Shutter-iris for automatic camera

Claim 2

In an automatic photographic camera, the combination comprising; a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second blades for imparting oppositely directed translational motion to said blades, first driving means coupled to said coupling means for moving said shutter blades in said oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-opening direction, second driving means coupled to said first driving means for returning said first driving means to its original position and thereby to move said shutter blades in said oppositely directed motion in a shutter-closing direction, programmatic control means for controlling the actuation of said second driving means, said programmatic control means including a light sensing means operative in response to light transmitted through the opening of said shutter to produce a first signal indicative of the exposure of a film in said camera to a predetermined amount of light, exposure control means operative in response to said first signal to produce an exposure control signal, and means operative in response to said exposure control signal to actuate said second driving means.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 and further including an electronic flash light unit, and wherein means are provided for producing an anticipatory control signal indicative of an insufficiency of ambient light for a proper exposure of a film in said camera, said means for producing said anticipatory signal including means for sampling ambient light, means for correlating the actuation of said sampling means with the Translational motion of said shutter blades to actuate said sampling means near the beginning of said shutter-opening motion, means for triggering said flash light unit to emit a flash of auxiliary light, and means responsive to said anticipatory signal for enabling said triggering means.

Claim 4

In an automatic photographic camera, the combination comprising; a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second blades for imparting oppositely directed translational motion to said blades, first driving means for moving said shutter blades in said oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-opening direction, said first driving means including a first driving plate member, means for constraining said first driving plate member to translational movement in a plane normal to the plane of said first and second shutter blades, means connecting said first driving plate to said complementary coupling means in driving relation thereto, second driving means coupled to said first driving means for moving said shutter blades in said oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-closing direction, said second driving means including a second driving plate member means for constraining said second plate member to translational movement in a plane and direction parallel to said first driving plate means, first and second driving spring means, said first spring means being relatively weak with respect to said second spring means, said first spring means being coupled between said first driving plate means and said second driving plate means to urge said first driving plate means in a direction to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-opening direction when said first driving means is actuated, said second spring means being coupled between said second driving plate means and a fixed reference point to urge said second driving plate means in a direction to return said first driving plate means toward its original position when said second driving means is actuated, thereby to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-closing direction, and programmatic control means controlling the actuation of said first and second driving means.

Claim 5

In an automatic photographic camera, the combination comprising; a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second blades for imparting oppositely directed translational motion to said blades, first driving means for moving said shutter blades in said oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-opening direction, said first driving means including a first driving plate member, means for constraining said first driving plate member to translational movement in a plane normal to the plane of said first and second shutter blades, means connecting said first driving plate to said complementary coupling means in driving relation thereto, second driving means coupled to said first driving means for moving said shutter blades in said oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-closing direction, said second driving means including a second driving plate member means for constraining said second plate member to translational movement in a plane and direction parallel to said first driving plate means, first and second driving spring means, said first spring means being relatively weak with respect to said second spring means, said first spring means being coupled between said first driving plate means and said second driving plate means to urge said first driving plate means in a direction to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-opening direction when said first driving means is actuated, said second spring means being coupled between said second driving plate means and a fixed reference point to urge said second driving plate means in a direction to return said first driving plate means toward its original position when said second driving means is actuated, thereby to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-closing direction, and programmatic control means controlling the actuation of said first and second driving means.

Claim 6

The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said programmatic control means includes light sensing means operative in response to light transmitted through said shutter-opening to produce a first signal indicative of the exposure of a film in said camera to a predetermined amount of light, exposure control means operative in response to said first signal to produce an exposure control signal, and means operative in response to said exposure control signal to actuate said second driving means.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 4 and further including an electronic flash light unit, and wherein means are provided for producing an anticipatory control signal indicative of an insufficiency of ambient light for a proper exposure of a film in said camera, means for triggering said flash light unit to emit a flash of auxiliary light, and means responsive to said anticipatory signal for enabling said means for triggering said light unit.

Claim 8

The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for producing said anticipatory signal includes means for sampling ambient light, means for correlating the actuation of said sampling means with the translational motion of said shutter blades to actuate said sampling means near the beginning of said shutter-opening motion.

Claim 9

An automatic photographic camera comprising in combination, an adjustable focusing lens system for focusing an image of an object onto the surface of a film in said camera, a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, first driving means for movinG said shutter blades in oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-opening relationship, light sensing means operative in response to light transmitted through said shutter-opening and reflected from the surface of the film to produce a first signal indicative of the exposure of said film to a predetermined amount of light, exposure control means operative in response to said first signal to produce an exposure control signal, said driving means for driving said shutter blades in shutter-closing relationship, means responsive to said exposure control signal for actuating said second driving means, reversible motive means, means for energizing said motive means in a first direction to effect a focusing of said adjustable lens system, focus responsive means for producing a second signal indicative that a condition of focus has been established, and means operative in response to said second signal to de-energize said motive means at said condition of focus, and further means operative in response to said second signal for delaying the operation of said first driving means until the occurrence of said second signal.

Claim 10

An automatic photographic camera comprising in combination, an adjustable focusing lens system for focusing an image of an object onto the surface of a film in said camera, a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, first driving means for movinG said shutter blades in oppositely directed translational motion in a shutter-opening relationship, light sensing means operative in response to light transmitted through said shutter-opening and reflected from the surface of the film to produce a first signal indicative of the exposure of said film to a predetermined amount of light, exposure control means operative in response to said first signal to produce an exposure control signal, said driving means for driving said shutter blades in shutter-closing relationship, means responsive to said exposure control signal for actuating said second driving means, reversible motive means, means for energizing said motive means in a first direction to effect a focusing of said adjustable lens system, focus responsive means for producing a second signal indicative that a condition of focus has been established, and means operative in response to said second signal to de-energize said motive means at said condition of focus, and further means operative in response to said second signal for delaying the operation of said first driving means until the occurrence of said second signal.

Claim 11

A camera as set forth in claim 7 and including means for energizing said motive means for operation in a second direction, means responsive to the operation of said motive means in said second direction for priming said second driving means for operation and advancing a film in the camera to a next film frame position.

Claim 12

A camera as set forth in claim 8 and including a one-way clutch means coupled between said motive means and said means responsive to the operation of said motive means in said second direction.

Claim 13

A camera as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first driving means includes inertial retard means for retarding the translational motion of said first and second shutter blades and thereby the shutter opening.

Claim 14

A camera as set forth in claim 8 and including complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second shutter blades for imparting said oppositely directed translational motion thereto, wherein said first driving means includes a first driving plate member, means for constraining said first plate member to translational movement in a plane normal to the plane of said first and second shutter blades, means connecting said first driving plate means to said complementary coupling means, wherein said second driving means includes a second driving plate member, means for constraining said second plate member to translational movement in a plane and direction parallel to said first driving plate means, first and second driving springs means, said first spring means being relatively weak with respect to said second spring means, said first spring means being coupled between said first driving plate means and said second driving plate means to urge said first driving plate means in a direction to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-opening relationship when said first driving means is actuated, said second spring means being coupled between said second driving plate means and a fixed reference point to urge said second driving plate means in a direction to return said first driving means is actuated, thereby to impart motion to said shutter blades in said shutter-closing direction.

Claim 15

A camera as set forth in claim 7 and including an electronic flash light unit, and wherein means are provided for producing an anticipatory control signal indicative of an insufficiency of ambient light for a proper exposure of said film, means for triggering said flash light unit to emit a flash of auxiliary light, and means responsive to said anticipatory signal for enabling said means for triggering said light unit.

Claim 16

A camera as set forth in claim 12 and including means for adjusting the temporal occurrence of the actuation of said means for triggering said light unit in accordance with the focus adjustment of said focusing element.

Claim 17

A cAmera as set forth in claim 7 characterized by the inclusion of an electronic flash light unit, having means for triggering said flash light unit into operation, said exposure control means including sampling means for sampling ambient light, means for correlating the actuation of said sampling means with the translational motion of said shutter-iris combination in the shutter-opening direction to actuate said sampling means near the beginning of said shutter-opening, said sampling means being operative to produce an anticipatory signal indicative of an insufficiency of ambient light for a proper exposure of said film, and said means for triggering said flash light unit into operation being responsive to said anticipatory signal to enable said triggering means,

Claim 18

A camera as set forth in claim 14 characterized by the inclusion of means for controlling the actuation of said triggering means in timed relationship with further translational motion of said shutter-iris combination in said shutter-opening direction, said timed relationship being adjustable in accordance with the focus adjustment of said focusing element.

Claim 19

In a photographic camera, the combination comprising; a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, said blades being translationally moveable in opposite directions between a first position whereat said openings are out of alignment with respect to each other and other positions whereat said openings are at least partially in alignment with each other to admit a controlled amount of light through opening to the interior of said camera, complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second shutter blades for imparting said oppositely directed translational movement to said blades, said complementary coupling means comprising a ring member having diametrically positioned radial tabs, and a radial drive tang extending therefrom, said ring member being constrained to rotational movement about a virtual axis concentric with the optical axis of said camera, first pin means coupling said first shutter blade to one of said tabs and second pin means coupling said second shutter blade to the other of said tabs, and driving means connected to said radial tang of said ring member for effecting said rotational motion to said ring member whereby to impart said translational motion to said shutter blades,

Claim 20

In a photographic camera, the combination comprising; a shutter-iris combination including a first shutter blade and a second shutter blade, each blade having a configured opening, said blades being translationally moveable in opposite directions between a first position whereat said openings are out of alignment with respect to each other and other positions whereat said openings are at least partially in alignment with each other to admit a controlled amount of light through opening to the interior of said camera, complementary coupling means coupled to said first and second shutter blades for imparting said oppositely directed translational movement to said blades, said complementary coupling means comprising a ring member having diametrically positioned radial tabs, and a radial drive tang extending therefrom, said ring member being constrained to rotational movement about a virtual axis concentric with the optical axis of said camera, first pin means coupling said first shutter blade to one of said tabs and second pin means coupling said second shutter blade to the other of said tabs, and driving means connected to said radial tang of said ring member for effecting said rotational motion to said ring member whereby to impart said translational motion to said shutter blades,

Claim 21

The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein said driving means includes a first driving plate member and a second driving plate member, means for constraining said first plate member for tranlational movement in a plane normal to the plane of said shutter blades, means connecting said first driving plate to said tang of said ring member, means for moving said first driving plate means in a first direction to impart said oppositely directed translational motion to said shutter blades in a shutter-opening direction, a second driving plate member, means for constraining said second plate member for translational movement in a plane and direction parallel to that of said first driving plate member, said second driving plate member being coupled to said first driving plate member for returning said first driving plate member to its original position, thereby to move said shutter blades in said oppositely directed motion in a shutter-closing direction, and means for moving said second driving plate member in a direction to effect said returning of said first driving plate member to its original position.

Claim 22

The combination as set forth in claim 17 and including signal controlled motive means coupled to said second driving plate member for resetting said second driving plate member to its original position, and including further means coupled to said motive means for advancing a film in said camera to a next film frame position simultaneously with the resetting of said second driving plate member.