Having Unison Film Advancing And Lamp Switching Patents (Class 396/193)
  • Patent number: 5828910
    Abstract: A compact camera comprising a camera body, a multi-lamp flash unit supported for movement relative to the camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated to move the flash unit to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in the camera body, is characterized in that the flash unit is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to the camera body for compactness, and separated from the drive assembly to prevent actuation of the drive assembly from moving the flash unit, and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used, and engaged with the drive assembly to permit actuation of the drive assembly to move the flash unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Joel S. Lawther, Ralph M. Lyon
  • Patent number: 5678076
    Abstract: A camera for use with a first group of successive flash lamps and with a second group of successive flash lamps, comprises a flash emission window and means for moving the first lamp group relative to the second lamp group to move the respective lamps of the first lamp group to a use position at the flash emission window and for moving the first and second lamp groups in unison after the respective lamps of the first lamp group have been used in order to move the respective lamps of the second lamp group to a use position at the flash emission window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael Joseph O'Brien, Robert Cooper Bryant, Richard Alexander Colleluori