Shutter control mechanism

Claim 2

In a camera having shutter apparatus for opening and closing an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, said apparatus comprising in combination: a. shutter means movable between open and closed positions of the exposure aperture, said shutter means operable in a first mode for providing a fixed preselected exposure interval, and operable in a second mode for providing a variable exposure interval; b. detent means movable from a first position wherein said detent means retains said shutter means in the open position during said variable exposure interval, to a second position wherein said detent means permits said shutter means to move to the closed position; and c. an electronic circuit for actuating said detent means to said first position for a variable interval of time dependent upon the intensity of scene light, and responsive to scene light in excess of a preselected intensity level for actuating said detent means to said second position to permit said shutter means to close at said fixed preselected exposure interval.

Claim 3

Exposure control apparatus for controlling the exposure of a light sensitive medium to scene light through an exposure aperture, said apparatus comprising: a. shutter means movable between closed and open positions in relation to the exposure aperture; b. first and second spring means; c. a member for directing said shutter means between said closed and open positions, said member being coupled to said shutter means and having first and second arms joined for movement from a first to a second position about a juncture of said arms, said first arm being engageable by said first spring for displacing said member towards said first position, said second arm being engageable by said second spring means in response to rotation of said member towards said second position, said second spring means being deflectable by said second arm and operable to displace said member toward said first position; d. means for moving said member to said second position; e. releasable means for engaging said member in said second position, said releasable means being actuatable for releasing said member to permit said first and second spring means to move said member to direct said shutter means to said closed position; and f. an electronic circuit including photosensitive means arranged to receive scene light, said circuit being operative to actuate said releasable means to permit said member to move said shutter means to said closed position after an interval of time which is related to the intensity of the light received by said photosensitive means.

Claim 4

Exposure control apparatus for controlling the exposure of a light sensitive medium to scene light through an exposure aperture, said apparatus comprising: a. shutter means movable between closed and open positions in relation to the exposure aperture; b. first and second spring means; c. a member for directing said shutter means between said closed and open positions, said member being coupled to said shutter means and having first and second arms joined for movement from a first to a second position about a juncture of said arms, said first arm being engageable by said first spring for displacing said member towards said first position, said second arm being engageable by said second spring means in response to rotation of said member towards said second position, said second spring means being deflectable by said second arm and operable to displace said member toward said first position; d. means for moving said member to said second position; e. releasable means for engaging said member in said second position, said releasable means being actuatable for releasing said member to permit said first and second spring means to move said member to direct said shutter means to said closed position; and f. an electronic circuit including photosensitive means arranged to receive scene light, said circuit being operative to actuate said releasable means to permit said member to move said shutter means to said closed position after an interval of time which is related to the intensity of the light received by said photosensitive means.

Claim 5

In a camera, exposure control apparatus movable between closed and open positions relative to an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, said apparatus comprising: shutter means movable between open and closed positions of the exposure aperture, said shutter means operative in a first mode to provide a fixed preselected interval of exposure and operative in a second mode to provide a variable interval of exposure related to scene light intensity; means for moving said shutter means between the open and closed position in said fixed interval of exposure; a detent movable from a first position wherein said detent is disposed to retain said shutter means in the open position, to a second position wherein said detent permits said shutter means to be moved to the closed position; and circuit means responsive to variations in scene light intensity and including means for actuating said detent to move to said second position after said variable interval of exposure thereby permitting said shutter means to be moved to said closed position, said circuit means also being responsive to scene light intensity above a predetermined intensity level for actuating said detent to said second positiOn in a proper timed relation with respect to movement of said shutter means such that said shutter means can be moved to the closed position after said fixed preselected interval.

Claim 6

In a camera, exposure control apparatus movable between closed and open positions relative to an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, said apparatus comprising: shutter means movable between open and closed positions of the exposure aperture, said shutter means operative in a first mode to provide a fixed preselected interval of exposure and operative in a second mode to provide a variable interval of exposure related to scene light intensity; means for moving said shutter means between the open and closed position in said fixed interval of exposure; a detent movable from a first position wherein said detent is disposed to retain said shutter means in the open position, to a second position wherein said detent permits said shutter means to be moved to the closed position; and circuit means responsive to variations in scene light intensity and including means for actuating said detent to move to said second position after said variable interval of exposure thereby permitting said shutter means to be moved to said closed position, said circuit means also being responsive to scene light intensity above a predetermined intensity level for actuating said detent to said second positiOn in a proper timed relation with respect to movement of said shutter means such that said shutter means can be moved to the closed position after said fixed preselected interval.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for moving said shutter means comprises an actuating member movable from a first to a second position for opening said shutter means, said actuating member including spring means for returning said shutter means to the closed position.

