US3782255A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photographic apparatus with automatic diaphragm adjusting means
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
•
Filing: 1972-10-05
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Granted: 1974-01-01
•
Expires: 1992-10-05
Abstract
Abstract The diaphragm of a camera is adjustable by a light meter which is in circuit with a photoelectric transducer receiving scene light from a stationary vane of the diaphragm. The diaphragm has a movable vane which is located in front of the stationary vane. The stationary vane has a surface which reflects some light from the incoming beam of scene light, and the reflected light impinges upon the transducer which can be mounted on a support for the stationary and/or movable vane or is attached directly to the stationary vane. The area of the light reflecting surface or the reflectivity of such surface varies with changes in the aperture size so that the ratio of the amount of scene light which is reflected against the transducer to the amount of scene light which passes through the aperture is constant for all positions of the movable vane. The same result can be obtained if the stationary vane embodies a filter or an auxiliary diaphragm whose light transmissivity or shape varies with changes in the aperture size to insure that the ratio of the amount of light reaching the transducer to the amount of light which passes through the aperture remains constant for all positions of the movable vane.
Inventors
- 👤 G Boerner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 02:17
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/081; G03B7/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
In a photographic apparatus, the combination of a picture taking lens arranged to admit a beam of scene light; a diaphragm includIng a first vane and a second vane defining with said first vane an aperture of variable size in register with said lens; and adjusting means for moving at least said first vane relative to said second vane to thereby vary the size of said aperture as a function of changes in scene brightness, said adjusting means including photoelectric transducer means and one of said vanes having a light-reflecting surface extending into the path of propagation of said light beam, said one vane being located behind the other of said vanes, as considered in the direction of travel of said light beam, and said surface being arranged to reflect light against said transducer means, said one vane having at least one characteristic which varies with the size of said aperture so that the ratio of the size of said aperture-and hence of the amount of scene light passing through said aperture-to the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from said beam against said transducer means is constant for all positions of said first vane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
In a photographic apparatus, the combination of a picture taking lens arranged to admit a beam of scene light; a diaphragm includIng a first vane and a second vane defining with said first vane an aperture of variable size in register with said lens; and adjusting means for moving at least said first vane relative to said second vane to thereby vary the size of said aperture as a function of changes in scene brightness, said adjusting means including photoelectric transducer means and one of said vanes having a light-reflecting surface extending into the path of propagation of said light beam, said one vane being located behind the other of said vanes, as considered in the direction of travel of said light beam, and said surface being arranged to reflect light against said transducer means, said one vane having at least one characteristic which varies with the size of said aperture so that the ratio of the size of said aperture-and hence of the amount of scene light passing through said aperture-to the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from said beam against said transducer means is constant for all positions of said first vane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane is closely adjacent to said picture taking lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said surface is located in or close to the diaphragm plane of said lens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said characteristic is the reflectivity of said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said characteristic is the area of that part of said surface which reflects scene light in various positions of said first vane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane further comprises adapter mean located in the path of scene light which is reflected by said surface and arranged to compensate for eventual deviations of the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from the amount necessary to maintain said ratio constant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The combination of claim 6, wherein said adapter means includes filter means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination of claim 6, wherein said adapter means includes an auxiliary diaphragm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination of claim 6, wherein said characteristic is the shape of said adapter means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 6, wherein said characteristic is the light transmissivity of said adapter means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane further comprises adapter means located in the path of scene light which is reflected by said surface and arranged to compensate for eventual deviations of the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from the amount necessary to maintan said ratio constant, and further comprising common support means for said surface and said adapter means of said one vane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane is a stationary vane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising common support means for said one vane and said transducer means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising common support means for said one vane and said transducer means, said one vane further comprising adapter means mounted on said support means in the path of scene light which is reflected by said surface and arranged to compensate for eventual deviations of the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from the amount necessary to maintain said ratio constant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said surface is arranged to disperse said reflected light over the entire photosensitive surface of said transducer means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said diaphragm further comprises a third vane having a light-reflecting portion extending into the path of said light beam to deflect a second portion of said light beam into the viewfinder of the photographic apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination of claim 16, further comprising common support means for said one vane and said third vane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 17, wherein said third vane is located in front of said first vane, as considered in the direction of travel of said light beam. 19. The combination of claim 17, wherein said transducer means is mounted on said support.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination of claim 17, wherein said one vane includes adapter means extending across the path of light which is reflected by said surface and arranged to compensate for eventual deviations of the amount of light which is reflected by said surface from the amount necessary to maintain said ratio constant.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said light-reflecting surface is inclined relative to the optical axis of said picture taking lens and includes a portion located nearest to said axis, said portion of said surface being located in or close to the diaphragm plane of said lens.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane includes adapter means extending across the path of light which is reflected by said surface and arranged to disperse said light over the entire photosensitive surface of said transducer means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said surface is a light-dispersing surface and said one vane constitutes a light-conducting rod.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination of claim 23, wherein said surface is located at one end of said rod and said transducer means is secured to the other end of said rod.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising a substantially U-shaped support for said one vane, said support having two spaced-apart portions disposed with clearance at the opposite sides of said first vane.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising a support for said vanes, said support including pivot means for said first vane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of claim 26, wherein said adjusting means further comprises means for moving said first vane relative to said support.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 27, wherein said means for moving said first vane comprises a moving-coil instrument mounted in said support and having an output member constituting said pivot means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 27, wherein said support, said diaphragm and said adjusting means constitute a single self-supporting module and further comprising means for detachably coupling said module to the housing of said photographic apparatus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising a support having a panel provided with a lug which constitutes said one vane and has a mirrored surface constituting said light-reflecting surface.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said one vane is a light-conducting rod and said light-reflecting surface is provided at one end of said rod.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination of claim 1, further comprising a support for said diaphragm and said adjusting means, said adjusting means including at least one electrical component other than said transducer means, said additional component being mounted on said support.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |