Abstract: A handy image projection apparatus includes a main body containing a projection optical unit configured to project an image from its front part, with the main body having a gravity center, and an operation member provided on an outer face of the main body. The operation member is operated by a user's hand holding the main body when the image is being projected. When the apparatus is viewed from a first direction facing the outer face, at least part of the operation member is disposed in a front-rear direction of the apparatus, at one of a first position corresponding to the gravity center of the main body and a second position located at a distance within ? of a length from the gravity center to the front part of the main body in the front-rear direction.

Abstract: A slide projector having a chute (37) for feeding slides (21, 24) to be projected to a projection gate and also having a stack loader (9) with a first and a second storage chamber (17 and 19), each to take a stack of slides which are in contact with one another. The stack loader (9) has a movable receiving member (31) with two slide compartments (35 and 36), wherein the receiving member serves as a movable intermediate tray whose slide compartments can be selectively aligned with the opening of the chute (37) and can be selectively loaded and unloaded again with an end slide (21, 24) of the stack of slides in one of the storage chambers (17 or 19) by a series of friction wheels (47, 49, 61, 63).

Abstract: A module interposed between a slide tray and a projector provides a user selected random presentation of sequentially ordered slides. The module bottom simulates the tray bottom to align gates of the module and projector. The module top simulates the tray bottom to align gates of the tray and module. A microcontroller controls a lifter foot to keep unwanted slides from dropping into the module gate until the tray had been rotated by a hub assembly to the next desired slide position. The lifter foot then acts to lower a slide through the module to the lifter foot and projector, and return it after projection.

Abstract: A plurality of disposable cartridges, each having a plurality of wells including at least one assay reaction well, are loaded in a plurality of openings arranged radially around a rack of a carousel. Securing of the cartridges in a predetermined orientation and position in said openings is ensured by means of alignment and securing means on the cartridges and corresponding means on the rack. A locking hub with tangs is mounted on the rack and is rotated to cause the tangs to contact locator tabs on each cartridge to force locator nubs on each of the cartridges radially into corresponding notches on the rack, and to accurately wedge the cartridges against the outer periphery of the rack. The carousel indexes for positioning the cartridges under a variety of stations, one of which generally contains an optical reader such as a fluorometer.

Abstract: A slide changing apparatus is disclosed for use in a projection apparatus wherein photographic slides can be projected onto a screen or viewed on a video monitor. The slide changing mechanism includes a lever having a displaceable part which engages a slide and transfers the photographic slide from a projection position to a slide tray wherein slides are accommodated. A microprocessor controls the operation of a driving apparatus which is connected to the lever and actuates the lever. If a slide becomes jammed during movement between the projection position and the slide tray the displaceable part of the lever becomes displaced from its original position. The displacement of the displaceable part is detected by an optical switch and the optical switch outputs a signal to the microprocessor to stop the motor before damage to the jammed slide can occur.

Abstract: A slide receptacle comprised of a bin (8) and hopper (11) for receiving the bin. The bin is of substantially parallelepipedic shape, having an upper end, a lower end opposite the upper end, and four sidewalls. A pair of stop means including outwardly protruding tines (26, 28) are located on first and second opposing sidewalls at the lower end. Each of the stop means includes inwardly protruding tabs (22, 24) for partially closing the lower end, such that slides in the bin are prevented from dropping out of the lower end. The stop means are flexible such that pressure on tines (26, 28) causes tabs (22, 24) to open to allow slides to pass through the lower end. The hopper (40) has four inner walls, the dimensions of which conform to the outer dimensions of the bin. Two opposing inner walls (44, 46) are provided with grooves (48, 50, 52, 54), a bottom portion (70) of each groove bending outwardly.

Abstract: The slide projector (4) for single-slide, lap-dissolve or stereo projection, which works on the gravity feed principle, is designed for operation with linear slide trays (1, 2) divided into compartments. At the top, it has either two receptacles for slide-tray covers (2, 5) or one receptacle (4g) and one cover (4h) integral with the housing of the projector. When being placed on the projector, the slide tray is automatically unlocked, so that the housing of the tray becomes shiftable. Switching means ensure that the projector cannot operate until the slide tray is properly positioned. The projector also has a variable electronic light intensity control facility. It initiates no projection when a tray compartment is empty.The slide tray (1, 2) is so designed that slides are loaded into the housing (1) of the tray from above in an upright and laterally correct image position; the housing (1) is then closed with the cover (2). During projection, the cover forms the bottom of the slide tray.

Abstract: A slide projector having two projection optics systems (12,14) for display of slides on a screen. Each projection optics system includes a fixed position slide gate (24, 36) into and from which slides move relative to a circular slide tray (16), which rotates about a fixed vertical axis to access each compartment therein relative to both slide gates.

Abstract: A photographic slide assembly comprises a transparency and an activator sheet which are relatively movable. The transparency has an illusion-of-motion dot pattern thereon in an image defining area or areas and the activator sheet has an illusion-of-motion dot pattern thereon which is operationally complementary to the motion pattern of the slide transparency. The activator sheet is supported adjacent to the slide transparency so that the motion pattern of the activator sheet and the slide transparency fall within the field of focus of a slide projector lens when the slide assembly is operationally mounted within the projector.

