Motor driven film rewind device for camera

Claim 2

A motor-driven film rewinding device for a camera, comprising: (a) film rewinding means for rewinding a coil of film wound up on a film take-up spool of the camera; (b) film movement detecting means for producing a signal which shifts alternately between a first state and a second state as the film moves: (c) timer means, arranged to be reset according to the shift of the signal produced from said film movement detecting means, for producing a signal upon completion of a time measuring operation carried out for a predetermined period of time, said timer means including a timer circuit which performs a time measurement from the start of an operation of said film rewinding means for a short period of time when the signal of said film movement detecting means shifts and for a long period of time when said signal does not shift; and (d) control means for rendering said film rewinding means inoperative according to said signal produced from said timer means.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said timer means further includes: (a) a reference clock pulse generator; (b) a counter which counts clock pulses produced from said reference clock pulse generator and is arranged to produce a first frequency divided output obtained by frequency dividing the clock output of said reference clock pulse generator and a second frequency divided output which is longer than said first frequency divided output; (c) latch means, arranged to detect a shift of said signal produced from said film movement detecting means, for latching the signal upon detection of the shift; and (d) selection means for selecting said second frequency divided output according to the signal latched by said latch means and selecting said first frequency divided output when no signal is latched by said latch means.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said film movement detecting means includes: perforation detecting means which shifts alternately between first state and a second state according to the movement of perforation provided in the film.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3, said perforation detecting means includes: (a) a film sensor member arranged to rotate as the perforation of film moves; (b) a cam member arranged to rotate in association with said film sensor member; and (c) a switch which shifts the position thereof in response to said cam member.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, wherein said film movement detecting means includes: perforation detecting means for detecting the movement of perforation of the film to produce a signal which shifts from a first state to a second state according to a shift of the film to the extent of one frame portion thereof.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, wherein said perforation detecting means includes: (a) a film sensor member arranged to rotate as the perforation of the film moves; (b) a cam member responsive to said film sensor member, said cam member being arranged to make one turn every time the film moves to an extent of one frame portion of the film, said cam member being provided with a cam projection located in a predetermined position; and (c) a switch arranged to be shifted by the cam projection of said cam member from a first state to a second state.

Claim 8

A motor-driven film rewinding device for a camera, comprising: (a) motor-driven film rewinding means for rewinding a coil of film; (b) signal producing means, arranged to detect the movement of the film, for producing an intermittent signal indicative of the movement of film; (c) timer means for producing a signal after measuring a short period of time from the start of an operation of the motor driven film rewinding means when the movement of film is detected by said signal producing means, said timer means being arranged to produce a signal after measuring a period of time longer than the short period of time when no movement of film is detected and to be reset by the signal of said signal producing means; and (d) control means for rendering said rewinding means inoperative in response to the signal produced from said timer means.

Claim 9

A motor-driven film rewinding device for a camera, comprising: (a) motor-driven film rewinding means for rewinding a coil of film; (b) signal producing means, arranged to detect the movement of the film, for producing an intermittent signal indicative of the movement of film; (c) timer means for producing a signal after measuring a short period of time from the start of an operation of the motor driven film rewinding means when the movement of film is detected by said signal producing means, said timer means being arranged to produce a signal after measuring a period of time longer than the short period of time when no movement of film is detected and to be reset by the signal of said signal producing means; and (d) control means for rendering said rewinding means inoperative in response to the signal produced from said timer means.

Claim 10

A motor-driven film rewinding device for a camera, comprising: (a) motor-driven film rewinding means for rewinding a coil of film; (b) film movement detecting means for detecting movement of said film; (c) timer means for producing a signal after measuring a predetermined period of time from the start of an operation of said film rewinding means in response to detection of no film movement by said film movement detecting means, said timer means being arranged to shorten said predetermined period of time in response to detection of film movement by said film movement detecting means; and (d) control means for rendering said rewinding means inoperative in response to the signal produced from said timer means.

Claim 11

A motor-driven film rewinding device for a camera, comprising: (a) motor-driven film rewinding means for rewinding a coil of film; (b) film movement detecting means for detecting movement of said film; (c) timer means for producing a signal after measuring a predetermined period of time from the start of an operation of said film rewinding means in response to detection of no film movement by said film movement detecting means, said timer means being arranged to shorten said predetermined period of time in response to detection of film movement by said film movement detecting means; and (d) control means for rendering said rewinding means inoperative in response to the signal produced from said timer means.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8, wherein said film movement detecting means includes signal generating means for generating a signal which shifts alternately between a first state and a second state according as said film moves; and said timer means includes a timer circuit arranged to measure a predetermined period of time and to be reset according to the shift of the signal generated by said signal generating means, said timer circuit being arranged to shorten said predetermined period of time by being reset at least once.

Claim 13

A film rewinding apparatus for a camera, comprising: (a) detecting means, operatively coupled with the film, for producing a warning signal when the film is in a slackly coiled state by detecting the state of the film within a film cartridge; (b) time defining means responsive to start of film rewind for starting to count time and for producing a warning signal after the time required to rewind the film by a prescribed amount has been counted; and (c) time changing means, connected to said time defining means, for lengthening said first rewinding time in response to said warning signal.

Claim 14

A film rewinding apparatus for a camera, comprising: (a) detecting means, operatively coupled with the film, for producing a warning signal when the film is in a slackly coiled state by detecting the state of the film within a film cartridge; (b) time defining means responsive to start of film rewind for starting to count time and for producing a warning signal after the time required to rewind the film by a prescribed amount has been counted; and (c) time changing means, connected to said time defining means, for lengthening said first rewinding time in response to said warning signal.

Claim 15

A film rewinding apparatus according to claim 10, wherein detecting means includes: (a) film travel detecting means, coupled with the film, for producing a signal in sequence in response to the travel of the film; and (b) means for producing the warning signal in the event that no signal is produced from the film travel detecting means within a predetermined period of time after commencement of a film rewinding operation, said warning signal producing means being connected to the film travel detecting means.

Claim 16

An apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising means for stopping the operation of said film rewinding apparatus in response to said warning signal.

Claim 17

An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising means for stopping the operation of said film rewinding apparatus in response to said warning signal.

Claim 18

A motor driven device for advancing a film in a camera, comprising: (a) film advancing means for advancing the film; (b) a motor operating as a torque source for said film advancing means; (c) signal producing means for detecting movement of said film and for producing an advance signal indicative of the movement of said film; (d) first timer means for detecting whether said advance signal is produced by said signal producing means, said first timer means producing a first non-advance detecting signal when said first advance signal is not produced within a first predetermined time; (e) second timer means for detecting whether said advance signal is produced by said signal producing means, said second timer means producing a second non-advance signal when said advance signal is not produced within a second predetermined time, and said second time being set shorter than said first time; (f) first motor control means for causing said motor to start to rotate in a first rotation direction from a stopped state; (g) second motor control means for preventing the rotation of said motor in said first rotation direction in response to generation of said first or second non-advance detecting signal, said second motor control means starting a control operation thereof with the start of rotation of said motor by said first motor control means; and (g-1) said second motor control means detecting an advance of the film through said first timer means at the time of the start of rotation of said motor, and preventing the rotation in the first rotation direction of said motor at the time when said first non-advance detecting signal is produced from said first timer means; and (g-2) said second motor control means changing over from said first timer means to said second timer means when said advance signal is produced from said signal producing means after the start of rotation of said motor to detect the advance of said film through said second timer means, and preventing the rotation in said rotation direction of said motor when said second non-advance detecting signal is produced from said second timer means.

Claim 19

A motor driven device for advancing a film in a camera, comprising: (a) film advancing means for advancing the film; (b) a motor operating as a torque source for said film advancing means; (c) signal producing means for detecting movement of said film and for producing an advance signal indicative of the movement of said film; (d) first timer means for detecting whether said advance signal is produced by said signal producing means, said first timer means producing a first non-advance detecting signal when said first advance signal is not produced within a first predetermined time; (e) second timer means for detecting whether said advance signal is produced by said signal producing means, said second timer means producing a second non-advance signal when said advance signal is not produced within a second predetermined time, and said second time being set shorter than said first time; (f) first motor control means for causing said motor to start to rotate in a first rotation direction from a stopped state; (g) second motor control means for preventing the rotation of said motor in said first rotation direction in response to generation of said first or second non-advance detecting signal, said second motor control means starting a control operation thereof with the start of rotation of said motor by said first motor control means; and (g-1) said second motor control means detecting an advance of the film through said first timer means at the time of the start of rotation of said motor, and preventing the rotation in the first rotation direction of said motor at the time when said first non-advance detecting signal is produced from said first timer means; and (g-2) said second motor control means changing over from said first timer means to said second timer means when said advance signal is produced from said signal producing means after the start of rotation of said motor to detect the advance of said film through said second timer means, and preventing the rotation in said rotation direction of said motor when said second non-advance detecting signal is produced from said second timer means.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 14, wherein said signal producing means produces said advance signal every time said film moves a predetermined amount.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 14, wherein said signal producing mean produces said advance signal every time the film moves an amount not less than one frame of the film.

Claim 22

A device according claim 14, wherein said signal producing means includes a rotary wheel which is rotated by the movement of perforations of the film, said rotary wheel producing said advance signal for indicating movement of the film when it rotates.