the width of the wider leader, but greater than the distance separating the film edge guides, in order to make the wider leader be bent widthwise at opposite longitudinal edge portions of the wider leader between the film edge guides and the leader edge guides, whereby the wider leader is prevented from having to significantly increase the size of the one-time-use camera.

Abstract: A camera comprising a main body part having a chamber for holding an exposed filmstrip wound into a exposed film roll, and a film winding thumbwheel for winding the exposed filmstrip into the exposed film roll, is characterized in that the main body part has a film egress opening at one end of the chamber which is dimensioned to allow the exposed film roll to be unloaded from the chamber through the film egress opening, and the film winding thumbwheel light-tightly seals the chamber at the film egress opening and is removable to permit the exposed film roll to be unloaded from the chamber.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera which comprises a first part including a film winding thumbwheel rotatably supported for winding and unwinding rotation, and a second part assembled to the first part and including a resilient anti-backup pawl for engaging the thumbwheel to prevent unwinding rotation of the thumbwheel, is characterized in that the first part has a deflector arranged to deflect the anti-backup pawl to prevent the anti-backup pawl from engaging the thumbwheel during assembly of the first part to the second part and to allow the anti-backup pawl to engage the thumbwheel when the first part is assembled to the second part.

Abstract: A camera includes a chamber for receiving a film cartridge having a light-lock movable between open and closed positions, a chamber cover movable between a closed position covering the chamber and an open position uncovering the chamber, and manually operable means for releasing the chamber cover to move from its closed position to its open position. An ejector is provided for ejecting the film cartridge at least part way out of the chamber. An actuating member is sized and positioned such that it can be moved by the releasing means to both actuate the ejector to eject the cartridge from the chamber, and move the light-lock from its open to closed position.

Abstract: A film door restraint and camera used with a film door having a tappet movable between latched and unlatched positions, a film cartridge having a filmstrip and an active light lock movable between open and closed states, and a cartridge spool driver movable in first and second directions of rotation to rotate a spool of said cartridge. The film door restraint has a toggle, a rotational member, and a follower. The toggle is coupled to the active light lock and is capable of tripping between an open position, in which the active light lock is open, and a closed position, in which the active light lock is closed. The toggle is tripped by the tappet when the toggle is in the open position and the tappet is moved from the latched position to the unlatched position. The rotational member is joined to the spool driver for rotation with the spool driver. The rotational member defines primary and secondary guideways.

Abstract: A motorized camera comprising a bi-directional film drive motor having respective direction modes for film advance and for film rewind, and a movable door latch, is characterized in that the door latch is coupled with the motor to change the direction mode of the motor only when the door latch is moved.