Lens-fitted photographic film unit whose parts can be recycled easily

Claim 2

A lens-fitted photographic film unit which has resinous and metal parts and which has an exposure aperture, a film supplying chamber for containing unexposed photographic film, and a film take-up chamber for taking up said film after exposure, in which said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are disposed horizontally on opposite sides of said exposure aperture, and which has a taking lens, a shutter mechanism, a film wind-up wheel for winding up said film as exposed, and a wind-up stopping mechanism for preventing said wind-up wheel from rotating after film is fed by one frame after each exposure by rotation of said wind-up wheel, said film unit comprising: a resinous film containing unit in which said exposure aperture, said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are formed; a single photo-forming unit including said shutter mechanism and said wind-up stopping mechanism, said single photo-forming unit having metal parts and being secured to said film containing unit but being removable as a single unit from said film containing unit so as to facilitate removal of metal parts from resinous parts; and a front cover secured to said film containing unit in front of said photo-taking unit.

Claim 3

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said photo-taking unit further includes a counter mechanism for indicating a number designating a frame.

Claim 4

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising a rear cover secured to a rear of said film containing unit as loaded with said unexposed film so as to cover a rear of said exposure aperture and said film supplying chamber and said film wind-up chamber in light-tight fashion.

Claim 5

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said film take-up chamber contains a cassette having a rotatable spool to which one end of said film is connected, and said film supplying chamber contains said unexposed film wound in a form of a roll.

Claim 6

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said photo-taking unit includes metallic parts, and said film containing unit is a one-piece resinous molding.

Claim 7

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising a flash device removably secured to said film containing unit and including a circuit board, a flash emitting unit secured to said circuit board, and a synchro switch.

Claim 8

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 6, wherein said synchro switch is a pair of elongated metal contact segments extending side by side from a surface of said circuit board, one distal end of each of said contact segments functioning as an X contact which causes a synchro signal for allowing said flash device to emit a flash when said X contact is switched on responsive to an operation of said shutter mechanism.

Claim 9

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 6, wherein: a charge switch is associated with said flash device for charging said flash device, and includes a pair of contacts provided on a front of said circuit board, and a switching segment having ends adapted to come into contact with said contacts so as to short-circuit said contacts; and a resiliently depressible pushbutton defined by a channel-shaped slot formed in said front cover, and adapted to cause said switching segment to short-circuit said pair of said contacts when depressed.

Claim 10

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 6, wherein said circuit board further includes a pair of electrode terminals in electrical contact with a battery, said battery being disposed between said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber under said photo-taking unit and extending in a horizontal direction.

Claim 11

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein: a rear light-shielding tunnel is formed in said film containing unit for passing light from said taking lens to said exposure aperture; and said photo-taking unit has a base member for supporting a shutter blade of said shutter mechanism, which base member has a front light-shielding tunnel communicating with said rear tunnel for transmitting light to said exposure aperture.

Claim 12

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 10, wherein said base member is a one-piece resinous molding.

Claim 13

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 10, wherein: at least one engaging recess is formed in said photo-taking unit; and at least one deformable first claw is provided on said film containing unit for engagement with said engaging recess so as to secure said photo-taking unit to said film containing unit.

Claim 14

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 12, wherein said shutter mechanism further includes an actuating lever for moving said shutter blade, a first metallic spring for biasing said actuating lever in a direction toward an open state, and a second metallic spring for biasing said shutter blade in a direction toward a closed state.

Claim 15

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 12, wherein said engaging recess is formed in said base member.

Claim 16

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 14, wherein said first claw is disposed beside said rear tunnel.

Claim 17

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 12, wherein a lens plate is secured to a front of said base member for supporting said taking lens and adapted to cover said shutter blade.

Claim 18

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 12, wherein said rear cover is substantially L-shaped, and includes a first portion for shielding from light a rear of said film supplying chamber, said film take-up chamber and said rear tunnel, and a second portion for shielding from light a bottom of said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber.

Claim 19

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 17, wherein: at least one second claw is formed on a top of said first portion; and at least one engaging portion is formed behind said film containing unit for being engaged with said second claw so as to secure said rear cover to said film containing unit.

