Folding camera with low cost bellows

Claim 2

A folding camera comprising: a housing including at least first and second housing sections mounted for relative movement between a compact folded position and an extended position wherein said first and second housing sections define a space therebetween; optical means for transmitting image-bearing light along an optical path in said space, when said first and second housing sections are located in said extended position; a collapsible and erectable bellows formed of a flexible, lightopaque material of the type having oriented stretch characteristics whereby said material has minimum stretch along a first set of orthogonal axes and maximum stretch along a second set of orthogonal axes disposed at a predetermined angle of rotation with respect to said first set of axes; said bellows being coupled to said first and second housing sections for movement therewith between a compact collapsed position when said first and second housing sections are in said folded position and an erected position, when said first and second housing sections are in said extended position, wherein said erected bellows defines symmetrical opposing light-blocking walls in said space symmetrically disposed with respect to a plane of symmetry of said optical path for excluding extraneous light from said optical path; said bellows and said first and second housing sections being operatively associated such that said first and second housing sections apply tension forces to said erected bellows and said bellows being configured such that said flexible material has one of its axes of maximum stretch oriented in the general direction of said tension forces; and means for directing said tension forces along a pair of predetermined lines on each of said opposing bellows walls such that said lines are substantially parallel with said one axis of maximum stretch to define a pair of fold lines in each opposing wall along which said opposing walls fold to assume said collapsed position of said bellows as said first and second housing sections move towards said folded position.

Claim 3

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible material forming said bellows includes a square woven fabric, said first set of orthogonal axes along which said material has minimum stretch characteristics coinciding with the warp and woof of said woven fabric and said second set of orthogonal axes along which said material has maximum stretch characteristics coinciding with the bias of said fabric disposed diagonally with respect to said warp and woof.

Claim 4

A folding camera as defined in claim 2 wherein said bellows is formed from a single, flat, pre-shaped blank of said flexible material.

Claim 5

A folding camera as defined in claim 2 wherein said square woven fabric is coated with a light-opaque substance.

Claim 6

A folding camera as defined in claim 4 wherein said light-opaque substance is rubber.

Claim 7

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for directing said tension forces includes means for coupling said bellows to said second housing section.

Claim 8

A folding camera as defined in claim 6 wherein said meAns for coupling said bellows to said second housing section includes a flat, retaining plate, said retaining plate having a predetermined shape and including a first pair of corners thereof symmetrically disposed with respect to said plane of symmetry for directing said tension forces along lines to establish one of said pair of fold lines and a second pair of corners, spaced from said first pair of corners, and disposed symmetrically with said plane of symmetry for directing said tension forces along lines to establish the other of said pair of fold lines.

Claim 9

A folding camera as defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second pair of corners lie on lines that are substantially normal to said plane of symmetry and the distance between said second pair of corners is greater than the distance between said first set of corners.

Claim 10

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said bellows is formed from a single, flat, pre-shaped blank of said flexible material.

Claim 11

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 further including means in said first housing section for supporting a film unit in position for exposure and wherein said optical means includes an objective lens mounted on said second housing section for transmitting image-bearing light along said optical path to expose a film unit located at said exposure position and wherein said bellows includes a leading end having an opening therein through which light from said objective lens is adapted to pass as said light follows said optical path, said leading end of said bellows being adapted to be coupled to said second housing section with said opening in operative association with said objective lens and said means for directing said tension forces including means for coupling said leading end of said bellows to said second housing section.

Claim 12

A folding camera as defined in claim 10 wherein said coupling means includes a retaining plate having a predetermined shape, said retaining plate being coupled to said second housing section, with said leading end of said bellows positioned between said retaining plate and said second housing section, said plate, by its said predetermined shape, having locations thereon which selectively direct said tension forces along said predetermined lines to establish said pair of fold lines in each opposing wall of said bellows.

Claim 13

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said first housing section includes leading and trailing ends and said second housing section is pivotally coupled to said first housing section near its leading end for movement between said extended position wherein said second housing is angularly disposed with respect to said first housing section and said folded position wherein said second housing section assumes a substantially end-to-end relation with said first housing section.

Claim 14

A folding camera as defined in claim 1 further including means for applying a compressive force to said bellows as said first and second housing sections move from said extended position towards said folded position to fold said bellows along said predetermined fold lines established by said directed tension forces.

Claim 15

A folding camera as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for applying said compressive force includes a third camera housing section coupled to said bellows and said first housing section, near a trailing end thereof, for movement between said folded and extended positions of said camera housing.

Claim 16

A folding camera as defined in claim 14 further including a fourth housing section coupled to said second and third housing sections for movement therewith between said folded and extended positions, said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections being pivotally interconnected to form a four-bar linkage.

Claim 17

A folding camera comprising: a housing including first, second, third, and fourth housing sections interconnected as a four-bar linkage for movement between a compact folded position and an extended position wherein said housing sectIons define a space therebetween, said second and third housing sections being pivotally coupled to said first housing section near opposite ends thereof and said fourth housing section being coupled between ends of said second and third housing sections; means in said first housing section for locating a film unit in position for exposure; exposure means including optical means for exposing a film unit located at said exposure position, said optical means including an objective lens mounted on said second housing section for transmitting image-bearing light along an optical path in said space between said extended housing sections, and a mirror mounted on said third housing section in said optical path for directing the light along an extension of said optical path in said space towards a film unit located at said exposure position; a collapsible and erectable bellows formed of a flexible, light-opaque material cooperating with said first, second, and third extended housing sections for excluding extraneous light from said optical path in said space, said bellows being coupled to said first, second and third housing sections for movement therewith between a collapsed position when said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections are in said folded position and an erected position wherein said bellows defines a pair of substantially planar and parallel spaced side walls extending between said first and third housing sections, each of said side walls having a leading edge, and a forwardly extending portion of the bellows enclosing that portion of the optical path between the leading edges of said bellows side walls and said objective lens mounted on said second housing section; said bellows being configured such that said first and second housing sections apply tension forces to said bellows along said forwardly extending portion and said side walls in response to moving said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections from said extended position towards said folded position; said flexible material forming said bellows being of the type having oriented stretch characteristics whereby said material has minimum stretch along a first set of orthogonal axes and maximum stretch along a second set of orthogonal axes disposed at a predetermined angle of rotation with respect to said first set of axes; said material forming said bellows being orientated such that one of said axes of maximum stretch is orientated in the general direction of said tension forces applied by said first and second housing sections; and means for directing said tension forces along two pair of predetermined lines of said forwardly extending portion and said side walls such that said two pair of lines are substantially parallel to said one axis of maximum stretch to establish two fold lines on each of opposing sides of said bellows along which said bellows folds to assume said collapsed position in response to moving said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections from said extended position towards said folded position.

Claim 18

A folding camera comprising: a housing including first, second, third, and fourth housing sections interconnected as a four-bar linkage for movement between a compact folded position and an extended position wherein said housing sectIons define a space therebetween, said second and third housing sections being pivotally coupled to said first housing section near opposite ends thereof and said fourth housing section being coupled between ends of said second and third housing sections; means in said first housing section for locating a film unit in position for exposure; exposure means including optical means for exposing a film unit located at said exposure position, said optical means including an objective lens mounted on said second housing section for transmitting image-bearing light along an optical path in said space between said extended housing sections, and a mirror mounted on said third housing section in said optical path for directing the light along an extension of said optical path in said space towards a film unit located at said exposure position; a collapsible and erectable bellows formed of a flexible, light-opaque material cooperating with said first, second, and third extended housing sections for excluding extraneous light from said optical path in said space, said bellows being coupled to said first, second and third housing sections for movement therewith between a collapsed position when said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections are in said folded position and an erected position wherein said bellows defines a pair of substantially planar and parallel spaced side walls extending between said first and third housing sections, each of said side walls having a leading edge, and a forwardly extending portion of the bellows enclosing that portion of the optical path between the leading edges of said bellows side walls and said objective lens mounted on said second housing section; said bellows being configured such that said first and second housing sections apply tension forces to said bellows along said forwardly extending portion and said side walls in response to moving said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections from said extended position towards said folded position; said flexible material forming said bellows being of the type having oriented stretch characteristics whereby said material has minimum stretch along a first set of orthogonal axes and maximum stretch along a second set of orthogonal axes disposed at a predetermined angle of rotation with respect to said first set of axes; said material forming said bellows being orientated such that one of said axes of maximum stretch is orientated in the general direction of said tension forces applied by said first and second housing sections; and means for directing said tension forces along two pair of predetermined lines of said forwardly extending portion and said side walls such that said two pair of lines are substantially parallel to said one axis of maximum stretch to establish two fold lines on each of opposing sides of said bellows along which said bellows folds to assume said collapsed position in response to moving said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections from said extended position towards said folded position.

Claim 19

A folding camera as defined in claim 16 wherein said bellows is formed from a single, flat, pre-shaped blank of said flexible material, and said flexible material includes a square woven fabric having said axes of minimum stretch running with the warp and woof of said square woven fabric and said axes of maximum stretch running with the bias of said fabric, diagonally with respect to said warp and woof.

Claim 20

A folding camera as defined in claim 17 wherein said woven fabric is coated with light-opaque rubber.

Claim 21

A folding camera as defined in claim 18 wherein said forwardly extending portion of said bellows includes a leading end having an opening therein through which image-bearing light from said objective lens is adapted to pass as said light follows said optical path, said leading end of said forwardly extending portion of said bellows being adapted to be coupled to said second housing section with said bellows opening in Operative association with said objective lens and said means for directing said tension forces including a retaining plate having a predetermined shape, said retaining plate being coupled to said second housing section, around said objective lens, with said leading end of said bellows positioned between retaining plate and said second housing section, and said retaining plate, by its predetermined shape, having locations thereon which selectively direct said tension forces along said predetermined lines.

Claim 22

A folding camera as defined in claim 19 wherein said erected bellows has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry of said optical path, and said retaining plate includes two pairs of tension directing corners symmetrically and transversely disposed with respect to said plane of symmetry for directing said tension forces along two pair of lines that are symmetrically disposed with respect to said plane of symmetry such that said bellows side walls and said forwardly extending portion fold inwardly along said two pairs of lines towards said plane of symmetry in response to moving said first, second, third, and fourth housing sections from said extended position towards said folded position.

Claim 23

A folding camera as defined in claim 16 wherein said optical means includes a viewing device mounted on said fourth housing section and said bellows includes an aperture in said forwardly extended portion thereof through which image-bearing light following an extension of said optical path follows is adapted to pass for transmission to said viewing device.

Claim 24

A collapsible and erectable bellows for use with a folding camera of the type having a housing comprising first, second, third and fourth housing sections interconnected as a four-bar linkage for movement between a compact folded position and an extended position wherein the four housing sections are spaced from one another to define a space therebetween, means in the first housing section for locating a film unit in position for exposure, and exposure means including optical means for exposing the film unit, the optical means including an objective lens for transmitting image-bearing light along an optical path in the space, and a mirror adapted to be positioned adjacent the third housing section for directing the light along an extension of the optical path towards a film unit located at the exposure position, and viewing means including a movable reflex member having lateral edges mounted in the first housing for movement between viewing position in overlying relation to a film unit at the exposure position for receiving light from the mirror and directing the light along yet another extension of the optical path to a viewing device mounted on the fourth camera housing section and an exposure position adjacent the mirror, said bellows comprising: a single, flat, pre-shaped blank of flexible, light-opaque material, said blank having the general shape of a truncated triangle defined by a base edge, a pair of inwardly inclined and opposite side edges and a top edge that is substantially parallel to said base edge, said blank having an axis of symmetry that is substantially normal to said base edge and said blank having edges defining an inverted V-shaped notch on said axis extending from said top edge towards said base edge, said notch having its apex closest to said base edge; said flexible material including a square woven fabric having oriented stretch characteristics whereby said fabric has minimum stretch in directions running with the warp and woof of said fabric and maximum stretch in directions running with the bias of said fabric, diagonally with respect to said warp and woof; said blank including spaced mirror-image areas thereof, disposed on opposite sides of said axis, and intermediate said base and inclined side edges, for defining side walls of said bellows which are adapted to enclose the space between the extended first and third housing sections of the camera, Each of said side walls including top and bottom edges adapted to be coupled, respectively, to the third and first housing sections, a leading edge extending between leading ends of said top and bottom edges, and a trailing end corner defined by the opposite ends of said top and bottom edges; said fabric being oriented, when said blank is formed, so that the bias of said fabric runs in a direction of lines extending from said trailing end corners of said side walls to said leading edges thereof; said blank further including another area thereof for defining a forward section of said bellows that extends forwardly from said bellows side wall to the second housing section for enclosing that portion of the optical path from the objective lens rearwardly to the leading edges of the bellows side walls, said forward section defining areas being intermediate said pair of side wall defining areas and being symmetrical said axis of symmetry; said forward section defining area having an opening therein on said axis, said opening being adapted to be located in operative association with the camera lens on the second housing section for transmitting light from the lens along the optical path into the space; said forward section defining area also including said opposing edges defining said V-shaped notch, each of said opposing edges having mirror-image notches therein, said opposing edges being adapted to be brought into mating side-by-side relation to form said forward section of said bellows, and wherein said mirror-image notches therein cooperate with each other to form an aperture through which light is directed from said space to the camera mounted viewing device; means for coupling said top and bottom edges of said bellows side walls, respectively, to the third and first housing sections; and means for coupling a leading end of said forward section to the second housing section and for directing tension forces, applied to said bellows by the first and second housing section as they move from the extended position towards the folded position, along predetermined lines of said forward section and said side walls to establish fold lines, running substantially with said bias of said fabric, along which said bellows folds to assume its said collapsed position in response to moving the first, second, third and fourth housing sections from the extended position to the folded position.

