Abstract: A camera mechanism comprises a shutter blade movable to uncover and cover an exposure aperture; a primary spring connected to the shutter blade to normally move the shutter blade to cover the exposure aperture, but susceptible of becoming disconnected from the shutter blade, and a substitute spring connected to the shutter blade to alternatively move the shutter blade to cover the exposure aperture when the primary spring becomes disconnected from the shutter blade.

Abstract: A camera mechanism comprises a shutter blade movable to uncover and cover an exposure aperture; a primary spring connected to the shutter blade to normally move the shutter blade to cover the exposure aperture, but susceptible of becoming disconnected from the shutter blade; and a substitute spring connected to the shutter blade to alternatively move the shutter blade to cover the exposure aperture when the primary spring becomes disconnected from the shutter blade.

Abstract: An electronic flash unit has alternative (dual) capacitor switching to reduce flash ready time for flash firing.

Abstract: In a method for assembling, a component is critically positioned on a larger body, such as a camera. The component is joined to a predetermined attachment area of a support sheet. The support sheet is floated into alignment with a labeler head. The labeler head is positioned in alignment with a predetermined location on the body. The body is contacted with the support sheet and the component while maintaining the alignments. A camera can be maintained light-tight during the joining, floating, positioning, and contacting steps.

Abstract: A camera has a casing enclosing a film area. The casing has a stray light path into the film area due to a light transmissive region, such as a region of translucent material. The light transmissive region can be bounded by an obstruction to label placement. A label is adhered to the casing. The label has an opaque portion covering the transmissive region. The label can be aligned with an obstruction boundary and spaced from the obstruction boundary by 0.8 mm or less.

Abstract: A camera has a rear backframe (exposure) opening, including a pair of spaced opposite ends across which successive sections of a filmstrip are moved for each section of the filmstrip to be advanced over the backframe opening. A pair of parallel film rails have longitudinal film support surfaces that support each section of the filmstrip over the backframe opening. A pair of parallel film debris catching combs are positioned between the film rails, proximate respective ones of the opposite ends of the backframe opening, and inwardly of the longitudinal film support surfaces to remove any debris from each section of the filmstrip before that section is advanced over the backframe opening. One of the film debris catching combs preferably is positioned inwardly of the film support surfaces farther than the other comb.

Abstract: A camera has a body and a label adhered to the body. The body has a lens assembly including a taking lens. The taking lens defines an optical axis. The taking lens has at least one optical element. The optical element has a central part and a peripheral part. The lens assembly has a label receiving surface. The label receiving surface has an outer perimeter. The label receiving surface is free of obstructions to label-placement. The label is adhered to the label receiving surface in spaced relation to the outer perimeter. The label has a hole disposed substantially concentric with the optical axis. The label includes an opaque blocking portion surrounding the hole and overlapping the peripheral part.

Abstract: A camera has a body having a functional subsystem and first and second cover parts. The second cover part moves relative to the first cover part from a closed position to an unclosed position to open the body. A label has an attachment portion that is adhered to at least one of the cover parts. The label has a breakable component joined to the attachment portion. The attachment portion supports the breakable component on the body in operative relation to the functional subsystem. The attachment portion disrupts from a use configuration to a replacement configuration responsive to the moving of the secondary cover part. Responsive to this disrupting of the attachment portion, the breakable component breaks irreparably. In a method for recycling the camera, the camera is opened, destroying the breakable component. The exposed film is removed. Unexposed film is loaded. The camera is light-tightly closed and following the closing, the original label is replaced by a label having an intact breakable component.

Abstract: An improved camera has a label including an electrical component. The label is precisely placed and adhered to operatively and simply connect the component and a camera subsystem. The component can be a liquid crystal display. The electrical connection provided can be non-mating contact.

Abstract: A camera has a casing and a subsystem having a first mechanical element and a second mechanical element. The first mechanical element is movable relative to the casing, between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The mechanical elements are engaged. The subsystem is operative in the engaged position. The subsystem is inoperative in the disengaged position. A label is attached to the casing. The label biases the first mechanical element toward the engaged position. In a method for rendering a one-time use camera operative, a camera frame assembly and a compliant label are aligned. The camera frame assembly has the subsystem having a first and second mechanical elements and an uncovered gap. The first mechanical element is movable relative to the gap, between the engaged and disengaged positions. The mechanical elements are engaged and the subsystem is operative in the engaged position and inoperative in the disengaged position.

Abstract: A camera has a body defining a passage. A label has an attachment portion adhered to the body and an optical component joined to the attachment portion. The optical component is optically aligned with the passage.

Abstract: In a method for loading a film cartridge in a one-time use camera, the film cartridge is placed in a film cartridge chamber of a camera frame assembly. An anti-backup subsystem is mounted on the camera frame assembly. The anti-backup subsystem has a first mechanical member biased into a disengaged position. A main portion of the filmstrip is then wound, in a prewind direction, from the film cartridge to a film supply chamber of the camera frame assembly. Following the winding, the first mechanical member is biased into an engaged position, in which the anti-backup system precludes winding of the filmstrip in the prewind direction. The first mechanical member can be biased by applying a label to a casing of the camera.

Abstract: A camera comprising a front taking lens, an exposure chamber centered about an optical axis of the taking lens and having a rear backframe opening for exposing successive sections of a filmstrip, and a circuit board located between the taking lens and the backframe opening and having an opening centered about the optical axis which is smaller the backframe opening, is characterized in that the opening in the circuit board is located within the exposure chamber to make a peripheral edge of the opening serve as a light baffle for the backframe opening.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism comprising an aperture through which ambient light is passed to cause a film exposure, a pair of shutter blades supported for pivotal opening movement in opposite opening directions away from one another to uncover the aperture to permit ambient light to pass through the aperture and for pivotal closing movement in return closing directions towards one another to re-cover the aperture and supported to allow them to be pivoted simultaneously in the same direction to cause accidental shutter opening when a physical shock is applied to the shutter blades in the opening direction of one of the shutter blades, is characterized in that each one of the shutter blades completely covers the aperture in order that both of the shutter blades must be removed from the aperture to uncover the aperture to permit ambient light to pass through the aperture, and a single fixed stop is positioned between the shutter blades to prevent either one of the shutter blades from pivoting in the same direction as the

Abstract: A camera comprising an aperture through which ambient light is passed to cause a film exposure, at least one shutter blade supported for opening movement to uncover the aperture to permit ambient light to pass through the aperture and for closing movement to re-cover the aperture and susceptible of being moved open accidentally such as when the camera is dropped or jarred, and a shutter release button manually depressible to initiate opening movement of the shutter blade, is characterized in that an indicator is activatable to provide a warning the shutter blade has been moved open without the shutter release button having been manually depressed, whereby the warning indicates the shutter blade has been moved open accidentally such as when the camera is dropped or jarred.

Abstract: An underwater camera which comprises a shutter release button having an elastic construction that permits the shutter release button to be manually depressed to initiate shutter opening and to be increasingly depressed because of increases in the water pressure as the underwater depth of the camera is increased, and an underwater depth gauge that indicates increases in the underwater depth of the camera, is characterized in that the underwater depth gauge is coupled with the shutter release button for the underwater depth gauge to indicate increases in the underwater depth of the camera in accordance with increases in the depression of the shutter release button.

Abstract: A method of assembling a camera by attaching a cover part to another part to make the camera lighttight. According to the present invention, the cover part is attached to the other part at respective corresponding locations between opposite ends of each part to hold fast a film section between the two parts; and opposite ends of the two parts are attached to make the camera lighttight.

Abstract: A method of assembling a one-time-use camera comprising the steps of placing one of a longitudinal series of edge perforations in a film leader of a filmstrip to be exposed in the camera onto one of an annular series of peripheral teeth of a metering sprocket rotatably supported on a main body part of the camera in order to secure the film leader to the metering sprocket, and fitting a rear cover part of the camera to the main body part to make the camera light-tight, is characterized in that an edge perforation that is smaller than the others is forced onto the one tooth to prevent the film leader from becoming separated from the metering sprocket, before the rear cover part is fitted to the main body part.

Abstract: A method of assembling a one-time-use camera comprising the steps of placing one of a longitudinal series of edge perforations in a film leader of a filmstrip to be exposed in the camera onto one of an annular series of peripheral teeth of a metering sprocket rotatably supported on a main body part of the camera, and fitting a rear cover part of the camera to the main body part to make the camera light-tight, is characterized in that the rear cover part is fitted initially to the main body part with some separation between the two, and with a center portion of the rear cover part bowed in close proximity to the one tooth to prevent the metering sprocket from substantially rotating, and the rear cover part is fitted finally to the main body part with no separation between the two to make the main body part light-tight, and with the center portion of the rear cover part retracted from the one tooth to permit the metering sprocket to rotate.

Abstract: An underwater camera unit comprises a camera body provided with a depressible shutter release button, and a water-resistant housing enclosing the camera body and provided with manually actuated means including a flexible housing section located over the shutter release button to be deflected to depress the shutter release button. According to the invention, the manually actuated means includes a substantially rigid cantilevered beam having a fixed end portion connected to the flexible housing section and a free end portion spaced from the flexible housing section, to permit the free end portion to be manually depressed towards the flexible housing section to create a torque at the fixed end portion which will deflect the flexible housing section to depress the shutter release button.