Claim 20

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 18, wherein: at least one third claw is formed behind said front cover; and at least one fourth claw is formed on a front of said film containing unit for being coupled with said third claw so as to secure said front cover to said film containing unit.

Claim 21

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 19, wherein said fourth claw is disposed on a front of said film supplying chamber and film wind-up chamber.

Claim 22

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 19, further comprising a flash unit removably secured to said film containing unit, and wherein: a passage opening is formed in said flash device and adapted to receive said third claw when said third and fourth claws are coupled together; and said flash device is secured between said front cover and said film containing unit removably by coupling said third and fourth claws.

Claim 23

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 17, wherein said second portion of said rear cover is so openable under said film supplying chamber as to facilitate removal of a cassette from said film take-up chamber.

Claim 24

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising means associated with said film containing unit and said photo-taking unit for positioning said photo-taking unit relative to said film containing unit when said photo-taking unit is secured thereto.

Claim 25

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 23, wherein said positioning means includes a positioning projection provided on said film containing unit, and a positioning hole formed in said photo-taking unit for receiving said positioning projection.

Claim 26

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 24, further comprising a flash unit removably secured to said film containing unit, and wherein at least one second positioning projection is formed on a front of said film containing unit, and at least one second positioning hole is formed in said flash device for receiving said second positioning projection so as to position said flash device relative to said film containing unit.

Claim 27

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein: a receiving hole is formed in said film containing unit; and a passage hole is formed in said photo-taking unit, a screw extending through said passage hole into said receiving hole so as to secure said photo-taking unit fixedly but removably to said film containing unit.

Claim 28

A lens-fitted film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said taking lens is fixedly supported between said photo-taking unit and said front cover.

Claim 29

A lens-fitted photographic film unit which has resinous and metal parts and which has an exposure aperture, a film supplying chamber for containing unexposed photographic film, and a film take-up chamber for taking up said film after exposure, in which said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are disposed horizontally on opposite sides of said exposure aperture, and which has a taking lens, a shutter blade, a driven sprocket wheel driven in rotation by movement of said film, shutter cocking means for cocking said shutter blade in response to rotation of said sprocket wheel, shutter driving means for driving said shutter blade upon release of said shutter cocking means, a film wind-up wheel for winding up exposed film into said take-up chamber, and a wind-up stopping mechanism for preventing said wind-up wheel from rotating after said film is wound up by one frame after each exposure by rotation of said wind-up wheel, said film unit comprising: a resinous film containing unit in which said exposure aperture, said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are formed; a single photo-forming unit including said shutter blade, said sprocket wheel, said shutter cocking means, said shutter driving means, and said wind-up stopping mechanism, said single photo-forming unit having metal parts and being secured to said film containing unit but being removable as a single unit from said film containing unit so as to facilitate removal of metal parts from resinous parts; and a front cover secured to said film containing unit in front of said photo-forming unit.

Claim 30

A lens-fitted photographic film unit which has resinous and metal parts and which has an exposure aperture, a film supplying chamber for containing unexposed photographic film, and a film take-up chamber for taking up said film after exposure, in which said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are disposed horizontally on opposite sides of said exposure aperture, and which has a taking lens, a shutter blade, a driven sprocket wheel driven in rotation by movement of said film, shutter cocking means for cocking said shutter blade in response to rotation of said sprocket wheel, shutter driving means for driving said shutter blade upon release of said shutter cocking means, a film wind-up wheel for winding up exposed film into said take-up chamber, and a wind-up stopping mechanism for preventing said wind-up wheel from rotating after said film is wound up by one frame after each exposure by rotation of said wind-up wheel, said film unit comprising: a resinous film containing unit in which said exposure aperture, said film supplying chamber and said film take-up chamber are formed; a single photo-forming unit including said shutter blade, said sprocket wheel, said shutter cocking means, said shutter driving means, and said wind-up stopping mechanism, said single photo-forming unit having metal parts and being secured to said film containing unit but being removable as a single unit from said film containing unit so as to facilitate removal of metal parts from resinous parts; and a front cover secured to said film containing unit in front of said photo-forming unit.