Patent US3790261A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3790261A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Long play film cartridge and projector
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-05-17
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1993-05-17
Abstract
Abstract A long play film cartridge and projector wherein an endless loop of film may be nine hundred to 5,000 feet or more in length and which may be used to project a series of pictures continuously; the cartridge having a novel dish shaped film holding rotor of a material having a particular coeficient of surface friction with radiating film supporting ridges having upper surfaces declining downwardly from the outer periphery towards a central hub which is surrounded by a flat ring shaped surface portion with which the inner ends of said ridges are substantially flush, whereby a large spiral roll of film is carried on said film holding rotor and is fed therefrom near said hub where the relative center of said spiral roll is automatically maintained in loosely packed convolutions; said projector operated at a lower linear film rate than the linear film rate of said film holding rotor and the film holding rotor is actuated intermittently in response to tension on displacement of said film created by demand of said projector.
Inventors
- 👤 R Threlkeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:00
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/14; G03B21/32; G03B21/321; G03B21/323; G03B21/325
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
711 words
In a continuous play projector cartridge, the combination of; a base cartridge housing structure; a cover for said base housing structure; a film holding rotor rotabaly mounted in close proximity to said base housing and disposed beneath said cover; said film holding rotor being generally circular and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; drive means on said rotor adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor relative to said base housing structure and said cover; said film holding rotor having an upper side adapted to hold a spiral roll of film thereon; said upper side having a generally flat and generally horizontal ring shaped film supporting surface portion which is substantially concentric with said axis of rotation; a generally circular film engaging hub disposed generally concentric within said ring shaped surface protions; said upper side of said film holding rotor having a plurality of generally radially diverging spaced apart film supporting ridges projecting above said upper side; said rotor having a peripheral portion; said ridges diverging from said ring shaped surface portion towards said peripheral portion of said rotor; said ridges having inner terminus portions substantially flush with said film holding ring shaped surface portion towards said peripheral portions of said film holding rotor; said ridges being disposed in a generally circular and radiating array around said ring shaped film holding surface portion and said upper film holding surfaces of said radially disposed ridges all declining inwardly towards said ring shaped film holding surface and thus providing a generally dish shaped film holding configuration at the upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having upper and lower sides, said lower side facing said film holding rotor; said cover having a film guide opening extending therethrough from its lower side to its upper side; said film guide opening disposed generally tangent to said film engaging hub; said film guide opening having an inclined in a direction away from said upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; extending therethrough from its lower side to its upper side; said film guide opening disposed generally tangent to said film engaging hub; said film guide opening having an inclined film edge engaging ramp portion inclined in a direction away from said upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; said cartridge having film guide means adjacent said film return opening and adjacent said peripheral portion of said film holding rotor; said film guide means disposed and adapted to guide film onto said film holding rotor at upper surfaces of said ridges thereon and at a location substantially spaced radially from said ring shaped film supporting surface portion; a spiral roll of film on said rotor; said spiral roll of film comprising spiral convolutions, said spiral roll having a periphery disposed at said location; said spiral roll of film being a continuous and endless loop and comprising a projector related film portion disposed outside said cartridge and between said film guide opening and said film return opening; said film being a thin flat flexible film having opposite edges and opposite sides; said opposite sides being contiguous in said spiral roll on said film holding rotor; the normally lower edges of said convolutions of film engaging said ring shaped surface portIon of said rotor and also engaging said inclined surfaces of said radially diverging ridges; whereby rotary winding of said film on said periphery of said spiral roll by rotation of said film holding rotor also causes feeding of film from a delivery area around said hub and through said film guide opening in said cover and whereby the spiral film roll moves on said spaced apart radially diverging ridges and passes from an angular decline to a flat horizontal configuration at the edge of said ring shaped surface all of which tends to hold spiral packing density of the film greater near the periphery of said spiral roll than at said delivery area near said hub and thereby providing relatively loose freedom of said film near said hub enabling it to move out of a spiral packed condition at the said delivery area near said hub and to pass radially through said film guide opening in said cover.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
711 words
In a continuous play projector cartridge, the combination of; a base cartridge housing structure; a cover for said base housing structure; a film holding rotor rotabaly mounted in close proximity to said base housing and disposed beneath said cover; said film holding rotor being generally circular and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; drive means on said rotor adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor relative to said base housing structure and said cover; said film holding rotor having an upper side adapted to hold a spiral roll of film thereon; said upper side having a generally flat and generally horizontal ring shaped film supporting surface portion which is substantially concentric with said axis of rotation; a generally circular film engaging hub disposed generally concentric within said ring shaped surface protions; said upper side of said film holding rotor having a plurality of generally radially diverging spaced apart film supporting ridges projecting above said upper side; said rotor having a peripheral portion; said ridges diverging from said ring shaped surface portion towards said peripheral portion of said rotor; said ridges having inner terminus portions substantially flush with said film holding ring shaped surface portion towards said peripheral portions of said film holding rotor; said ridges being disposed in a generally circular and radiating array around said ring shaped film holding surface portion and said upper film holding surfaces of said radially disposed ridges all declining inwardly towards said ring shaped film holding surface and thus providing a generally dish shaped film holding configuration at the upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having upper and lower sides, said lower side facing said film holding rotor; said cover having a film guide opening extending therethrough from its lower side to its upper side; said film guide opening disposed generally tangent to said film engaging hub; said film guide opening having an inclined in a direction away from said upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; extending therethrough from its lower side to its upper side; said film guide opening disposed generally tangent to said film engaging hub; said film guide opening having an inclined film edge engaging ramp portion inclined in a direction away from said upper side of said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; said cartridge having film guide means adjacent said film return opening and adjacent said peripheral portion of said film holding rotor; said film guide means disposed and adapted to guide film onto said film holding rotor at upper surfaces of said ridges thereon and at a location substantially spaced radially from said ring shaped film supporting surface portion; a spiral roll of film on said rotor; said spiral roll of film comprising spiral convolutions, said spiral roll having a periphery disposed at said location; said spiral roll of film being a continuous and endless loop and comprising a projector related film portion disposed outside said cartridge and between said film guide opening and said film return opening; said film being a thin flat flexible film having opposite edges and opposite sides; said opposite sides being contiguous in said spiral roll on said film holding rotor; the normally lower edges of said convolutions of film engaging said ring shaped surface portIon of said rotor and also engaging said inclined surfaces of said radially diverging ridges; whereby rotary winding of said film on said periphery of said spiral roll by rotation of said film holding rotor also causes feeding of film from a delivery area around said hub and through said film guide opening in said cover and whereby the spiral film roll moves on said spaced apart radially diverging ridges and passes from an angular decline to a flat horizontal configuration at the edge of said ring shaped surface all of which tends to hold spiral packing density of the film greater near the periphery of said spiral roll than at said delivery area near said hub and thereby providing relatively loose freedom of said film near said hub enabling it to move out of a spiral packed condition at the said delivery area near said hub and to pass radially through said film guide opening in said cover.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein a first motor is disposed and adapted for rotatably driving said drive means on said film holding rotor of said cartridge; a projector having a second motor for driving it; said projector having film drive means engagable with said film and adapted for moving said projector related portion of said endless dilm between said film guide opening and said film return opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein a film demand sensing switch is operable in response to displacement of said projector related portion of said film at a location between said film guide opening in said cartridge cover and said film drive means of said projector; said switch in circuit with said first motor for energizing it to rotate said film holding rotor of said cartridge when said projector creates said displacement in said film whereby said cartridge delivers film to said projector on demand of the projector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein said film guide means is provided with a spring loaded take up mechanism adapted to prevent slack in said film between said projector and said peripheral portion of said spiral roll of film on said film holding rotor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein said film guide means comprises a plurality of idler rollers having peripheral portions over which said film passes; said spring loaded take up mechanism comprises one of said idler rollers having spring means tending to move it laterally relative to its axis of rotation and against said film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said first motor is adapted to drive film of said film holding rotor and a greater linear rate than said second motor causes said projector to drive film there through.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said first moter is adapted to drive film on said film holding rotor at a greater linear rate than said second motor causes said projector to drive film there through.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein a frame is disposed and adapted for holding said cartridge and said projector; said frame adapted to be mounted on a wall structure; said projector having a lens with an axis of projection; said frame having means for rotatably adjusting said projector thereon substantially about asid axis of projection thereof; said frame having means for adjusting said projector about a generally horizontal axis disposed at substantially right angles to said axis of projection; said frame having means for adjusting said projector about a generally vertical axis substantially at right angles to said axis of projection;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention as defined in claim 8, wherein a wall supports said projector; a floor disposed adjacent said wall; said projector mounted on said wall at an elevation above said floor so as to be within reach of a human operator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said film holding rotor is made of plastic material having a static polarization to prevent static charges from building up on said rotor and said film held thereby to minimize dust collEction thereon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said film drive means of said projector comprises a positive film drive mechanism which engages said projector related film portion; said first and second motors being constant speed motors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
155 words
The invention as defined in claim 11, wherein said first motor is adapted to drive film on said film holding rotor at a greater linear rate than said second rotor causes said projector to drive film there through; a film demand sensing switch operable in response to displacement of said projector related portion of said film at a location between said film guide opening in said cartridge cover and said film drive means of said projector; said switch in circuit with said first motor for intermittently energizing it to rotate said film holding rotor of said cartridge when said projector creates said displacement in said film whereby said cartridge delivers film to said projector on demand of the projector; said film guide means intermittently having spring loaded take up mechanism adapted to prevent slack in said film between said projector and said peripheral portion of said spiral roll of film of said film holding rotor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein positive drive means couples said second motor and said film drive means of said projector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as defined in claim 12, wherein positive drive means couples said second motor and said film drive means of said projector.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said ridges converge relative to each other in a direction toward said hub and said spiral roll of film, when contracting radially inward, tends frictionally to wedge between said ridges due to relative sag of said film between said ridges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
370 words
In a continuous play projector and cartridge, the combination of; a base cartridge housing structure; a cover for said base housing structure; a film holding rotor rotatably mounted in close proximity to said base housing and disposed beneath said cover; said film holding rotor being generally circular and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; drive means on said rotor adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor relative to said base housing structure and said cover; said film holding rotor having an upper side adapted to hold a spiral roll of film thereon; said upper side being generally dish shapped; said cover having a film guide opening extending therethrough; said film guide opening having an inclined film edge engaging ramp portion inclined in a direction away from said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; said cartridge having film guide means adjacent said film return opening and adjacent said film holding rotor; said film guide means disposed and adapted to guide film onto said film holding rotor at a location substantially spaced radially from the center thereof; a spiral roll of film on said rotor; said spiral roll of film comprising spiral convolutions, said spiral roll having a periphery disposed at said location; said spiral roll of film being a continuous and endless loop and comprising a projector related film portion disposed outside said cartridge and between said film guide opening and said film return opening; said film being a thin flat flexible film having opposite edges and opposite sides; said opposite sides being contiguous in said spiral roll on said film holding rotor; a first motor is disposed and adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor of said cartridge; a projector having a second motor for driving it; said projector having a lens and a light source axially aligned with said lens; said projector having film drive means engagable with said film and adapted for moving said projector related portion of said endless film between said film guide opening and said film return opening and for moving said film directly between said light source and said lens with said opposite sides of said film disposed normal to the axis Of said lens.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
370 words
In a continuous play projector and cartridge, the combination of; a base cartridge housing structure; a cover for said base housing structure; a film holding rotor rotatably mounted in close proximity to said base housing and disposed beneath said cover; said film holding rotor being generally circular and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; drive means on said rotor adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor relative to said base housing structure and said cover; said film holding rotor having an upper side adapted to hold a spiral roll of film thereon; said upper side being generally dish shapped; said cover having a film guide opening extending therethrough; said film guide opening having an inclined film edge engaging ramp portion inclined in a direction away from said film holding rotor; said cover having a film return opening therein; said cartridge having film guide means adjacent said film return opening and adjacent said film holding rotor; said film guide means disposed and adapted to guide film onto said film holding rotor at a location substantially spaced radially from the center thereof; a spiral roll of film on said rotor; said spiral roll of film comprising spiral convolutions, said spiral roll having a periphery disposed at said location; said spiral roll of film being a continuous and endless loop and comprising a projector related film portion disposed outside said cartridge and between said film guide opening and said film return opening; said film being a thin flat flexible film having opposite edges and opposite sides; said opposite sides being contiguous in said spiral roll on said film holding rotor; a first motor is disposed and adapted for rotatably driving said film holding rotor of said cartridge; a projector having a second motor for driving it; said projector having a lens and a light source axially aligned with said lens; said projector having film drive means engagable with said film and adapted for moving said projector related portion of said endless film between said film guide opening and said film return opening and for moving said film directly between said light source and said lens with said opposite sides of said film disposed normal to the axis Of said lens.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
88 words
The invention as defined in claim 16, wherein a film tension sensing switch is operable in response to tension of said projector related portion of said film at a location between said film guide opening in said cartridge cover and said film drive means of said projector; said switch in circuit with said first motor for energizing it to rotate said film holding rotor of said cartridge when said projector creates tension in said film whereby said cartridge delivers film through said projector on demand of the projector.
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) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |