US3712730A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic density setting apparatus
Assignee: ENIVAR ENTERPRISES Inc
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Filing: 1971-03-22
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Granted: 1973-01-23
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Expires: 1991-03-22
Abstract
Abstract An automatic density setting apparatus for converting copy densities into exposure times for main, flash and bump exposures required in half-tone reproduction. Two separately prepositionable scales of an evaluator are set to store intelligence mechanically corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of material to be copied. A master control unit converts the mechanical settings into appropriate electrical signals for automatically regulating the camera lights, and auxiliary flash lamp and the shutter of a process camera in order to automatically and instantaneously provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures.
Inventors
- 👤 L Florsheim
- 👤 T Sutherland
- 👤 H Archer
- 👤 P Lopresti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:57
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/72; G03B27/80; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/42; G03B15/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
In combination with a process camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, an automatic density-setting apparatus comprising: an evaluator having two pre-positionable parts which are respectively movable with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator; means to move said two parts as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of copy material; means responsive to the relative pre-positioning of two parts to generate electrical signals; and, a master control unit including a master timer responsive to said electrical signals for automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures automatically and instantaneously.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
In combination with a process camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, an automatic density-setting apparatus comprising: an evaluator having two pre-positionable parts which are respectively movable with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator; means to move said two parts as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of copy material; means responsive to the relative pre-positioning of two parts to generate electrical signals; and, a master control unit including a master timer responsive to said electrical signals for automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures automatically and instantaneously.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
150 words
In combination, a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter; a flash lamp for said camera arranged and disposed for effecting a flash exposure; camera lights for illuminating copy material to be exposed in said camera; and, an automatic density-setting apparatus operatively associated with said camera comprising an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another; means for adjustably presetting said parts as a function of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied whereby the intelligence is converted and stored in said evaluator in terms of a mechanical spatial relationship of said first and second part; means for converting said mechanical spatial relationship of said evaluator into electronic signals; and, control means including a master timer responsive to said electronic signals to automatically regulate the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
150 words
In combination, a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter; a flash lamp for said camera arranged and disposed for effecting a flash exposure; camera lights for illuminating copy material to be exposed in said camera; and, an automatic density-setting apparatus operatively associated with said camera comprising an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another; means for adjustably presetting said parts as a function of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied whereby the intelligence is converted and stored in said evaluator in terms of a mechanical spatial relationship of said first and second part; means for converting said mechanical spatial relationship of said evaluator into electronic signals; and, control means including a master timer responsive to said electronic signals to automatically regulate the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
For use in an automatic density setting apparatus of a graphic arts process camera for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposures; a portable evaluator having a pair of separately movable parts each having its own gray scale consisting of a plurality of gray scale steps; and, adjustment means for each of said parts whereby an intelligence corresponding to the highlight and shadow densities of copy material may be converted and stored in said evaluator by physically prepositioning the two parts in selected positions corresponding to a selectively matched gray scale step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
For use in an automatic density setting apparatus of a graphic arts process camera for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposures; a portable evaluator having a pair of separately movable parts each having its own gray scale consisting of a plurality of gray scale steps; and, adjustment means for each of said parts whereby an intelligence corresponding to the highlight and shadow densities of copy material may be converted and stored in said evaluator by physically prepositioning the two parts in selected positions corresponding to a selectively matched gray scale step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
In combination, a graphic arts camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, a computer for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposure times in half-tone process photography, said computer comprising an eValuator for evaluating an image to be reproduced and settable for various conditions, a main control unit including a master timer controlled by the set condition of said evaluator, said evaluator being separably connected to said main control unit, and said evaluator having a pair of movable means settable respectively to the highlight and shadow densities of said image, whereby the setting of said scales determine various exposure times in said main control unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
In combination, a graphic arts camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, a computer for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposure times in half-tone process photography, said computer comprising an eValuator for evaluating an image to be reproduced and settable for various conditions, a main control unit including a master timer controlled by the set condition of said evaluator, said evaluator being separably connected to said main control unit, and said evaluator having a pair of movable means settable respectively to the highlight and shadow densities of said image, whereby the setting of said scales determine various exposure times in said main control unit.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
107 words
The method of camera control which includes the steps of relating an evaluator to the surface of material to be copied, physically prepositioning two prepositionable parts with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of the copy, generating electrical signals as a function of the relative prepositioning of said prepositionable parts, and automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in response to said electrical signals in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures automatically and instantaneously.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
107 words
The method of camera control which includes the steps of relating an evaluator to the surface of material to be copied, physically prepositioning two prepositionable parts with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of the copy, generating electrical signals as a function of the relative prepositioning of said prepositionable parts, and automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in response to said electrical signals in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures automatically and instantaneously.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
111 words
The method of operating a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter, bump and flash operations and standard camera lights which includes the steps of: adjustably presetting an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another as a function of two bits of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied, thereby converting and storing the intelligence bits in a mechanical spatial relationship of the first and second parts, converting the mechanical spatial relationship into electronic signals, and electrically regulating the shutter, bump and flash operations of the camera as a function of the electronic signals.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
111 words
The method of operating a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter, bump and flash operations and standard camera lights which includes the steps of: adjustably presetting an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another as a function of two bits of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied, thereby converting and storing the intelligence bits in a mechanical spatial relationship of the first and second parts, converting the mechanical spatial relationship into electronic signals, and electrically regulating the shutter, bump and flash operations of the camera as a function of the electronic signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
109 words
In combination with a process camera, a computer for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposure times in half-tone process photography, said computer comprising an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced and settable for various conditions, a main control unit controlled by the set condition of said evaluator, said evaluator being separably connectible to said main control unit and having a pair of movable gray scale means that may be set to the highlight and shadow densities of the image, the setting of said scales determining various exposure times in said main control unit, whereby the exposure times are automatically calculated for electrically regulating said process camera.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
109 words
In combination with a process camera, a computer for automatically calculating main, flash and bump exposure times in half-tone process photography, said computer comprising an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced and settable for various conditions, a main control unit controlled by the set condition of said evaluator, said evaluator being separably connectible to said main control unit and having a pair of movable gray scale means that may be set to the highlight and shadow densities of the image, the setting of said scales determining various exposure times in said main control unit, whereby the exposure times are automatically calculated for electrically regulating said process camera.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-23 | 1976-07-24 | 1977-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-23 | 1980-07-24 | 1981-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-23 | 1984-07-24 | 1985-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |