Patent US4699007A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3967788A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3967788A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endless loop cassette
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1975-03-27
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Granted: 1976-07-06
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Expires: 1995-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Improved endless loop film cassettes which allow film to be unwound and rewound about a common reel by removal of the innermost convolution of film from the center of the film pack without scrubbing and returning the same to the outermost convolution of the film pack. Two embodiments are disclosed, both capable of operation at any angle between horizontal and vertical.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred C. Ponce
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:05
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/14; G03B21/32; G03B21/321; G03B21/323; G03B21/325
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
In a cassette for an endless loop, wound pack of film, said film being planar with a width dimension at least 10 times its thickness dimension and a length dimension at least 100 times its width dimension, wherein the innermost convolution of film is withdrawn from the center of the film pack, which is rotating in a primary path, traversed through a secondary path, led to a first position outside said primary path, and then fed back to a second position outside said primary path, then onto the periphery of the film pack as the outermost convolution thereof; the improvement, comprising: a plurality of film pack rollers fixed in position along said primary path and adapted to support at least a portion of the inner circumference of the film pack, said film pack rollers being disposed to approximate at least an arc of a circle having a first radius; a plurality of film path rollers adapted to guide the innermost convolution of film from said film pack along said secondary path, said film path rollers being fixed in position to approximate at least an arc of a circle having a second radius less than said first radius and being disposed for spiral concentricity with said film pack rollers; and differential take-up means, for adjusting film tension, in the path of said film at at least one of said first and second positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
In a cassette for an endless loop, wound pack of film, said film being planar with a width dimension at least 10 times its thickness dimension and a length dimension at least 100 times its width dimension, wherein the innermost convolution of film is withdrawn from the center of the film pack, which is rotating in a primary path, traversed through a secondary path, led to a first position outside said primary path, and then fed back to a second position outside said primary path, then onto the periphery of the film pack as the outermost convolution thereof; the improvement, comprising: a plurality of film pack rollers fixed in position along said primary path and adapted to support at least a portion of the inner circumference of the film pack, said film pack rollers being disposed to approximate at least an arc of a circle having a first radius; a plurality of film path rollers adapted to guide the innermost convolution of film from said film pack along said secondary path, said film path rollers being fixed in position to approximate at least an arc of a circle having a second radius less than said first radius and being disposed for spiral concentricity with said film pack rollers; and differential take-up means, for adjusting film tension, in the path of said film at at least one of said first and second positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plane of said plurality of film path rollers in said spiral relation is offset from the plane of said plurality of film pack rollers by an angle between about 1°and about 10°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 2, wherein said angle is about 3°6'.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a back plate and posts for said film pack rollers secured to said back plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 4, further comprising a housing enclosing said film pack and film path rollers including a top wall spaced from said back plate and means secured to the inner surface of said top wall depending therefrom into contact with said film pack for retaining said film pack in juxtaposition to said back plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said film pack rollers are disposed to approximate a circular pattern and said film path rollers are disposed to approximate a semicircular pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a back plate and posts for said film pack and film path rollers secured to said back plate wherein at least two of said film path posts are secured to said back plate at an angle, in the direction of said spiral, of between 1° and 10° from perpendicular.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least one of said film path posts is secured perpendicular to said back plate, the roller thereon having a length substantially in excess of the width of said film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a circumferential lip at the bottom edge of the rollers on one of said angled posts and a circumferential lip at the top edge of the rollers on another of said angled posts upstream along said secondary path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a cassette in accordance with claim 1 in which said differential take-up means are at both said first and second positions.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of removing a convolution of film from an endless loop wound film pack and returning it thereto, comprising the steps of: supporting at least a portion of the inner circumference of said film pack at a first fixed radius; withdrawing the innermost convolution of film from the center of the film pack; engaging said innermost convolution of film with a plurality of rollers fixed to approximate an arc in spiral concentricity with said film pack; guiding said innermost convolution of film from the plane of the film pack to a plane parallel and spaced therefrom past a first position outside said film pack and then past a second position outside said film pack back to the plane of the film pack, the film returning to the plane of the film pack forming the outermost convolution of the film pack; and adjusting tension on said film at at least one of said first and second positions.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of removing a convolution of film from an endless loop wound film pack and returning it thereto, comprising the steps of: supporting at least a portion of the inner circumference of said film pack at a first fixed radius; withdrawing the innermost convolution of film from the center of the film pack; engaging said innermost convolution of film with a plurality of rollers fixed to approximate an arc in spiral concentricity with said film pack; guiding said innermost convolution of film from the plane of the film pack to a plane parallel and spaced therefrom past a first position outside said film pack and then past a second position outside said film pack back to the plane of the film pack, the film returning to the plane of the film pack forming the outermost convolution of the film pack; and adjusting tension on said film at at least one of said first and second positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11 in which tension on said film is adjusted at both said first and second positions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3088687A
Cited
US3227508A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-07-06 | 1980-01-05 | 1980-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-07-06 | 1984-01-05 | 1984-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-07-06 | 1988-01-05 | 1988-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |