Film cartridge camera

Claim 2

A cartridge-camera combination for receiving and exposing film having an emulsion side, the combination comprising: a camera including coplanar surface means defining an exposure plane of the camera; and a cartridge including a rigid wall member defining a forwardly facing surface immovable relative to said wall member for supporting a frame of film for exposure, and means defining an exposure opening to an emulsion side of a frame of film on said film support surface, wherein said exposure opening has a size suffIcient to receive said coplanar surface means such that said coplanar surface means is directly contactable by said emulsion side of said exposure frame, and including means for urging said cartridge toward said coplanar surface means to establish and maintain said direct contact.

Claim 3

In an apparatus comprising in combination: a cartridge for roll film, said cartridge comprising: a film supply compartment, a film takeup compartment, a backing member connecting said compartments and providing a flat support surface for the back side of an exposure frame of said film extending between said compartments, and a plurality of wall means defining an exposure opening to the emulsion side of said exposure frame of said film which is in contact with said backing member, and a camera adapted to receive said cartridge and comprising: means defining an exposure aperture, and coplanar surface means defining the exposure plane of said exposure aperture, the improvement wherein: said plurality of wall means defines an exposure opening having a size sufficient to receive said coplanar surface means such that said surface means directly contact said emulsion side of said exposure frame, and including means for urging said cartridge toward said coplanar surface means for establishing and maintaining said direct contact.

Claim 4

In an apparatus comprising in combination: a cartridge for roll film, said cartridge comprising: a film supply compartment, a film takeup compartment, a backing member connecting said compartments and providing a flat support surface for the back side of an exposure frame of said film extending between said compartments, and a plurality of wall means defining an exposure opening to the emulsion side of said exposure frame of said film which is in contact with said backing member, and a camera adapted to receive said cartridge and comprising: means defining an exposure aperture, and coplanar surface means defining the exposure plane of said exposure aperture, the improvement wherein: said plurality of wall means defines an exposure opening having a size sufficient to receive said coplanar surface means such that said surface means directly contact said emulsion side of said exposure frame, and including means for urging said cartridge toward said coplanar surface means for establishing and maintaining said direct contact.

Claim 5

A camera comprising in combination a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said openings, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with a focal plane of said lens system, a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from one of said chambers into the other of said chambers with the back surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located adjacent said flat forwardly facing film surface, said portion of said strip of film being aligned with said boxlike structure and engaged by said rearwardly facing surface means when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 6

A camera comprising in combination a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said openings, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with a focal plane of said lens system, a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from one of said chambers into the other of said chambers with the back surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located adjacent said flat forwardly facing film surface, said portion of said strip of film being aligned with said boxlike structure and engaged by said rearwardly facing surface means when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 7

The invention defined by claim 3 in which said camera housing is provided with a cover door movable between an open position and a closed position rearwardly adjacent said cartridge loaded into said camera, said resilient means comprising a resilient spring member attached to said cover door and adapted to be resiliently deformed between said cover door and a rearwardly facing surface of said cartridge when said cover door is in said closed position.

Claim 8

The invention defined by claim 3 in which said rearwardly facing surface means are defined by film support rails extending rearwardly from said boxlike structure and adapted to engage elongate regions of said portion of said strip of film exTending along and adjacent the lateral edges thereof.

Claim 9

A camera comprising in combination: a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said opening and having a focal plane, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with the focal plane of said lens system, a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, flange members extending forwardly from said wall member closely adjacent corresponding edges of a strip of film on said forwardly facing surface, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, wherein said film compartment means project forwardly from said rigid wall member beyond said flat forwardly facing surface and are connected by said flange members, whereby said flange members and said film compartment means cooperate to define a continuous inwardly facing generally rectangular wall surface adapted to laterally surround said boxlike structure when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and means defining a film passageway leading into each of sad film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 10

A camera comprising in combination: a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said opening and having a focal plane, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with the focal plane of said lens system, a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, flange members extending forwardly from said wall member closely adjacent corresponding edges of a strip of film on said forwardly facing surface, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, wherein said film compartment means project forwardly from said rigid wall member beyond said flat forwardly facing surface and are connected by said flange members, whereby said flange members and said film compartment means cooperate to define a continuous inwardly facing generally rectangular wall surface adapted to laterally surround said boxlike structure when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and means defining a film passageway leading into each of sad film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 11

A camera comprising in combination: a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including toward a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, flange members extending forwardly from said wall member closely adjacent corresponding edges of a strip of film on said forwardly facing surface, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, wherein said film compartment means project forwardly from said rigid wall member beyond said flat forwardly facing surface and are connected by said flange members whereby said flange members and said film compartment means cooperate to define a continuous inwardly facing generally rectangular wall surface, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from one of said chambers into the other of said chambers with the back surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located adjacent said flat forwardly facing film surface, and a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, said internal body member including means adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to receive and laterally surround those external portions of said cartridge located forwardly of said portion of said strip of film without abutting anteriorly with said cartridge. means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, said rectangular wall surface of said film cartridge being adapted to laterally surround said boxlike structure when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said opening and having a focal plane, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with the focal plane of said lens system, said portion of said strip of film being aligned with said boxlike structure and engaged by said rearwardly facing surface means when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 12

A camera comprising in combination: a removable film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera and including toward a rigid wall member defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface immovable relative to said wall member, flange members extending forwardly from said wall member closely adjacent corresponding edges of a strip of film on said forwardly facing surface, film compartment means rigidly attached to respective opposite ends of said wall member and defining corresponding film chambers beyond said flat film support surface thereof, wherein said film compartment means project forwardly from said rigid wall member beyond said flat forwardly facing surface and are connected by said flange members whereby said flange members and said film compartment means cooperate to define a continuous inwardly facing generally rectangular wall surface, means defining a film passageway leading into each of said film chambers adjacent the corresponding end of said flat film support surface, and an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from one of said chambers into the other of said chambers with the back surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located adjacent said flat forwardly facing film surface, and a camera housing incorporating an internal body member within said housing, said internal body member including means adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to receive and laterally surround those external portions of said cartridge located forwardly of said portion of said strip of film without abutting anteriorly with said cartridge. means providing an opening extending rearwardly through said internal body member, a generally rectangular boxlike structure supported by said internal body member and surrounding said opening at the rearward end thereof, said rectangular wall surface of said film cartridge being adapted to laterally surround said boxlike structure when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, a lens system located forwardly of said boxlike structure in alignment with said opening and having a focal plane, and rearwardly facing surface means defined by said boxlike structure along at least two opposite sides of said opening, said surface means being coplanar with the focal plane of said lens system, said portion of said strip of film being aligned with said boxlike structure and engaged by said rearwardly facing surface means when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable with said cartridge so loaded into said camera for urging the entire cartridge toward said boxlike structure to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film beyond said opening between said rearwardly facing surface means and said forwardly facing film support surface.

Claim 13

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a film cartridge including an elongate strip of film movable from a film supply chamber into a film takeup chamber along a flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface immovable relative to said chambers and located rearwardly adjacent a portion of said strip of film extending between said chambers, the improvement in a gate structure for supporting said portion of said strip of film with its front surface coincident with a focal plane of a lens system of said camera, said gate structure comprising; a front gate member defined by a rearwardly extending generally boxlike member immovably supported in said camera behind said lens system and surrounding the optical axis thereof, said boxlike member including rearwardly facing edge surface means coplanar with said focal plane at opposite sides of aid optical axis, a rear gate member defined by said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface located in rearward alignment with said rearwardly facing edge surface means of said boxlike member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means for urging the entire film cartridge in a forward direction when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to resiliently sandwich the regions of said portion of said strip of film adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means between those edge surface means and said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface, thereby maintaining the back surface of said portion of said strip of film in flat supported contact with said cartridge wall surface and positioning the corresponding front surface of said portion of said strip of film in coincidence with said focal plane.

Claim 14

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a film cartridge including an elongate strip of film movable from a film supply chamber into a film takeup chamber along a flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface immovable relative to said chambers and located rearwardly adjacent a portion of said strip of film extending between said chambers, the improvement in a gate structure for supporting said portion of said strip of film with its front surface coincident with a focal plane of a lens system of said camera, said gate structure comprising; a front gate member defined by a rearwardly extending generally boxlike member immovably supported in said camera behind said lens system and surrounding the optical axis thereof, said boxlike member including rearwardly facing edge surface means coplanar with said focal plane at opposite sides of aid optical axis, a rear gate member defined by said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface located in rearward alignment with said rearwardly facing edge surface means of said boxlike member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means for urging the entire film cartridge in a forward direction when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to resiliently sandwich the regions of said portion of said strip of film adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means between those edge surface means and said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface, thereby maintaining the back surface of said portion of said strip of film in flat supported contact with said cartridge wall surface and positioning the corresponding front surface of said portion of said strip of film in coincidence with said focal plane.

Claim 15

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a film cartridge including an elongate strip of film movable from a film supply chamber into a film takeup chamber along a flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface immovable relative to said chambers and located rearwardly adjacent a portion of said strip of film extending between said chambers, the improvement in a gate structure for supporting said portion of said strip of film with its front surface coincident with a focal plane of a lens system of said camera, said gate structure comprising: a front gate member defined by a rearwardly extending generally boxlike member immovably supported in said camera behind said lens system and surrounding the optical axis thereof, said boxlike member including rearwardly facing edge surface means coplanar with said focal plane at opposite sides of said optical a rear gate member defined by said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface located in rearward alignment with said rearwardly facing edge surface means of said boxlike member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, resilient means for urging the entire film cartridge in a forward direction when said cartrIdge is loaded into said camera to resiliently sandwich the regions of said portion of said strip of film adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means between those edge surface means and said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface, thereby maintaining the back surface of said portion of said strip of film in flat supported contact with said cartridge wall surface and positioning the corresponding front surface of said portion of said strip of film in coincidence with said focal plane, wherein said film cartridge includes inwardly facing wall surface means adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to surround and confront the rearward portion of said boxlike member adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means thereof to obstruct lateral light penetration between said cartridge and said boxlike structure.

Claim 16

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a film cartridge including an elongate strip of film movable from a film supply chamber into a film takeup chamber along a flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface immovable relative to said chambers and located rearwardly adjacent a portion of said strip of film extending between said chambers, the improvement in a gate structure for supporting said portion of said strip of film with its front surface coincident with a focal plane of a lens system of said camera, said gate structure comprising: a front gate member defined by a rearwardly extending generally boxlike member immovably supported in said camera behind said lens system and surrounding the optical axis thereof, said boxlike member including rearwardly facing edge surface means coplanar with said focal plane at opposite sides of said optical a rear gate member defined by said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface located in rearward alignment with said rearwardly facing edge surface means of said boxlike member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, resilient means for urging the entire film cartridge in a forward direction when said cartrIdge is loaded into said camera to resiliently sandwich the regions of said portion of said strip of film adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means between those edge surface means and said flat forwardly facing cartridge wall surface, thereby maintaining the back surface of said portion of said strip of film in flat supported contact with said cartridge wall surface and positioning the corresponding front surface of said portion of said strip of film in coincidence with said focal plane, wherein said film cartridge includes inwardly facing wall surface means adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to surround and confront the rearward portion of said boxlike member adjacent said rearwardly facing edge surface means thereof to obstruct lateral light penetration between said cartridge and said boxlike structure.

Claim 17

For use in a camera including an internal body member, a generally rectangular front gate member comprising an open-ended boxlike structure supported by said body member and provided with rearwardly facing edges defining corresponding coplanar rearwardly facing film support surfaces, a cover door movable between an open position and a closed position, and a resilient member attached to said door and supported thereby rearwardly of said front gate member when said door is in said closed position; a film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera, said film cartridge comprising a wall member provided with means defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface, end film compartment members attached to opposite ends of said wall member in immovable relation to said film support surface and extending forwardly thereof to define a film supply chamber at one end of said wall member and a film takeup chamber at the opposite end of said wall member, means defining film passageways communicating with said film supply and takeup chambers adjacent opposite ends of said film support surface, an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from said film supply chamber into said film takeup chamber with the portion of said film between said passageways located forwardly of and in parallel adjacent relation to said film support surface, flange means extending forwardly orwardly from said wall member along and closely adjacent the edges of said portion of said film and adjoining said film compartment members to provide inwardly facing rectangularly disposed wall surfaces extending forwardly from and surrounding said portion of said film, said wall surfaces being adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to laterally surround said front gate member engaged along said edge surfaces thereof with corresponding regions of the front surface of said portion of said film, and means defining rearwardly facing surfaces along said wall member engageable by said resilient member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera and said cover door is in said closed position, whereby said resilient member urges said cartridge toward said front gate member to sandwich said regions of said portion of said film between said front gate member and said flat wall surface.

Claim 18

For use in a camera including an internal body member, a generally rectangular front gate member comprising an open-ended boxlike structure supported by said body member and provided with rearwardly facing edges defining corresponding coplanar rearwardly facing film support surfaces, a cover door movable between an open position and a closed position, and a resilient member attached to said door and supported thereby rearwardly of said front gate member when said door is in said closed position; a film cartridge adapted to be loaded into said camera, said film cartridge comprising a wall member provided with means defining a flat forwardly facing film support surface, end film compartment members attached to opposite ends of said wall member in immovable relation to said film support surface and extending forwardly thereof to define a film supply chamber at one end of said wall member and a film takeup chamber at the opposite end of said wall member, means defining film passageways communicating with said film supply and takeup chambers adjacent opposite ends of said film support surface, an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from said film supply chamber into said film takeup chamber with the portion of said film between said passageways located forwardly of and in parallel adjacent relation to said film support surface, flange means extending forwardly orwardly from said wall member along and closely adjacent the edges of said portion of said film and adjoining said film compartment members to provide inwardly facing rectangularly disposed wall surfaces extending forwardly from and surrounding said portion of said film, said wall surfaces being adapted when said cartridge is loaded into said camera to laterally surround said front gate member engaged along said edge surfaces thereof with corresponding regions of the front surface of said portion of said film, and means defining rearwardly facing surfaces along said wall member engageable by said resilient member when said cartridge is loaded into said camera and said cover door is in said closed position, whereby said resilient member urges said cartridge toward said front gate member to sandwich said regions of said portion of said film between said front gate member and said flat wall surface.

Claim 19

A double compartment film cartridge comprising; a hollow film supply compartment member, a hollow film takeup compartment member, a substantially rigid wall member extending between and rigidly attached to said film compartment members, said wall member including a flat forwardly facing film support surface between and immovable relative to said compartment members, means defining in each of said compartment members a film passageway adjacent the corresponding end of said film support surface, an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from within said film supply compartment into said film takeup compartment with the rearward surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located closely adjacent said film support surface, and parallel fLange members extending forwardly from opposite edges of said wall member along the corresponding edges of said portion of said strip of film between said film compartment members, said flange members being adapted to straddle the corresponding lateral surfaces of a generally rectangular camera gate member received between said flanges and said film compartment members and posteriorly engaged with marginal regions of said portion of said film strip adjacent said flanges when said cartridge is loaded into a camera adapted for use therewith.

Claim 20

A double compartment film cartridge comprising; a hollow film supply compartment member, a hollow film takeup compartment member, a substantially rigid wall member extending between and rigidly attached to said film compartment members, said wall member including a flat forwardly facing film support surface between and immovable relative to said compartment members, means defining in each of said compartment members a film passageway adjacent the corresponding end of said film support surface, an elongate strip of film extending through said passageways from within said film supply compartment into said film takeup compartment with the rearward surface of a portion of said strip of film between said passageways located closely adjacent said film support surface, and parallel fLange members extending forwardly from opposite edges of said wall member along the corresponding edges of said portion of said strip of film between said film compartment members, said flange members being adapted to straddle the corresponding lateral surfaces of a generally rectangular camera gate member received between said flanges and said film compartment members and posteriorly engaged with marginal regions of said portion of said film strip adjacent said flanges when said cartridge is loaded into a camera adapted for use therewith.

Claim 21

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a double compartment film cartridge comprising an elongate strip of film extending from a film supply compartment into a film takeup compartment past a rigid wall member located between and immovable relative to said compartments, the improvement in film gate means for supporting a portion of said strip of film extending between said compartments in a flat plane in predetermined relation to said camera when said cartridge is loaded therein, said improvement comprising; a generally rectangular front gate member immovable relative to said camera and including coplanar rearwardly facing surface areas at opposite sides of an opening extending through said front gate member, a back gate member comprising a generally rectangular forwardly facing flat surface area integral with said rigid wall member and located and back of said strip of film, cartridge is means for laterally positioning said cartridge within said camera to align said rearwardly and forwardly facing surface areas of said front and back gate members adjacent opposite faces of said portion of said strip of film when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable within said cartridge loaded into said camera for biasing said cartridge and thereby said back gate member toward said front gate member to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film located laterally beyond said opening between said rearwardly and forwardly facing surfaces of said gate members.

Claim 22

In a camera adapted to be loaded with a double compartment film cartridge comprising an elongate strip of film extending from a film supply compartment into a film takeup compartment past a rigid wall member located between and immovable relative to said compartments, the improvement in film gate means for supporting a portion of said strip of film extending between said compartments in a flat plane in predetermined relation to said camera when said cartridge is loaded therein, said improvement comprising; a generally rectangular front gate member immovable relative to said camera and including coplanar rearwardly facing surface areas at opposite sides of an opening extending through said front gate member, a back gate member comprising a generally rectangular forwardly facing flat surface area integral with said rigid wall member and located and back of said strip of film, cartridge is means for laterally positioning said cartridge within said camera to align said rearwardly and forwardly facing surface areas of said front and back gate members adjacent opposite faces of said portion of said strip of film when said cartridge is loaded into said camera, and resilient means engageable within said cartridge loaded into said camera for biasing said cartridge and thereby said back gate member toward said front gate member to resiliently sandwich regions of said portion of said strip of film located laterally beyond said opening between said rearwardly and forwardly facing surfaces of said gate members.