Abstract: A grip structure connected to a main body of an imaging apparatus includes a battery storage part configured to store a battery; an inner side wall surface of the battery storage part includes a first corner, a second corner, and a third corner each having a curved shape when viewed in an insertion direction of the battery; and each of the first, second, and third corners has a radius of curvature equal to or greater than a radius of curvature of a cylindrical cell built into the battery.

Abstract: A battery cell includes an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case. The electrode assembly includes positive electrodes, negative electrodes, and separators, wherein the separators are disposed respectively between the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes. The electrode assembly is provided with a deformation part, and has a sectional width of which is discontinuously or continuously decreased, and is formed at a portion of an outer edge of the electrode assembly. The battery case includes two or more case members, each made of a metal sheet, the case members being coupled to each other in a state in which the electrode assembly is mounted in the case members, at least one of the case members having a receiving part with an internal shape corresponding to the deformation part of the electrode assembly.

Abstract: An obstruction detection system for a robotic catheter system including a robotic catheter manipulator assembly including one or more catheter manipulation bases and one or more sheath manipulation bases. Each manipulation base may be generally linearly movable on one or more tracks relative to the robotic catheter manipulator assembly. The obstruction detection system may include one or more obstruction detection sensors disposed on the track or on the manipulation bases to detect an obstruction along a path of motion of one or more manipulation bases. A software system may be provided for monitoring movement of the catheter and sheath manipulation bases, and/or a status of the obstruction detection sensors.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a recording device onto a preexisting sex toy is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus allows a camera mounting enclosure that is connected to a swiveling member that can be rotated upside down so that a standard digital camera can be mounted onto a screw embedded in the camera mounting enclosure. In other embodiments, a pair of gripper arms mounted onto the camera mounting enclosure can be adjusted to different widths that allows for camera phones to be securely held. The gripper arms can also secure an adapter that allows for a web cam to be mounted onto the adapter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for thermally treating a substrate is provided. The method includes transferring a substrate to a chamber at a first temperature, the chamber having a heating source and a cooling source disposed in opposing portions of the chamber, heating the substrate in the chamber during a first time period to a second temperature, heating the substrate in the chamber to a third temperature during a second time period, and cooling the substrate in the chamber to a fourth temperature that is substantially equal to the second temperature during the second time period, wherein the second time period is about 2 seconds or less.

Abstract: An actuator apparatus of the present invention includes a movable body that is arranged so as to be movable forward or rearward, and a shape memory alloy wire that is provided directly or indirectly to the movable body so as to enter a non-tension state at an ordinary temperature. The shape memory alloy wire is subjected to expansion/contraction control in which an electric current is applied thereto from a power supply portion of an external control circuit portion to change a temperature thereof to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: In a roll rotation mechanism (1) for continuously causing a film-rolling roll to rotate at a constant rate, an Oldham coupling (4) is interposed in a transmission path between a wave gear reduction mechanism (3) and a roll (10). The Oldham coupling (4) forms a connection between a gear rotation output shaft (34) and a roll rotation shaft (11) in a state in which latitude of movement ? is present about a central axis line (4a). When a roll (10) is continuously rotated at a constant rate, the Oldham coupling (4) is held in a state in which no latitude of movement is present in a rotation direction R and latitude of movement ? is present in a direction opposite the rotation direction; and rotation torque is transmitted.

Abstract: A camera (2) has a main body (4) defining a pair of film chambers on opposite sides of an exposure opening (18) comprising a first chamber (14) for receiving a film cassette having a central spool to which film is secured and a second chamber (16) for receiving a second film container into which film is pre-wound prior to use, a drive shaft having an end which extends into the first chamber (14) for engaging the spool, an electric motor (30) disposed between the chambers operably connected to the drive shaft to drive the shaft in one direction, and a shutter mechanism with a shutter release assembly operably connected to the motor control.

Abstract: A pinion gear is fixed on a rotating shaft of a motor for supplying a driving force of a plurality of driving mechanisms. A speed reducing gear is engaged with the pinion gear, and a sun gear is engaged with a speed reducing gear. A planet worm includes a spur gear portion and a worm gear portion. The spur gear portion is engaged with the sun gear. The planet worm is supported so as to be rotatable around the shaft of the sun gear. When the planet worm is rotated to be positioned adjacent to the cartridge room, the worm gear portion is engaged with a rewind spur gear of a gear train. The rotational force of the motor is transmitted to a rewinding fork through the gear train, and then the rewind fork is rotated.

Abstract: A camera equipped with an accommodating chamber which constitutes a periphery including a film spool spindle and which accommodates a film cartridge having a recess at one longitudinal end thereof, includes: a protruding surface portion which is provided in the accommodating chamber, which enters the recess, and which has on the outer surface thereof on the side opposite to the film cartridge a step formed by a recessed portion recessed toward the film cartridge; and a gear member arranged in the recessed portion and adapted to be engaged with the spool spindle to rotate the spool spindle, whereby the dimension in the camera height direction (i.e., the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the film cartridge) is reduced.

Abstract: A camera film feed device is provided for enabling freely loadable placement of a film magazine which has a takeup shaft on which a film is wound and which has a film leader protruding from a film feeding opening. The camera film feed device includes a magazine chamber into which the film magazine is loaded, a fork which joins in mating fashion with the takeup shaft of the film magazine loaded into the magazine chamber, a takeup spool which is positioned on a side of a photographing aperture opposite the magazine chamber and which takes up the film, a sprocket which is positioned between the magazine chamber and the takeup spool, and a control circuit which controls the operations of the fork, takeup spool and sprocket.

Abstract: A zoom lens device is attached in front of a main body. The main body has a film cartridge chamber and a take-up chamber. A take-up spool is rotatably positioned into the take-up chamber. The zoom lens device consists of a fixed lens barrel and plural movable lens barrels. The movable lens barrels move along a photographic optical axis in order to perform zooming. Rotation of a film motor is transmitted to the take-up spool through a film advance gear train. Rotation of the lens motor is transmitted to the zoom lens device through a lens drive gear train. The film advance gear train and the lens drive gear train are positioned side by side on the lower part of the main body.

Abstract: First and second driving systems are driven by a first motor via first and second planetary mechanisms through motor rotation in first and second directions, respectively. A third driving system is driven by the second planetary mechanism through motor rotation in the first direction. A switching mechanism switches a transmission path for the motor driving force by inhibiting one of the first and second planetary mechanisms from revolving, and causes the other of the first and second planetary mechanisms to transmit the driving force through a transmission path selected by the switching. First and second restraint members of the first and second planetary mechanisms, respectively, restrain the respective mechanisms from revolving simultaneously by inhibiting engagement of the first and second planetary mechanisms with the second and third driving systems, respectively.

Abstract: If a sun gear is rotated in the clockwise direction, a planetary arm is also rotated in the clockwise direction so as to permit the planetary gear and a transmission gear to operatively mesh. If the sun gear is then rotated in the clockwise direction, a cam plate driven by a pin is rotated in the counterclockwise direction. A first engaging lever is rotated in the clockwise direction by a cam mounted to the rotary edge of the cam plate to release the engagement of the rotary edge of the planetary arm. If the sun gear is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the planetary arm is rotated in the counterclockwise direction to permit the planetary gear to mesh with an idle gear. The planetary arm is engaged with a second engaging lever to maintain the meshed state between the planetary gear and the idle gear. If the sun gear is then rotated in the counterclockwise direction, a photographic film is wound up within a cartridge.

Abstract: There is provided a camera which is compact in size and inexpensive even with the use of two motors, which allows relevant mechanisms to be laid out freely to thereby simplify motor controlling sequences, and which allows the user to quickly perform preliminary winding of a newly loaded film after film rewinding to thereby minimize the effects of film replacement during photographing. A first motor is used to drive a film winding driving system and a film rewinding driving system. A switching mechanism selectively switches between a winding state in which a driving force of the first motor can be transmitted to the film winding driving system, and a rewinding state in which the driving force of the first motor can be transmitted to the film rewinding driving system. A second motor is used to drive the switching mechanism for selective switching between the winding state and the rewinding state.

Abstract: A zoom lens device is attached in front of a main body. The main body has a film cartridge chamber and a take-up chamber. A take-up spool is rotatably positioned into the take-up chamber. The zoom lens device consists of a fixed lens barrel and plural movable lens barrels. The movable lens barrels move along a photographic optical axis in order to perform zooming. Rotation of a film motor is transmitted to the take-up spool through a film advance gear train. Rotation of the lens motor is transmitted to the zoom lens device through a lens drive gear train. The film advance gear train and the lens drive gear train are positioned side by side on the lower part of the main body.

Abstract: A film feeding apparatus for a camera has a spool chamber, a spool, and a motor. The spool is rotated in the spool chamber for winding up a film. The motor is arranged within the outer diameter of the film winding of the spool to expose the outer periphery in the spool chamber.

Abstract: A driving mechanism is disclosed that utilizes a shape-memory alloy. In particular, mechanical components are movably positioned by a member composed of shape-memory alloy, which changes shape when heated. The present invention reduces the number of mechanical components in a driving mechanism, thereby reducing size and improving performance. One of many applications of the present invention is a camera application.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera body. A stationary barrel is disposed in the camera body. A movable lens barrel is movable in an optical axis direction in the stationary barrel, for accommodating a zoom optical system. A lens motor is incorporated in the camera body. A taking lens gear train includes plural gears, for driving the movable lens barrel to move relative to the stationary barrel in response to rotation of the lens motor. Plural support shafts are formed integrally with the camera body, for supporting the plural gears respectively in a rotatable manner.

Abstract: A camera having a motor-driven zoom lens and a motor-driven film-advance mechanism uses a single electric motor and a drive train to selectively driving the zoom lens and the film-advance mechanism by the electric motor. A zoom control knob is provided, which has an inoperative position for inactivating zoom operation and first and second operative positions for activating zoom operation toward the longest-focal-length end and that toward the shortest-focal-length end, respectively. The drive train is cooperative with the zoom control knob and operatively interconnects the motor, the zoom lens and the film-advance mechanism, for selectively allowing the zoom lens and the film-advance mechanism to be driven by the motor in accordance with current position of the zoom control knob.

Abstract: An optical apparatuses having a cartridge chamber lid, includes a motor, a sun gear which is driven by the motor, a planet gear meshing with the sun gear and arranged to move from a first position to a second position while rotating when the sun gear rotates in a first direction, and to move from the second position to the first position while rotating when the sun gear rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a lock mechanism which unlocks the cartridge chamber lid when the planet gear moves from the first position to the second position, and which maintains locking the cartridge chamber lid when the planet gear moves from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: A driving force transmission switching apparatus for a camera in accordance with the present invention includes: a drive source that generates a driving force; a worm gear that receives the driving force to rotate; a driving force transmission gear device that includes a driving gear and meshes the driving gear with the worm gear to move the driving gear in parallel to an axial direction of the worm gear as the worm gear rotates so as to shift the driving gear to a plurality of transmission positions for applying a driving force of the drive source and a non-transmission position for not applying the driving force of the drive source; a plurality of driven gears which are disposed in positions for meshing with the driving gear, respectively corresponding to the plural transmission positions where the driving gear is to be set, and which receive a driving force of the drive source via the driving gear; and a position control device for conducting control by meshing the driving force transmission gear device wi

Abstract: A film transport device includes a spool arranged to take up and wind thereon a film pulled out from a film cartridge, a motor disposed within the spool, a spool gear arranged to have an output of the motor transmitted thereto and to drive the spool, the spool gear being arranged to be coaxial with the spool and to drive the spool only by the rotation in one direction thereof, and a film cartridge driving mechanism arranged to transmit the output of the motor to a film cartridge through the spool gear.

Abstract: A camera in which a film is fed from a film cartridge and is wound around a film winding portion, the camera having a recording head for recording magnetic information on the film and a reading head for reading the magnetic information from the film. The reading head is placed away from the film winding portion farther than the recording head is away from the film winding portion.

Abstract: A camera has a spool drive shaft disposed to project from an inside of a cassette holder chamber, connected with a spool of a photo film cassette coaxially, to feed a photo film from a cassette, and to wind the photo film back into the cassette. A sun and planet gear mechanism includes a sun gear for rotating in a first direction in response to forward rotation in a first direction in response to forward rotation of a motor, and for rotating in a second direction in response to the backward rotation of the motor. A feeding planet gear and returning planet gear are meshed with the sun gear. Two feeding transmission gears are meshed with the feeding planet gear for rotating in the first direction in response to forward rotation. A returning transmission gear is meshed with the returning planet gear for rotating in the first direction in response to backward rotation, to cause a spool drive shaft to rotate in the winding direction.

Abstract: A film support and feed system of a camera includes a pressure plate, a film feed mechanism which moves the film frame in a space in front of the pressure plate, a film suction mechanism which brings the film frame into intimate contact with the pressure plate by vacuum aspiration, a reversible motor, and an associating mechanism which selectively associates the reversible motor with either the film feed mechanism or the film suction mechanism in accordance with a direction of rotation of the reversible motor. The reversible motor is associated with the film feed mechanism by the associating mechanism to operate the film feed mechanism when the reversible motor is driven to rotate in a forward direction, or to operate the film suction mechanism when the reversible motor is driven to rotate in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A film feeding device includes a driving source, a spool gear, provided on a film wind-up spool, to which a driving force of the driving source is transmitted, a cartridge-spool driving gear for transmitting the driving force of the driving source to a cartridge spool within a film cartridge, a clutch gear, movable between a meshed position and an unmeshed position with respect to the spool gear, for transmitting a driving force of the spool gear to the cartridge-spool driving gear when meshed with the spool gear, and a moving mechanism for moving the clutch gear from the unmeshed position to the meshed position with respect to the spool gear by transmission driving by the driving source.

Abstract: A film feeding apparatus for a camera has a spool chamber, a spool, and a motor. The spool is rotated in the spool chamber for winding up a film. The motor is arranged within the outer diameter of the film winding of the spool to expose the outer periphery in the spool chamber.

Abstract: If a sun gear is rotated in the clockwise direction, a planetary arm is also rotated in the clockwise direction so as to permit the planetary gear and a transmission gear to be meshed with each other. If the sun gear is rotated in the clockwise direction under this state, a cam plate driven by a pin is rotated in the counterclockwise direction. A first engaging lever is rotated in the clockwise direction by a cam mounted to the rotary edge of the cam plate so as to release the engagement of the rotary edge of the planetary arm. If the sun gear is rotated in the counterclockwise direction under this state, the planetary arm is rotated in the counterclockwise direction so as to permit the planetary gear to be meshed with an idle gear. The planetary arm is engaged with a second engaging lever so as to maintain the meshed state between the planetary gear and the idle gear. If the sun gear is rotated in the counterclockwise direction under this state, a photographic film is wound up within a cartridge.

Abstract: A camera, lens positioning mechanism and method use a lens holding member to hold a lens therein for receiving optical information that may be captured on film or digitally. The lens holding member interfaces with a ring-shaped barrel member, geared ring or the like, that when turned in one direction by a motor forces the lens holding member out, or back, depending on a slope of a cam placed on the barrel member, slot in the barrel member or the like. When driven in the single direction, the cam member on the ring barrel member, forces the lens holding member in a predetermined direction. A biasing member connected to the ring provides an opposing force that when used during a focusing operation pulls the lens holding member and cam member back to a home position without the need of a driving force from the motor. A clutch mechanism engages and disengages the driving force of the motor on the geared ring depending on whether a focusing operation, lens storage operation, or zooming operation is performed.

Abstract: A camera includes a plurality of camera operation mechanisms, a sun gear which rotates by means of a motor, a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. A holding member is switchable from a first state, in which the planetary gear is allowed to revolve freely, to a second state, in which the planetary gear is held at a revolution position where the planetary gear is in mesh with one of the plurality of output gears. A controller causes the planetary gear to revolve so as to mesh with a selected one of the plurality of output gears, and switches the holding member from the first state to the second state, after completion of a power transmitting operation.

Abstract: A clutch unit according to the present invention includes a driving sleeve fixed to a driving shaft and a driven sleeve fixed to a driven shaft. A coil-like clutch spring is received on the driven sleeve, and a clutch sleeve is received on the driving sleeve. When the driving shaft is rotated normally or reversely, the driving sleeve abuts one of the arm portions of the clutch spring. Consequently, the clutch spring engages the driven sleeve. Torque producing rotation in either direction is transmitted to the driven shaft. The clutch unit also can operate as an overrunning clutch. When the clutch unit is adapted to a film feeding and driving system in a camera, the clutch unit can be positioned to utilize what had been dead spaces in a camera body, thus promoting compact camera design.

Abstract: A film drive mechanism for a camera, in which a drive force of a motor is transmitted through a differential gear mechanism to a wind shaft and a rewind shaft and is also transmitted through a screw gear to a spool shaft or a fork shaft whereby, operations of winding and rewinding film are performed. The rewind shaft is placed in such a manner as to be inclined to the drive shaft of the differential gear mechanism. Also, a pair of engaging gears in the drive force transmission device are aligned so that their axes of rotation are oblique to one another. This film drive mechanism requires small space than conventional designs and is small in weight and is advantageous for the cost thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a power transmission mechanism characterized in that two-directional rotations of a driving shaft can be transmitted to a driven-side shaft, it shows a high degree of freedom in arrangement even when it is applied to a driving force transmission system, the driving force of a driving-side input shaft can be transmitted to a driven-side ring via a roller in each of opposite directions, and when the rotational speed of the driven-side ring is higher than that of the driving-side input shaft, no driving force is transmitted from the driving-side input shaft to the driven-side ring in either of the opposite directions.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a camera, adapted for a film having a magnetic recording part, includes a magnetic head which reads information from the magnetic recording part of the film, a motor, a first shield member which shields the magnetic head from magnetic noise generated by the motor, and a second shield member which shields the magnetic head from magnetic noise generated by the motor and has a characteristic different from that of the first shield member. The second shield member is disposed closer to the magnetic head than the first shield member and on a front side of the magnetic head.

Abstract: A film support and feed system of a camera includes a pressure plate, a film feed mechanism which moves the film frame in a space in front of the pressure plate, a film suction mechanism which brings the film frame into intimate contact with the pressure plate by vacuum aspiration, a reversible motor, and an associating mechanism which selectively associates the reversible motor with either the film feed mechanism or the film suction mechanism in accordance with a direction of rotation of the reversible motor. The reversible motor is associated with the film feed mechanism by the associating mechanism to operate the film feed mechanism when the reversible motor is driven to rotate in a forward direction, or to operate the film suction mechanism when the reversible motor is driven to rotate in a reverse direction.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a camera, adapted for a film having a magnetic recording part, includes a magnetic head which at least reads information from the magnetic recording part of the film, a pad which brings the film close to the magnetic head, a pad support part which supports the pad, and a magnetic shield member disposed between the pad and the pad support part.

Abstract: A camera includes a plurality of camera operation mechanisms, a sun gear which rotates by means of a motor, a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. An unlocking device removes backlash by causing the planetary gear to rotate temporarily in an opposite direction when the planetary gear is to be switched from one of the plurality of output gears in mesh therewith, to another one of the plurality of output gears. A locking device prevents the planetary gear and such one output gear from coming out of mesh with each other until the backlash is removed when the unlocking device causes the planetary gear to rotate in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A camera has at least one motor, a spindle gear (i.e. a gear having a spindle) for rewinding and thrusting a film, a cam that rotates together with the spindle gear when the spindle gear is rotated in a film-rewinding direction and that remains at rest when the spindle gear is rotated in a film-thrusting direction, a direction-limiting mechanism for permitting the spindle gear to rotate in the film-rewinding direction only when the motor is rotating in a forward direction, and a transmission mechanism that comes into contact with the cam when the motor is rotating in a reverse direction and that, when the cam is in one of predetermined rotation positions, engages with and thereby transmits a driving force of the motor to a corresponding one of driven members provided one for each of the predetermined rotation positions.

Abstract: In a camera body section of a camera according to the present invention, a cartridge chamber unit and a spool chamber unit are located on a lower connecting member with a lens barrel unit as a central unit. Furthermore, a driving-force transfer mechanism is located under the lower connecting member. An output of a driving motor located inside the spool chamber is transferred to the lens barrel unit, cartridge chamber unit, and spool chamber unit through a driving-force transfer mechanism by changing the unit receiving the output. In particular, the driven sections of the lens barrel unit and cartridge chamber unit are driven through a worm gear. According to this camera, it requires a minimum change of each unit section to accommodate a specification change and/or a model change. In addition, it is easy to perform partial assembly of every unit.

Abstract: A camera includes a plurality of camera operation mechanisms, a sun gear which rotates by means of a motor, a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. A holding member is switchable from a first state, in which the planetary gear is allowed to revolve freely, to a second state, in which the planetary gear is held at a revolution position where the planetary gear is in mesh with one of the plurality of output gears. A controller causes the planetary gear to revolve so as to mesh with a selected one of the plurality of output gears, and switches the holding member from the first state to the second state, after completion of a power transmitting operation.

Abstract: A power transmission device comprises a spool gear disposed at a film take-up spool and an output gear that outputs a driving force that has been transmitted to the spool gear. The spool gear acts both to drive a take-up spool in the course of film winding and to furnish power applied thereto in the course of film rewinding to a fork gear associated with a film cartridge.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism comprises a cam element which moves upon modification of an engaging position, a cam follower abutted against a cam surface of the cam element, a detecting element for detecting a position of the cam follower, and a section to be detected provided on the cam follower, for giving at least three different kinds of output values to the detecting element.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a camera, comprises a plurality of operation mechanisms, a first rotation member, such as a sun gear, rotatable by operation of a motor, a second rotation member, such as a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of force transmitting members, such as output gears, each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by revolution of the planetary gear around the sun gear, where the plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of operation mechanisms, respectively, and a limiting structure, e.g., a stopper that limits revolution of the planetary gear around the sun gear. In one aspect, the limiting structure limits the revolution of the planetary gear at a revolution position where the planetary gear does not mesh with any of the plurality of output gears, and a position of the planetary gear during revolution thereof is determined on the basis of the position where revolution of the planetary gear is limited by the limiting structure, e.g.

Abstract: In a mechanism for feeding a film, used in a camera, etc., in which a film having one perforation formed at a specified position relative to each frame or a film having a plurality of perforations formed at specified positions relative to each frame with unequal intervals therebetween as a whole is used, a sprocket 13 is employed for controlling to forward the film frame by frame. The sprocket is locked by a lever before an initial forwarding of thefilm is carried out, and it is unlocked from the lever when the film is forwarded to move the lever, so that the relationship of engagement between a tooth of the sprocket and the perforations of the film is ensured to be constant and synchronous during the initial feeding of the film.

Abstract: A roll-film camera for receiving a roll-film is disclosed which includes: a pair of spool compartments, each of which the roll-film can be placed in; a reversible film winding mechanism which rotates a spool placed in one of the pair of spool compartments in which the roll-film is not placed to wind a film of the roll-film onto the spool when the roll-film is placed in the other of the pair of spool compartments, wherein a film winding direction of the reversible film winding mechanism can be reversed depending on which one of the first and second spool compartments the roll film is loaded into; a photographic-data imprinting device for imprinting photographic data on the film; and a controller for controlling the photographic-data imprinting device to imprint the photographic data on the film in different arrangements depending on the winding direction of the film.

Abstract: A movement control device has a DC motor by which a recording medium is moved by one frame of an image, and a stepping motor by which a recording medium is moved by a small predetermined amount. A driven gear fixed on the output shaft of the DC motor is meshed with a gear of a moving mechanism on which the recording medium is mounted. A clutch has a transmitting gear which is rotatably supported by a rotatable arm and can be meshed with the driven gear. The rotatable arm is rotated by the stepping motor. When the stepping motor is rotated in a forward direction, the rotatable arm is rotated in a first direction. Thus, the transmitting gear is meshed with the driven gear at a first point. When the stepping motor is rotated in a reverse direction, the rotable arm is rotated in a second direction reverse to the first direction. Thus, the transmitting gear is meshed with the driven gear at a second point different from the first point.

Abstract: A camera with a device that opens and closes a light lock door of a film cartridge loaded in the camera includes a drive source that moves a photographing lens barrel, and an opening/closing mechanism that uses the drive source to open and close the light lock door. A moving mechanism moves the photographing lens barrel. A switching mechanism is coupled to the drive source, and transmits a driving force from the drive source to a selected one of the moving mechanism and the opening/closing mechanism. When an inhibiting device inhibits movement of the photographing lens barrel and the movement mechanism of the photographing lens barrel, the switching mechanism transmits the driving force to the opening/closing mechanism for the light lock door.

Abstract: An apparatus including a switching device for switching a power transmission system between first and second states. A holding device holds the switching device at least in the first or the second state. The holding device utilizes an operation device for operating an optical device. An apparatus also for use with a performing device for performing an action relating to at least one of loading and unloading actions of an image recording medium and to a moving device for moving the medium. The latter apparatus includes a transmitting device for transmitting a driving force to the performing device and moving device and a switching device for switching the destination of the driving force.

Abstract: An electric motor 12 and a gear head 13 are located in the space inside the take-up spool 5, an output shaft 13a of the gear head 13 formed such that it has a length that accommodates the engagement length of the take-up spool only is direct-coupled to the take-up spool 5, while an output gear 6 to receive the drive power for rewinding, etc., is formed as a single unit with the take-up spool 5. As a result of this construction, the amount of dead space above the take-up spool is reduced to the extent possible, the height of the camera is reduced, and the camera is made more compact.