US3678821A — Warning device for an electronically controlled c…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 290 words

A warning device for use with a camera having a variably settable iris aperture and an electronically controlled shutter movable from a normally closed position to an open position and back to said closed position defining an exposure time, said warning device comprising: first normally open electric circuit means including a plurality of connected together electrical elements operable when closed for providing a warning signal indicative of an overexposure condition as a function of a particular iris aperture setting; second normally open electric circuit means including some of said electrically connected together elements in said first electric circuit means operable when closed for providing a warning signal indicative of an underexposure condition as a function of said iris aperture setting; switching means movable to at least first and second working positions to sequentially close respectively said first and second normally open electric circuit means prior to any opening movement of a camera shutter; and wherein said first and second normally open electric circuit means include a common transistor operable in both a conducting mode and nonconducting mode, signal means operative when said transistor is in said nonconducting mode for providing a warning signal indicative of said overexposure condition and operative when said transistor is in said conducting mode for providing a warning signal indicative of said underexposure condition, and means responsive to said overexposure condition for effecting operation of said transistor in said nonconducting mode when said switching means is in said first working position and responsive to said underexposure condition for effecting operation of said transistor in said conducting mode when said switching means is in said second working position whereby a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition is provided before an exposure is made.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 290 words

A warning device for use with a camera having a variably settable iris aperture and an electronically controlled shutter movable from a normally closed position to an open position and back to said closed position defining an exposure time, said warning device comprising: first normally open electric circuit means including a plurality of connected together electrical elements operable when closed for providing a warning signal indicative of an overexposure condition as a function of a particular iris aperture setting; second normally open electric circuit means including some of said electrically connected together elements in said first electric circuit means operable when closed for providing a warning signal indicative of an underexposure condition as a function of said iris aperture setting; switching means movable to at least first and second working positions to sequentially close respectively said first and second normally open electric circuit means prior to any opening movement of a camera shutter; and wherein said first and second normally open electric circuit means include a common transistor operable in both a conducting mode and nonconducting mode, signal means operative when said transistor is in said nonconducting mode for providing a warning signal indicative of said overexposure condition and operative when said transistor is in said conducting mode for providing a warning signal indicative of said underexposure condition, and means responsive to said overexposure condition for effecting operation of said transistor in said nonconducting mode when said switching means is in said first working position and responsive to said underexposure condition for effecting operation of said transistor in said conducting mode when said switching means is in said second working position whereby a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition is provided before an exposure is made.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 72 words

A warning device according to claim 1, wherein said switching means is movable to a third working position; and further comprising an electronic delay circuit including some of said electrically connected together elements in said first and second electric circuit means operative to automatically control the exposure time of a camera shutter in accordance with the brightness of an object being photographed when said switching means is in said third working position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

A warning device according to claim 2, wherein said switching means comprises a plurality of slide switches, each said slide switch comprising a series of stationary electrical contacts each connected to particular ones of said electrical elements and a movable contact sequentially slidable to said first, second and third working positions to electrically interconnect preselected ones of said stationary contacts.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 73 words

A warning device according to claim 1, wherein said signal means comprises a first warning lamp connected to said transistor energizable only when said switching means is in said first working position to provide a warning signal indicative of said overexposure condition, and a second warning lamp connected to said transistor energizable only when said switching means is in said second working position to provide a warning signal indicative of said underexposure condition.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

A warning device according to claim 1, wherein said signal means comprises a warning lamp electrically connected in parallel with said transistor when said switching means is in said firSt working position and in series with said transistor when said switching means is in said second working position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 231 words

In a camera having a variably settable iris aperture and an electronically controlled shutter movable from a closed position to an open position and back to said closed position defining an exposure time, a warning device for providing a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition comprising: a transistor operable in a conducting mode and a nonconducting mode; first normally open electric circuit means connected to said transistor operable when closed for placing said transistor in one of said conducting and nonconducting modes and providing a first warning signal indicative of an overexposure condition as a function of a particular iris aperture setting when an overexposure condition exists; second normally open electric means connected to said transistor operable when closed for placing said transistor in the other of said conducting and nonconducting modes and providing a second warning signal indicative of an underexposure condition as a function of said iris aperture setting when an underexposure condition exists; and switching means sequentially movable to at least a first working position to temporarily close and then open said first normally open electric circuit means and a second working position to temporarily close and then open said second normally open electric circuit means both prior to any opening movement of said shutter; whereby a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition is provided before an exposure is made.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 231 words

In a camera having a variably settable iris aperture and an electronically controlled shutter movable from a closed position to an open position and back to said closed position defining an exposure time, a warning device for providing a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition comprising: a transistor operable in a conducting mode and a nonconducting mode; first normally open electric circuit means connected to said transistor operable when closed for placing said transistor in one of said conducting and nonconducting modes and providing a first warning signal indicative of an overexposure condition as a function of a particular iris aperture setting when an overexposure condition exists; second normally open electric means connected to said transistor operable when closed for placing said transistor in the other of said conducting and nonconducting modes and providing a second warning signal indicative of an underexposure condition as a function of said iris aperture setting when an underexposure condition exists; and switching means sequentially movable to at least a first working position to temporarily close and then open said first normally open electric circuit means and a second working position to temporarily close and then open said second normally open electric circuit means both prior to any opening movement of said shutter; whereby a warning signal indicative of either an overexposure or underexposure condition is provided before an exposure is made.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

A camera according to claim 6, wherein said first normally open electric circuit includes means for placing said transistor in said nonconducting mode when an overexposure condition exists.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

A camera according to claim 7, wherein said switching means is movable to a third working position; and further including an open electronic delay circuit closeable by said switching means when same is in said third working position for automatically controlling the exposure time of said shutter in accordance with the brightness of an object being photographed.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 87 words

A camera according to claim 8, wherein said switching means comprises a first series of contacts connected in said first normally open electric circuit means, a second series of stationary contacts connected in said second normally open electric circuit means, a third series of stationary contacts connected in said electronic delay circuit, and a movable contact sequentially slidable to said first, second and third working positions to respectively close said first normally open electric circuit means, second normally open electric circuit means and open electronic delay circuit.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 77 words

A camera according to claim 6, wherein said first normally open electric circuit means includes a first warning lamp connected to said transistor energizable only when said switching means is in said first working position to provide said first warning signal; and wherein said second normally open electric circuit means includes a second warning lamp connected to said transistor energizable only when said switching means is in said second working position to provide said second warning signal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 108 words

A camera according to claim 6, wherein said first and second normally open electric circuit means include a common warning lamp connected in parallel with said transistor and energizable when said switching means is in said first working position to provide said first warning signal and connected in series with said transistor and energizable when said switching means is in said second working position to provide said second warning signal; and wherein said second normally open electric circuit means includes means for changing the luminous output of said warning lamp to cause said second warning signal to have a discernibly different luminous output than said first warning signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-07-25	1976-01-24	1976-07-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-07-25	1980-01-24	1980-07-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-07-25	1984-01-24	1984-07-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Warning device for an electronically controlled camera shutter

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