U.S. patent application number 09/877524 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-17 for film canister device for use in a film package assembly and a method for loading a camera therewith and a camera loadable thereby.
This patent application is currently assigned to West Bend Film Company, LLC. Invention is credited to Gerrits, Kevin M., White, Terry D..
Application Number | 20020006286 09/877524 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26821004 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020006286 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
White, Terry D. ; et
al. |
January 17, 2002 |
Film canister device for use in a film package assembly and a
method for loading a camera therewith and a camera loadable
thereby
Abstract
Provided is a film package assembly to be used within a camera
such that conventional winding and rewinding components are
eliminated. Provided is a film package assembly which includes a
new light-tight film canister device, a roll of film and a film
take-up cartridge. The film package assembly being designed so as
to be loadable within a camera in non-darkroom or lighted
conditions.
Inventors: |
White, Terry D.; (West Bend,
WI) ; Gerrits, Kevin M.; (Cedarburg, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH, LLP
ONE SOUTH PINCKNEY STREET
P O BOX 1806
MADISON
WI
53701
|
Assignee: |
West Bend Film Company, LLC
West Bend
WI
|
Family ID: |
26821004 |
Appl. No.: |
09/877524 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09877524 |
Jun 8, 2001 |
|
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09519044 |
Mar 3, 2000 |
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60122908 |
Mar 5, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
396/512 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03B 17/30 20130101;
G03B 17/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
396/512 |
International
Class: |
G03B 017/26 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A film canister for storing a roll of photographic film, said
film canister adapted for placement within a camera, said canister
comprising: an inner sleeve having a body which includes a closed
end and an open end, and an elongated slot extending along said
body, the film being contained within said inner sleeve, such that
the roll of film is unsupported by a spool; and an outer sleeve
having a body which includes a closed end and an open end, and an
elongated slot extending along said body, said inner sleeve being
disposed within said outer sleeve, such that said open end of said
inner sleeve is adjacent to said closed end of said outer sleeve
and said open end of said outer sleeve is adjacent to said closed
end of said inner sleeve to form a substantially light-tight
canister when said slot of said inner sleeve and said slot of said
outer sleeve are not aligned, and such that when said film canister
is placed within a camera, a film canister chamber of the camera
receives said outer sleeve so that said outer sleeve is in a
substantially stationary position, and said inner sleeve is
rotatable relative to said outer sleeve so that said slot of said
inner sleeve is alignable with said slot of said outer sleeve,
thereby permitting film from the roll of film to pass therethrough
during operation of the camera.
2. A film canister for storing a quantity of a photographic film,
said film canister adapted for placement within a camera, said
canister comprising: a body having a closed end, an open end, and
an elongated slot which extends along said body, said slot being
adaptable for movement between a substantially closed position and
an open position; and an end cap connectable to said body to close
said open end, said end cap being movable between a locked position
which pinches said slot together so as to substantially close said
slot and so that the film cannot pass therethrough, and an unlocked
position which allows said slot to be opened so that film can pass
therethrough when said canister is placed within a camera.
3. A film package assembly for use in a camera, said film package
assembly comprising: a film canister for holding a roll of
unexposed photographic film which is unsupported by a spool, said
film canister including an inner sleeve having a body which
includes a closed end and an open end, and an elongated slot
extending along said body, the roll of unexposed film housed within
said inner sleeve; and an outer sleeve having a body which includes
a closed end and an open end, and an elongated slot extending along
said body, said inner sleeve being disposed within said outer
sleeve, such that said open end of said inner sleeve is adjacent to
said closed end of said outer sleeve and said open end of said
outer sleeve is adjacent to said closed end of said inner sleeve to
form a substantially light-tight film canister when said slot of
said inner sleeve and said slot of said outer sleeve are not
aligned; and a film cartridge in which an end of the roll of film
is securely positioned without which said film cartridge would not
be connected to said film canister, said film package assembly
being capable of being loaded into a camera under a lighted
environment without substantially adversely affecting the roll of
film, such that when said film canister is placed within a camera,
a film cartridge chamber of the camera receives said film
cartridge, a film canister chamber of the camera receives said
outer sleeve, and said inner sleeve is rotatable relative to said
outer sleeve so that said slot of said inner sleeve is alignable
with said slot of said outer sleeve, thereby permitting film from
the roll of film to pass out of said film canister and into said
film cartridge during operation of the camera.
4. A film package assembly according to claim 3, wherein said inner
sleeve includes a lip which extends around said closed end of said
inner sleeve and which protrudes outward form said body of said
inner sleeve, and wherein a portion of said body of said outer
sleeve which defines said open end of said outer sleeve abuts
against said lip.
5. A film package assembly according to claim 3, wherein said inner
sleeve includes a pair of film engaging members which extend into
said slot of said inner sleeve, said film engaging members are
spaced apart a distance equal to a length between perforation
tracks of the film, said film engaging members engaging respective
film perforation tracks to assist in preventing undesirable
advancement of the film stored within said film canister.
6. A film package assembly according to claim 3, wherein said inner
sleeve includes a protuberant column which extends outward with
respect to said closed end of said inner sleeve, said protuberant
column being rotatable when said film package assembly is disposed
within the camera so that said inner sleeve can be rotated with
respect to said outer sleeve, thereby allowing proper positioning
of said slot of said inner sleeve with respect to said slot of said
outer sleeve.
7. A film package assembly according to claim 3, wherein said film
canister further includes a closing device which substantially
closes said slot of said outer sleeve to substantially prevent
undesirable light from entering said film canister through said
slot of said outer sleeve and which is capable of being opened so
that when said film package assembly is disposed within the camera,
the film can be advanced out of said film canister and into said
film cartridge.
8. A film package assembly according to claim 7, wherein said slot
of said outer sleeve is defined by a pair of spaced apart
engagement surfaces which extend outward from said body of said
outer sleeve, such that said closing device engages said engagement
surfaces to substantially pinch said slot of said outer sleeve
shut.
9. A film package assembly according to claim 8, wherein said
closing device is coupled to said closed end of said inner sleeve,
and wherein said closing device includes a pair of spaced apart
fingers, such that one finger engages one engagement surface of
said outer sleeve and the other finger engages the other engagement
surface of said outer sleeve, and such that said closing device is
removed from said film canister when it is desirable to allow the
film to be advanced.
10. A film package assembly according to claim 3, wherein said film
canister is made of an injected molded opaque plastic.
11. A film package assembly according to claim 10, wherein said
film cartridge is a conventional 35 mm film cartridge.
12. A camera assembly comprising: a main camera body having a top
portion, a bottom portion, a front portion, a back portion and
opposite sides, said bottom portion including a notch; an exposure
frame disposed within said main camera body; a film canister
receiving chamber disposed within said main camera body and
positioned on one side of said exposure frame; a film cartridge
receiving chamber disposed within said main camera body and
positioned on an opposite side of said exposure frame; a back
cover; and a film package assembly including a film canister device
for holding a roll of an unexposed film, said film canister device
being positionable within said film canister receiving chamber,
said film canister device including an inner sleeve having a
substantially cylindrical body which has an inner surface and an
outer surface, an open end and an opposite closed end, said closed
end is substantially circular and sized to extend beyond said outer
surface thereby defining a lip which extends around said body, a
protuberant column extends outward from said closed end, said inner
sleeve further having an elongated slot which extends substantially
along said body; an outer sleeve having a substantially cylindrical
body which has an inner surface, an outer surface, an open end and
an opposite closed end, said outer sleeve further having an
elongated film discharge opening which extends substantially along
said body, an end of said film discharge opening is closed and an
opposite end of said film discharge opening is openable, said film
discharge opening being defined by a pair of spaced apart,
substantially parallel edges which extend outward from said outer
surface, each edge including a film facing side and an outer
engagement surface, said outer sleeve configured to receive said
inner sleeve; and a closing device coupled to said closed end of
said inner sleeve, said closing device having a locking member
having a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel fingers which
extend along at least a portion of said outer surface of said inner
sleeve without coming into contact with said outer surface of said
inner sleeve, thereby creating a space between said fingers and
said outer surface of said inner sleeve; and a film cartridge in
which one end of the roll of film is securely positionable, said
film cartridge being positionable within said film cartridge
receiving chamber; wherein when said inner sleeve housing the
unexposed roll of film is received by said outer sleeve, a portion
of said body of said outer sleeve which defines said open end of
said outer sleeve abuts against said lip of said inner sleeve and a
portion of said body of said outer sleeve extends into said space
between said closing device fingers and said outer surface of said
inner sleeve, one closing device finger engages one engagement
surface of said outer sleeve and the other closing device finger
engages the other engagement surface of said outer sleeve so as to
substantially pinch said film discharge opening of said outer
sleeve shut, and said slot of said inner sleeve and said film
discharge opening of said outer sleeve are offset, such that when
so assembled, said film canister device is substantially
light-tight, and wherein when said film package assembly is placed
within said main camera body, a filmstrip extends from said film
canister across said exposure frame to said film cartridge wherein
an end of the film is securely positioned, said protuberant column
of said film canister is received by said notch of said main camera
body such that at least a portion of said protuberant column is
accessible from outside said main camera body, said closing device
is disengaged from said outer sleeve, said back cover is closed to
provide a substantially light-tight container, and said protuberant
column of said film canister is caused to rotate such that said
inner sleeve rotates within said outer sleeve until said slot of
said inner sleeve and said film discharge opening of said outer
sleeve are substantially aligned so that the unexposed film housed
within said inner sleeve can advance out of said film canister and
the exposed film can be wound into said film cartridge during
operation of the camera, and such that when the exposed film is
housed with said film cartridge, said film cartridge can be removed
from the camera for further processing of the film.
13. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a portion that is adapted to come into contact with a
portion of the camera when said protuberant column is caused to
rotate, such that when said portion of said inner sleeve contacts
the portion of the camera, said protuberant column is prevented
from being rotated any farther and said slot of said inner sleeve
is properly aligned with said film discharge opening of said outer
sleeve so that the camera is ready for operation.
14. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a pair of film engaging members which extend into said
slot of said inner sleeve, said film engaging members are spaced
apart a distance equal to a length between perforation tracks of
the film, said film engaging members engaging respective film
perforation tracks to assist in preventing undesirable advancement
of the film before the camera is ready for operation.
15. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said protuberant column
of said inner sleeve includes a star-shaped recess which is adapted
to cooperate with a star-shaped rotating tool.
16. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said film canister is
made of an injected molded opaque plastic, and wherein said film
cartridge is a conventional 35 mm film cartridge.
17. A camera according to claim 12, wherein when said film canister
device is positioned within said film canister receiving chamber,
said outer sleeve is substantially prevented from being
rotated.
18. A film package for use in a camera, said film package
comprising: a film canister for holding a roll of unexposed
photographic film, said film canister including an inner sleeve
having a body which includes an inner surface and an outer surface,
both of which extend between a closed end and an open end, an
elongated slot extending along said body, and a protrusion member
extending from said outer surface, the roll of unexposed film being
housed within said inner sleeve; and an outer sleeve having a body
which includes an inner surface and an outer surface, both of which
extend between a closed end and an open end, and an elongated slot
extending along said body, said slot being defined by a pair of
spaced apart surfaces which extend outward from said body, said
inner sleeve being disposed within said outer sleeve, such that
said open end of said inner sleeve is adjacent to said closed end
of said outer sleeve and said open end of said outer sleeve is
adjacent to said closed end of said inner sleeve, wherein said film
canister forms a substantially light-tight film canister when said
slot of said inner sleeve and said slot of said outer sleeve are
not aligned, and wherein to permit film from the roll of film to
pass out of said film canister during operation of a camera, said
slot of said inner sleeve is aligned with said slot of said outer
sleeve such that said protrusion member on said outer surface of
said inner sleeve engages said inner surface of said outer sleeve
to further separate said spaced apart surfaces to allow the film to
pass therethrough without substantially scratching or otherwise
damaging the film.
19. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said protrusion
member on said outer surface of said inner sleeve is located
adjacent to said slot and said closed end of said inner sleeve.
20. A film package according to claim 18, wherein one end of said
slot of said inner sleeve is separated by a wall extending from
said closed end of said inner sleeve, said wall providing a light
trap when said inner sleeve is disposed within said outer
sleeve.
21. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said slot of said
outer sleeve is closed at one end and opened at an opposite end,
and wherein said closed end of said inner sleeve includes a nipple
to close said open end of said slot of said outer sleeve when said
inner sleeve is disposed within said outer sleeve and said film
canister is substantially light-fight.
22. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said slot of said
inner sleeve is wider than said slot of said outer sleeve.
23. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a lip which extends around said closed end of said inner
sleeve and which protrudes outward form said body of said inner
sleeve, and wherein a portion of said body of said outer sleeve
which defines said open end of said outer sleeve abuts against said
lip.
24. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said film
canister further includes a closing device which that engages said
surfaces of said outer sleeve to substantially close said slot of
said outer sleeve to substantially prevent undesirable light from
entering said film canister through said slot of said outer sleeve
and which is capable of being opened so that when said film package
assembly is disposed within the camera, the film can be advanced
out of said film canister.
25. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a pair of film engaging members which extend into said
slot of said inner sleeve, said film engaging members being spaced
apart a distance equal to a length between perforation tracks of
the film, said film engaging members engaging respective film
perforation tracks to assist in preventing undesirable advancement
of the film stored within said film canister.
26. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a protuberant column which extends outward with respect to
said closed end of said inner sleeve, said protuberant column being
rotatable when said film canister is disposed within the camera so
that said inner sleeve can be rotated with respect to said outer
sleeve, thereby allowing proper positioning of said slot of said
inner sleeve with respect to said slot of said outer sleeve.
27. A film package according to claim 18, wherein said film
canister further includes a closing device which substantially
closes said slot of said outer sleeve to substantially prevent
undesirable light from entering said film canister through said
slot of said outer sleeve and which is capable of being opened so
that when said film package assembly is disposed within the camera,
the film can be advanced out of said film canister.
28. A film package according to claim 27, wherein said closing
device engages said surfaces defining said slot of said outer
sleeve to substantially pinch said slot of said outer sleeve
shut.
29. A film package according to claim 28, wherein said closing
device is coupled to said closed end of said inner sleeve, and
wherein said closing device includes a pair of spaced apart
fingers, such that one finger engages one surface of said outer
sleeve which partially defines said slot of said outer sleeve and
the other finger engages the other surface of said outer sleeve
which partially defines said slot of said outer sleeve, and such
that said closing device is removed from said film canister when it
is desirable to allow the film to pass out of said film
canister.
30. A film package according to claim 18, further comprising: a
film cartridge in which an end of the roll of film is securely
positioned said film package being capable of being loaded into a
camera under a lighted environment without substantially adversely
affecting the roll of film, such that when said film canister is
placed within a camera, a film cartridge chamber of the camera
receives said film cartridge, a film canister chamber of the camera
receives said outer sleeve, and said inner sleeve is rotatable
relative to the outer sleeve so that said slot of said inner sleeve
is alignable with said slot of said outer sleeve, thereby
permitting film from the roll of film to pass out of said film
canister and into said film cartridge during operation of the
camera.
31. A film package according to claim 30, wherein said film
canister is made of an injected molded opaque plastic, and said
film cartridge is a conventional 35 mm film cartridge.
32. A method of loading a film package assembly into a camera so
that the camera is thereafter ready for use, said method comprising
the steps of: (a) winding a predetermined length of unexposed
photographic film into a roll of film having a pair of opposed
first and second ends; (b) positioning the roll of unexposed film
including the first end of the roll of film within a film canister,
wherein said winding step and said positioning step are performed
under a darkroom like environment, wherein said canister includes
an elongated slot defined by a pair of spaced apart engagement
surfaces, and wherein a portion of the roll of film including the
second end of the roll of film extends out of said slot; (c)
closing said slot of said canister by pinching said engagement
surfaces together so as to make said canister a light-tight
canister; (d) creating said film package assembly by ensuring that
the first end of the roll of unexposed film is positioned within
said canister and ensuring the second end of the roll of film is
securely positioned within a light-tight film take-up cartridge;
(e) loading said film package assembly into the camera under
conditions which do not necessarily have to be darkroom like
conditions, such that after said film package assembly is loaded
into the camera, the camera is caused to be a light-tight
container; and (f) opening said slot of said canister after the
camera is caused to be light-tight by causing said engagement
surfaces of said canister to slightly move apart, so that the film
can be advanced from said canister into said cartridge during
operation of the camera.
33. The method according to claim 32, wherein step (a) includes
removing the film from a conventional 35 mm film cartridge.