Claim 25

A collapsible and erectable bellows for use with a folding camera of the type having a housing comprising first, second, third and fourth housing sections interconnected as a four-bar linkage for movement between a compact folded position and an extended position wherein the four housing sections are spaced from one another to define a space therebetween, means in the first housing section for locating a film unit in position for exposure, and exposure means including optical means for exposing the film unit, the optical means including an objective lens for transmitting image-bearing light along an optical path in the space, and a mirror adapted to be positioned adjacent the third housing section for directing the light along an extension of the optical path towards a film unit located at the exposure position, and viewing means including a movable reflex member having lateral edges mounted in the first housing for movement between viewing position in overlying relation to a film unit at the exposure position for receiving light from the mirror and directing the light along yet another extension of the optical path to a viewing device mounted on the fourth camera housing section and an exposure position adjacent the mirror, said bellows comprising: a single, flat, pre-shaped blank of flexible, light-opaque material, said blank having the general shape of a truncated triangle defined by a base edge, a pair of inwardly inclined and opposite side edges and a top edge that is substantially parallel to said base edge, said blank having an axis of symmetry that is substantially normal to said base edge and said blank having edges defining an inverted V-shaped notch on said axis extending from said top edge towards said base edge, said notch having its apex closest to said base edge; said flexible material including a square woven fabric having oriented stretch characteristics whereby said fabric has minimum stretch in directions running with the warp and woof of said fabric and maximum stretch in directions running with the bias of said fabric, diagonally with respect to said warp and woof; said blank including spaced mirror-image areas thereof, disposed on opposite sides of said axis, and intermediate said base and inclined side edges, for defining side walls of said bellows which are adapted to enclose the space between the extended first and third housing sections of the camera, Each of said side walls including top and bottom edges adapted to be coupled, respectively, to the third and first housing sections, a leading edge extending between leading ends of said top and bottom edges, and a trailing end corner defined by the opposite ends of said top and bottom edges; said fabric being oriented, when said blank is formed, so that the bias of said fabric runs in a direction of lines extending from said trailing end corners of said side walls to said leading edges thereof; said blank further including another area thereof for defining a forward section of said bellows that extends forwardly from said bellows side wall to the second housing section for enclosing that portion of the optical path from the objective lens rearwardly to the leading edges of the bellows side walls, said forward section defining areas being intermediate said pair of side wall defining areas and being symmetrical said axis of symmetry; said forward section defining area having an opening therein on said axis, said opening being adapted to be located in operative association with the camera lens on the second housing section for transmitting light from the lens along the optical path into the space; said forward section defining area also including said opposing edges defining said V-shaped notch, each of said opposing edges having mirror-image notches therein, said opposing edges being adapted to be brought into mating side-by-side relation to form said forward section of said bellows, and wherein said mirror-image notches therein cooperate with each other to form an aperture through which light is directed from said space to the camera mounted viewing device; means for coupling said top and bottom edges of said bellows side walls, respectively, to the third and first housing sections; and means for coupling a leading end of said forward section to the second housing section and for directing tension forces, applied to said bellows by the first and second housing section as they move from the extended position towards the folded position, along predetermined lines of said forward section and said side walls to establish fold lines, running substantially with said bias of said fabric, along which said bellows folds to assume its said collapsed position in response to moving the first, second, third and fourth housing sections from the extended position to the folded position.