Abstract: A miniaturized camera includes a cartridge chamber and a spool chamber positioned on either side of a lens barrel, thereby creating a gap above said lens barrel and a gap below said lens barrel. A battery is positioned in one of said gaps and at least one motor member, such as a lens barrel drive motor, is positioned in one of said gaps. Accordingly, the camera is not enlarged in size and miniaturization can be achieved.

Abstract: An arrangement, for installing an electric component of a printed board, contributing to a reduction in size of a camera. Between a cover of a camera body, and a film pressure plate, is installed the printed board which is larger than the film pressure plate and which extends beyond an outer wall of a spool chamber in a direction in which a film is fed. On the printed board, some electric components such as a step-up transformer and a transistor are mounted. The outer wall of the spool chamber has a concave part in which a part of the electric components is positioned. The dimension of the part of the electric component is absorbed in the thickness of the outer wall of the spool chamber.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a camera that is capable of both feeding a long strip of film that is housed in a cartridge in a wound-up fashion and rewinding said film, wherein a battery is placed above or below the film conveyance path between the cartridge bay and the spool bay such that its axis is essentially parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: In a camera using a cartridge (1) which includes flexible flanges (5), (6) having loose film wind preventive annular juts and being formed at both ends of a spool (3) in the cartridge, and in which pressing forces operate on film in a width direction of the film due to the juts of the flanges, curl leveling forces to be applied to deformed portions of the film caused by the pressing forces are reduced by means of concave surfaces (9c), (9e) formed at given locations on rail planes (9a) and feed walls (9d) constituting a film feed path, and good film flatness is thus ensured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-use camera comprising an apparatus for reflecting light and/or a siren.

Abstract: An electric camera has a camera body, a display portion for displaying information preset to the camera body, a tripod mounting screw portion provided in a bottom portion of the camera body and a cell containing portion having at least first and second stages, the first stage having a first plurality of cells so as to interpose the tripod mounting screw portion between the first plurality of cells, and the second stage having a second plurality of cells without interposing the tripod mounting screw portion between the second plurality of cells, wherein the second stage is disposed on top of the first stage, at least one side portion of the first stage is extended outwardly beyond one side portion of the second stage to be a projected portion, and the display portion is disposed immediately above the projected portion and adjacent to the one side portion of the second stage.

Abstract: A photographic roll-film pack, comprised of a light-proof core case with roll-film, with a photographic shutter, film advance means with manual control, a picture counter, a shutter-release device and apertures and/or lenses of a picture-taking lens and/or viewfinder defining optical beam paths, with a covering for the core case which leaves uncovered at least one manual control, is designed so that the covering is formed by a protective case (11, 12), enclosing the core case (1, 2), which is composed of shells (11, 12) of essentially rigid plastics which is at least transparent in the areas of apertures and/or lenses of a picture-taking lens and/or viewfinder defining optical beam paths. The roll-film pack is thereby protected against moisture, dirt and damage, but can still be manufactured cost-effectively using automated production and it can be re-assembled following removal of an exposed film.

Abstract: A single-use camera includes an external housing (290, 292), within the housing a camera frame (100) having an exposure opening (102), a first chamber (104) on one side of the exposure opening for receiving a light-tight film cartridge (18) enclosing a filmstrip (36); and a second chamber (108) on an opposite side of the exposure opening for receiving a scroll (268) formed from a filmstrip, and a separate retainer cap (80; 210-216; 220-234) located in the second chamber for engaging an end of the scroll to prevent clock-springing of the scroll.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for using light-sensitive web material includes a cassette chamber (12) which is closed by a closure (20) when a cassette (18) of the material has been installed. A single sensor (30, 32; 50-64) is provided to detect that the cassette is present, properly oriented and filled with the right material and that the closure is properly closed.

Abstract: An exterior structure of a camera includes a first exterior member, a second exterior member and a cover member. The first exterior member is provided with a hole and an elastically deformable first finger. The second exterior member is provided with an elastically deformable second finger which can be engaged by the first finger of the first exterior member when the first and second exterior members are fitted together. The cover member is adapted to close the hole of the first exterior member and is provided with an elastically deformable third finger. The third finger is inserted into the hole of the first exterior member to engage with the edge of the hole.

Abstract: A camera with a built-in strobe includes a camera body and a camera grip provided in the camera body. In the grip, a battery, a spool and a main strobe capacitor are provided. An elongated space, with extends in the camera grip along the longitudinal direction thereof, is defined so as to be surrounded by the battery, the spool and the main strobe capacitor. A strobe circuit board is roughly formed into an L-shape so as to have a cutout portion, and a motor is arranged in the cut-out portion of the strobe circuit board. As a result, the motor and the circuit board can be housed effectively within the smallest possible space within the camera grip. Further, by this arrangement, it becomes possible to realize a small-sized camera provided with a built-in strobe.

Abstract: A camera having a display device with a transparent window member at the top surface of the camera body. The camera body has a cover with an outer wall rising from the cover top surface, so that a direct impact on the window member is difficult, and the cracking of window member or its dislodgment from the cover, is difficult. The cover outer wall surrounds the periphery of the window member. In one embodiment, the cover outer wall is made up of a plurality of wall portions which do not surround the entire periphery of the window member and have cutout portions so that water drops and dust can be easily removed from the window member.

Abstract: A camera having a barrier which is rotatable around a shaft substantially parallel to an optical axis of a lens and between a closing position in which a lens barrel, an electronic flash and optical elements are covered by the barrier and an opening position in which the barrier uncovers those elements.

Abstract: A camera back comprising a film support for ensuring the shape of a filmstrip, is characterized in that the film support has a plurality of parallel film shaping ribs integral with the camera back, an opening for a battery is formed in the camera back to be located across at least some of the film ribs, and a door for closing the opening has integral rib-extensions that are longitudinally aligned with the film ribs across which the opening is located.

Abstract: A camera comprising a door with an exterior viewing opening for viewing readable information appearing on a photographic article such as a film cartridge in the camera, and an interior light-trapping gasket that surrounds the viewing opening to confine ambient light entering the viewing opening when the door is closed, is characterized in that the viewing opening is extended along the door to hold a label at a particular portion of the viewing opening that does not interfere with ambient light entering the viewing opening to view the information.

Abstract: A portion of a frame of film is pre-exposed to a first image by subjecting the film to a low intensity exposure while masking a portion of the film. The film is then used in a conventional camera along with a non-opaque exposure limiting device. The non-opaque exposure limiting device is positioned between the camera lens and the film. During exposure of the film to a second or target image, the first image is partially re-exposed thereby enhancing the stability of the picture while capturing the target image on the unexposed portion of the frame of film. The two images are then developed in a conventional manner to produce a relatively smoothly blended composite photograph.

Abstract: A camera which allows a film cartridge to be loaded in the direction of the axis of rotation of the film cartridge or in the direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation, includes a camera body includes a film cartridge compartment for accommodating the film cartridge, a film take-up spool compartment for taking up a film and a film transport path, formed between both compartments, having a film frame aperture, and a shading cover, when assembled to the camera body, for shading the film cartridge compartment, the film take-up spool compartment, and the film transport path.

Abstract: A control device for feeding and positioning a film precisely, in a camera, a printing apparatus, etc., includes a photo interrupter with a light emitter, a light detector for detecting a light emitted from the light emitter, and a holding member for keeping both the light emitter and the light detector in position; a frame with a guiding member for guiding a film having a longitudinal edge with a plurality of perforations which travels between the light emitter and the light detector of the photo interrupter; a perforation detector for detecting a perforation based upon a signal outputted from the light detector, which outputs the signal each time a perforation of the film edge passes a location corresponding to an optical axis existing between the light emitter and the light detector; and a controller for controlling a film feeding operation in accordance with the detection of a perforation by the perforation detector.

Abstract: A camera body constructed in such a manner that a front board unit, a shutter unit, and a main body unit are attached to a body plate unit from a rear face of the body plate unit. The body plate unit is a rigid board in a plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of a taking lens unit, which taking lens unit is attached to the body plate unit from a front face of the body plate unit.

Abstract: A method of remanufacturing a one-time-use camera comprises the following steps. Forcibly pulling apart a main body part and a cover part of the camera sufficiently to cause a predetermined portion of the main body part or cover part to be broken away from the main body part or cover part along a continuous line of weakness which circumscribes the predetermined portion, to leave a hole in the main body part or cover part in the place of the predetermined portion. And closing the hole in the main body part or cover part to reuse the main body part or cover part.

Abstract: A one-time use camera comprising a body part which has a wall portion that at least partially defines a cartridge chamber, a film cartridge in the cartridge chamber, and a cover part for the body part, is characterized in that the wall portion has an opening which extends through the wall portion to form a discrete hole in the wall portion which is smaller than the film cartridge to permit only a section of the film cartridge to protrude into the hole to fill the hole, the film cartridge has a section that protrudes into the hole to fill the hole, and the cover part extends over the body part, but not to the hole, whereby the one-time-use camera is made more compact.

Abstract: A film cartridge case which holds and carries therein a group of film cartridges for feeding sheets of undeveloped film loaded in their respective film cartridges to the development unit of an automatic photographic film development processor apparatus includes a plurality of cartridge pockets. Each pocket has a mispositioning preventing projection provided on one side of an inner wall thereof for engaging with a barcode readout window in the film cartridge upon the film cartridge being placed in the cartridge pocket in a correct orientation. The case includes holding members for detachably holding the film cartridges in their respective cartridge pockets. A conveyor element is arranged to be engaged by a conveying device. Film sheets can be loaded to and unloaded from respective film cartridges installed in the cartridge pockets.

Abstract: A camera comprises a camera main body, a taking lens provided at the camera main body and a sliding cover which is capable of sliding between a closed position at which the sliding cover covers the front surface of the taking lens and an open position at which the sliding cover withdraws from the front surface of the taking lens, along the front surface of the camera main body. The camera main body is provided with an outer cover and a groove forming member which is positioned on the inside of the outer cover, where a guide groove extending in the sliding direction of the sliding cover is formed. The sliding cover is provided with a through portion which passes through the outer cover. And a guide projection formed at the through portion is connected with the guide groove in such a manner that they can slide to guide the sliding movement of the sliding cover.

Abstract: A film-chamber cover of an advanced photo system (APS) camera is for indicating whether a film cassette is loaded within a film chamber of the APS camera or not. The film-chamber cover includes: a bottom cover furnished with a viewing window, an upper cover furnished with a shaft hole, a moving shaft slidably connected with the shaft hole between the upper and bottom covers, and a swing plate formed with characteristic symbols thereon. The swing plate is pivoted to the bottom cover and is driven by a restoring member such that when the film chamber is not loaded with a film cassette, the swing plate can be restored to a position where a symbol indicating emptiness of the chamber aligns the window of the bottom cover.

Abstract: A method of remanufacturing a one-time-use camera having the following steps. Cutting a protuberance off a main body part of the camera at a hollowed-out space in the protuberance in order to permit a standard cartridge to replace a modified cartridge within a chamber in the main body part. Closing a hole in the chamber, resulting from the protuberance being cut off the main body part at the hollowed-out space, to prevent ambient light from leaking into the chamber through the hole. And properly positioning the standard cartridge in the chamber.

Abstract: A camera to which a tripod is attachable has a camera body into and from which a film cartridge can be loaded and unloaded, and a cover member disposed at a bottom side of the camera body for opening and closing movement with respect to the camera body so as to load and unload the film cartridge into and from the camera body, wherein an interlocking portion for interlocking with the tripod is formed in the cover member.

Abstract: A photographic camera of small, flat design, comprising a body shell, a taking lens, a viewfinder, a film chamber, a film transport apparatus, and a flash device. The body shell is configured parallelepipedally and has on its front side a linear flat guideway in which a lens slide is guided displaceably from a non-operating position into a taking position and for purposes of film transport. For this purpose the body shell is equipped on the back side with a linear flat guideway, and the film chamber is configured as a replaceable film cassette that is displaceably guided in the flat guideway. The film cassette serves to receive a film strip equipped with an edge perforation, and consists of a flat, parallelepipedal housing with an exposure window and a film mouth. There extends in the housing, in the longitudinal direction thereof, a circumferential and continuous film channel which passes by the exposure window and opens into the film mouth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method improving the storage qualities of a container or film holder comprising providing a container wherein at least a portion of the structure of said container comprises a molecular sieve or calcium, magnesium, or aluminum salt.

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 lens barrel includes of a first housing half and a second housing half. The first housing half is arranged to house a first member, and the second housing half is arranged to house a second member. A housing is formed by joining the first housing half and the second housing half to each other at a first boundary plane which includes an optical axis or a second boundary plane which is adjacent to the first boundary plane. A lens barrel includes a housing divided into a first housing half and a second housing half by a first boundary plane which includes an optical axis or by a second boundary plane which is adjacent to the first plane, an optical element housed in the first housing half, and a driving part housed in the second housing half. The first housing half and the second housing half are put together at the first boundary plane or the second boundary plane after the optical element and the driving part are housed.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a film cartridge and a filmstrip, a lighttight camera body having an interior chamber for the film cartridge and an exterior cover portion for light-tightly sealing the chamber that can be separated from another exterior (remaining) portion to open the chamber in order to remove the film cartridge, and matching respective indicia on the outside of the camera body and on the film cartridge and/or the filmstrip. The indicia on the outside of the camera body is positioned partially on the exterior cover portion and partially on the other exterior portion to be divided in order to be visually obliterated when the exterior cover portion is separated from the other exterior portion to open the chamber. Thus, the one-time camera cannot practically be reused without removing or covering the part of the indicia on the other exterior (remaining) portion of the camera body.

Abstract: A camera is provided in which the body is downsized as far as possible and which enables the incorporation of a large capacity power supply battery to be accomplished efficiently and compactly. A space portion in the camera body which is surrounded by a cartridge chamber, a film take-up spool chamber and a photographing optical path chamber between a photo-taking lens and an aperture portion is used as a power supply battery chamber. A power supply battery substantially equal to the lengthwise direction of a photographing image field is contained in the power supply battery chamber. Capacitors for the light emission of an electronic flash device are disposed in the containing space of the spool chamber in the camera body which is opposite to the cartridge chamber, along a side portion of the spool chamber.

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 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 includes a body having a film roll chamber and a film cassette chamber which are oppositely disposed relative to an exposure chamber. A rear cover which lighttightly seals the camera body includes a rib member projecting from an interior surface for contacting a filmstrip being advanced between the film roll chamber and the film cartridge chamber. The rib member is preferably curved to induce a constant curvature on the filmstrip as the filmstrip is advanced across the exposure chamber of the camera. A set of spherical protrusions projecting from the interior of the rear cover bound the exposure chamber to allow the edges of the filmstrip to more closely track the film rails which border the exposure chamber to guide the filmstrip and promote a repeatable contour in the exposure plane.

Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit has a cassette containing chamber and a photo film roll chamber. The cassette containing chamber contains a cassette. The cassette has a spool and a cassette shutter. A photo film is secured to the spool contained in the cassette in a rotatable manner. The cassette shutter is incorporated in a rotatable manner between a closed position to block a photo film passage port and an open position to open the photo film passage port. The lens-fitted photo film unit has a rotatable photo film winding wheel, of which a wheel portion is disposed above the cassette containing chamber, and externally rotated after a frame on the photo film is exposed. A first rotational shaft projects downwards from the wheel portion, and is engaged with the spool through a top wall of the cassette containing chamber. The wheel portion is rotated to wind the photo film into the cassette.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention is provided wherein a pair of electric energy storage devices spaced from each other in the direction of the thickness of the camera so as to extend in the direction perpendicular to the film winding direction, and a circuit board having a plurality of electric parts mounted thereon is disposed along the pair of electric energy storage devices so that the electric parts are located between the pair of electric energy storage devices.

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 according to the present invention has an arrangement that a film is discharged to a side toward a subject after a picture has been taken, the instant camera comprising a grip portion formed on a right portion of a camera body when viewed in a normal photography state and from a position of a photographer operating the camera, an optical system disposed on a left portion of the camera body when viewed from the said position of the photographer and including at least a photographing lens, and a film cartridge loading portion which is capable of loading a film cartridge into a position between the grip portion of the camera body and the optical system in such a manner that an exposure surface of the film accommodated in the film cartridge faces the optical system.

Abstract: A catadioptric lens system may be operated in the telephoto mode to allow images of distant objects to be formed with large image plane magnification and be part of a camera body wherein a rear reflective section of the catadioptric lens system is provided by a front face of the camera body which has a clear aperture centered about the optical axis. An image is focused at the film plane. The catadioptric lens system has a diffractive/refractive hybrid singlet lens which corrects off-axis aberrations and decreases the overall lens length. The front surface of the lens defines an asphere. The back surface has a diffractive lens with annular blazed zones. The back surface also has an inner portion which is reflective and may have the same curvature as the transmissive section of the singlet (the back surface base curve of the from which the blazed zones extend). The lens system provides catadioptric imaging (sometimes called contracurrent or katoptric imaging) at the film plane.

Abstract: A camera, an apparatus, or a device adapted for the camera or the apparatus, arranged to use an image recording medium cartridge, is provided with a cover for closing an opening part from which the cartridge is to be removed from the camera or the apparatus, a first part arranged to automatically return an image recording medium to the cartridge loaded on the camera or the apparatus, and a second part arranged to change at least between a first state in which no force is imparted to a member for moving the image recording medium and a second state in which a force is allowed to be imparted to the member for moving the image recording medium and to allow the image recording medium to be returned to the cartridge without using the first part when the second part is in the second state, the second part being changeable at least between the first state and the second state when the opening part is closed with the cover.

Abstract: A camera and its components are arranged to reduce the overall camera width while avoiding an increase in height. The camera includes a cartridge chamber and a spool chamber positioned to surround the lens barrel. The chambers and the barrel are aligned in a first direction. A region is defined adjacent the spool chamber in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to both an axial direction of the lens barrel and the first direction. A light-emitting unit of a flash device, a red-eye prevention light-emitting unit, which produces light that prevents the red-eye phenomenon, and a photometry unit, which outputs a signal corresponding to the subject field brightness, are provided in the region in a position to reduce the overall width of the camera.

Abstract: A camera such as a portable small-size camera includes a structural body composed of a plurality of integrally coupled functional components, including a lens barrel, an automatic focusing device, a viewfinder, and a stroboscopic flash unit, a cover enclosing the structural body, and a plurality of slender rods extending between the structural body and the cover. The structural body is supported by the cover through the slender rods. The slender rods are rigid enough to position the structural body and the cover with respect to each other, and flexible enough to be elastically deformable when shocks are applied thereto.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprises a film cartridge and a lighttight enclosure which contains the film cartridge and can be opened to remove the film cartridge. Further, the one-time-use camera has a flash unit which is characterized in that a frangible support device for the flash unit is located to be destroyed when the lighttight enclosure is opened to remove the film cartridge.

Abstract: A camera including a photographing lens and a finder to provide a viewing image field through which an object can be observed. The field ratio of the viewfinder field to the photographed image field on the film is 87% to 120% and the exposure value of the camera is 11 to 13.5.

Abstract: A locking mechanism and method are provided for use in any photographic system which uses film cartridges. One embodiment includes a drive lever and an actuator which prevent movement of a slider door release, thus preventing unlocking of a film door when a film spool is improperly parked within a cartridge. Proper parking is determined by the position of a drive spindle, which operatively engages the film spool. In another embodiment, an actuator contacts a drive spindle and selectively engages a light lock driver. When the light lock driver is not engaged, the slider door release is moveable to unlock the film door. When the light lock driver is engaged, the slider door release is not moveable to unlock the film door. A user controlled mechanism may be included to properly park a film spool in the event that the photographic system improperly parks the film spool. An electro-mechanical switch may be included for properly parking the film spool.

Abstract: A filmstrip which has a substantially transparent magnetic layer is loaded into a camera. Successive sections of the filmstrip are moved inside the camera to locate corresponding sections of the magnetic layer adjacent an inside face of a magnetic-film-write-on portion of the camera. A hand held stylus is manually moved on an outside face of the magnetic-film-write-on portion, opposite the inside face, to record hand-generated information magnetically on the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A lens barrel is provided with a lens group that can move against a camera main body, an electrical device that can move with the lens group, and a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards arranged one on top of the other within a space inside the lens barrel, in order to electrically connect the electrical device to an electrical device that is provided outside the lens barrel.

Abstract: An advanced photo system (APS) camera includes a keyboard mounted on the inner surface of a rear cover hinged to the camera body. The camera also includes an LCD for displaying information entered on the keyboard, wherein the LCD is mounted at the rear of the camera body so as to be exposed when the rear cover is opened to provide user access to the keyboard. The information entered on the keyboard and displayed on the LCD is recorded on a magnetic track included on the photographic film advanced through the camera. The keyboard and the LCD may be separated from or remote from the APS camera, and the keyboard may be replaced with a plurality of input dials.

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.