Search Patents
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Patent number: 6259861Abstract: A camera has a body defining a passage. A label has an attachment portion adhered to the body and an optical component joined to the attachment portion. The optical component is optically aligned with the passage.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: July 10, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6278841Abstract: An improved camera has a label including an electrical component. The label is precisely placed and adhered to operatively and simply connect the component and a camera subsystem. The component can be a liquid crystal display. The electrical connection provided can be non-mating contact.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6330396Abstract: A camera has a casing enclosing a film area. The casing has a stray light path into the film area due to a light transmissive region, such as a region of translucent material. The light transmissive region can be bounded by an obstruction to label placement. A label is adhered to the casing. The label has an opaque portion covering the transmissive region. The label can be aligned with an obstruction boundary and spaced from the obstruction boundary by 0.8 mm or less.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6282374Abstract: A camera has a body and a label adhered to the body. The body has a lens assembly including a taking lens. The taking lens defines an optical axis. The taking lens has at least one optical element. The optical element has a central part and a peripheral part. The lens assembly has a label receiving surface. The label receiving surface has an outer perimeter. The label receiving surface is free of obstructions to label-placement. The label is adhered to the label receiving surface in spaced relation to the outer perimeter. The label has a hole disposed substantially concentric with the optical axis. The label includes an opaque blocking portion surrounding the hole and overlapping the peripheral part.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6226457Abstract: In a method for loading a film cartridge in a one-time use camera, the film cartridge is placed in a film cartridge chamber of a camera frame assembly. An anti-backup subsystem is mounted on the camera frame assembly. The anti-backup subsystem has a first mechanical member biased into a disengaged position. A main portion of the filmstrip is then wound, in a prewind direction, from the film cartridge to a film supply chamber of the camera frame assembly. Following the winding, the first mechanical member is biased into an engaged position, in which the anti-backup system precludes winding of the filmstrip in the prewind direction. The first mechanical member can be biased by applying a label to a casing of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: May 1, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6283645Abstract: A camera has a rear backframe (exposure) opening, including a pair of spaced opposite ends across which successive sections of a filmstrip are moved for each section of the filmstrip to be advanced over the backframe opening. A pair of parallel film rails have longitudinal film support surfaces that support each section of the filmstrip over the backframe opening. A pair of parallel film debris catching combs are positioned between the film rails, proximate respective ones of the opposite ends of the backframe opening, and inwardly of the longitudinal film support surfaces to remove any debris from each section of the filmstrip before that section is advanced over the backframe opening. One of the film debris catching combs preferably is positioned inwardly of the film support surfaces farther than the other comb.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2000Date of Patent: September 4, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Michael P. Cramer, James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith
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Patent number: 6263159Abstract: A camera has a casing and a subsystem having a first mechanical element and a second mechanical element. The first mechanical element is movable relative to the casing, between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The mechanical elements are engaged. The subsystem is operative in the engaged position. The subsystem is inoperative in the disengaged position. A label is attached to the casing. The label biases the first mechanical element toward the engaged position. In a method for rendering a one-time use camera operative, a camera frame assembly and a compliant label are aligned. The camera frame assembly has the subsystem having a first and second mechanical elements and an uncovered gap. The first mechanical element is movable relative to the gap, between the engaged and disengaged positions. The mechanical elements are engaged and the subsystem is operative in the engaged position and inoperative in the disengaged position.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer
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Patent number: 6282375Abstract: A camera has a body having a functional subsystem and first and second cover parts. The second cover part moves relative to the first cover part from a closed position to an unclosed position to open the body. A label has an attachment portion that is adhered to at least one of the cover parts. The label has a breakable component joined to the attachment portion. The attachment portion supports the breakable component on the body in operative relation to the functional subsystem. The attachment portion disrupts from a use configuration to a replacement configuration responsive to the moving of the secondary cover part. Responsive to this disrupting of the attachment portion, the breakable component breaks irreparably. In a method for recycling the camera, the camera is opened, destroying the breakable component. The exposed film is removed. Unexposed film is loaded. The camera is light-tightly closed and following the closing, the original label is replaced by a label having an intact breakable component.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: James D. Boyd, Stephen J. Smith, Michael P. Cramer