Claim 8

In a camera, exposure control apparatus for opening and closing an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, said exposure control apparatus comprising: shutter means movable between open and closed positions relative to the exposure aperture; impact means for moving said shutter means from the closed to the open position; means for returning said shutter means to the closed position after a fixed preselected interval of exposure; detent means mounted for movement from a first position wherein said detent means retains said shutter means in the open position, to a second position for permitting said shutter means to be moved to the closed position; a transducer including an armature, said transducer being energizable for retaining said armature in a first position wherein said armature engages said detent and retains said detent in said first position, said transducer being deenergizable for permitting said armature to move to a second position for moving said detent to said second position; means for moving said armature from said first to said second position; and circuit means responsive to scene light for energizing said transducer when the intensity of the scene light is below a predetermined intensity level and for deenergizing said transducer after a time interval dependent upon the intensity of the scene light.

Claim 9

In a camera, exposure control apparatus for opening and closing an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, said exposure control apparatus comprising: shutter means movable between open and closed positions relative to the exposure aperture; impact means for moving said shutter means from the closed to the open position; means for returning said shutter means to the closed position after a fixed preselected interval of exposure; detent means mounted for movement from a first position wherein said detent means retains said shutter means in the open position, to a second position for permitting said shutter means to be moved to the closed position; a transducer including an armature, said transducer being energizable for retaining said armature in a first position wherein said armature engages said detent and retains said detent in said first position, said transducer being deenergizable for permitting said armature to move to a second position for moving said detent to said second position; means for moving said armature from said first to said second position; and circuit means responsive to scene light for energizing said transducer when the intensity of the scene light is below a predetermined intensity level and for deenergizing said transducer after a time interval dependent upon the intensity of the scene light.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said detent means includes spring bias so that as said shutter means opens said shutter means engages said detent momentarily pivoting said detent out of the engagement position with said shutter means, said spring means urging said detent back into said engaging position.

Claim 11

In a camera having shutter means and means for moving said shutter means between closed and open positions relative to an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, shutter control apparatus comprising: a. a transducer; b. circuit means coupled to said transducer and responsive to scene light for energizing said transducer when the intensity of the scene light is below a predetermined level and for deenergizing said transducer after a time interval related to the intensity of the scene light, said circuit also being responsive to scene light above said preselected intensity level for maintaining said transducer in its deenergized condition; c. a detent disposed in a first position and responsive to energization of said transducer when scene light is below said preselected intensity for retaining the shutter means in its open position, said detent being movable to a second position upon deenergization of said transducer to establish an exposure interval related to scene light intensity said detent movable to said second position when said circuit detects scene light intensity above said preselected level for permitting said shutter means to move to its closed position after a preselected interval of exposure.

Claim 12

In a camera having shutter means and means for moving said shutter means between closed and open positions relative to an exposure aperture for controlling the passage of scene light therethrough, shutter control apparatus comprising: a. a transducer; b. circuit means coupled to said transducer and responsive to scene light for energizing said transducer when the intensity of the scene light is below a predetermined level and for deenergizing said transducer after a time interval related to the intensity of the scene light, said circuit also being responsive to scene light above said preselected intensity level for maintaining said transducer in its deenergized condition; c. a detent disposed in a first position and responsive to energization of said transducer when scene light is below said preselected intensity for retaining the shutter means in its open position, said detent being movable to a second position upon deenergization of said transducer to establish an exposure interval related to scene light intensity said detent movable to said second position when said circuit detects scene light intensity above said preselected level for permitting said shutter means to move to its closed position after a preselected interval of exposure.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said detent comprises a member having two arms, said member being pivotal about one arm of said arms for movement of the other arm of said arms from a first to a second position relative to said shutter means, and a bias means urging said other arm to said first position wherein said other arm engages the shutter means when said shutter means is in the open position.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the shutter means comprises a pair of shutter blades movable in a scissor-like manner beTween open and closed positions relative to the exposure aperture by means of an actuating member movable from a first to a second position for opening the shutter blades, said detent being movable relative to said actuating member for retaining said actuating member in said second position wherein said shutter blades are in the open position, said detent being movable to permit said actuating member to move to said second position wherein said shutter blades are in the closed position.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said detent engages said actuating member for retaining said shutter blades in the open position.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said transducer includes an armature engaging said detent, said armature being actuatable by said transducer for retaining said detent in said first position and deactuatable for permitting said detent to move to said second position.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 including impact means movable from a first to a second position for engaging said actuating member for moving the shutter blades to the open position, said impact means including a cam surface, said cam surface disposed relative to said armature for retaining said armature in said first position when said impact means is in said first position, said cam surface being movable relative to said armature for permitting said armature to move said detent from said first to said second position when said impact means moves to said second position.