34. A method of creating a film package assembly for use within a
camera, said method comprising the acts of: unwinding a
predetermined length of unexposed photographic film from a bulk
roll of film, and winding the unwound film into a roll of film;
positioning the roll of unexposed film into a light-tight film
canister, such that one end of the roll of film is positioned
within said light-tight film canister, and an opposite end of the
roll of film extends out of said light-tight film canister; and
securing the end of the roll of film extending out of said
light-tight film canister within a film take-up cartridge, such
that during operation of a camera, the film is advanceable from
said film canister to said film take-up cartridge.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/519,044, filed Mar. 3, 2000, which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/122,908,
filed Mar. 5, 1999.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to photographic film
packages and methods for loading the same into associated cameras
such as 35 mm cameras, single-use cameras, APS cameras, or the
like. The present invention also relates generally to cameras which
facilitate the loading of the film packages according to the
present invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0003] Various types of cameras such as those mentioned above are
well known in the art. Typically, each type of camera utilizes a
somewhat unique method of loading a particular film package into
the camera. In conventional cameras, such as conventional 35 mm
cameras, film is generally loaded from the back of such cameras by
opening a back door thereto, placing a film cartridge loaded with
film into the camera, pulling a film leader of the film extending
from the cartridge across the inside of the camera, engaging the
film leader on a wind-up spool or similar device, and then closing
the back door. Once loaded, the film from the cartridge may be
wrapped around the wind-up spool as individual frames are exposed
for picture taking, and after all of the frames have been exposed,
the film may be manually or mechanically drawn back into the film
cartridge for further film processing. Rewinding the exposed film
back into the film cartridge requires certain necessary rewinding
equipment which adds to the overall complexity of these types of
cameras and also increases manufacturing costs. Alternatively, once
loaded, the film from the film cartridge may be manually or
mechanically advanced to a storage chamber of the camera which
houses the wind-up spool or similar device prior to exposing the
individual frames of the film for picture taking. Cameras which
utilize this method of loading must incorporate certain necessary
winding equipment which also adds additional components and
manufacturing costs to such cameras. Film for these types of
conventional cameras is normally contained and sold in a single
film cartridge. Conventional cameras such as those just described
are designed to remove film from these single film cartridges and
at some point in time prior to removing the film from the camera
for further film processing, winding or rewinding the exposed
frames of the film back into the same single film cartridge.
[0004] So called single-use cameras are becoming extremely popular
in the market place and are well known to those skilled in the art.
As the name implies, single-use cameras are manufactured and sold
with the intent of being used only a single time (i.e., with only
one roll of pre-loaded film) by the purchaser or ultimate user.
Typically, taking into account manufacturing costs and their
intended use, single-use cameras are usually made of plastic. Film
is preloaded into single-use cameras during manufacturing prior to
sale and then the cameras are sealed closed. The film is loaded
into the back of single-use cameras in much the same way as film is
loaded into conventional 35 mm cameras, thus having the same
attendant problems as mentioned above for conventional 35 mm
cameras.
[0005] Single-use cameras are usually sealed by securely assembling
a back cover to each camera with a locking mechanism such as
screws, adhesive, thermal bonding, etc., so that the back cover
cannot be easily removed. As generally understood, film cannot be
removed from a single-use camera without destroying at least part
of the camera. It is intended that the camera user return the
entire camera, intact, to a developing lab for film processing
after the user is finished taking pictures. The lab will remove the
exposed film and discard the camera body. There is a large
commercial market for recycling discarded single-use cameras for
resale.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,649 describes a single-use camera where
film is withdrawn from a film cartridge and wound into a roll after
which the roll of film and the film cartridge are loaded into the
camera. One problem with the loading method described in the '649
patent is that in order to prevent the film from being prematurely
exposed, the loading of the film into the camera must take place in
darkroom conditions. Such a requirement presents problems for those
situations where darkroom conditions are not easily or economically
available such as, for example, the single-use camera recycling
industry. Moreover, another problem with the loading method
described in the '649 patent is that because of the requirement of
loading film in darkroom-like conditions, the typical consumer is
prevented from reloading film into a single-use camera for
subsequent use.
[0007] Advanced Photo System cameras or APS cameras utilize what is
commonly referred to as a film safe cartridge which has a light
lock door and does not, at the time of purchase, or at the time
that film is first inserted into a camera, have a film leader
extending from the cartridge to facilitate film loading. Film is
loaded into and removed from these cameras via a film cartridge
opening normally disposed on the bottom of the cameras. The light
lock door of the film cartridge is usually automatically opened by
the camera after the film has been loaded. The camera then drives
the film out of the cassette and into a film storage or spool area
on the opposite side of the camera from the film cartridge storage
area. Before the film cartridge can be removed from the camera, the
camera rewinds the film back into the film safe cartridge and then
closes the light lock door to prevent the film inside the cartridge
from being undesirably exposed. Although APS cameras provide
certain advantages when it comes to protecting film from unwanted
exposure, APS cameras generally include complex internal mechanisms
which are designed to open and close the light lock door of the
film safe cartridges.
[0008] As is well known in the art, 110 and 126 cameras use,
respectively, 110-size film and 126-size film. Film for these types
of cameras is sold in light-tight film packages which incorporate a
pair of light-tight cartridges separated by a solid bridge. Film is
contained in one cartridge prior to exposure and advanced into the
other cartridge as individual frames of film are exposed for
picture taking and thereafter advanced. Once all of the film has
been exposed and transferred from one cartridge to the next, the
film package is removed for further film processing. As is well
known in the art, 110 and 126 cameras are standardized in that any
110-size film package or 126-size film package can be placed in any
110 camera or 126 camera because all of such cameras are designed
to include similar dimensions. Thus, one 110-size film package or
one 126-size film package is the same as the next 110size film
package or the next 126size film package. Stated differently, 110
cameras and 126 cameras are built or manufactured around the film
packages for 110size or 126size film. One problem with these types
of film packages is that although such prior rigid double cartridge
film package systems work well for the standardized 110 cameras and
126 cameras, such rigid double cartridge systems are not well
suited for other conventional cameras such as 35 mm cameras which
are not standardized. Thirty-five mm cameras come in all kinds of
different shapes and sizes where the length of film between
chambers located on opposite sides of an exposure frame varies in
significant amounts. Thus, a rigid double cartridge system, like a
110 or 126 rigid double cartridge, for one 35 mm camera would not
necessarily fit or work in a different 35 mm camera.
[0009] Notwithstanding the many known film systems, there is a need
for a new and improved camera which eliminates the need for
complicated internal mechanical winding and rewinding systems
normally used for film placed therein, thereby reducing costs
associated with manufacturing cameras of the type contemplated for
use according to the present invention. There is also a need for a
new film package for use with such a new camera which is ready for
use once placed within a camera without having to pre-wind film
into a storage or spool compartment as is currently done for many
known cameras. Moreover, there is also a need for a new film
package which does not require rewinding of film back into a film
cartridge for further processing after all of the frames have been
exposed prior to removing the film from the camera as is currently
done for many other known cameras. What is further needed is a
method for loading a new film package into a compatible camera in
which the film can be easily and reliably installed in non-darkroom
like conditions. What is also needed is a new film package assembly
which is capable of use in conventional cameras having different
internal components, shapes and sizes. What is needed is a film
package assembly which is adapted for use in cameras of varying
dimensions rather than having the situation where certain
dimensions of the cameras are controlled by the particular film
package used therein as is currently the case for many known camera
systems. The present invention accomplishes these and other
goals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A camera in accordance with the invention suitably includes
a housing or frame, a first chamber on one side of an exposure
frame and a second chamber on an opposite side of the exposure
frame. A film package comprising a light-tight film canister device
holding a roll of film, and a film cartridge in which one end of
the roll of film is securely positioned, is placed within the
camera such that the first chamber receives the light-tight film
canister device and the second chamber receives the film cartridge.
A filmstrip extends from the light-tight film canister across the
exposure frame to the film cartridge. As the individual frames of
the film are exposed, a scroll of exposed film is formed within the
film canister which, when all of the frames have been collected
therein, is removed from the camera for further film
processing.
[0011] In accordance with the present invention, such a camera is
characterized in that a film package according to the present
invention may be installed into the camera in nondarkroom like
conditions. In accordance with the present invention, such a camera
is characterized in that winding and rewinding mechanisms generally
found within prior cameras are unnecessary when used in combination
with a film package assembly according to the present invention. In
accordance with the present invention, such a camera is
characterized in that consumers will now be able to purchase a film
package assembly according to the present invention so that a
camera according to the present invention is capable of repeated
use. Stated differently, because consumers will be able to purchase
a ready-to-use film package assembly according to the present
invention, single-use cameras can be converted to multiple-use
cameras without camera manufacturers having to significantly modify
current single-use cameras.
[0012] A film canister device in accordance with the present
invention may include a film holding portion having a film
discharge opening and a closing device for sealing the film
discharge opening shut until such time as a film package assembly
is ready for placement in a camera. Prior to loading a film package
assembly according to the present invention into a camera, a roll
of film is withdrawn from a standard film cartridge or from a bulk
roll of film and placed within the film canister device. The film
canister device is designed such that once assembled, the film
canister device provides a light-tight container to protect the
film housed therein from undesirable exposure. Once assembled, the
film package assembly may be pre-loaded into a camera by a camera
assembler or manufacturer for distribution and sale. Or, once
assembled, the film package assembly itself may be distributed and
sold for ultimate loading into a camera by the end user. In any
case, the film canister device is designed such that the closing
device may be opened, adjusted or removed in daylight conditions to
open the film discharge opening when it is desirable to place a
film package assembly within a camera without appreciably damaging
the film housed within the film canister device.
[0013] A film package assembly in accordance with the present
invention may be capable of placement within cameras having varying
dimensions, such as conventional 35 mm cameras. Preferably, the
film package assembly according to the present invention is not
limited for use in what are commonly known as standardized
cameras.
[0014] Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to
provide an improved camera which accepts a ready-to-use film
package assembly and advances the film contained therein frame by
frame without having to wind or rewind the film either before or
after exposing the individual frames of the film for picture taking
prior to removing the film from the camera for further film
processing.
[0015] It is another feature of the present invention to provide a
film package assembly which makes it possible to install the film
package assembly into and remove the film package from a camera
under lighted conditions.
[0016] It is yet another feature of the present invention to
provide a new apparatus and method for loading film into a
camera.
[0017] Other features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following
detailed description, claims, and drawings in which like numerals
are used to designate like features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective rear view of a camera, a
film package assembly and a film canister device according to the
present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the film canister device of
FIG. 1.
[0020] FIG. 2B is another perspective view of the film canister
device of FIG. 1 shown in a different orientation.
[0021] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an inner sleeve assembly of
the film canister device of FIG. 1.
[0022] FIG. 3B is another perspective view of the inner sleeve
assembly of the film canister device of FIG. 1 shown in a different
orientation.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an outer sleeve assembly of
the film canister device of FIG. 1.
[0024] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a winding tool adapted for
use according to a method of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the winding tool of FIG. 5A
with a leader portion of a roll of film attached thereto and a film
cartridge originally storing the roll of film.
[0026] FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 5B
illustrating film being withdrawn from the film cartridge and wound
into a roll of film about the winding tool.
[0027] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the
assembly of the film package assembly of FIG. 1 according to two
different aspects of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a film
canister device according to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of certain components of the
film canister device of FIG. 7 with an end cap removed.
[0030] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative inner sleeve
assembly of the film canister device of FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the inner sleeve
assembly of FIG. 9 positioned within the outer sleeve of the film
canister device of FIG. 1.
[0032] Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangements
of the components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various
ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including" and
"comprising" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass
the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as
additional items. The use of "consisting of" and variations thereof
herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and
equivalents thereof. The use of letters to identify steps of a
method or process is simply for identification and is not meant to
indicate that the steps should be performed in a particular
order.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a camera 10, a film canister device 12
and a film package assembly 14 according to the present invention.
The camera 10 may be a 35 mm camera, a single-use camera, an APS
camera or any other camera which incorporates the features of the
present invention. The camera 10 includes a main body 16 having a
top portion 18, a bottom portion 20 having a notch 21, a front
portion 22, a back portion 24, and sides 26 and 28. The back
portion 24 of the main body 16 is adapted to receive a back cover
(not shown) in order to enclose the film package assembly 14 within
the camera 10 prior to use so as to provide a light-tight generally
boxed-shaped film container. A film canister receiving chamber 30
and a film cartridge receiving chamber 32 are positioned on
opposite sides of an exposure frame 34 all of which are disposed
within the main body 16. A fork 36 projects inward from the top of
the film cartridge receiving chamber 32 and is rotatable by an
external film advancing knob 38 which is located on the top portion
18 of the main body 16. The film advancing knob 38 is usually
rotatable in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. The
fork 36 suitably engages an end of a spool 39 located within a film
cartridge 40 so as to wind individually exposed frames of the film
into the film cartridge 40. The fork 36 may be replaced with any
number of different advancement devices which are capable of use in
conjunction with a film advancement knob 38 as known by those
skilled in the art. The exposure frame 34 is formed with film
guiding and supporting tracks 42 (only one of which is shown) on
opposite sides thereof. A sprocket wheel 44 partially projects out
from the surface of one of the tracks 42 to assist in guiding and
advancing the film as pictures are taken. The camera 10 will also
generally include a taking lens (now shown), a view-finder window
45, a shutter activating member (now shown), and other necessary
elements known to those skilled in the art which allow the camera
10 to operate according to design.
[0034] The film canister device 12 of FIG. 1 is more clearly shown
in FIGS. 2-4. The film canister device 12 preferably comprises an
inner sleeve assembly 46 and an outer sleeve assembly 48. FIGS. 3A
and 3B best illustrate the inner sleeve assembly 46 and FIG. 4 best
illustrates the outer sleeve assembly 48.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the inner sleeve assembly 46
includes a main preferably cylindrical body 50, an end cap 52 and a
locking or closing mechanism 54. The main body 50 includes an inner
surface 56 and an outer surface 58. An opening or a slot 60 is
provided along the length of the main body 50. The slot or opening
60 is appropriately dimensioned so as to allow sufficient space for
film to pass therethrough as will be further explained below. A
pair of film engaging members or film catching knobs 62 protrude
from a wall 64 of the slot 60. As known, rolls of film are
generally provided with tracks of perforations on the lateral edges
thereof for film processing purposes. The knobs 62 are spaced apart
a distance which is equal to the distance between the tracks of
perforations found on an accompanying roll of film. The function of
the knobs 62 will be further explained below with reference to the
description of loading a film package assembly 14 into a camera 10
(FIG. 1) according to the present invention.
[0036] The end cap 52 includes an inner surface 66 and an outer
surface 68. One end of the main body 50 abuts against the inner
surface 66 of the end cap 52. The end cap 52 is preferably
generally circular and dimensioned to extend beyond the outer
surface 58 of the main body 50 so as to define a lip 70. A column
of material 72 extends outward from the outer surface 68 of the end
cap 52. The column of material 72 includes a preferably star-shaped
tool receptacle opening 74. The locking or closing mechanism 54
attaches to the outer surface 68 of the end cap 52.
[0037] The locking mechanism 54 includes a gripper portion 76 which
extends outward with respect to the outer surface 68 of the end cap
52 and somewhat parallel to the column of material 72. The locking
mechanism 54 also includes a locking portion 78 which extends along
at least a small portion of the outer surface 58 of the main body
50 of the inner sleeve assembly 46. Preferably, the locking portion
78 includes a pair of spaced apart generally parallel fingers 80
and 82 with a slot 84 located therebetween. The fingers 80 and 82
extend along the outer surface 58 without actually coming into
contact with the outer surface 58 thereby creating a space 86
between the fingers 80 and 82 and the outer surface 58.
[0038] The inner sleeve assembly 46 is preferably injected molded
as a single piece of plastic material, but may be made from any
number of different materials such as aluminum or other soft metals
according to the features of the subject application. The main
cylindrical body 50, the end cap 52 and the locking mechanism 54
could be made of two or more individual pieces assembled together
with an adhesive, thermal bonding or other known ways of
construction.
[0039] FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative inner sleeve assembly 46'.
A bump or protrusion member 200 extends from the outer surface 58
for reasons which will be explained below. A nipple 204 (see also
FIG. 1) extends from the end cap 52 for reasons which will also be
explained below.
[0040] With reference to FIG. 4, the outer sleeve assembly 48
includes a preferably generally cylindrical main body 88 having a
generally cylindrical inner surface 90, an outer surface 92, and a
back portion or wall 94. A film discharge opening 96 is provided
within the main body 88 and extends along the length of the main
body 88. Preferably, one end 98 of the film discharge opening 96 is
closed by the back wall 94 while the other end 100 is freely
openable. The film discharge opening 96 is defined by a pair of
spaced apart generally parallel edges 102 and 104 which protrude
outward with respect to the outer surface 92 of the main body 88
and extend along the entire length of the main body 88.
[0041] The top edge 102 includes an engagement surface 106 and the
bottom edge 104 includes an engagement surface 108. As shown, a
portion 110 of the outer surface 92 which includes the top edge 102
may be generally flat in nature. Also, as shown, a plurality of
spaced apart ribs 112 may extend outward in a direction generally
opposite that of edges 102 and 104 with respect to the outer
surface 92.
[0042] The generally flat surface 110 and ribs 112 function to
properly locate and hold the film canister device 12 within the
film canister receiving chamber 30 of the camera 10 upon final
assembly. The outer surface 92 of the main body 88 of the outer
sleeve assembly 48 may take on any necessary shape and include any
appropriate locating means to properly position and hold a film
canister device within a respective chamber of a camera according
to the present invention. Preferably, the outer sleeve assembly 48
is made of the same material as the inner sleeve assembly 46,
namely, an injected molded plastic material. Preferably, the body
88 and back wall 94 are molded as a single piece of material but
they may be individually formed and assembled together according to
known methods. The inner sleeve assembly 46 and the outer sleeve
assembly 48 are preferably opaque in nature so as to prevent
unwanted exposure of the film held within the film canister device
12.
[0043] FIGS. 2A and 2B show the completed assembly of the film
canister device 12. As will be further explained with reference to
FIG. 6 in conjunction with FIGS. 2-4, the inner sleeve assembly 46
slides within the outer sleeve assembly 48 such that the outer
surface 58 of the inner sleeve assembly 46 is adapted to slide
against the inner surface 90 of the outer sleeve assembly 48. When
assembled, a portion of the open end of the main body 88 of the
outer sleeve assembly 48 rests against the lip 70 of the end cap 52
of the inner sleeve assembly 46. In order for the inner sleeve
assembly 46 to be properly positioned within the outer sleeve
assembly 48, the edges 102 and 104 of the outer sleeve assembly 48
must be received by the slot 84 located between the fingers 80 and
82 of the locking mechanism 54 of the inner sleeve assembly 46. The
slot 84 between the fingers 80 and 82 is dimensioned such that one
finger 80 engages the engagement surface 106 and the other finger
82 engages the other engagement surface 108. When the film canister
device 12 is assembled as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the slot 60
(FIG. 3A) in the inner sleeve assembly 46 and the film discharge
opening 96 in the outer sleeve assembly 48 are not aligned. In
other words, the slot 60 and opening 96 are offset, the purpose of
which will be further explained below. When assembled, the back
wall 94 of the outer sleeve assembly 48, the end cap 52 of the
inner sleeve assembly 46, the pinched shut film discharge opening
96 and the offset slot 60 provide a light-tight film canister
device 12 which substantially prevents unwanted light from entering
the canister 12 which, if allowed, would adversely expose frames of
the film stored within the canister 12.
[0044] Having described the structural relationship of the
components of a film canister device 12 according to the present
invention, reference is now made to FIGS. 5-6 which illustrate the
assembly of a film package assembly 14 for use in a camera 10 as
shown in FIG. 1. A common wind-up tool or fork 114 is shown in FIG.
5A. A film leader extends from a roll of film 116 located in a film
cartridge 40 and attaches to the fork 114 as shown in FIG. 5B. The
wind-up tool 114 is rotated so as to withdraw the film 116 from the
film cartridge 40 and wind the film 116 into a roll of film around
the tool 114 as shown in FIG. 5C. The end of the film 116 opposite
the film leader is firmly fixed within the film cartridge 40 to the
spool 39 so that not all of the film is withdrawn from the film
cartridge 40 during the wind-up procedure. FIG. 6 illustrates that
film 116 may be withdrawn from a bulk roll of film 117 instead of a
film cartridge 40 and wound into a roll of film around the tool
114. A bulk roll of film may be of any length but typically
contains 100-3000 feet of film. A bulk roll of film having 3000
feet of film is commonly referred to as a pancake of film as known
to those skilled in the art. When using a bulk roll of film, once
an appropriate amount of film is rolled around fork 114, the film
116 is cut from the bulk roll 117 and the end of the film 116
opposite the film leader, which is wound around fork 114, will be
placed and firmly fixed within a film cartridge such as film
cartridge 40. The film 116 may be rolled around fork 114 from any
number of sources, such as, thin strips of film. In any case, the
roll of film surrounding one end of the film will be placed in a
light-tight film canister device and the other end of the film will
be attached to a film take-up cartridge according to the principles
of the present invention. So as not to prematurely expose the film
116, the wind-up procedure is performed under darkroom like
conditions. Also, it should be noted that the wind-up procedure is
done outside of and independent of any camera. Although FIGS. 5B
and SC seem to illustrate a manual process, the film 116 may be
wound onto the winding tool 114 by other mechanical means.
[0045] Once wound onto the tool 114, the roll of film 116 is ready
for placement within the film canister device 12. The wound roll of
film 116 is placed within the inner sleeve assembly 46 such that a
portion of the film 116 passes through the slot 60 and the winding
tool 114 is removed from the roll of film 116. The inner surface 56
of the inner sleeve assembly 46 will prevent the roll of film 116
from unwinding. After the film 116 is placed within the inner
sleeve assembly 46, the outer sleeve assembly 48 is slid over the
inner sleeve assembly 46 to form the light-tight storage container
12 as previously described. Once assembled, the film package
assembly 14 as shown in FIG. 1 is complete. It should be noted that
it is envisioned that the free span of film between the film
canister device 12 and film cartridge 40 shown in FIG. 1, may be
covered with a piece of material to act as a light-tight tube or
similar device for the film to flow as the film advances from
canister 12 to cartridge 14. As can be appreciated, since the slot
60 of the inner sleeve assembly 46 and the film discharge opening
96 of the outer sleeve assembly do not line up, a portion of the
generally flexible film 116 will snake between the inner sleeve
assembly 46 and the outer sleeve assembly 48. In this position, the
knobs 62 of the inner sleeve assembly 46 will extend into a pair of
perforations 118 (FIG. 6) of the film 116. In this way, the knobs
62 assist in preventing undesirable advancement of the film stored
within the film canister device 12 until such time as the camera 10
is ready for use. The overall construction of the light-tight film
canister device 12 will prevent unwanted light from prematurely
penetrating the canister 12. The film package assembly 14 is now
ready for insertion within the camera 10. After the film package
assembly 14 is assembled, further handling of the film package
assembly can be performed in non-darkroom conditions.
