Abstract: A display writer for writing on a light writable display of the type having a layer of cholesteric liquid crystal material disposed between two conductors, the cholesteric liquid crystal material having multiple stable optical states at zero electrical field; and a light absorber for forming an image wise thermal pattern in the cholesteric liquid crystal sufficient to change the optical state of the cholesteric liquid crystal in response to an image wise pattern of light, the display writer including a flash lamp; a reflective light modulator for modulating light from the flash lamp an image wise pattern; optics for directing the image wise modulated light onto the light writable display; and means for applying an electrical field to the conductors of the display in conjunction with activation of the flash lamp.

Abstract: A method of forming a contact image of an object on an imaging sheet including a bistable thermally responsive material is described, wherein the method comprises applying energy to the imaging sheet, the object, or both, and contacting the sheet with the object, thereby creating an image of the object on the sheet.

Abstract: A camera comprising a plurality of taking lenses, respective exposure apertures behind the taking lenses, and a shutter disk rotatable for moving various holes in the shutter disk to uncover and recover the exposure apertures, is characterized in that a restraining mechanism for engaging the shutter disk to prevent rotation of the shutter disk is movable out of engagement with the shutter disk to permit rotation of the shutter disk and into position for re-engagement with the shutter disk to stop rotation of the shutter disk, and a front cover part is movable in an exposure initiating direction to uncover the taking lenses and move the restraining mechanism out of engagement with the shutter disk and in an opposite resetting direction to recover the taking lenses and move the restraining mechanism into position for re-engagement with the shutter disk.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a body having an interior film chamber for an exposed filmstrip and an interior film exit slot from the chamber which allows the exposed filmstrip be moved through the slot to outside the body, is characterized in that the body includes an exterior protuberance projecting from the body which partially includes the slot and has at least one weakened area adjacent the slot to permit the protuberance to be broken off from the body to open whatever portion of the slot remains with the body, in order that the exposed filmstrip can be moved to outside the body.

Abstract: A compact camera comprising a body housing, a film roll chamber within the body housing, and a flip-up flash pivotally connected to the body housing to permit the flip-up flash to be flipped up from the body housing for use and flipped down to the body housing for storage, is characterized in that the body housing has a protruding portion that at least partially forms the film roll chamber, and the flip-up flash has a flash housing with a cavity for receiving the protruding portion when the flip-up flash is flipped down to the body housing, to integrate the flash housing with the body housing.

Abstract: In an electronic camera including optics for focusing an image of a subject at an image plane; an area image sensor disposed at the image plane for receiving the image subject and producing a digital image representing the subject; storage memory coupled to the area image sensor for storing the digitized image of the subject; and a moveable display being moveable between a user viewable position to a print position and adapted to be selectively coupled to the storage means for displaying an image of the subject. The camera further includes an optical printer being adapted to be optically coupled to the display when in its print position for producing a hard copy output of the subject represented by the display; and logic and control circuitry being responsive to the display moving to its print position for deenergizing the display after an image to be printed is selected and for reenergizing the display means when in its print position.

Abstract: A one-time-use flash camera comprising a camera housing that contains a cartridge chamber holding a film cartridge and a film roll chamber holding an unexposed film roll on which a predetermined maximum number of exposures can be made, and a flash device, is characterized in that the flash device has a total number of flash lamps that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of exposures that can be made on the unexposed film roll, and is connected non-removably to the camera housing in order that the flash device must be broken off the camera housing to separate the flash device from the camera housing, whereby once each one of the flash lamps is used there will not be any exposures that can be made and the one-time-use flash camera must be discarded.

Abstract: A camera for use with photographic film. The camera has a body and an exposure system disposed in the body for exposing the film on a frame-by-frame basis. The exposure system includes an exposure opening and a shutter mechanism. The shutter mechanism is momentarily displaceable from a closed state to an open state. A light emitting diode 14 is disposed in the body for directly illuminating one or more positions on the film. Momentarily closeable, normally open contacts 16 are mounted in the body. The contacts 16 are closed for a time period of from about 0.05 milliseconds to about 10 milliseconds, or preferably from about 0.05 milliseconds to about 2 milliseconds, when the shutter mechanism is in the open state. A circuit directly connects the battery unit 18 to the light emitting diode 14 when the contacts 16 are closed. During contact closure, a battery unit 18 powers the light emitting diode 14 at a current level beyond continuous use operating limits of the light emitting diode 14.

Abstract: A bi-directional driver device for opening and closing a light shield of a film cassette is alternately biased open and closed via an overcenter spring, to open and close the light shield. The final opening torque the spring exerts against the driver device when the light shield is completely opened is substantially less than the final closing torque the spring exerts against the driver device when the light shield is completely closed. Thus, the final opening torque will not cause any deformation of the light shield that might allow light leakage into the cassette interior when the light shield is closed.

