Abstract: A protective cover (13) for a taking lens is provided in the front of a lens-fitted photo film unit. The protective cover cooperates with a shutter locking mechanism which locks a shutter button (4) when the protective cover is in a closed position in front of the taking lens. The protective cover also cooperates with a flash prevention mechanism which turns off a flash charge switch off when the protective cover moves in the closed position, prevents the flash charge switch from being moved to its ON position so long as the protective cover is in the closed position, and allows the flash charge switch to be moved to the ON position when the protective cover is moved away from the taking lens. The protective cover is slidable in a horizontal direction on a front surface portion of the film unit, and the front surface portion is straight in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit is pre-loaded with photo film. First and second taking lenses are arranged in an arranging direction crosswise to a photographic optical axis, and have focal lengths different from each other. A rotatable lens holder supports the first and second taking lenses. An externally operable button member is operable by external operation, rotates the lens holder in the arranging direction, and sets the first and second taking lenses selectively on the photographic optical axis. A viewfinder optical system is settable at first and second viewfinder magnifications, and adapted to observation of a photographic field. A magnification changer mechanism including a lever is shifted in response to rotation of the lens holder, and sets the viewfinder optical system at the first and second viewfinder magnifications respectively when the first and second taking lenses are set on the photographic optical axis.

Abstract: A first stop plate with a small stop opening is disposed behind a taking lens, and a second stop plate with a middle stop opening is disposed between a first and second lens, which comprise the taking lens. Upon moving a changeover knob to an ON position, a flash unit and the second stop plate are actuated such that the middle stop opening is retracted from an photographic light path PL. The small stop opening is retracted from the photographic light path PL when subject luminance is less than a predetermined value. In high-luminance condition, the small stop opening and the middle stop opening are set on the photographic light path PL, and in middle-luminance condition, the small stop opening is retracted. In low-luminance condition, the middle stop opening is retracted by operation of the changeover knob, so only a large stop opening is set on the photographic light path PL.

Abstract: A waterproof lens-fitted photo film unit includes a lens-fitted photo film unit. Between a case body and a rear lid, the lens-fitted photo film unit is contained in a watertight manner. A separation opening is formed in the case body. A separation access chamber has an entrance connected to the separation opening, and closes the separation opening in a watertight manner in a position interior with reference to the case body. The separation access chamber includes a thin wall having a small thickness, and is breakable by a separator tool having a long shape with a small width.

Abstract: A protective cover (13) for a taking lens is provided in the front of a lens-fitted photo film unit. The protective cover cooperates with a shutter locking mechanism which locks a shutter button (4) when the protective cover is in a closed position in front of the taking lens. The protective cover also cooperates with a flash prevention mechanism which turns off a flash charge switch off when the protective cover moves in the closed position, prevents the flash charge switch from being moved to its ON position so long as the protective cover is in the closed position, and allows the flash charge switch to be moved to the ON position when the protective cover is moved away from the taking lens. The protective cover is slidable in a horizontal direction on a front surface portion of the film unit, and the front surface portion is straight in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit includes an opaque main body pre-loaded with photo film. An opaque rear cover covers a rear of the main body. A front cover covers a front of the main body. A viewfinder eyepiece opening is formed through the rear cover. A viewfinder objective opening is formed in the front cover, combined with the viewfinder eyepiece opening, and adapted to observation of a photographic field. The front cover is produced from transparent material. A field frame member is disposed on an edge of the viewfinder objective opening, visible through the viewfinder eyepiece opening, for indicating a photographable region in the photographic field.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit contains a battery unit. The battery unit has a battery, which includes positive and negative battery electrodes. A battery case is formed from insulating material, and contains the battery. An elastic cap is included in the battery case. First and second contact segments are thrust through respectively the elastic cap in a watertight manner, and contact respectively the positive and negative battery electrodes, for external connection of the battery.

