Exposure control system

Claim 2

An exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: means defining an exposure aperture; shutter blade means movable between closed and opened terminal positions for respectively blocking and unblocking the passage of scene light through said aperture; means for biasing said shutter blade means to move toward said opened terminal position; electromagnetic drive means selectively energizable to cause said shutter blade means to assume said closed terminal position, deenergizable to permit movement of said shutter blade means by said biasing means from said closed toward said opened terminal position to initiate an exposure through said aperture and subsequently energizable to move said shutter blade means into said closed terminal position to terminate said exposure; and control means for causing said selective energization of said electromagnetic drive means.

Claim 3

The exposure control system of claim 1 in which said shutter blade means is configured and arranged to establish a progressive variation of effective apertures when moved between said closed and opened terminal positions.

Claim 4

The exposure control system of claim 2 in which said means for biasing said shutter blade means is selected to move said shutter blade means between said terminal positions at a predetermined rate.

Claim 5

The exposure control system of claim 3 in which said control means includes light-sensitive circuit means responsive to the said progressive variation of effective apertures and to scene light for regulating said electromagnetic drive means selective energization.

Claim 6

The exposure control system of claim 1 in which said electromagnetic drive means includes a solenoid.

Claim 7

The exposure control system of claim 5 in which said shutter blade means includes two shutter blades simultaneously movable in correspondence to define a progressive variation of effective apertures over said exposure aperture.

Claim 8

The exposure control system of claim 6 in which said shutter blade means further includes actuator means pivotally coupled with each said shutter blade and rotatable to effect said simultaneous and corresponding movement.

Claim 9

The exposure control system of claim 7 in which said solenoid has a plunger element movable in response to the energization thereof and coupled with said actuator means.

Claim 10

An exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: means defining an optical path for transmitting light from a scene to be photographed onto a photographic material; shutter means having a driven mode effective to block the passage of light along said optical path and a relaxation mode effective to progressively unblock said optical path to derive a predetermined variation of effective apertures during the progression of an interval of exposure; drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said driven mode; and circuit means responsive to said aperture variation and to the level of said scene light for controlling the said energization of said drive means.

Claim 11

An exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: means defining an optical path for transmitting light from a scene to be photographed onto a photographic material; shutter means having a driven mode effective to block the passage of light along said optical path and a relaxation mode effective to progressively unblock said optical path to derive a predetermined variation of effective apertures during the progression of an interval of exposure; drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said driven mode; and circuit means responsive to said aperture variation and to the level of said scene light for controlling the said energization of said drive means.

Claim 12

The exposure control system Of claim 9 in which said shutter means is operative to establish in enlarging variation of aperture opening over said optical path when in said relaxation mode.

Claim 13

The exposure control system of claim 9 in which said drive means includes a solenoid.

Claim 14

The exposure control system of claim 9 in which said drive means is deenergizable by said circuit means following said energization for causing said shutter means to assume said relaxation mode.

Claim 15

The exposure control system of claim 9 including means for biasing said shutter means to progressively unblock said optical path.

Claim 16

An exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: mean defining an optical path for exposing a photosensitive material to scene light; shutter means movable between closed and opened terminal positions for respectively blocking and unblocking the passage of light within said optical path, said element being configured to define a time-dependent progressive variation of exposure apertures when moved between said terminal positions; means for biasing said shutter means to move toward said opened terminal position; electromagnetic drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position, deenergizable to permit said movement under said bias from said closed terminal position toward said opened terminal position to initiate an exposure and subsequently energizable to move said shutter means into said closed terminal position to terminate said exposure; and circuit means responsive to said progressive variation of exposure apertures and to the level of said scene light in accordance with the sensitometric properties of said photosensitive material for controlling the said energization of said electromagnetic drive means to cause said exposure termination.

Claim 17

An exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: mean defining an optical path for exposing a photosensitive material to scene light; shutter means movable between closed and opened terminal positions for respectively blocking and unblocking the passage of light within said optical path, said element being configured to define a time-dependent progressive variation of exposure apertures when moved between said terminal positions; means for biasing said shutter means to move toward said opened terminal position; electromagnetic drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position, deenergizable to permit said movement under said bias from said closed terminal position toward said opened terminal position to initiate an exposure and subsequently energizable to move said shutter means into said closed terminal position to terminate said exposure; and circuit means responsive to said progressive variation of exposure apertures and to the level of said scene light in accordance with the sensitometric properties of said photosensitive material for controlling the said energization of said electromagnetic drive means to cause said exposure termination.

