Photographic film cartridge assembly and camera

Claim 2

In a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) an opaque casing, a wall of which has an exposure window and (2) a film unit, with a photographic film disk having an exposure region, mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas on the exposure region are moved successively into alignment with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: a cover member including an opaque region, said cover member being mounted in the casing between the wall and the film disk for movement, independent of the film unit, between a closing position in which said opaque region is aligned with and closes the exposure window, and an opening position in which said opaque region is out of alignment with and opens the exposure window; and means operatively interconnecting said film unit and said cover member for imparting rotational movement to the film unit during and as a result of at least a portion of the movement of said cover member to bring successive image areas into alignment with the exposure window.

Claim 3

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein: the casing further includes means for mounting said cover member for rotational movement; and the closing and opening positions of said cover member are angularly related.

Claim 4

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprises: a ratchet pawl on one of the film unit and said cover member; and a plurality of discontinuities on the other of the film unit and said cover member cooperative with said pawl to provide one-way rotational movement of the film unit upon movement of said cover member.

Claim 5

The improvement as defined in claim 3 wherein said discontinuities correspond in number to the number of image areas to be aligned with the exposure window.

Claim 6

The improvement as defined in claim 3 wherein said interconnecting means is adapted to impart rotational movement to the film unit in a predetermined direction, and further comprising antiback-up means for inhibiting rotational movement of the film unit in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

Claim 7

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein: the film unit further includes a rigid core member to which the film disk is attached; and said interconnecting means includes means for selectively connecting said cover member and said core member.

Claim 8

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein: the film unit further includes a rigid core member to which said film disk is attached; and said interconnecting means includes (1) a ratchet pawl on one of said core member and said cover member, and (2) a plurality of discontinuities on the other of said core member and said cover member cooperative with said pawl to provide one-way rotational movement of the film unit upon movement of said cover member.

Claim 9

The improvement as defined in claim 7 wherein said discontinuities correspond in number to the number of image areas to be aligned with the exposure window.

Claim 10

The improvement as defined in claim 7 wherein said interconnecting means is adapted to impart rotational movement to the film unit in a predetermined direction, and further comprising means on said core member and the casing for inhibiting rotational movement of the film unit in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

Claim 11

The improvement as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for inhibiting connection of said ratchet pawl with said discontinuities during a portion of the movement of said cover member.

Claim 12

The improvement as defined in claim 7 further comprising a separator layer mounted in the casing between said cover member and the film unit for inhibiting connection of said ratchet pawl with said discontinuities during a portion of the movement of said cover member.

Claim 13

The improvement as defined in claim 11 wherein said separator layer has an aperture through which said ratchet pawl engages said discontinuities.

Claim 14

In a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) an opaque casing, a wall of which has an exposure window and (2) a film unit, with a photographic film disk having an exposure region, mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas on the exposure region are moved successively into alignment with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: a cover member including an opaque region, said cover member being mounted in the casing between the wall and the film disk for movement between (1) a closing position in which said opaque region overlays and closes the exposure window and (2) first and second spaced apart opening positions at which said opaque region is out of alignment with and opens the exposure window; and means operatively interconnecting said film unit and said cover member for imparting rotational movement to the film unit during and as a result of at least a portion of the movement of said cover member only between its first and second opening positions to bring successive image areas into alignment with the exposure window.

Claim 15

In a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) an opaque casing, a wall of which has an exposure window and (2) a film unit, with a photographic film disk having an exposure region, mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas on the exposure region are moved successively into alignment with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: a cover member including an opaque region, said cover member being mounted in the casing between the wall and the film disk for movement between (1) a closing position in which said opaque region overlays and closes the exposure window and (2) first and second spaced apart opening positions at which said opaque region is out of alignment with and opens the exposure window; and means operatively interconnecting said film unit and said cover member for imparting rotational movement to the film unit during and as a result of at least a portion of the movement of said cover member only between its first and second opening positions to bring successive image areas into alignment with the exposure window.

Claim 16

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said interconnecting means is ineffective to impart rotational movement to said film unit during movement of said cover member from its opening positions to its closing position.

Claim 17

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein: the casing further includes means for mounting said cover member for rotational movement; and the closing and opening positions of said cover member are angularly related.

Claim 18

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said interconnecting means comprises: a ratchet pawl on one of the film unit and said cover member; and a plurality of discontinuities on the other of the film unit and said cover member cooperative with said pawl to provide one-way rotational movement of the film unit upon movement of said cover member.

Claim 19

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said interconnecting means includes (1) a ratchet pawl on one of the film unit and said cover member and (2) a plurality of discontinuities on the other of the film unit and said cover member cooperative with said pawl to provide one-way rotational movement of the film unit upon movement of said cover member, said assembly further comprising a separator layer mounted in the casing between said cover member and the film unit for inhibiting cooperation of said ratchet pawl with said discontinuities during a portion of the movement of said cover member between its first and second opening positions.

Claim 20

The improvement as defined in claim 17 wherein said separator layer is positioned to inhibit cooperation of said ratchet pawl with said discontinuities during movement of said cover member between its closing and opening positions.

Claim 21

The improvement as defined in claim 13 wherein said interconnecting means is adapted to impart rotational movement to the film unit in a predetermined direction, and further comprising antiback-up means for inhibiting rotational movement of the film unit in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

Claim 22

In a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) an opaque casing, a wall of which has an exposure window and (2) a film unit, with a photographic film disk having an exposure region, mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas on the exposure region are moved successively into alignment with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: a cover member including an opaque region, said cover member being mounted in the casing between the wall and the film disk for movement in a predetermined direction from a closing position, in which said opaque region is aligned with and closes the exposure window, and an opening position in which said opaque region is out of alignment with and opens the exposure window; and light seal means on the casing and said cover member, cooperable when said cover member is in its closing position, for inhibiting light entering the casing through the exposure window from reaching the film disk, said light seal means including an abutment surface on each of the wall and said cover member for (1) inhibiting movement of said cover member beyond its closing position in a direction opposite said predetermined direction and (2) forming a light baffel whereby light entering the casing through the exposure is inhibited by a tortuous path around said opaque region between said abutment surfaces from reaching the film disk.

Claim 23

In a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) an opaque casing, a wall of which has an exposure window and (2) a film unit, with a photographic film disk having an exposure region, mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas on the exposure region are moved successively into alignment with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: a cover member including an opaque region, said cover member being mounted in the casing between the wall and the film disk for movement in a predetermined direction from a closing position, in which said opaque region is aligned with and closes the exposure window, and an opening position in which said opaque region is out of alignment with and opens the exposure window; and light seal means on the casing and said cover member, cooperable when said cover member is in its closing position, for inhibiting light entering the casing through the exposure window from reaching the film disk, said light seal means including an abutment surface on each of the wall and said cover member for (1) inhibiting movement of said cover member beyond its closing position in a direction opposite said predetermined direction and (2) forming a light baffel whereby light entering the casing through the exposure is inhibited by a tortuous path around said opaque region between said abutment surfaces from reaching the film disk.

Claim 24

The improvement as defined in claim 20 wherein: the casing further includes means for mounting said cover member for rotational movement; and the closing and opening positions of said cover member are angularly related.

Claim 25

In a photographic cartridge assembly which is (1) receivable within a camera having a film drive mechanism and is (2) of the type having (a) a film unit including a photographic film disk having an exposure region, and (b) a protective casing including: (1) an opaque wall having an exposure window, and (2) means for mounting the film unit in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas of the exposure region align with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: (a) an opaque cover member mounted in the casing for movement, independent of the film unit, between a closing position aligned with and closing the exposure window and an opening position out of alignment with and opening the exposure window, said cover member including means cooperable with the camera's film drive mechanism for moving the cover member; (b) means operatively interconnecting the film unit and said cover member for imparting rotational movement to the film unit during and as a result of at least a portion of the movement of said cover member to bring successive image areas into alignment with the exposure window.

Claim 26

In a photographic cartridge assembly which is (1) receivable within a camera having a film drive mechanism and is (2) of the type having (a) a film unit including a photographic film disk having an exposure region, and (b) a protective casing including: (1) an opaque wall having an exposure window, and (2) means for mounting the film unit in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing such that different image areas of the exposure region align with the exposure window; the improvement comprising: (a) an opaque cover member mounted in the casing for movement, independent of the film unit, between a closing position aligned with and closing the exposure window and an opening position out of alignment with and opening the exposure window, said cover member including means cooperable with the camera's film drive mechanism for moving the cover member; (b) means operatively interconnecting the film unit and said cover member for imparting rotational movement to the film unit during and as a result of at least a portion of the movement of said cover member to bring successive image areas into alignment with the exposure window.

Claim 27

The improvement as defined in claim 22 wherein said interconnecting means comprises: (a) a ratchet pawl on one of the film unit and said cover member; and (b) a plurality of discontinuities on the other of the film unit and said cover member.

Claim 28

The improvement as defined in claim 23 wherein said interconnecting means is adapted to impart rotational movement in a predetermined direction to the film unit, and further comprising antiback-up means for inhibiting rotational movement of the film unit in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

Claim 29

The improvement as defined in claim 22 further comprising: initial locking means partially on said cover member and partially on the casing for inhibiting movement of said cover member from its closing position prior to said cartridge assembly being received within the camera; and means cooperable with the camera for releasing said locking means in response to said cartridge assembly being received in the camera.

Claim 30

The improvement as defined in claim 22 further comprising final locking means for inhibiting rotational movement of the film unit in either direction subsequent to rotational movement of the film unit through a predetermined arc.

Claim 31

The improvement as defined in claim 26 wherein said predetermined arc is less than 360 degrees.

Claim 32

The improvement as defined in claim 26 wherein said predetermined arc is approximately 352 degrees.

Claim 33

In a camera having a housing structure adapted to receive and position a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) a casing with an exposure window, (2) a film unit mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing to bring successive exposure areas of the film unit into alignment with the window, (3) a cover member reciprocatively movable between a first position aligned with and closing the window and second and third positions out of alignment with and opening the window, and (4) unidirectionally operable means coupling the cover member and the film unit for translating reciprocation movement of the cover member into unidirectional movement of the film unit; the improvement comprising drive means engageable with the cover member of a received cartridge assembly for moving the cover member, said drive means having a first mode of operation for opening and closing the window by moving the cover member selectively between the first position and the second position, and a second mode of operation for incrementally rotating the film unit by reciprocating the cover member between the second position and the third position.

Claim 34

In a camera having a housing structure adapted to receive and position a photographic cartridge assembly of the type having (1) a casing with an exposure window, (2) a film unit mounted in the casing for rotational movement relative to the casing to bring successive exposure areas of the film unit into alignment with the window, (3) a cover member reciprocatively movable between a first position aligned with and closing the window and second and third positions out of alignment with and opening the window, and (4) unidirectionally operable means coupling the cover member and the film unit for translating reciprocation movement of the cover member into unidirectional movement of the film unit; the improvement comprising drive means engageable with the cover member of a received cartridge assembly for moving the cover member, said drive means having a first mode of operation for opening and closing the window by moving the cover member selectively between the first position and the second position, and a second mode of operation for incrementally rotating the film unit by reciprocating the cover member between the second position and the third position.

Claim 35

The invention defined in claim 29 in which the cartridge assembly receivable by said camera includes releasable locking means for locking the cover member in its first position, said camera further including lock releasing means for releasing said locking means when the cartridge is received in the housing structure.