[0046] With reference to FIGS. 2-6 and in particular with reference
to FIG. 1, the apparatus and method according to the present
invention will be explained. The camera 10 is opened in the back
exposing the film canister receiving chamber 30 and the film
cartridge receiving chamber 32. The locking mechanism 54 of the
film canister device 12 is broken off or removed from the end cap
52 of the inner sleeve assembly 46 of the film package assembly 14.
The film discharge opening 96 is now unlocked and is capable of
being opened. It should be noted that the fit between the inner
sleeve assembly 46 and the outer sleeve assembly 48 is such that
the inner sleeve assembly 46 is not easily slid or removed from the
outer sleeve assembly 48. Therefore, once the clip 54 is broken,
the canister 12 will remain assembled absent an intervening
force.
[0047] The film package assembly 14 is positioned within the camera
10. The film canister device 12 is received by the chamber 30 and
the film cartridge 40 is received by the chamber 32. The notch 21
of the bottom portion 20 of the camera 10 receives the column of
material 72 having the tool receptacle opening 74. The hole 74 is
opened to the outside of the camera 10. The back cover (not shown)
of the camera 10 is closed. The back cover could be a snap on type
or it could be bonded to the camera 10 with adhesives or other
bonding means or it could be secured with hinges for a more
permanent and durable camera. An appropriately shaped tool (not
shown), in this case a star shaped tool, is inserted within the
tool receptacle opening 74. The tool is rotated in a predetermined
direction, preferably, clockwise. The rotation of the tool will
cause the inner sleeve assembly 46 to rotate within the outer
sleeve assembly 48 in a clockwise direction. The outer sleeve
assembly 48 is prevented from rotation by the mating relationship
between the flat portion 110 and ribs 112 or like components with
the surfaces of the film canister receiving chamber 30 and the back
cover. The inner sleeve assembly 46 may be rotated within the outer
sleeve assembly 48 by other means consistent with the teachings of
the present invention. The inner sleeve assembly 46 is rotated
until such time as slot 60 aligns with film discharge opening 96.
So positioned, the knobs 62 of the inner sleeve assembly 46 will
release the film 116 for advancement.
[0048] As can be observed with reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 9, when
the film canister device 12 (FIG. 1) is light tight, the nipple 204
(FIGS. 1 and 9) closes the open end 208 (FIG. 4) of the elongated
slot 96 of the outer sleeve assembly 48. With reference to FIGS. 9
and 10, when it is desirable to align the elongated slot 60 of the
inner sleeve assembly 46'with the elongated slot 96 of the outer
sleeve assembly 48, the inner sleeve 46' is rotated with respect to
the outer sleeve 48 so that the protrusion member 200 engages the
inner surface 90 of the outer sleeve 48. In this way, the elongated
slot 96 of the outer sleeve 48 will be further separated to allow
the film to pass therethrough without substantially scratching or
otherwise damaging the film upon operation of the camera.
[0049] The film canister device 12 and the camera 10 is suitably
provided with certain indicator means, such as indicator markings
(not shown) which will indicate when the inner sleeve assembly 46
is properly positioned within the outer sleeve assembly 48.
[0050] Although not shown, the inner sleeve assembly 46 is
preferably provided with a one-way latch device which, when
activated, will prevent the inner sleeve assembly 46 from rotating
any further in either direction with respect to the outer sleeve
assembly 48 which, if did occur, would affect the ability of the
roll of film to advance. Alternatively, a portion of the inner
sleeve assembly 46 which extends out past the generally circular
periphery of the end cap 52 may be caused to abut a portion of the
main body 16 of the camera 10 to indicate when the inner sleeve
assembly 46 is properly positioned with respect to the outer sleeve
assembly 48. The film 116 is advanced through the camera 10 with
the film advancing knob 38. As the film 116 advances into the film
take-up cartridge 40, the film 116 is drawn across the exposure
frame 34 and out of the film canister device 12. The edges 102 and
104 of the film canister device 12 are designed so as not to
substantially scratch the film as the film is withdrawn out of the
film canister device 12. Moreover, the slot 60 and film discharge
opening 46 are properly aligned to also substantially prevent
scratching of the film. After all of the frames have been exposed,
the film cartridge 40 is removed for further film processing and
the film canister device 12 may be discarded or recycled.
[0051] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment according to the
present invention. The film canister device 120 shown in FIGS. 7
and 8 is similar to the film canister device 12 shown in FIGS. 2-6
except that the inner sleeve assembly 46 of the film canister
device 12 of FIGS. 2-6 is eliminated from the film canister device
120 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The film canister device 120 includes a
preferably generally cylindrical main portion 122 and an end cap
124. The main portion 122 includes a pair of locking flanges 126
and 128. The end cap 124 includes a pair of winged portions 130 and
132. The end cap 124 suitably fits on and connects to an end of the
main portion 122. Preferably, the end cap 124 is designed to snap
fit onto the main portion 122. The winged portions 130 and 132
operatively cooperate with the locking flanges 126 and 128 to
provide locked and unlocked positions such that film discharge
opening 134 is opened and closed when desired. Many other
constructions for a film canister device according to the present
invention are possible. For example, a film canister device in
accordance with the principles of the present invention could be
constructed in a manner much like that for existing film
cartridges. Importantly, such a film canister device must be a
light-tight canister capable of storing a roll of film of a film
package assembly but yet also capable of allowing the roll of film
to be withdrawn therefrom when desired without damaging the
film.
[0052] The foregoing description of the present invention has been
presented for purposes of illustration and description.
Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention
in the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and
modifications commensurate with the above teachings in skill or
knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present
invention. The embodiments described herein are further intended to
explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and to
enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention as such,
or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the
particular applications or uses of the present invention. It is
intended that the appended claims are to be construed to include
alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior
art.
[0053] Various features of the invention are set forth in the
following claims.
* * * * *