Claim 18

The exposure control system of claim 14 in which said shutter means progressive variation of exposure apertures is selected to establish a maximum aperture opening when said shutter means is in said opened terminal position.

Claim 19

The exposure control system of claim 14 in which said means for biasing said shutter means is operative to provide a predetermined rate for said movement between said shutter means closed and opened terminal positions.

Claim 20

The exposure control system of claim 14 in which said electromagnetic drive means includes a solenoid.

Claim 21

The exposure control system of claim 17 in which said shutter means includes two shutter blades movable in correspondence to define said progressive variation of exposure apertures.

Claim 22

An exposure control system for a single-lens reflex camera having a viewing mode permitting the viewing of the image of a scene before and after an exposure, and an exposure mode for exposing a photosensitive material, comprising: means defining an optical path for exposing said photosensitive material at an exposure plane to light from a scene to be photographed; shutter means movable toward an open terminal position to progressively vary the value of a said exposure and movable toward a closed position to block the passage of light along said optical path; means for biasing said shutter blade means to move toward said open terminal position; electromagnetic drive means selectively energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position, deenergizable to permit said movement of said shutter means by said biasing means from said closed toward said open terminal position to initiate said exposure, and subsequently energizable to move said shutter means to said closed position to terminate said exposure; and reflex operator means for blocking the exposure of said photosensitive material in the vicinity of said exposure plane following said subsequent energization.

Claim 23

An exposure control system for a single-lens reflex camera having a viewing mode permitting the viewing of the image of a scene before and after an exposure, and an exposure mode for exposing a photosensitive material, comprising: means defining an optical path for exposing said photosensitive material at an exposure plane to light from a scene to be photographed; shutter means movable toward an open terminal position to progressively vary the value of a said exposure and movable toward a closed position to block the passage of light along said optical path; means for biasing said shutter blade means to move toward said open terminal position; electromagnetic drive means selectively energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position, deenergizable to permit said movement of said shutter means by said biasing means from said closed toward said open terminal position to initiate said exposure, and subsequently energizable to move said shutter means to said closed position to terminate said exposure; and reflex operator means for blocking the exposure of said photosensitive material in the vicinity of said exposure plane following said subsequent energization.

Claim 24

The exposure control system of claim 19 in which said shutter means is configured and arranged for defining a time-dependent progressive variation of exposure apertures when moved between said open and closed positions. 21. The exposure control system of claim 19 in which said electromagnetic drive means is configured for permitting said shutter means to assume said open terminal position when said camera is in said viewing mode.

Claim 25

The exposure control system of claim 21 in which said reflex operator means is operative to unblock the passage of said scene light to said exposure plane when said camera is converted to said exposure mode.

Claim 26

The exposure control system of claim 22 in which said electromagnetic drive means is operative to cause said shutter means to move to said closed position when said camera is altered from said viewing mode into said exposure mode.

Claim 27

The exposure control system of claim 19 in which said electromagnetic drive means includes a solenoid.

Claim 28

The exposure control system of claim 19 in which said electromagnetic drive means includes circuit means responsive to said exposure value variation for controlling the said energizations.

Claim 29

An electrically controllable exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: means defining an exposure aperture; normally open shutter means movable between a normally open position unblocking the passage of light through said aperture and a closed position blocking the passage of light through said aperture; nonelectrical means for biasing said shutter means toward said normally open position; and electrical means energizable to drive said shutter means into said closed position against the bias of said nonelectrical means, whereby upon deenergization of said electrical means said shutter means reassumes its normally open condition.

Claim 30

An electrically controllable exposure control system for photographic apparatus comprising: means defining an exposure aperture; normally open shutter means movable between a normally open position unblocking the passage of light through said aperture and a closed position blocking the passage of light through said aperture; nonelectrical means for biasing said shutter means toward said normally open position; and electrical means energizable to drive said shutter means into said closed position against the bias of said nonelectrical means, whereby upon deenergization of said electrical means said shutter means reassumes its normally open condition.

Claim 31

The exposure control system of claim 26 in which said electrical means includes a solenoid.

Claim 32

The exposure control system of claim 26 in which said electrical means comprises: solenoid means for driving said shutter means into said closed position when energized; and circuit means for controlling the said energization of said solenoid means.

Claim 33

The exposure control system of claim 26 in which said manually open shutter means is configured and arranged to define a progressive variation of effective aperture openings over said exposure apertures when moved from said closed position toward said open position.

Claim 34

The exposure control system of claim 26 in which: said normally open shutter means is configured and arranged to define a progressively variation of effective aperture openings over said exposure aperture when moved from said closed position toward said open position; and said electrical means includes solenoid means for driving said shutter means into said closed position when energized, and circuit means responsive to said progressive variation of effective aperture openings and to light from a scene being photographed for controlling the said energization of said solenoid means.

Claim 35

The exposure control system of claim 26 in which: said normally open shutter means is configured and arranged to define a progressive variation of effective apertures across said exposure aperture when moved from said closed position toward said open position; said electrical means including a solenoid coupled with said normally open shutter means; and said nonelectrical means includes a spring coupled with said shutter means.

Claim 36

The exposure control system of claim 31 in which said electrical means further includes circuit means responsive to said progressive variation of effective apertures and to light from a scene being photographed for controllably energizing said solenoid.

Claim 37

A single-lens reflex camera having a viewing mode permitting the viewing of the image of a scene before and after an exposure, and an exposure mode for exposing a photosensitive material to light from said scene comprising: means defining an optical path for imaging light from said scene at a viewing plane when said camera is in said viewing mode and for exposing said photosensitive material at an exposure plane wHen said camera is in said exposure mode; shutter means movable about said optical path toward an open terminal position to define a time dependent progressive variation of exposure apertures and movable toward a closed position to block the passage of light along said optical path; means for normally biasing said shutter means to move toward said open terminal position; electromagnetic drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position and deenergizable to permit said movement of said shutter means by said biasing means from said closed toward said open terminal position; operator means actuable to block the exposure of said photosensitive material in the vicinity of said exposure plane when said camera is in said viewing mode and to unblock said exposure plane when said camera is in said exposure mode; and control means for causing said camera to normally assume said viewing mode and actuable to cause said camera to assume said exposure mode by selectively energizing and deenergizing said electromagnetic drive means and actuating said operator means in correspondence therewith.

Claim 38

A single-lens reflex camera having a viewing mode permitting the viewing of the image of a scene before and after an exposure, and an exposure mode for exposing a photosensitive material to light from said scene comprising: means defining an optical path for imaging light from said scene at a viewing plane when said camera is in said viewing mode and for exposing said photosensitive material at an exposure plane wHen said camera is in said exposure mode; shutter means movable about said optical path toward an open terminal position to define a time dependent progressive variation of exposure apertures and movable toward a closed position to block the passage of light along said optical path; means for normally biasing said shutter means to move toward said open terminal position; electromagnetic drive means energizable to cause said shutter means to assume said closed position and deenergizable to permit said movement of said shutter means by said biasing means from said closed toward said open terminal position; operator means actuable to block the exposure of said photosensitive material in the vicinity of said exposure plane when said camera is in said viewing mode and to unblock said exposure plane when said camera is in said exposure mode; and control means for causing said camera to normally assume said viewing mode and actuable to cause said camera to assume said exposure mode by selectively energizing and deenergizing said electromagnetic drive means and actuating said operator means in correspondence therewith.

Claim 39

The single-lens reflex camera of claim 33 in which said control means is operative during said camera exposure mode to initially energize said electromagnetic drive means and actuate said operator means to unblock said exposure plane, thence to deenergize and selectively energize said electromagnetic drive means for exposing said photosensitive material and, subsequently, to actuate said operator means to block the said exposure plane and deenergize said electromagnetic drive means.

Claim 40

The single-lens reflex camera of claim 34 in which said electromagnetic drive means includes a solenoid coupled in driving relationship with said shutter means.

Claim 41

The single-lens reflex camera of claim 35 in which said shutter means includes two shutter blades movable in mutual correspondence to define said progressive variation of exposure apertures.

Claim 42

The single-lens reflex camera of claim 36 in which said operator means is biased for movement into a position blocking said exposure plane.