Abstract: A first stop plate with a small stop opening is disposed behind a taking lens, and a second stop plate with a middle stop opening is disposed between a first and second lens, which comprise the taking lens. Upon moving a changeover knob to an ON position, a flash unit and the second stop plate are actuated such that the middle stop opening is retracted from an photographic light path PL. The small stop opening is retracted from the photographic light path PL when subject luminance is less than a predetermined value. In high-luminance condition, the small stop opening and the middle stop opening are set on the photographic light path PL, and in middle-luminance condition, the small stop opening is retracted. In low-luminance condition, the middle stop opening is retracted by operation of the changeover knob, so only a large stop opening is set on the photographic light path PL.

Abstract: In a film unit, a charge operation member is held on a fron side of a guide member to be slidable between an ON position to turn on a flash charge switch of a built-in flash device and an OFF position to turn off the flash charge switch. The guide member is mounted stationarily to a front side of a flash circuit board of the flash device. Joints between front and rear cover of the film unit are set away from those circuit portions of the flash device where high voltage current flows. The flash charge switch is constituted of a metal contact blade and contact chips provided on the flash circuit board. The metal contact blade is bent roundly at a base portion of a pair of resilient arms. The charge operation member keeps on pressing the arms onto the contact chips in the ON position. The flash device charges a main capacitor while the flash charge switch is on, and automatically stops charging when the charge voltage goes above a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: In a film unit, a charge operation member is held on a fron side of a guide member to be slidable between an ON position to turn on a flash charge switch of a built-in flash device and an OFF position to turn off the flash charge switch. The guide member is mounted stationarily to a front side of a flash circuit board of the flash device. Joints between front and rear cover of the film unit are set away from those circuit portions of the flash device where high voltage current flows. The flash charge switch is constituted of a metal contact blade and contact chips provided on the flash circuit board. The metal contact blade is bent roundly at a base portion of a pair of resilient arms. The charge operation member keeps on pressing the arms onto the contact chips in the ON position. The flash device charges a main capacitor while the flash charge switch is on, and automatically stops charging when the charge voltage goes above a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A frame counter device includes a rotatable counter disk. A train of plural numbers are arranged on one face of the counter disk in an arc shape, and have an outermost point and an innermost point. The outermost point is the farthest from a rotational center of the counter disk and distant from the rotational center by a radius Ro. The innermost point is the nearest to the rotational center and distant from the rotational center by a radius Ri. The radius Ri is 60% or less of the radius Ro.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photographic film unit has a picture frame size changing mechanism for changing the size of picture frames between a full size and a panoramic size. The picture frame size changing mechanism includes upper and lower exposure aperture masking plates which are pivotally mounted in a light-shielding box in front of an exposure aperture. The masking plates are interconnected to each other through one-side contact and urged by a tension spring toward a full size position. The upper masking plate is connected to an operation knob through a crank lever and a switching lever. When the knob is operated to select the panoramic size, the switching lever is moved over a necessary amount for moving the masking plates in a panoramic size position to mask the exposure aperture. After the masking plates are stopped in the panoramic size position by stoppers, the over-stroke of the switching lever is absorbed by resilient bending of the crank lever.

Abstract: A protective cover has an arm extending toward a flash switch operation member, and a cam follower pin is formed on a free end of the arm. A flash switch knob, a shifting cam groove and a locking cam groove are formed integrally on a switch plate. When the protective cover is opened, the cam follower pin slides along the shifting cam groove, causing the flash switch knob to move to an ON position, turning on a flash switch of a flash device. In the open position of the protective cover, the cam follower pin is disengaged from the shifting cam groove, allowing the flash switch knob to move to an OFF position. When the protective cover is closed while the flash operation member is in the ON position, the cam follower pin slides along the shifting cam groove into a locking cam groove, causing the flash switch knob to move to the OFF position. While the cam follower pin is in the locking cam groove, the flash switch knob is locked in the OFF position.

Abstract: A lens-fitted film unit has a date recording module which is disposed between an exposure unit and a front cover to project a calendar date onto the front emulsion layer of a film. The front cover is formed with an elevated platform which spatially encircle at least a taking lens, a lighting window and the date recording module as viewed from the front side of the film unit. The date recording module has a module base plate, a transmission type of liquid crystal display is mounted on the module base plate so as to position behind the lighting window formed in the front cover, and a battery attached to the back of the module base plate so as to position within a shadow of the module base plate. A single shutter blade is adapted to control light passage for both image formation and data recordation. Alternatively, two shutter blades are used which interact in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit has an electronic flash device (11, 30; 115) with a printed circuit board (173). The flash device includes a flash-emitting section (6, 170) for emitting flash light toward a photographic field, and a main capacitor (31, 155) for storing charge to be discharged in the flash-emitting section. The printed circuit board converts a current of a battery (12, 127) into a current of high voltage to be supplied to the main capacitor. The printed circuit board has a transistor (13, Tr1) for oscillation. A primary winding (15) has one end connected to the battery, and another end connected to a collector of the transistor. A secondary winding (16) is combined in mutual induction with the primary winding, has one end connected to the main capacitor, and another end connected to a base of the transistor. A tertiary winding (17) is combined in mutual induction with the secondary winding, has one end connected to the battery, and another end connected to the base of the transistor.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit has an electronic flash device (11, 30; 115) with a printed circuit board (173). The flash device includes a flash-emitting section (6, 170) for emitting flash light toward a photographic field, and a main capacitor (31, 155) for storing charge to be discharged in the flash-emitting section. The printed circuit board converts a current of a battery (12, 127) into a current of high voltage to be supplied to the main capacitor. An LED is driven to emit light in response to charging of the main capacitor at a predetermined level. The flash-emitting section is arranged to be slidably disposed on said printed circuit board.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit has an electronic flash device with a flash circuit board. The flash device includes a flash-emitting section for emitting flash light toward a photographic field, and a main capacitor for storing charge to be discharged in the flash-emitting section. The flash-emitting section and main capacitor together constitute a flasher/capacitor unit. In one embodiment, a detachable connector, providing both the electrical connection and the mechanical support, connects the flasher/capacitor unit to the flash circuit board. In another embodiment, a securing portion comprising a pair of rails disposed on the flasher/capacitor unit, secures the flasher/capacitor unit to the flash circuit board, where the rails ride along opposite sides of a projecting portion of the flash circuit board.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit contains a roll of photo film whose base layer is formed from annealed polyethylene naphthalate. The A-PEN base photo film has the same stiffness at a smaller thickness compared with the conventional TAC base photo film. The roll of photo film of the smaller thickness may have a smaller external diameter in a film roll chamber of the film unit than the conventional photo film having the same number of available exposure frames. Accordingly, the internal diameter of the film roll chamber and thus the thickness and the width of the unit body can be minimized.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photographic film unit has an optical viewfinder whose lens elements are held at their top side by a finder lens holding plate. The finder lens holding plate extends beyond the top side of the finder lens elements and has holes for receiving upper tips of axles for pivoting a shutter actuating lever, a frame counter dial, an arresting lever and a spring for urging the shutter actuating lever in a direction against a cocked position. The finder lens holding plates also has an arched wall which contacts a peripheral surface of a cam unit including a one-tooth gear so as to rotatably support the cam unit. The one-tooth gear is engaged with teeth formed around the periphery of the frame counter dial. The engagement between the one-tooth gear and the teeth of the frame counter dial is maintained constant by virtue of the hole and the arched wall of the finder lens holding plate.

Abstract: A picture frame size changing device for a lens-fitted photographic film unit has a pair of exposure aperture masking plates which are pivotally mounted in a light-shielding box disposed in front of an exposure aperture. The masking plates define a picture frame size which has a different aspect ratio from that of the exposure aperture. A finder mask is mounted on a front cover of the film unit, which is manually operable to be inserted in front of an objective window of a viewfinder. A lever mechanism for interconnecting the finder mask with one of the mask plates is mounted on the outside of the light-shielding box. The light-shielding box is incorporated into a photograph-taking unit having an exposure mechanism and a viewfinder optical system mounted thereon.