Photographic film unit

Claim 2

A film unit adapted to record a latent image developable by a fluid composition, said film unit having a first end and a second end, said film unit comprising: a photosensitive element for recording the latent image, the image being developable by spreading the fluid composition over said element in a predetermined direction from said first end toward said second end; and a trap adjacent to said second end for receiving and retaining any excess of the fluid composition spread over said element, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions extending from said central portion in directions substantially perpendicular to said predetermined direction, said trap including means for resisting entry of the composition into said trap, said resisting means varying in resistance to entry of the composition from a maximum amount in said central portion to increasingly lesser amounts in said lateral portions.

Claim 3

A photographic film unit for recording a latent image developable by spreading a viscous fluid composition generally in a predetermined direction across said unit, during which spreading the composition normally defines a substantially tongue-shaped wave front having an apex, said film unit comprising: a photosensitive element for recording the latent image and for supporting the composition during the spreading thereof across said unit; and a trap cooperable with said element for receiving and retaining any excess of the composition remaining after the spreading is completed, said trap including means engageable by the composition wave front for admitting the compoSition into said trap, said admitting means having a central portion engageable by the apex of the wave front and lateral portions extending from said central portion in directions substantially normal to said predetermined direction, said admitting means varying in capacity to admit the composition from a minimum but positive amount in said central portion to increasingly greater amounts in said lateral portions.

Claim 4

A photographic film unit for recording a latent image developable by spreading a viscous fluid composition generally in a predetermined direction across said unit, during which spreading the composition normally defines a substantially tongue-shaped wave front having an apex, said film unit comprising: a photosensitive element for recording the latent image and for supporting the composition during the spreading thereof across said unit; and a trap cooperable with said element for receiving and retaining any excess of the composition remaining after the spreading is completed, said trap including means engageable by the composition wave front for admitting the compoSition into said trap, said admitting means having a central portion engageable by the apex of the wave front and lateral portions extending from said central portion in directions substantially normal to said predetermined direction, said admitting means varying in capacity to admit the composition from a minimum but positive amount in said central portion to increasingly greater amounts in said lateral portions.

Claim 5

In a photographic film unit having first and second ends and adapted to record a latent image developable by spreading a fluid composition across said unit from said first end toward said second end, the composition normally defining a substantially tongue-shaped wave front during the spreading thereof, the improvement comprising: a trap having a central portion and lateral portions for receiving any excess of the composition at said second end after the spreading, said trap including means for admitting the excess composition to said portions, said admitting means varying from a minimum positive capacity to admit the excess composition to said central portion to increasingly greater capacities to admit the excess composition to said lateral portions.

Claim 6

In a photographic film unit having first and second ends and adapted to record a latent image developable by spreading a fluid composition across said unit from said first end toward said second end, the composition normally defining a substantially tongue-shaped wave front during the spreading thereof, the improvement comprising: a trap having a central portion and lateral portions for receiving any excess of the composition at said second end after the spreading, said trap including means for admitting the excess composition to said portions, said admitting means varying from a minimum positive capacity to admit the excess composition to said central portion to increasingly greater capacities to admit the excess composition to said lateral portions.

Claim 7

A photographic film unit adapted to record a latent image developable by a processing composition, said film unit comprising: a photosensitive sheet defining a rectangular exposure frame for recording the latent image, the image being developable by spreading the processing composition over said sheet in a predetermined direction, said frame having a width dimension extending in a direction normal to said predetermined direction; and a trap substantially coextensive with said width dimension and having a central portion and lateral portions for receiving any excess of the processing composition after the spreading thereof over said sheet, said trap including means for resisting entry of the excess composition into said portions, said resisting means varying in resistance to entry of the excess composition from a maximum resistance in said central portion through successively decreasing resistances in said lateral portions.

Claim 8

A photographic film unit adapted to record a latent image developable by a processing composition, said film unit comprising: a photosensitive sheet defining a rectangular exposure frame for recording the latent image, the image being developable by spreading the processing composition over said sheet in a predetermined direction, said frame having a width dimension extending in a direction normal to said predetermined direction; and a trap substantially coextensive with said width dimension and having a central portion and lateral portions for receiving any excess of the processing composition after the spreading thereof over said sheet, said trap including means for resisting entry of the excess composition into said portions, said resisting means varying in resistance to entry of the excess composition from a maximum resistance in said central portion through successively decreasing resistances in said lateral portions.

Claim 9

A trap cooperable with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing solution is spread across the unit in a predetermined direction to initiate processing and wherein any excess of the solution enters said trap in the same direction, said trap defining a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: a plurality of ridges defining storage spaces for receiving and retaining the excess solution, said ridges varying in direction from substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction at said central portion to significantly more parallel with the predetermined direction at said lateral portions.

Claim 10

A trap cooperable with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing solution is spread across the unit in a predetermined direction to initiate processing and wherein any excess of the solution enters said trap in the same direction, said trap defining a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: a plurality of ridges defining storage spaces for receiving and retaining the excess solution, said ridges varying in direction from substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction at said central portion to significantly more parallel with the predetermined direction at said lateral portions.

Claim 11

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: a porous material for absorbing different amounts of the excess composition in different ones of said central and lateral portions, said material varying in its capacity to absorb the composition from a minimum capacity in said central portion through successively increasing capacities in said lateral portions.

Claim 12

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: a porous material for absorbing different amounts of the excess composition in different ones of said central and lateral portions, said material varying in its capacity to absorb the composition from a minimum capacity in said central portion through successively increasing capacities in said lateral portions.

Claim 13

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a corrugation extending in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said Cavity, said corrugation varying in height from a maximum height in said central portion to a minimum height in at least one of said lateral portions.

Claim 14

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a corrugation extending in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said Cavity, said corrugation varying in height from a maximum height in said central portion to a minimum height in at least one of said lateral portions.

Claim 15

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a plurality of corrugations extending in a second direction substantially parallel with the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said cavity, said corrugations varying in pitch from a minimum pitch in said central portion to a maximum pitch in at least one of said lateral portions.

Claim 16

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a plurality of corrugations extending in a second direction substantially parallel with the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said cavity, said corrugations varying in pitch from a minimum pitch in said central portion to a maximum pitch in at least one of said lateral portions.

Claim 17

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a plurality of corrugations extending in a second direction substantially parallel with the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said cavity, said corrugations being partially flattened by a predetermined amount in said central portion and by lesser amounts in said lateral portions.

Claim 18

For use in cooperation with a photographic film unit of the self-processing type wherein a processing composition is spread across the unit in a first direction to initiate processing, a trap for receiving and retaining any excess composition from the unit, said trap having a central portion and lateral portions, said trap comprising: means defining a cavity for receiving and retaining the excess composition; and means in said cavity, defining a plurality of corrugations extending in a second direction substantially parallel with the first direction, for resisting entry of the excess composition into said cavity, said corrugations being partially flattened by a predetermined amount in said central portion and by lesser amounts in said lateral portions.