Collapsible camera

Claim 2

A photographic camera comprising: a generally rectangular housing including means for supporting a sheet of photographic film in an exposure plane; a lens for establishing a focused image of a subject to be photographed; a pair of reflecting surfaces pivotally supported by said housing and pivotally coupled to each other for pivotal movement from respective operative positions wherein said surfaces and said housing are disposed in substantially triangular relation to one another and wherein said surfaces extend substantially beyond said housing to define a folded optical path between said lens and the film, for locating the focused image in coincidence with said plane, to respective inoperative positions wherein said surfaces are retracted toward and lie substantially flat against said housing; and means enclosing said reflecting surfaces in light-tight relation to said housing and movable in cooperation with said surfaces from an erect position wherein said surfaces are in said operative positions to a collapsed position wherein said surfaces are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 3

A photographic camera comprising: a relatively thin, box-like housing including means for supporting a sheet of photographic film in a plane generally parallel with said housing, said plane being substantially vertical when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject disposed forwardly thereof and aligned horizontally therewith; a lens supported by said housing and defining an optical axis that extends through said plane and to one side of said supporting means; a pair of generally planar mirrors pivotally coupled to each other and pivotally supported by said housing near said lens and said supporting means, respectively, for pivotal movement from respective operative positions, wherein said mirrors are disposed angularly relative to each other and project angularly from said housing to provide a folded optical path between said lens and the film, to respective inoperative positions wherein said mirrors are retracted toward and disposed substantially parallel with said plane; and means enclosing said mirrors in light-light relation to said housing and adjustable, in conjunction with said movement of said morrors, from an erect condition wherein said mirrors are in said operative positions to a collapsed condition wherein said mirros are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 4

A photographic camera comprising: a relatively thin, box-like housing including means for supporting a sheet of photographic film in a plane generally parallel with said housing, said plane being substantially vertical when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject disposed forwardly thereof and aligned horizontally therewith; a lens supported by said housing and defining an optical axis that extends through said plane and to one side of said supporting means; a pair of generally planar mirrors pivotally coupled to each other and pivotally supported by said housing near said lens and said supporting means, respectively, for pivotal movement from respective operative positions, wherein said mirrors are disposed angularly relative to each other and project angularly from said housing to provide a folded optical path between said lens and the film, to respective inoperative positions wherein said mirrors are retracted toward and disposed substantially parallel with said plane; and means enclosing said mirrors in light-light relation to said housing and adjustable, in conjunction with said movement of said morrors, from an erect condition wherein said mirrors are in said operative positions to a collapsed condition wherein said mirros are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 5

A photographic camera comprising: a housing having spaced front and back portions defining an overall thickness of said housing substantially less than its overall length and width, said housing including means for supporting a photosensitive film sheet in a generally vertical, rearward-facing exposure plane when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject forward thereof and horizontally aligned therewith; a forward-facing objective lens supported by said housing and defining an optical axis that extends through said plane adjacent to said supporting means for focusing an image of the subject on the photosenstive film sheet; fist and second substantially flat reflective surfaces pivotally coupled to each other and to said housing behind said plane for pivotal movement from respective operative positions, wherein said surfaces protrude rearwardly from said housing and are displaced from each other by an angle of approximately 90* to deflect an optical ray passing rearwardly from said lens along said axis through an angle of approximately 180* to locate the image of the subject on the photosensitive film sheet, to respectivE inoperative positions wherein said surfaces are retracted toward said plane in generally parallel relation to render said camera more compact; and means enclosing said reflective surfaces in light-tight relation to said housing and convertible, in coaction with said movement of said surfaces, from an extended condition wherein said surfaces are in said operative positions to a retracted condition wherein said surfaces are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 6

A photographic camera comprising: a housing having spaced front and back portions defining an overall thickness of said housing substantially less than its overall length and width, said housing including means for supporting a photosensitive film sheet in a generally vertical, rearward-facing exposure plane when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject forward thereof and horizontally aligned therewith; a forward-facing objective lens supported by said housing and defining an optical axis that extends through said plane adjacent to said supporting means for focusing an image of the subject on the photosenstive film sheet; fist and second substantially flat reflective surfaces pivotally coupled to each other and to said housing behind said plane for pivotal movement from respective operative positions, wherein said surfaces protrude rearwardly from said housing and are displaced from each other by an angle of approximately 90* to deflect an optical ray passing rearwardly from said lens along said axis through an angle of approximately 180* to locate the image of the subject on the photosensitive film sheet, to respectivE inoperative positions wherein said surfaces are retracted toward said plane in generally parallel relation to render said camera more compact; and means enclosing said reflective surfaces in light-tight relation to said housing and convertible, in coaction with said movement of said surfaces, from an extended condition wherein said surfaces are in said operative positions to a retracted condition wherein said surfaces are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 7

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means for releasably securing said reflective surfaces in said operative positions.

Claim 8

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means for releasably securing said enclosing means in said retracted condition.

Claim 9

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one of said reflective surfaces is of trapezoidal shape corresponding generally to its plane of intersection with the pyramidal optical path between said lens and a generally rectangular area of said exposure plane.

Claim 10

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein said enclosing means when in said extended conditon is of substantially the same profile as the corresponding portion of the optical path as folded by said reflective surfaces.

Claim 11

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein said enclosing means includes a foldable bellows.

Claim 12

A photographic camera comprising: a housing having spaced front and back portions defining an overall thickness of said housing substantially less than its overall length and width, said housing including means for supporting a photosensitve film sheet in a generally vertical, rearward-facing exposure plane when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject forward thereof and horizontally aligned therewith; a forward-facing objective lens supported by said housing and defining a optical axis that extends through said plane adjacent to said supporting means for focusing an image of the subject on the photosensitive film sheet; first and second substantially flat reflective surfaces supported by linkage means pivotally coupled to said housing behind said plane for movement from an erect condition wherein said surfaces are in respective operative positions, in which said surfaces protrude rearwardly from said housing and are displaced from each other by an angle of approximately 90* to deflect an optical ray passing rearwardly from said lens along said axis through an angle of approximately 180* to locate the image of the subject on the photosenstive film sheet, to a collapsed condition wherein said surfaces are in respective inoperative positions, in which said surfaces are retracted toward said plane to render said camera more compact; and means enclosing said reflective surfaces in light-tight relation to said housing and convertible, in coaction with said movement of said linkage means, from an extended condition wherein said surfaces are in said operative positions to a retracted condition wherein said surfaces are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 13

A photographic camera comprising: a housing having spaced front and back portions defining an overall thickness of said housing substantially less than its overall length and width, said housing including means for supporting a photosensitve film sheet in a generally vertical, rearward-facing exposure plane when said camera is oriented to photograph a subject forward thereof and horizontally aligned therewith; a forward-facing objective lens supported by said housing and defining a optical axis that extends through said plane adjacent to said supporting means for focusing an image of the subject on the photosensitive film sheet; first and second substantially flat reflective surfaces supported by linkage means pivotally coupled to said housing behind said plane for movement from an erect condition wherein said surfaces are in respective operative positions, in which said surfaces protrude rearwardly from said housing and are displaced from each other by an angle of approximately 90* to deflect an optical ray passing rearwardly from said lens along said axis through an angle of approximately 180* to locate the image of the subject on the photosenstive film sheet, to a collapsed condition wherein said surfaces are in respective inoperative positions, in which said surfaces are retracted toward said plane to render said camera more compact; and means enclosing said reflective surfaces in light-tight relation to said housing and convertible, in coaction with said movement of said linkage means, from an extended condition wherein said surfaces are in said operative positions to a retracted condition wherein said surfaces are in said inoperative positions.

Claim 14

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 9 wherein said linkage means includes a first link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to said housing and supporting said first reflective surface, a second link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to said housing and supporting said second reflective surface, and a third link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to the other end portion of said first link and pivotally coupled at its other end portion to said second link at a point thereon intermediate the end portions thereof.

Claim 15

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for releasably maintaining said linkage means in said erect condition.

Claim 16

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 11 wherein said maintaining means includes spring means biasing said second link for pivotal movement away from said housing and means at the other end portion of said seconD link engageable with cooperating means at said one end portion of said third link for stopping said pivotal movement when said linkage means has reached said erect condition.

Claim 17

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 12 wherein said maintaining means further includes spring means biasing said first link for pivotal movement toward said housing.

Claim 18

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 9 wherein said linkage means includes a first link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to said housing and supporting said first reflective surface, a second link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to said housing and supporting said second reflective surface, and a third link pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to the other end portion of said first link and pivotally coupled at its other end portion to the other end portion of said second link.

Claim 19

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 14 further comprising means for releasably maintaining said linkage means in said erect condition.

Claim 20

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 15 wherein said maintaining means includes spring means biasing said first link for pivotal movement away from said housing and means on one of said first and third links engageable with cooperating means on the other of said first and third links for stopping said pivotal movement when said linkage means has reached said erect condition.

Claim 21

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 16 wherein said maintaining means furher includes spring means biasing said second link for pivotal movement toward said housing.

Claim 22

In a photographic camera having first, second, and third members disposed in triangular relationship, said first member including means for locating photosensitive material at an exposure position in a predetermined plane an an objective lens having an optical axis offset from said exposure position and substantially normal to said plane; said second and third members occupying predetermined angular positions relative to said first member and supporting a pair of reflective surfaces in planes substantially normal to each other and in light-reflecting alignment with said lens and said exposure position, respectively, for deflecting light from said lens through substantially 180* to the photosensitive material in said exposure position, an improvement rendering said camera more compact, said improvement comprising: means mounting said second and third members on said first member for movement from said predetermined angular positions to respective folded positions wherein said second and third members lie close to said first member, said mounting means including means pivotally coupling one end portion of said second member to said first member at a first location thereon, means pivotally coupling one end portion of said third member to said first member at a second location thereon spaced from said first location, and a fourth member pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to the other end portion of said second member and pivotally coupled at its other end portion to said third member; and means for releasably retaining said second and third members in said predetermined angular positions.

Claim 23

In a photographic camera having first, second, and third members disposed in triangular relationship, said first member including means for locating photosensitive material at an exposure position in a predetermined plane an an objective lens having an optical axis offset from said exposure position and substantially normal to said plane; said second and third members occupying predetermined angular positions relative to said first member and supporting a pair of reflective surfaces in planes substantially normal to each other and in light-reflecting alignment with said lens and said exposure position, respectively, for deflecting light from said lens through substantially 180* to the photosensitive material in said exposure position, an improvement rendering said camera more compact, said improvement comprising: means mounting said second and third members on said first member for movement from said predetermined angular positions to respective folded positions wherein said second and third members lie close to said first member, said mounting means including means pivotally coupling one end portion of said second member to said first member at a first location thereon, means pivotally coupling one end portion of said third member to said first member at a second location thereon spaced from said first location, and a fourth member pivotally coupled at one end portion thereof to the other end portion of said second member and pivotally coupled at its other end portion to said third member; and means for releasably retaining said second and third members in said predetermined angular positions.

Claim 24

The camera improvement claimed in claim 18 further comprising means for releasably holding said second and third members in said respective folded positions.

Claim 25

The camera improvement claimed in claim 18 further comprising means for maintaining said reflective surfaces in light-tight relation to said lens and said exposure position.

Claim 26

The camera improvement claimed in claim 20 wherein said maintaining means includes a foldable bellows.

Claim 27

The camera improvement claimed in claim 18 wherein said fourth member is pivotally coupled at its other end portion to said third member at a location thereon intermediate the end portions thereof.

Claim 28

The camera improvement claimed in claim 22 wherein said retaining means includes means biasing said third member for pivotal movement in a direction toward its predetermined angular position, means on one of said third and fourth members engageable with cooperating means on the other of said third and fourth members for stopping said pivotal movement when said third member has reached its predetermined angular position, and means biasing said second member for pivotal movement in a direction toward its respective folded position.

Claim 29

The camera improvement claimed in claim 18 wherein said fourth member is pivotally coupled at its other end portion to said third member at the other end portion thereof.

Claim 30

The camera improvement claimed in claim 24 wherein said retaining means includes means biasing said second member for pivotal movement in a direction toward its predetermined angular position, means on one of said second and fourth members engageable with cooperating means on the other of said second and fourth members for stopping said pivotal movement when said second member has reached its predetermined angular position, and means biasing said third member for pivotal movement in a direction toward its respective folded position.