Multipurpose audio-visual cassette with isolation loop

Claim 2

A film handling cassette comprising: a housing; a strip of sound photographic film disposed within said housing; an opening formed within said housing for receiving meaNs for incrementally advancing said film strip within said housing; audio memory means formed on a portion of said film strip; aperture means for receiving a sound recording and playback head into said cassette in operable association within said audio memory means, said aperture means being configured to receive a substantially constant speed capstan for moving said film strip and said audio memory means past said sound recording and playback head at a substantially constant speed; and mens cooperating with the movement of said film strip for guiding said film strip along a given path between said opening and said aperture means for automatically forming a free loop in said film strip thereby isolating the incremental advancement of said film strip at said opening from said sound recording and playback head, said means for guiding said film strip and for forming a loop in said film strip including: a first roller, engageable with said film strip, said film strip passing between said first roller and said capstan; means for selectively constricting the movement of said film strip at various points along said given path within said housing, whereby said loop in said film strip is formed at a different point along said given path; and guiding means formed as part of said housing for selectively guiding said loop in said film strip out of said housing.

Claim 3

The film handling cassette of claim 1 in which said aperture means includes a first access aperture through which said recording and playback head may be introduced and a second access aperture through which said constant speed capstan may be introduced, and said free loop in said film strip being formed adjacent said second access aperture and extended therethrough.

Claim 4

The film handling cassette of claim 2 in which said guiding means guides said loop in said film strip out of said second access aperture.

Claim 5

The film handling cassette of claim 3 in which said guiding means includes a portion thereof which guides said loop in said film strip back into said film handling cassette without causing sharp angular movements in said film strip as said film strip enters said cassette through said second access aperture.

Claim 6

The film handling cassette of claim 4 in which said portion of said guiding means which guides said film strip back into said cassette is a ramped element located on said housing proximate said second access aperture.

Claim 7

The film handling cassette of claim 5 in which said first roller is located proximate said second access aperture and is driveably engaged only by said film strip.

Claim 8

The film handling cassette of claim 1 in which said cassette includes means for depositing processing fluid on said film strip following the exposure thereof, said depositing means being formed as at least a portion of said selectively constricting means, said depositing means being located between said advancing means and said constant speed capstan.

Claim 9

The film handling cassette of claim 7 in which said aperture means includes a portion thereof for receiving said constant speed capstan and another portion for receiving said sound recording and playback head, said constant speed capstan pulls said film strip past said sound recording and playback head and pushes said film strip toward said depositing means for forming a loop in said film strip for isolating the incremental movement of said advancing means from said sound recording and playback head.

Claim 10

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the casette film may be exposed or projected and sound recorded thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantiAlly constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including access means, means for guiding said film strip across said access means along a given film path, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip by the sound means and contact at one predetermined point in the film path by the first drive means so as to perform an audio program with said film strip, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip for contact with the second drive means at another predetermined point in the film path and for cooperating with the image forming means of the apparatus for performing a photographic program with said film strip, said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points including means for changing the direction of the film path so as to form a bend in said intermediate portion such that, when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points, a free loop of film is formed in said intermediate portion of said film strip at said bend, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, and said access means including an opening in said cassette housing located alongside said bend such that the loop extends through said opening and exterior of said cassette.

Claim 11

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the casette film may be exposed or projected and sound recorded thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantiAlly constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including access means, means for guiding said film strip across said access means along a given film path, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip by the sound means and contact at one predetermined point in the film path by the first drive means so as to perform an audio program with said film strip, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip for contact with the second drive means at another predetermined point in the film path and for cooperating with the image forming means of the apparatus for performing a photographic program with said film strip, said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points including means for changing the direction of the film path so as to form a bend in said intermediate portion such that, when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points, a free loop of film is formed in said intermediate portion of said film strip at said bend, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, and said access means including an opening in said cassette housing located alongside said bend such that the loop extends through said opening and exterior of said cassette.

Claim 12

The cassette of claim 9 wherein said first drive means pushes said film strip toward at least a portion of said means for changing direction and said second drive means pulls said film strip from said portion of said means for changing direction, said means for changing direction being located adjoining said opening.

Claim 13

The cassette of claim 10 wherein said first drive means pushes said film strip substantially orthogonal to the direction of pull of said second drive means, said means for changing direction being operative to cause a substantially orthogonal change in direction from the direction of pushing of said first drive means toward the direction of pull of said second drive means, such loop being formed proximate said means for changing direction.

Claim 14

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the cassette film may be exposed or projected and sound recorded thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantially constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including access means, selectively operative means for depositing processing fluid on said film strip following the exposure thereof, means for guiding said film strip along a given film path across said access means and through said fluid depositing means, said access means providing access by the first drive means at one predetermined point in the film path and access by the second drive means at anoTher predetermined point in the film path, and said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points in said film path to thereby form a free loop of film in said intermediate portion of said film strip, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, said guide means including channel defining means located intermediate said predetermined points and in adjoining relation to the second of said predetermined points for preventing buckling of and storage of excess film within said channel defining means thereby storing the excess of film occurring between said predetermined points in such loop at a location between said channel defining means and the first of said predetermined points, said channel defining means comprising portions of said fluid depositing means arranged along a short length of both of the major surfaces of said film strip so as to retain such length in a generally planar configuration.

Claim 15

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the cassette film may be exposed or projected and sound recorded thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantially constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including access means, selectively operative means for depositing processing fluid on said film strip following the exposure thereof, means for guiding said film strip along a given film path across said access means and through said fluid depositing means, said access means providing access by the first drive means at one predetermined point in the film path and access by the second drive means at anoTher predetermined point in the film path, and said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points in said film path to thereby form a free loop of film in said intermediate portion of said film strip, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, said guide means including channel defining means located intermediate said predetermined points and in adjoining relation to the second of said predetermined points for preventing buckling of and storage of excess film within said channel defining means thereby storing the excess of film occurring between said predetermined points in such loop at a location between said channel defining means and the first of said predetermined points, said channel defining means comprising portions of said fluid depositing means arranged along a short length of both of the major surfaces of said film strip so as to retain such length in a generally planar configuration.

Claim 16

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the cassette film may be exposed or projected and sound recording thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantially constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including a pair of substantially parallel spaced planar wall members joined together at their edges by a plurality of edge walls, said housing including access means including openings located in a pair of adjoining edge walls, one of said openings being located adjoining the corner formed between said pair of adjoining edge walls, means for guiding said film strip across said access means along a given film path, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip by the sound means and contact with said film strip at one predetermined point in film path by the first drive means so as to perform an audio program with said film strip, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip for contact with the second drive means at another predetermined point in the film path and for cooperating with the image forming means of the apparatus for performing a photographic program with said film strip, and said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points in said film path to form a free loop of film in said intermediate portion of said film strip, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, said guiding means being configured to guide said film strip intermediate said predetermined points along a path substantially parallel to saId adjoining edge walls and to form such loop extending through said one opening at the corner of said edge walls.

Claim 17

A film handling cassette for use with sound photographic apparatus having sound recording or playback means and image forming means and including first and second drive means for advancing the cassette film at different rates in a given direction within said cassette so that with said cassette mounted in the apparatus the cassette film may be exposed or projected and sound recording thereon or reproduced therefrom without removing it from the cassette, the first drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at a substantially constant rate across the sound means and the second drive means being configured for advancing the cassette film at an intermittent rate across the image forming means, said cassette comprising a strip of photographic film material including a sound track disposed along one of the major surfaces thereof, a housing configured for retaining said film strip, said housing including a pair of substantially parallel spaced planar wall members joined together at their edges by a plurality of edge walls, said housing including access means including openings located in a pair of adjoining edge walls, one of said openings being located adjoining the corner formed between said pair of adjoining edge walls, means for guiding said film strip across said access means along a given film path, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip by the sound means and contact with said film strip at one predetermined point in film path by the first drive means so as to perform an audio program with said film strip, said access means providing access to a section of said film strip for contact with the second drive means at another predetermined point in the film path and for cooperating with the image forming means of the apparatus for performing a photographic program with said film strip, and said guiding means including means located along said film path intermediate said one and said another predetermined points for controlling the movement of the portion of said film strip intermediate said predetermined points when said film strip is advanced in the given direction across a first of said predetermined points in said film path at a rate exceeding the advancement of said film strip across the second of said predetermined points in said film path to form a free loop of film in said intermediate portion of said film strip, the loop serving to isolate the different rates of advancement of said film strip by the first and second drive means, said guiding means being configured to guide said film strip intermediate said predetermined points along a path substantially parallel to saId adjoining edge walls and to form such loop extending through said one opening at the corner of said edge walls.

Claim 18

The cassette of claim 13 wherein said one opening permits access to said film strip by said first drive means, said one opening being located intermediate said one predetermined point and said another predetermined point.

