Camera with winding spindle expandable to rotationally drive...

Photography – With film drive – Mechanical detail

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C396S538000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213655

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to cameras. More specifically, the invention relates to a camera in which a winding spindle is expandable into frictional torque contact with a film spool in order to rotationally drive the film spool to wind film onto the spool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known for a camera to include a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge having a rotatable film spool with an accessible end cavity, and a winding spindle for rotationally engaging the film spool inside the end cavity to wind exposed film into the film cartridge. Typically, the winding spindle has a free end that is forked to rotationally engage a split rib or tine in the end cavity. The spit rib is spaced some distance from the opening to the end cavity. Thus, the forked end must be received in the end cavity far enough to reach the split rib in order to rotationally engage the split end.
When the film cartridge is inserted in the cartridge receiving chamber, initially it must be tilted to allow the forked end to enter the end cavity. The forked end must be received in the end cavity far enough to reach the split rib in order to rotationally engage the split rib. Alternatively, the winding spindle can be substantially removed from the cartridge receiving chamber, in which case the film cartridge does not have to be tilted when it is initially inserted in the chamber. The winding spindle then must be moved back into to the cartridge chamber far enough for the forked end to re-engage the split rib in the end cavity.
PRIOR ART PROBLEMS
Rotational engagement of the forked end of the winding spindle with the split rib in the end cavity of the film spool requires that the forked end and the split rib be precisely aligned.
Also, since the forked end must rotationally engage the split rib, the forked end must be moved a considerable distance when it is substantially removed from the cartridge receiving chamber to allow the film cartridge to be inserted in the chamber without tilting the cartridge. This typically requires a significant increase in the height of the camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
If the winding spindle is designed to make rotational driving contact with the film spool without having to engage the split rib in the end cavity of the film spool, two improvements are achieved.
First, the winding spindle and the split rib need not be aligned.
Second, the winding spindle does not have to be moved into the end cavity far enough to reach the split rib. It can be moved into the end cavity a considerably less distance. Thus, a significant increase in the height of the camera is not required to substantially remove the winding spindle from the cartridge receiving chamber.
According to the invention, the winding spindle makes rotational driving contact with the film spool simply by expanding inside the end cavity of the film spool into frictional torque contact with the film spool, instead having to engage the split rib in the end cavity.
Also, the winding spindle is retractable inside the end cavity out of frictional torque contact with the film spool to permit easy removal of the winding spindle from the end cavity.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1144934 (1915-06-01), Cutler
patent: 1169882 (1916-02-01), Speidel
patent: 1266319 (1918-05-01), Riddell
patent: 1957426 (1934-05-01), Bouveng
patent: 3512734 (1970-05-01), Priest
patent: 3595496 (1971-07-01), Nidecker
patent: 5630189 (1997-05-01), Siekierski et al.
patent: 5812890 (1998-09-01), Konishi et al.
patent: 5940643 (1999-08-01), Fuss
patent: 5950033 (1999-09-01), Wakabayashi
patent: 5991533 (1999-11-01), Tanii et al.
patent: 6101340 (2000-08-01), Kojima et al.

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