US3879743A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Miniature still camera with viewfinder
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert AG
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Filing: 1973-06-19
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A miniature single-lens reflex still camera for use with cassettes of the type having forwardly extending supply and takeup sections and a flat intermediate section which is provided with a film window has a base objective mounted in the camera body in the space between the supply and takeup sections and in front of the film window of a properly inserted cassette. The supply section is adjacent to one side wall and the takeup section is spaced apart from the other side wall of the body to provide room for the eyepiece of a viewfinder. The eyepiece is adjacent to the other side wall of the body and the remaining optical elements of the viewfinder are located behind the front wall and include two mirrors the first of which deflects a portion of incoming scene light through an angle of 90 degrees and the second of which deflects a part of the thus deflected portion of light into the eyepiece. The remaining part of the deflected light portion passes through the second mirror and reaches a photosensitive transducer forming part of an exposure control including a diaphragm located in front of the base objective. A compartment for one or more batteries is provided in the body in front of the supply section of the cassette.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Wick
- 👤 Alfred Winkler
- 👤 Peter Lermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:01
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B19/00; G03B19/02; G03B19/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
377 words
A still camera, comprising a housing having a front wall provided with a light-admitting opening, a rear wall, and two side walls; a film container removably installed in said housing and having a first section adjacent to one of said side walls, a second section spaced apart from said side walls, and an intermediate section located between said first and second sections adjacent to said rear wall and having a window facing said opening of said front wall, one of said first and second seCtions being arranged to store a supply of unexposed film and the other of said first and second sections being arranged to store exposed film frames, said first and second sections extending beyond said intermediate section toward said front wall and defining in front of said window and behind said opening a chamber which is open toward said front wall; a base objective at least partially extending into said chamber; a viewfinder having an eyepiece mounted in said housing between said second section of said container and the other of said side walls and optical elements for directing into said eyepiece some of the light which is admitted into said housing by way of said opening, said optical elements including a first mirror located between said objective and said opening and having a surface making with the axis of said objective an angle of 45 degrees, and a second mirror adjacent to said other side wall in front of said eyepiece and having a surface parallel to and facing said surface of said first mirror, each of said mirrors being partially light-reflecting and partially light-transmitting so that a first portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening can reach said objective through said first mirror and a second portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening is deflected by said first mirror against said surface of said second mirror, said second mirror transmitting a first part of said second portion of light and deflecting a second part of said second portion of light into said eye-piece; and exposure control means including photosensitive transducer means installed in said housing behind said second mirror so as to be exposed to said first part of said second portion of light,
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
377 words
A still camera, comprising a housing having a front wall provided with a light-admitting opening, a rear wall, and two side walls; a film container removably installed in said housing and having a first section adjacent to one of said side walls, a second section spaced apart from said side walls, and an intermediate section located between said first and second sections adjacent to said rear wall and having a window facing said opening of said front wall, one of said first and second seCtions being arranged to store a supply of unexposed film and the other of said first and second sections being arranged to store exposed film frames, said first and second sections extending beyond said intermediate section toward said front wall and defining in front of said window and behind said opening a chamber which is open toward said front wall; a base objective at least partially extending into said chamber; a viewfinder having an eyepiece mounted in said housing between said second section of said container and the other of said side walls and optical elements for directing into said eyepiece some of the light which is admitted into said housing by way of said opening, said optical elements including a first mirror located between said objective and said opening and having a surface making with the axis of said objective an angle of 45 degrees, and a second mirror adjacent to said other side wall in front of said eyepiece and having a surface parallel to and facing said surface of said first mirror, each of said mirrors being partially light-reflecting and partially light-transmitting so that a first portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening can reach said objective through said first mirror and a second portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening is deflected by said first mirror against said surface of said second mirror, said second mirror transmitting a first part of said second portion of light and deflecting a second part of said second portion of light into said eye-piece; and exposure control means including photosensitive transducer means installed in said housing behind said second mirror so as to be exposed to said first part of said second portion of light,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
377 words