Abstract: A camera includes a film rewind mechanism that allows manual rewinding of a film spool to a given position. The mechanism includes a one-way clutch that allows the rewind knob to drive the film spool only in a rewind direction. The clutch mechanism has a single arm for transfer of motion between the rewind knob and a spool driver. Use of the single arm clutch allows the rewind knob to be connected with the spool only in a single unique position or phase relation so that the operator can move the rewind knob to an indicated position of the camera body which corresponds with a similarly indicated position of the spool on the film cassette.

Abstract: A photographic camera for making pseudo photographs on film exposure areas upon opening of a camera shutter includes a light emitting diode disposed in the camera body for directly illuminating one or more positions on the film, an aperture disposed in the camera body between the light emitting diode and film for controlling illumination of the light emitting diode to provide a predetermined coded pattern of exposure on one or more positions of the film, and a lever positionable between the aperture and film to cover or uncover the aperture to regulate film exposure by the light passing through the aperture upon camera shutter opening.

Abstract: A camera is provided with a front flip-up flash unit and a rear flip-up flash retainer having front and rear viewfinder openings that are aligned to view a subject to be photographed when the flash unit and the flash retainer are flipped up. If the flash unit is folded down for storage, the flash retainer is folded over the flash unit to secure the flash unit in place.

Abstract: A camera to be used with a cartridge enclosing a spool mounting a filmstrip having an access door for opening and closing the camera includes an interlock mechanism connected to the access door and engageable with the spool for preventing the access door from being opened when the spool indicates an unexposed position of the filmstrip.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a resistive heating element positioned to apply sufficient heat to a critical component of the camera, such as a plastic taking lens, to permanently damage the component when a battery in the camera is connected to the heating element, and a normally open switch which is closed to connect the battery and the heating element after the last available frame of a filmstrip in the camera has been exposed.

Abstract: A metering apparatus for a filmstrip forms with at least one perforation for each film frame including a metering member which is configured for engaging at least one perforation for each film frame, so as to prevent the filmstrip from moving in a film advancing direction. According to the invention, the metering member includes at least one cam follower for contacting a trailing edge of a perforation to cam the metering member out of engagement with the filmstrip when the filmstrip is moved in an opposite film rewinding direction. The metering apparatus also includes a mechanism for retracting the metering member to allow the filmstrip to be subsequently advanced for film frame exposure. The retracting mechanism is mechanically coupled to the release of a high energy lever used for tripping the shutter blade of a camera so that advancement and exposure of the filmstrip can be controlled in a simple manner.

Abstract: A photographic camera has a manual film drive which interconnects drivers for driving internal wind and rewind film spools in the same direction. A direction slide engages a toothed wheel in the film drive to prevent reverse rewind rotation when in a film advance position and prevent film advance motion when in a film rewind position. A film cassette actuated sensing slide includes a latch element engageable by a cooperating latch element on the direction slide when a film cassette is in place. When the direction slide is thereafter moved to the film rewind position, the latch elements latch the direction slide in the rewind position until the film is rewound and the cassette is removed from the camera.

Abstract: A photographic camera has manual rewind apparatus including a rotatable driver connectable with a film spool, and a storable crank pivotally mounted on a hub and engageable with the driver for turning the driver in a rewind direction. The crank cams out of engagement with the driver upon reverse rotation. The crank has a handle that enters a recess when the crank is pivoted to a stored position. The handle may be engageable with a shutter release pin located in the recess to release the camera shutter upon manual depression of the rewind crank when stored.

Abstract: An apparatus for stopping photographic film advance upon encountering an end-of-roll perforation at the end of a roll of film. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a camera body defining a film track for slidably receiving film, a camming member movably positioned adjacent the film track and including an engaging finger, and a load spring. The load spring positions the engaging finger in a first position out of the film track when film is absent from the film track, and further biases the engaging finger into a second position into engagement with film in the film track. The engaging finger is designed to move to a third position, via force form the load spring, into an aligned end-of-roll perforation in the film to inhibit film advancement.

Abstract: A camera door actuated cartridge extractor includes a rod which is pivotally mounted to the cartridge chamber closing camera door at a point between the camera door pivot and the adjacent wall of the cartridge chamber so that initial opening of the camera door provides a relatively large extracting motion that quickly disconnects the cartridge from the driver. Thus, manual movement of the driver by the camera operator is less likely to move film within the cartridge after a film enclosing cartridge door is closed. A spring may be provided biasing the camera door to a partially open position to accelerate disconnection of the cartridge from the driver. Placement of the extractor rod in a slot between adjacent battery pockets provides a compact arrangement. Engagement of a hook-like keeper portion of the extractor rod with a rib on the door provides a friction force for maintaining the door in a fully open position until closing is desired.

Abstract: A photographic camera adapted to provide respective visible indications corresponding to successive frames of exposed filmstrip as each one of the frames is exposed includes a counter wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth about its periphery, the ratchet teeth corresponding to the advance of the filmstrip, a holding lever including a pawl for engaging the ratchet teeth when film is present in the camera and for disengaging the ratchet teeth when film is not present in the camera, and an advancing lever in communication with the camera shutter button for incrementally rotating the counter wheel in response to shutter button actuation.