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US4208118A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Moisture and dust proof sealing arrangement for camera body rear cover

Assignee: Pentax Corp
•
Filing: 1978-03-22
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Granted: 1980-06-17
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Expires: 1998-03-22
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Abstract

Abstract A continuous viscoelastic gasket 2 is compressively sandwiched between mating grooves and surfaces of a camera body 1 and a hinged rear cover 3 to tightly seal the film compartment against moisture and dust when the cover is closed. The interlocking pin 10 of the automatic film counter restoring mechanism is protectively disposed within the gasket perimeter and is engaged by a tab 9b extending inwardly from a reinforcing plate 9 mounted on the rear cover.

Inventors

  • 👤 Fumio Urano
  • 👤 Junji Umetsu

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:54
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B17/00; G03B17/36; G03B17/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 201 words
In a camera including a camera body defining a film compartment on the rear side thereof, and a rear cover hinged on one end to one end of the camera body and having latching means on its other end cooperable with closure means on the other end of the camera body, improved means for sealing the film compartment against the incursion of dust and moisture when the rear cover is closed, characterized, by: (a) continuous mating grooves and edge flanges on the camera body and on the inside of the rear cover, respectively, or vice versa, surrounding the perimeter of the film compartment, (b) a continuous, deformable, closed-loop sealing gasket disposed in said grooves and formed of a foamed, viscoelastic, independent closed cell material, said gasket being compressively sandwiched between the camera body and closed rear cover to thereby seal the film compartment against dust and moisture, (c) a spring biased interlocking pin for an automatic film counter restoring mechanism slidably mounted in the camera body inside of the film compartment perimeter and extending outwardly from the camera body, and (d) means on the inside of the rear cover for operatively engaging and depressing said pin when the cover is closed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 201 words
In a camera including a camera body defining a film compartment on the rear side thereof, and a rear cover hinged on one end to one end of the camera body and having latching means on its other end cooperable with closure means on the other end of the camera body, improved means for sealing the film compartment against the incursion of dust and moisture when the rear cover is closed, characterized, by: (a) continuous mating grooves and edge flanges on the camera body and on the inside of the rear cover, respectively, or vice versa, surrounding the perimeter of the film compartment, (b) a continuous, deformable, closed-loop sealing gasket disposed in said grooves and formed of a foamed, viscoelastic, independent closed cell material, said gasket being compressively sandwiched between the camera body and closed rear cover to thereby seal the film compartment against dust and moisture, (c) a spring biased interlocking pin for an automatic film counter restoring mechanism slidably mounted in the camera body inside of the film compartment perimeter and extending outwardly from the camera body, and (d) means on the inside of the rear cover for operatively engaging and depressing said pin when the cover is closed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said pin engaging means comprises a flexible tab extending outwardly from a reinforcing plate secured to said rear cover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A camera as defined in claims 1 or 2, wherein said sealing gasket has a U or L shaped cross-section, and is mounted such that the rear cover closure pressure acts to bend the legs of the gasket closer toward each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A camera as defined in claims 1 or 2, wherein said sealing gasket has a semicircular cross-section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 175 words
In a camera including a camera body defining a film compartment on the rear side thereof, and a rear cover hinged on one end to one end of the camera body and having latching means on its other end cooperable with closure means on the other end of the camera body, improved means for sealing the film compartment against the incursion of dust and moisture when the rear cover is closed, characterized by: (a) continuous mating grooves and edge flanges on the camera body and on the inside of the rear cover, respectively, or vice versa, surrounding the perimeter of the film compartment, and (b) a continuous, deformable, closed loop sealing gasket disposed in said grooves and formed of a foamed, viscoelastic, independent closed cell material, said gasket being compressively sandwiched between the camera body and closed rear cover to thereby seal the film compartment against dust and moisture, and comprising a foamed core of rubber, urethane, or the like completely covered with a surrounding outer layer of a non-porous viscoelastic material, such as rubber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 175 words
In a camera including a camera body defining a film compartment on the rear side thereof, and a rear cover hinged on one end to one end of the camera body and having latching means on its other end cooperable with closure means on the other end of the camera body, improved means for sealing the film compartment against the incursion of dust and moisture when the rear cover is closed, characterized by: (a) continuous mating grooves and edge flanges on the camera body and on the inside of the rear cover, respectively, or vice versa, surrounding the perimeter of the film compartment, and (b) a continuous, deformable, closed loop sealing gasket disposed in said grooves and formed of a foamed, viscoelastic, independent closed cell material, said gasket being compressively sandwiched between the camera body and closed rear cover to thereby seal the film compartment against dust and moisture, and comprising a foamed core of rubber, urethane, or the like completely covered with a surrounding outer layer of a non-porous viscoelastic material, such as rubber.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1244978A Cited
US2043926A Cited
GB680197A Cited
US2771825A Cited
US2749718A Cited
US2865271A Cited
US3363528A Cited
US3574296A Cited
US3598463A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-06-17 1983-12-17 1984-06-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-06-17 1987-12-17 1988-06-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-06-17 1991-12-17 1992-06-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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