Film container

Claim 2

Photographic apparatus including a container and support means for positioning and supporting the container adjacent an exposure plane within a photographic structure comprising: a container housing at least one film unit; first guide means located on said container; support means for supporting said container with said one film unit located substantially parallel with and adjacent to the exposure plane of the photographic structure; and second guide means located on said support means and disposed at an acute angle relative to the exposure plane of the photographic structure for receiving said first guide means when said film container is disposed in only one orientation relative to said support means and for cooperating with said first guide means to restrict the path of travel of said container into said support means to a plane disposed at an acute angle relative to the exposure plane of the photographic structure until said container is partially inserted into said support means and thereafter to provide angular movement of said container relative to said support means for locating said container in a plane substantially parallel with the exposure plane of the photographic structure.

Claim 3

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second guide means includes at least one protrusion means and the other of said first and second guide means includes at least one recess means.

Claim 4

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said container and said support means each includes at least one protrUsion means and one recess means.

Claim 5

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said protrusion means is located on said container and said recess means is located on said support means.

Claim 6

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including terminal means mounted on said container and contact means mounted on said support means, said terminal means being engageable by said contact means when said support means is supporting said container with said film unit located in position for exposure.

Claim 7

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 5 further including biasing means on said support means for resiliently urging said contact means into engagement with said terminal means.

Claim 8

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said protrusion means includes a rail adapted to be received by said recess means.

Claim 9

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said rail includes an enlargement near one portion thereof, said enlargement being of a size to preclude insertion of said portion of said rail into said recess means.

Claim 10

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said protrusion means includes a plurality of elongated rails and said recess means includes a plurality of channels adapted to receive said rails.

Claim 11

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said rails have dissimilar configurations.

Claim 12

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said container includes forward, rear and side walls, one of said elongated rails being mounted on one of said side walls near said forward wall and another of said rails being mounted on another of said side walls near said rear wall.

Claim 13

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the spacing between said one rail and said forward wall and between said other rail and said rear wall is different.

Claim 14

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said protrusion means is located on said support means and said recess means is located on said container.

Claim 15

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said protrusion means includes a rail adapted to be received by said recess means.

Claim 16

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said protrusion means includes a plurality of elongated rails and said recess means includes a plurality of channels adapted to receive said rails.

Claim 17

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said container includes forward, rear and side walls, one of said channels being located on one of said side walls near said forward wall and another of said channels being located on another of said side walls near said rear wall.

Claim 18

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the spacing between said one channel and said forward wall and between said other channel and said rear wall is different.

Claim 19

Photographic apparatus including a container and support means for positioning and supporting the container adjacent an exposure plane within a photographic structure comprising: a container housing at least one film unit; support means for supporting said container with said one film unit located substantially parallel with and adjacent to the exposure plane of the photographic structure; first guide means on said container including a plurality of channels; second guide means on said support means including a plurality of elongated rails adapted to be received by said channels; said first and second guide means being dimensioned to receive each other in only one orientation relative to each other, on loading of said container into said support means, and thereafter allowing sliding movement of said container relative to said support means, along a path at an acute angle relative to said exposure plane into a position adjacent said exposure plane; terminal means mounted on said container; contact means mounted on said support means; biasing means on said support means for resiliently urging said contact meAns into engagement with said terminal means when said support means is supporting said container with said film unit located in position for exposure; and means located on said container near one end thereof and engageable by a portion of said support means for supporting said one end of said container, said biasing means urging said contact means into engagement with said terminal means to assist in maintaining said means located on said container near one end thereof in engagement with said support means.

Claim 20

Photographic apparatus including a container and support means for positioning and supporting the container adjacent an exposure plane within a photographic structure comprising: a container housing at least one film unit; support means for supporting said container with said one film unit located substantially parallel with and adjacent to the exposure plane of the photographic structure; first guide means on said container including a plurality of channels; second guide means on said support means including a plurality of elongated rails adapted to be received by said channels; said first and second guide means being dimensioned to receive each other in only one orientation relative to each other, on loading of said container into said support means, and thereafter allowing sliding movement of said container relative to said support means, along a path at an acute angle relative to said exposure plane into a position adjacent said exposure plane; terminal means mounted on said container; contact means mounted on said support means; biasing means on said support means for resiliently urging said contact meAns into engagement with said terminal means when said support means is supporting said container with said film unit located in position for exposure; and means located on said container near one end thereof and engageable by a portion of said support means for supporting said one end of said container, said biasing means urging said contact means into engagement with said terminal means to assist in maintaining said means located on said container near one end thereof in engagement with said support means.

Claim 21

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said biasing means urges said one end of said container toward said exposure plane when said means is in engagement with said portion and away from said exposure plane when said means is out of engagement with said portion thereby facilitating removal of said container from said photographic structure.

Claim 22

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said container includes a forward wall having a rib therein, said rib including a beveled area to preclude supporting engagement of said rib by said portion when said film container is being removed from said photographic structure.

Claim 23

Photographic apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said forward wall is in lighttight engagement with said support means when said one film unit is located in position for exposure.

Claim 24

A photographic film assemblage including at least one film unit adapted for one way insertion into a photographic structure of the type having an exposure plane and support means including tapered guide means and a recess for supporting the film assemblage with said one film unit located adjacent said exposure plane in position for exposure, said film assemblage comprising: a container housing at least one film unit; elongated guide means asymmetrically disposed on said container such that one end of said elongated guide means terminates near one end of said container, said elongated guide means being configured such that said one end of said elongated guide means may be received by said tapered guide means on said support means only when said container occupies a single spatial relationship with said support means, said elongated guide means upon insertion in the photographic structure cooperating with said tapered guide means to restrict the path of travel of said container into said support means to a plane disposed at an acute angle relative to said exposure plane until said container is partially inserted into said support means at which point said one end of said elongated guide means cooperates with said tapered guide means to provide a pivot point about which said container rotates to locate said container in a plane substantially parallel with said exposure plane of the photographic structure to locate said one film unit in position for exposure.

Claim 25

A photographic film assemblage including at least one film unit adapted for one way insertion into a photographic structure of the type having an exposure plane and support means including tapered guide means and a recess for supporting the film assemblage with said one film unit located adjacent said exposure plane in position for exposure, said film assemblage comprising: a container housing at least one film unit; elongated guide means asymmetrically disposed on said container such that one end of said elongated guide means terminates near one end of said container, said elongated guide means being configured such that said one end of said elongated guide means may be received by said tapered guide means on said support means only when said container occupies a single spatial relationship with said support means, said elongated guide means upon insertion in the photographic structure cooperating with said tapered guide means to restrict the path of travel of said container into said support means to a plane disposed at an acute angle relative to said exposure plane until said container is partially inserted into said support means at which point said one end of said elongated guide means cooperates with said tapered guide means to provide a pivot point about which said container rotates to locate said container in a plane substantially parallel with said exposure plane of the photographic structure to locate said one film unit in position for exposure.

Claim 26

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 22 further including means on an end of said container opposite said one end configured to be located in said recess on said support means when said container is positioned to locate said one film unit in position for exposure for securing said opposite end of said container to said support means.

Claim 27

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 23 wherein said elongated guide means includes an elongated rail.

Claim 28

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 24 wherein said elongated rail includes an enlargement at an end of said rail opposite said one end, said enlargement being of a size to preclude insertion of said enlargement into said tapered guide means on said support means.

Claim 29

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 22 further including terminal means mounted on said container, said terminal means being engageable by contact means located on the support means when said container is supported by the support means with said film unit located in position for exposure.

Claim 30

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 26 wherein said container inclUdes forward, end and rear walls, said terminal means being mounted on said end wall at a position closer to said forward wall than said rear wall.

Claim 31

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 22 wherein said elongated guide means includes recess means located on said container.

Claim 32

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 22 wherein said elongated guide means include a plurality of elongated rails having dissimilar configurations.

Claim 33

A photographic film assembly as defined in claim 29 wherein said container includes side walls and one of said plurality of elongated rails is mounted on one said side walls and another of said plurality of elongated rails is mounted on another of said side walls.

Claim 34

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 30 wherein said container further includes forward and rear walls, the spacing between said one rail and said forward wall and between said other rail and said rear wall being different.

Claim 35

A photographic film apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said elongated guide means includes at least one protrusion means and one recess means. 33. A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 22 wherein said elongated guide means includes a plurality of elongated channels located on said container.

Claim 36

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 33 wherein said container includes side walls, one of said channels being located on one of said side walls and another of said channels being located on another of said side walls.

Claim 37

A photographic film assemblage as defined in claim 34 wherein said container further includes forward and rear walls, the spacing between said one channel and said forward wall and between said other channel and said rear wall being different.

Claim 38

Photographic apparatus including a container housing at least one film unit and support means for positioning and supporting the container within a photographic structure of the type having an exposure plane and film advancing means for moving a film unit from the container, said photographic apparatus comprising: a container housing at least one film unit and having forward and rear walls and leading and trailing ends, said container further including a first opening in said forward wall through which the film advancing means is adapted to extend; support means including forward, side, and rear walls disposed to define a chamber within the photographic structure for receiving said film container such that said film unit is positioned adjacent the exposure plane and the advancing means is aligned with said first opening in said forward wall of said container; first guide means including a second opening in said forward wall of said container near the trailing end thereof; and second guide means including a protrusion depending from said forward wall of said support means and dimensioned to extend into said second opening in said forward wall of said container when said container is fully inserted into said support means and cam means on said rear wall of said support means for engaging said rear wall of said film container as it is inserted into said support means and elevating said trailing end of said container such that said protrusion on said support means extends into said second opening in said forward wall of said container thereby insuring alignment of the advancing means and said first opening in said forward wall of said container.

Claim 39

Photographic apparatus including a container housing at least one film unit and support means for positioning and supporting the container within a photographic structure of the type having an exposure plane and film advancing means for moving a film unit from the container, said photographic apparatus comprising: a container housing at least one film unit and having forward and rear walls and leading and trailing ends, said container further including a first opening in said forward wall through which the film advancing means is adapted to extend; support means including forward, side, and rear walls disposed to define a chamber within the photographic structure for receiving said film container such that said film unit is positioned adjacent the exposure plane and the advancing means is aligned with said first opening in said forward wall of said container; first guide means including a second opening in said forward wall of said container near the trailing end thereof; and second guide means including a protrusion depending from said forward wall of said support means and dimensioned to extend into said second opening in said forward wall of said container when said container is fully inserted into said support means and cam means on said rear wall of said support means for engaging said rear wall of said film container as it is inserted into said support means and elevating said trailing end of said container such that said protrusion on said support means extends into said second opening in said forward wall of said container thereby insuring alignment of the advancing means and said first opening in said forward wall of said container.