Claim 19

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for preforming both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion of said film strip and continuously advancing another portion of said film strip in accordance with performance of such photographic and sound programs respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and said another portion of said film strip, and means located within said housing for guiding the film portion intermediate said one and another portion so as to form said excess of film into a free loop extending through one of said openings and exteriorly of said housing, said free loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 20

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for preforming both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion of said film strip and continuously advancing another portion of said film strip in accordance with performance of such photographic and sound programs respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and said another portion of said film strip, and means located within said housing for guiding the film portion intermediate said one and another portion so as to form said excess of film into a free loop extending through one of said openings and exteriorly of said housing, said free loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 21

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for performing both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, means for guiding said film strip along a given path of initially given length, and said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion and continuously advancing another portion of said film strip along said given path in accordance with performance of said photographic and sound programs, respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and said another portions of said film strip, said guiding means including means for supporting one major surface of said film strip at a predetermined point and for bending the portion of said film strip intermediate said one and said another portion over said support means to provide a bend in said film at said predetermined point in said given path such that said excess of film is stored at said predetermined point and said film strip is automatically deflected from said support means and said given path and thereby formed at said predetermined point into a free film loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 22

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for performing both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, means for guiding said film strip along a given path of initially given length, and said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion and continuously advancing another portion of said film strip along said given path in accordance with performance of said photographic and sound programs, respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and said another portions of said film strip, said guiding means including means for supporting one major surface of said film strip at a predetermined point and for bending the portion of said film strip intermediate said one and said another portion over said support means to provide a bend in said film at said predetermined point in said given path such that said excess of film is stored at said predetermined point and said film strip is automatically deflected from said support means and said given path and thereby formed at said predetermined point into a free film loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 23

The cassette of claim 16 wherein said means for supporting includes a roller configured to support one major surface of said film strip at said predetermined point.

Claim 24

The cassette of claim 16 wherein said housing includes one opening located adjacent said bend such that said free loop is extended through said one opening.

Claim 25

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for performing both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, means for guiding said film strip along a given path of initially given length within said housing, said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip in a given direction along said given path within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion of said film strip while continuously advancing another portion of said film strip along said given film path in accordance with performance of such photographic and sound programs, respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and another portion of said film strip, and said guiding means including means for substantially preventing buckling of a section of the portion of said film strip intermediate said one and said another portions such that said excess of film is stored within the remaining section of said intermediate portion and said film strip is thereby deflected from said given path and into a free film loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 26

A photographic film handling cassette comprising a housing structured for use with photographic apparatus which is configured for performing both a photographic and a sound program with said cassette, a photographic film strip disposed within said housing, said film strip having a sound track disposed therealong, means for guiding said film strip along a given path of initially given length within said housing, said housing including openings therein configured for use with drive means of such photographic apparatus for advancing said film strip in a given direction along said given path within said housing and for receiving a sound recording and playback head into operable association with said sound track, such drive means of such photographic apparatus being configured for intermittently advancing one portion of said film strip while continuously advancing another portion of said film strip along said given film path in accordance with performance of such photographic and sound programs, respectively and at average rates of advancement so as to provide and maintain an excess of film between said one and another portion of said film strip, and said guiding means including means for substantially preventing buckling of a section of the portion of said film strip intermediate said one and said another portions such that said excess of film is stored within the remaining section of said intermediate portion and said film strip is thereby deflected from said given path and into a free film loop serving to isolate the intermittently advanced portion from the continuously advanced portion of said film strip.

Claim 27

The cassette of claim 19 wherein said guiding means includes means for guiding said film strip along said given path such that one major surface of said film strip faces outwardly toward said openings and the other major surface faces inwardly therefrom and for supporting said inwardly facing surface of said film strip at a predetermined point and for bending said intermediate portion of said film strip over said supporting means so as to bend said film strip at said predetermined point such that said drive means pushes said one film portion toward said bend and pulls said another film portion from said bend, said buckling preventing means extending along said given film path between said another film portion and said bend so as to store said film excess and form said film loop at said bend, and said housing openings including at least one opening located adjacent said bend such that said free film loop is extended through said one opening.

Claim 28

The cassette of claim 19 including selectively operable means for depositing processing fluid on progressively advanced incremental sections of said film strip, said processing means including said buckling preventing means, and said buckling preventing means being configured for supporting at least a short length of said film strip in a generally planar configuration to facilitate said fluid depositing and to store said excess of said film within said free film loop.