Abstract: The automatic distributor comprises a loader (2) in which slides (3) are stacked and a separation mechanism (10) intended to isolate the lowest slide (3a) of the stack. It comprises, for this purpose, support elements consisting of claws (12) and locking elements in the form of pins (11) that work with the edge of the lower bottom slides. A motor (21) drives cams (19) intended to control the movement of the claws (12) and of the pins (11) urged by a spring (29). An optoelectronic device (36) makes it possible to detect the drop of a slide (3a) and to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor (21). Following a slide advance order, the motor (21) drives the cams (19) which allow the unit of the pins (11) to press against the edge of the lowest slides. The claws (12) are withdrawn and then gradually the pins (11) are withdrawn. As soon as the lowest slide (3 a) falls, it activates the optoelectronic device (36) which reverses the direction of the motor (21).

Abstract: The slide projector includes side-by-side image-projection systems and a circular slide tray, with slides passing in operation directly between the slide tray and either of two slide gates, the slide gates moving between a first position in which slides are acquired and released, and a second position in which slides are projected onto a screen. A slide lifter, a slide tray lock, slide clamps on each slide gate, and the slide gates are operated in a particular sequence relative to the movement of the slide tray to insure proper handling of the slides in the projector. The slide tray fits on a central hub which in turn is independently driven. Sensors are provided to continuously detect the position of the lifter, the slide gates, and the slide tray. A front end assembly which incorporates lenses which move laterally and vertically, with the longitudinal axes of the lenses remaining parallel at all times, provides precise image alignment, including image overlap and separation.

Abstract: A slide projector for interchangeable circular slides magazines comprising downwardly open slide compartments (2) is provided with a mechanism, the double function of which is to lock the slide compartments and to release the slides magazine from the slide projector and, respectively, to release the slide frames (3) in the slide compartments (2) and to couple the slides magazine to the slide projector. The mechanism comprises an eccentric plate (28) which is located on the slide projector and upon rotation moves a locking ring (5) located in the slides magazine for the slide frames (3) at the same time as the eccentric device effects the coupling between the slide projector and the slides magazine. Mechanical (36) and electric (39) safety devices render slides magazine exchange prior to completed slide change impossible and, respectively, render slide change impossible while exchange of slides magazine is going on.

Abstract: A slide previewer/sorter/stack loader having a holder (18) which is adapted to receive two photographic slides in first and second receptacles at one end thereof. The holder is initially positioned at an angle above horizontal so that a first slide placed on a chute (16, 17) will drop into the first receptacle by force of gravity. When in the initial position, the slide in the holder is illuminated by a back light so that the slide can be previewed through a window in the holder and edited. The holder pivots in such a manner that the second receptacle can be positioned over a slide slot (28) above a projector. Means (26) are provided to restrain the slide in the first receptacle during transit from the initial viewing position to the position wherein the second receptacle is positioned over the slide slot. A second slide in the projector is forced upward by the projector slide lifter mechanism into the second receptacle in the holder, and is retained therein by a latch (52).

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for viewing photographic slides carried in a long magazine by a slide projector which is configured to accept only a circular slide magazine or carrousel. This invention provides a simple and efficient mechanism for using long magazines with a circular magazine projector without the need of first transferring by hand all of the slides from the long magazine into a circular magazine. An attachment adapted to be fastened to the projector housing has a covered channel for accepting and advancing a long magazine inserted therein. Adjacent the long magazine within the attachment is an intermediate storage tray which contains slide compartments and which is moved synchronously with the long magazine. Slanting guide rails extend from the long magazine to the intermediate storage tray, and these rails individually transfer the slides from the long magazine into the storage tray as the long magazine is advanced.

Abstract: A slide projector for projecting slides transferred into and out of registry with a projection aperture solely by the force of gravity. A rotary slide tray is vertically arranged with the slides in a radial orientation, and the rotary slide tray is arranged over a central hub portion having a vertically arranged projection passage formed therein. Upon rotating the rotary slide tray, slides are permitted to radially drop from the tray by the influence of gravity into the projection passage and will be caused to back-up in the passage, since they are falling entirely through the slot and resting upon slides already in the rotary slide tray in diametrically opposed locations. A specialized slide construction, formed as a double planar slide of two individual slides arranged having like horizontal edges arranged adjacent or a single slide with a recess formed in one horizontal edge is employed.

Abstract: A slide projector for projecting slides, which may be transferred into the registry with projection aperture and out of the registry with the projection aperture, solely by the force of gravity, without the need for any mechanical slide transferring apparatus. A rotary slide tray is vertically arranged with the slides in a radial orientation, and the rotary slide tray is arranged over a central hub portion having a vertically arranged projection passage formed therein. Upon rotating the rotary slide tray, slides are permitted to radially drop from the tray by the influence of gravity into the projection passage and will be caused to back-up in the passage, since they are falling entirely through the slot and resting upon slides already in the rotary slide tray in diametrically opposed locations.

Abstract: The projector includes two projection optics systems and two slide gates which move slides acquired from a slide receptacle into and out of a viewing position in all of the projection optics systems. The slide gates are movable between a first position, which is common to both slide gates and in which slides are moved between the slide receptacle and the side gate means, and the second position in one of the projection optics systems. The slides move by gravity from the slide receptacle into the slide gates and by means of a slide lifter from the slide gates back into the slide receptacle. A combination of a scalloped gear matching the depending lugs on the slide receptacle and a stepping motor to control the movement of the gear provides efficient and economical control over the movement of the slide receptacle. The slide gates, the slide lifter, and the slide receptacle gearing are independent of each other in operation, so that they may be activated in any sequence.