Abstract: A system for ensuring that a door automatically closes and latches while simultaneously ensuring that it does so in a manner which either eliminates or significantly minimizes the amount of noise such closure causes while making sure that the door does in fact fully close and latch. A door mounted portion includes a piston attached to a pivotable arm having a wheel on the end of the arm configured to engage with a doorframe mounted portion to slow the travel of the door into the doorframe while pulling the door into the doorframe to ensure secure closure of the door. A doorframe mounted striker plate portion is configured with at least one spring-loaded striker damper or flap against which a door latch and/or automatically deploying deadbolt lock engages, to slow the engagement of the door latch or deadbolt with striker region in the frame to minimize noise.

Abstract: A phtographic camera includes a handle mounted for swinging movement equally in opposite directions from a center position to right-hand and left-hand positions to permit similar right-hand and left-hand use of the handle. The camera body has an integral wrist rest which serves as an alternative right-hand/left-hand support for one's wrist when the handle is in its right-hand position or its left-hand position. An objective lens is mounted on a forward end portion of the wrist rest.

Abstract: A stylus writing member is formed as part of a camera housing to avoid detracting from the camera's appearance. The writing member is coupled to a stylus by a universal joint which permits both rotational and pivotal movement of the writing member relative to the stylus.

Abstract: A camera body has an elongate recess which is dimensioned to receive a looped wrist strap to substantially integrate the wrist strap with the camera body. When the wrist strap is in the elongate recess, it slightly protrudes from the recess to permit it to be used further as a fixed hand grip for the camera body.

Abstract: A flip-up flash unit for a camera has a built-in viewfinder opening for viewing a subject to be photographed when the flash unit is swung to an operative position elevated from the body of the camera. The body of the camera, therefore, can be made more compact because the need for a viewfinder opening in the body is eliminated.

Abstract: A compact camera comprising a camera housing, a pop-up electronic flash unit supported for movement between a storage position at least partly within the camera housing and a flash-emitting position elevated above the camera housing, and a film take-up drum rotatable within the camera housing to wind a filmstrip onto the drum, is characterized in that the take-up drum includes a central longitudinal cavity for receiving the flash unit when the flash unit is in its storage position. Since the flash unit can be stored within the take-up drum, a greater degree of compactness can be achieved as compared to prior art cameras.

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. 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 in order to connect the flash unit to the disposable camera. The flash synchronization pins are supported on a folding arm which is foldable to a storage position to make the flash unit compact and to conceal the pins when the flash unit is not connected to the disposable camera.