Abstract: After first, second, and third continuous members are bonded to each other in a laminated state, they are cut together to a predetermined length for thereby producing an instant photography film unit. A predetermined number of produced instant photography film units are stacked in a stacking station, and then automatically placed into a film pack in a packaging station. An overall process of manufacturing instant photography film units that are packaged is performed automatically and efficiently.

Abstract: When any of facilities of a film producing and packaging system suffers a failure, a film processing controller shuts off the film producing and packaging system. The operator repairs a failing facility and manually discharges a length of an elongate film which may possibly be defective. After the failing facility is repaired, the film processing controller is restarted to operate the film producing and packaging system, which then automatically discharges a length of the elongate film corresponding to a preset number of sized films. It is possible to easily and quickly discard a portion of the elongate film which has been made defective by the facility failure.

Abstract: When any of facilities of a film producing and packaging system suffers a failure, a film processing controller shuts off the film producing and packaging system. The operator repairs a failing facility and manually discharges a length of an elongate film which may possibly be defective. After the failing facility is repaired, the film processing controller is restarted to operate the film producing and packaging system, which then automatically discharges a length of the elongate film corresponding to a preset number of sized films. It is possible to easily and quickly discard a portion of the elongate film which has been made defective by the facility failure.

Abstract: After first, second, and third continuous members are bonded to each other in a laminated state, they are cut together to a predetermined length for thereby producing an instant photography film unit. A predetermined number of produced instant photography film units are stacked in a stacking station, and then automatically placed into a film pack in a packaging station. An overall process of manufacturing instant photography film units that are packaged is performed automatically and efficiently.

Abstract: In an apparatus for manufacturing filmstrips having a variable length and a variable number of perforations from a long strip of continuous film, a die set device is provided with a plurality of punch holders aligned adjacent to one another in a film transporting direction. At least one of the punch holders are selectively actuated to make a designated number of equally spaced perforations at a time. A film length adjusting device is provided for adjusting the length of the continuous film extending between the die set device and a cutter in accordance with a unit length which is determined for each variable length of the filmstrip, such that the cutter and the punch holder or punch holders are actuated in synchronism with each other while the continuous film stops after each transport by the unit length. A pair of feed rollers are disposed between the cutter and a suction drum for transporting the film toward the cutter. The feed rollers have diameters less than that of the suction drum.

Abstract: A process for producing packaged products from a film roll includes the steps of detecting whether an elongate film is defective or not, detecting whether a spool is defective or not, detecting whether an assembled cartridge is defective or not, and detecting whether a case is defective or not. Various defective products detected in these steps are removed without being fed to subsequent steps. By thus detecting various defects in the process for producing packaged products from a film roll, high-quality packaged products can efficiently be manufactured.

Abstract: A carriage has a support shaft for supporting a plurality of film rolls and can be closed by a light shield cover to place the film rolls in a light-shielded state. A film roll storage mechanism is disposed in a dark room and has a shank for receiving the film rolls from the carriage. The film roll storage mechanism can transfer the film rolls one at a time from the shank onto a film unwinding shaft. A positioning mechanism positions the support shaft and the shank coaxially with each other and locks the carriage with respect to the film roll storage mechanism.

Abstract: A process for producing packaged products from a film roll includes the steps of detecting whether an elongate film is defective or not, detecting whether a spool is defective or not, detecting whether an assembled cartridge is defective or not, and detecting whether a case is defective or not. Various defective products detected in these steps are removed without being fed to subsequent steps. By thus detecting various defects in the process for producing packaged products from a film roll, high-quality packaged products can efficiently be manufactured.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing an elongate photographic photosensitive film has a cutting mechanism for cutting the elongate photographic photosensitive film, first and second feed mechanisms disposed one on each side of the cutting mechanism, an inserting mechanism for inserting the leading end of the elongate photographic photosensitive film into a spool, and a cam switching mechanism for changing the timing of operation of the cutting mechanism depending on any one of predetermined lengths. The leading ends of sized films of different lengths that are cut from the elongate photographic photosensitive film can automatically be inserted into spools with a relatively simple arrangement.

Abstract: A process for producing packaged products from a film roll includes the steps of detecting whether an elongate film is defective or not, detecting whether a spool is defective or not, detecting whether an assembled cartridge is defective or not, and detecting whether a case is defective or not. Various defective products detected in these steps are removed without being fed to subsequent steps. By thus detecting various defects in the process for producing packaged products from a film roll, high-quality packaged products can efficiently be manufactured.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and packaging a photographic film has a film supply unit for unreeling and cutting off a film roll of an elongate photographic film, and supplying a sized film, a film winding unit for winding the sized film around a spool thereby to produce a roll, a cartridge production unit for crimping a cap on an end of a rounded barrel plate thereby to produce a one-end-open cartridge, an assembling unit for inserting the roll into the one-end-open cartridge and thereafter crimping a cap on an opposite open end of the one-end-open cartridge thereby to produce a film-contained cartridge, and an encasing unit for placing the film-contained cartridge into a case and attaching a case cap to an open end of the case thereby to produce a packaged product. The film supply unit, the film winding unit, and the assembling unit are accommodated altogether in a dark chamber.

Abstract: A perforator apparatus for continuous photo film includes a perforator unit having a punch and a die. The perforator unit is disposed between first and second suction chambers. The photo film is extended past each of the suction chambers. A blower applies suction of air through the suction chambers, to apply tension to the photo film through the perforator unit. The perforator unit is disposed between a feed roller and a sprocket roller, which convey intermittently the photo film by a punching length. A first pass roller continuously conveys the photo film into the first suction chamber. A first loop of the photo film in the first suction chamber is maintained with a length substantially of an arc of a semi-circle defined between the first pass roller and the feed roller. A second pass roller continuously conveys the photo film from the second suction chamber.

Abstract: A carriage has a support shaft for supporting a plurality of film rolls and can be closed by a light shield cover to place the film rolls in a light-shielded state. A film roll storage mechanism is disposed in a dark room and has a shank for receiving the film rolls from the carriage. The film roll storage mechanism can transfer the film rolls one at a time from the shank onto a film unwinding shaft. A positioning mechanism positions the support shaft and the shank coaxially with each other and locks the carriage with respect to the film roll storage mechanism.

Abstract: A process for producing packaged products from a film roll includes the steps of detecting whether an elongate film is defective or not, detecting whether a spool is defective or not, detecting whether an assembled cartridge is defective or not, and detecting whether a case is defective or not. Various defective products detected in these steps are removed without being fed to subsequent steps. By thus detecting various defects in the process for producing packaged products from a film roll, high-quality packaged products can efficiently be manufactured.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and packaging a photographic film has a film supply unit for unreeling and cutting off a film roll of an elongate photographic film, and supplying a sized film, a film winding unit for winding the sized film around a spool thereby to produce a roll, a cartridge production unit for crimping a cap on an end of a rounded barrel plate thereby to produce a one-end-open cartridge, an assembling unit for inserting the roll into the one-end-open cartridge and thereafter crimping a cap on an opposite open end of the one-end-open cartridge thereby to produce a film-contained cartridge, and an encasing unit for placing the film-contained cartridge into a case and attaching a case cap to an open end of the case thereby to produce a packaged product. The film supply unit, the film winding unit, and the assembling unit are accommodated altogether in a dark chamber.

Abstract: In an apparatus for manufacturing filmstrips having a variable length and a variable number of perforations from a long strip of continuous film, a die set device is provided with a plurality of punch holders aligned adjacent to one another in a film transporting direction. At least one of the punch holders are selectively actuated to make a designated number of equally spaced perforations at a time. A film length adjusting device is provided for adjusting the length of the continuous film extending between the die set device and a cutter in accordance with a unit length which is determined for each variable length of the filmstrip, such that the cutter and the punch holder or punch holders are actuated in synchronism with each other while the continuous film stops after each transport by the unit length. A pair of feed rollers are disposed between the cutter and a suction drum for transporting the film toward the cutter. The feed rollers have diameters less than that of the suction drum.

Abstract: A perforator apparatus for continuous photo film includes a perforator unit having a punch and a die. The perforator unit is disposed between first and second suction chambers. The photo film is extended past each of the suction chambers. A blower applies suction of air through the suction chambers, to apply tension to the photo film through the perforator unit. The perforator unit is disposed between a feed roller and a sprocket roller, which convey intermittently the photo film by a punching length. A first pass roller continuously conveys the photo film into the first suction chamber. A first loop of the photo film in the first suction chamber is maintained with a length substantially of an arc of a semi-circle defined between the first pass roller and the feed roller. A second pass roller continuously conveys the photo film from the second suction chamber.

Abstract: A cassette (110), to be loaded with a photo film strip, has a photo film passageway (119) through which a leader (123) of the photo film strip (23, 111) is drawn out of a cassette shell. On a spool (112) is retained a trailer (124) of the photo film strip. A loader apparatus has a light-tight dark compartment (147). A rotary barrel (163) is rotatable, and partially fitted in an opening formed in a downstream wall of the dark compartment. Two cassette holders (164, 165) are disposed on the barrel and in respective positions opposite about a rotational axis (163a) of the barrel, and hold the cassette removably. The barrel is rotated to move the cassette holders into and out of the dark compartment. The cassette is supplied to one of the cassette holders located outside the dark compartment. The trailer of the photo film strip is passed into the photo film passageway in the cassette in one of the cassette holders located inside the dark compartment.

Abstract: A photo filmstrip (10) has a length from a front end to a rear end (10a), and the length is different according to a strip type. To wind the photo filmstrip about a spool (36), at first, the front end is retained on the spool. The photo filmstrip is wound about the spool at high speed by rotating the spool fast. After the high-speed winding, the photo filmstrip is wound about the spool at low speed by rotating the spool slowly. During the low-speed winding, the rear end is detected at a photo sensor (47, 84, 99) disposed a first distance away from the spool rotated in the low-speed winding. The spool is stopped from rotating upon detecting the rear end, to regularize a length of an unwound portion of the photo filmstrip irrespective of the length of the photo filmstrip.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a photographic film cassette whose cassette shell is constituted of a pair of shell halves, and contains a spool having a filmstrip wound thereon. A bucket conveyer successively conveys a plurality of buckets through a series of stations. The buckets each has a recess formed to hold a first shell half stationary therein. The first shell half is put in the recess of the bucket in the first station, and a spool is located in the lower shell half to be rotatable therein in the second station. In the next station, the spool is rotated to be set in a predetermined angular position, and the spool is connected to an end of a filmstrip which is fed through a film feed chute. Thereafter, the spool is rotated to wind the filmstrip onto the spool. In the following station, a second shell half is joined to the first shell half to form the cassette shell so as to contain the spool with the filmstrip therein.