A still camera, comprising a housing having a front wall provided with a light-admitting opening, a rear wall, and two side walls; a film container removably installed in said housing and having a first section adjacent to one of said side walls, a second section spaced apart from said side walls, and an intermediate section located between said first and second sections adjacent to said rear wall and having a window facing said opening of said front wall, one of said first and second seCtions being arranged to store a supply of unexposed film and the other of said first and second sections being arranged to store exposed film frames, said first and second sections extending beyond said intermediate section toward said front wall and defining in front of said window and behind said opening a chamber which is open toward said front wall; a base objective at least partially extending into said chamber; a viewfinder having an eyepiece mounted in said housing between said second section of said container and the other of said side walls and optical elements for directing into said eyepiece some of the light which is admitted into said housing by way of said opening, said optical elements including a first mirror located between said objective and said opening and having a surface making with the axis of said objective an angle of 45 degrees, and a second mirror adjacent to said other side wall in front of said eyepiece and having a surface parallel to and facing said surface of said first mirror, each of said mirrors being partially lightreflecting and partially light-transmitting so that a first portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening can reach said objective through said first mirror and a second portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening is deflected by said first mirror against said surface of said second mirror, said second mirror transmitting a first part of said second portion of light and deflecting a second part of said second portion of light into said eye-piece; and exposure control means including photosensitive transducer means installed in said housing behind said second mirror so as to be exposed to said first part of said second portion of light,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
377 words
A still camera, comprising a housing having a front wall provided with a light-admitting opening, a rear wall, and two side walls; a film container removably installed in said housing and having a first section adjacent to one of said side walls, a second section spaced apart from said side walls, and an intermediate section located between said first and second sections adjacent to said rear wall and having a window facing said opening of said front wall, one of said first and second seCtions being arranged to store a supply of unexposed film and the other of said first and second sections being arranged to store exposed film frames, said first and second sections extending beyond said intermediate section toward said front wall and defining in front of said window and behind said opening a chamber which is open toward said front wall; a base objective at least partially extending into said chamber; a viewfinder having an eyepiece mounted in said housing between said second section of said container and the other of said side walls and optical elements for directing into said eyepiece some of the light which is admitted into said housing by way of said opening, said optical elements including a first mirror located between said objective and said opening and having a surface making with the axis of said objective an angle of 45 degrees, and a second mirror adjacent to said other side wall in front of said eyepiece and having a surface parallel to and facing said surface of said first mirror, each of said mirrors being partially lightreflecting and partially light-transmitting so that a first portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening can reach said objective through said first mirror and a second portion of light which is admitted by way of said opening is deflected by said first mirror against said surface of said second mirror, said second mirror transmitting a first part of said second portion of light and deflecting a second part of said second portion of light into said eye-piece; and exposure control means including photosensitive transducer means installed in said housing behind said second mirror so as to be exposed to said first part of said second portion of light,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A still camera as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said mirrors includes a light-reflecting portion and a light-transmitting portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second sections of said container are spaced apart from said front wall and said optical elements of said viewfinder are installed in said housing in the space located behind said front wall but forwardly of said first and second sections of said container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera as defined in claim 3, wherein said exposure control means further includes a portion installed in said housing between said optical elements and said container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
A camera as defined in claim 4, wherein said exposure control means further comprises a diaphragm installed in said housing between said objective and said opening and means, including said portion of said exposure control means, for adjusting the size of the aperture furnished by said diaphragm as a function of changes in scene brightness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising a compartment for at least one source of electrical energy, said compartment being located between said first mirror and said one side wall of said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A camera as defined in claim 6, wherein said compartment is located in front of said first section of said container and at least a portion of said first mirror is nearer to said front wall than said compartment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising coupling means surrounding said opening and secured to said front wall, and a supplemental lens separably connected to said coupling means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising a turret movably secured to said front wall and at least two supplemental lenses mounted on said turret, said turret being movable between first and second positions in which said first and second lenses respectively register with and are located in front of said opening.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |