Abstract: A film positioning apparatus includes a camera body assembled with a feeding system for allowing a film to travel in a first direction parallel to its surface and a platen member having external rails for positioning the film in a second direction parallel to the surface thereof but orthogonal to the first direction and connected to the camera body with screws. The platen member is provided with a mounting member for a magnetic head to be disposed in a predetermined positional relationship in the second direction with respect to the film.

Abstract: A camera using a photographic film accommodated in a cartridge main body in the state that a cartridge is loaded into the camera, the film being pressed, when it is fed out to the outside of the cartridge, by being subjected to a load in a film width direction substantially at a given position in the cartridge, wherein the position of the cartridge is set with respect to the position of the photographing opening of the camera so that the portions of the photographic film subjected to the load in the cartridge are located in the vicinity of the interval between photographing frame of the film fed out. According to the above arrangement of the camera, even if the fed photographing film is subjected to the load, it can maintain good flatness at the portion thereof corresponding to the photographing opening and an out of focus condition due to increased film curvature can be prevented.

Abstract: A 3-D camera includes a film carrier which in turn includes a frame, a film holder, and a lenticular lens carrier juxtaposed with a film holder and movable within the frame. Four springs are disposed between the frame and the lens carrier to urge against the lens carrier and thereby spring-load the lens carrier. Also, two opposed paddles are pivotably coupled to the frame opposite the springs. The paddles abut the lens carrier, such that when the paddles are moved the lenticular lens is moved relative to the film holder. A drive bolt is threadably engaged with the frame, and the drive bolt abuts the paddles. The bolt is operated by a motor for turning the drive bolt to thereby release the paddles and cause the lens holder to move. Additionally, the motor turns a shutter flywheel which is coupled to the shutter of the camera to open and close the shutter in coordination with the motion of the lenticular lens. A portable embodiment of the camera is also disclosed.

Abstract: A camera in which lenses in a lens system can be easily adjusted and manufacturing steps can be eliminated. The camera is equipped with an aperture which regulates the exposure region of a film, and a pressure plate with a tool insertion aperture hole formed in a region opposite the aperture. The tool insertion hole is disposed at the back surface of the aperture. This tool insertion hole allows for easy and efficient adjustment of the lenses making up the camera's lens system. Usually, the lens system is a zoom lens system.

Abstract: A photographic camera and method for assembling a photographic camera are disclosed. The photographic camera includes a novel mounting structure for a film passage forming plate, which may have components such as a photosensor, a magnetic head, and a film advance control substrate mounted thereon. The film passage forming plate is flexibly attached to a camera body such that it may be moved away from the camera aperture formed in the camera body while initial focusing and testing is conducted after assembly of the camera. In addition, the photographic camera includes a first control substrate carried by the camera body that is electrically connected to the film advance control substrate by a flexible wiring plate which serves to flexibly attach the film passage forming plate to the camera body so that the film passage forming plate may be moved away from the camera aperture after the film advance control substrate is wired to the camera.

Abstract: A magnetic reading and/or recording apparatus comprises a magnetic reading and/or recording head for reading and/or recording information from/on a magnetic information track on a photosensitive material having a natural longitudinal curl which when longitudinally straightened assumes an inherent transverse curl; and edge follower means attached to the magnetic reading and/or recording head for tracking a longitudinal edge of the photosensitive material in response to movement of the photosensitive material. Means are substantially aligned with the edge follower means for bending the photosensitive material in a direction perpendicular to the transverse curl to eliminate the transverse curl of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention is arranged to introduce the leading end portion of a film accommodated in a film cartridge into a slit portion formed between a pressure plate member and a camera body, by rotating the spool of the film cartridge loaded in the camera. The camera includes a gate portion formed adjacent to an inlet portion of the slit portion, for guiding the leading end portion of the film, and the gate portion is formed by utilizing a member which constitutes the slit portion.

Abstract: A camera provided with a rear surface switch includes a pressure plate. The pressure plate maintains film in a flattened alignment within a film exposure region of the camera. An external cover encloses a rear of the pressure plate. A switch includes a movable operational member that protrudes from the cover. An electrical conductive member is attached to the rear of the pressure plate. An electrical signal is output in accordance with the movement of the operational member. The operational force resulting from the movement of the operational member is supported by the pressure plate.

Abstract: A camera capable of magnetic recording includes a pressing pad for a magnetic head. The pressing pad is secured to the camera body and the head is made movable in order to increase the proximity of the head to the film and to enable reliable application to a low-cost, compact focal plane shutter camera. Above and below the aperture in the camera body, there are provided a pair of film rails and a pair of pressure plate rails formed so as to be higher than the film rails. An extended portion is formed on the film rail, and in the center of the extended portion, a recessed portion is made. A graded portion is formed to the left side of the extended portion, and a circular arc portion is formed to its left side. Below the pressure plate, there are provided a hole through which the magnetic head is secured to an actuating member with a mounting portion pressing the film, and a pair of stoppers for limiting the displacement of the magnetic head in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for flattening photographic film at the time of picture-taking involves applying a force-field to a photographic film made responsive to said force field to attract it against a reference surface. The force field may be electric, magnetic, AC, DC, or a combination of these.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a main body part having a spaced pair of cartridge receiving and film roll chambers and a film exposing chamber located between the cartridge receiving and film roll chambers, a separate-part light baffle inserted into the film exposing chamber, a metering sprocket rotatably supported on the main body part for engaging an intermediate film section which bridges a film cartridge loaded into the cartridge receiving chamber and at least a partial film convolution placed in the film roll chamber, and a rear cover part fitted to the main body part to make the main body part light-tight, is characterized in that the light baffle has a film holder for preventing the intermediate film section which bridges the film cartridge loaded into the cartridge receiving chamber and at least the partial film convolution placed in the film roll chamber from separating from the metering sprocket before the rear cover part is fitted to the main body part.

Abstract: In a camera using a film cartridge that holds a film with a load exerted on the film in the direction of the width of the film, a time counting block for time counting at each predetermined action of the camera, a time information memory block for storing the time from the time counting block, a film feed condition determining block for determining the condition of film feed, a time information determining block for computing a film hold time based on the latest time counted by the time counting block and the time stored in the time information memory block, and a camera setting update block for updating the camera setting according to the hold time to compensate for film curling.

Abstract: A camera that reliably prevents frame shifts of film by inserting a frame shift prevention member into a film perforation is disclosed. The camera with a frame shift prevention function includes a frame shift prevention member that is supported to move toward or away from the perforation of the film. The frame shift prevention member includes a first oblique plane that makes contact with the edge of the perforation during feeding of the film in the direction of winding in preparation for shooting the next film and a second oblique plane that makes contact with the edge of the perforation during feeding of the film in the direction of reminding that are formed on the frame shift prevention member. The angle between the second oblique angle and the rewinding direction is smaller than the angle between the first oblique angle and the winding direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for constraining a moving web of photographic film includes a first frame (84); a pair of oppositely facing, substantially parallel edge guides (148, 156, 158) supported by the first frame, each edge guide comprising a serpentine contact surface (160) with a central portion (162) for engaging an edge surface of a web moving between the edge guides; a second frame (70, 186, 248); a pair of film deflectors (262, 264) supported by the second frame; and a mechanism (74-96, 180-238) for relatively positioning the two frames with the film deflectors at least partially engaging the film with the serpentine contact surface, the mechanism being selectively adjustable to vary the deflection of the web toward the serpentine path, so that webs of different types of photographic film can be constrained for bar code reading.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera body having a photographing mask, a cassette chamber on one side of the photographing mask and a film winding spool on the other side. A motor rotates the winding spool in a film winding direction and a spring pushes the film toward the photographing mask to thereby apply a predetermined load against movement of the film. A roller applies to the film a tensile force which is smaller than the predetermined load on the film winding side to maintain the film flat at the photographing mask.

Abstract: A contact position at which the photographic film sent out from a film cartridge first contacts a film guide means is determined in such a manner that the photographic film does not contact a film entrance of the film cartridge when a film winding diameter in the film cartridge is at its maximum, and that only the edges of the photographic film, which curls in a direction of its breadth, which is not an image area, contacts the film entrance when the film winding diameter is at its minimum. As a result, the image area on the film is not damaged if the film is transported back and forth many times, and dust which causes damage to the film can be reduced.

Abstract: A camera has a plate for supporting a photo film from a rear surface thereof. The plate is provided with a recess into which a projection is fitted. The projection is integrally formed with an exposure frame and keeps a gap between the plate and the photo film at a constant. A push button is attached to a control circuit board which is disposed at a rear side of the plate. The push button is operatable from the outside of the camera and arranged at a position opposed to the projection via the plate. When the push button is pressed, the plate is received by the projection so that the plate is prevented from being moved toward the photo film.

Abstract: An easy loading camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge with a protruding film leader, and a leader insertion slit beginning at the cartridge receiving chamber, is characterized by a leader guide supported in a guiding position within the cartridge receiving chamber to guide the protruding film leader into the leader insertion slit before the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber and to be moved to a retracted position to make room for the film cartridge when the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber. Preferably, the leader guide is located in its leader guiding position for the film cartridge to push the leader guide out of the way as the film cartridge is loaded into the cartridge receiving chamber.

Abstract: A photographic camera has a camera back body on which are mounted an electronic circuit assembly including an external display system and the like and a pressure plate which is movable in the direction of the optical axis of a taking lens of the camera and supports the back side of a film loaded in the camera. A spring structure for urging the pressure plate toward the film includes a pair of torsion springs each having a linear shaft portion and a plurality of abutment portions extending substantially perpendicular to the shaft portion. The springs are disposed between the pressure plate and the camera back body so that the shaft portions of the respective torsion springs extend along opposite side edges of the pressure plate and a part of the abutment portions abuts against the pressure plate with the other abutment portions in abutment against a fixed portion on the camera back body.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera body and a regulation component mounted directly to the camera body with flatness of the film desired for photography being maintained by rail surfaces and a regulation surface. The dimensions of the camera body, the regulation component and the dimension allowances of the camera body and the film regulation component have a relationship that forms a space smaller than the thickness of the photographic film when the regulation component mounting surface and the camera body mounting surface of the regulation component are in contact, allowing the regulation component to be mounted directly to the camera body while the regulation surface of the regulation-component and the outer rail surface of the camera body maintain flatness.

Abstract: A metered film holding device in a camera comprising a metered film holding element supported to enter a film perforation in a metered filmstrip to substantially prevent unintended movement of the filmstrip, is characterized in that the metered film holding element is a ball supported to roll in place continuously in contact with the filmstrip when the filmstrip is advanced in the camera. The ball has a diameter greater than a maximum dimension of the film perforation in order to be able to roll only partly into the film perforation.

Abstract: A camera is capable of writing data into, and reading data from, a magnetic recording layer formed on photo film. An exposure chamber has a pair of inner rails along horizontal sides of an exposure aperture. Outside the inner rails, a pair of outer rails are formed. Rear faces of the inner rails receive the photo film. Rear faces of the outer rails contact the film support plate. In the film support plate, the magnetic head is mounted. The film support plate is fixed on the exposure frame, and defines a film tunnel between it and the exposure frame. The film support plate has four pins, which regulate each position of longitudinal edges of the film while moved through the film tunnel. The film is guided by the four pins on the film support plate, and is kept to have a position relative to the magnetic head, so as there to be no track deviation or azimuth deviation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a flange back mechanism for a single-lens reflex camera which has a structure permitting an image- forming surface to be moved in a distance-reducing direction further from a reference flange back position commonly defined for various interchangeable lens, to provide an ultra infinity position. By merely placing a distance ring of an interchangeable lens in the vicinity of infinity, AF response from the closest distance to infinity becomes possible.

Abstract: A photographic camera has a film cartridge chamber, a film take-up chamber, a film feed passage formed between a film window on a camera body and a pressure plate on a camera back and a film feed mechanism. A film cartridge in which a roll film is entirely rolled around a spool in a cartridge body to its leading end is loaded in the film cartridge chamber and the film is fed out through a film exit slit formed in the cartridge body by the film feed mechanism. A guide portion for leading the leading end of the film fed out through the film exit slit to the film feed passage is provided at the film cartridge chamber side end of the film feed passage. The guide portion includes at least an end guide surface provided on the camera body.

Abstract: A camera is provided having a film roll chamber for holding an unexposed roll of film, an exposure chamber into which ambient light enters through a taking lens to impinge on the film, and a light blocking member for preventing light entering through the taking lens from entering the film roll chamber. According to the invention, the light blocking member includes a stepped piece having a first step sufficiently raised to prevent light from entering the film roll chamber and a second step raised above the first step for supporting edges of the film In a preferred embodiment, the light shielding member supports the emulsion side of the film.