Photography – Having camera indicator – Film condition indicator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2001-10-02
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Having camera indicator
Film condition indicator
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298201
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to an exposure count indicator preferably for a camera.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Practically every camera that is available today includes an exposure count indicator. Typically, the exposure count indicator provides a visible indication of the number of film frames that remain available to be exposed on a filmstrip in the camera, i.e. the current number of exposures that can be made on the filmstrip. Conversely, the exposure count indicator can provide a visible indication of the number of film frames actually exposed on the filmstrip, i.e. the number of exposures actually made. In either case, the exposure count indicator includes a numerical scale (series) of successive exposure count indicia that are evenly spaced from one another. The scale of indicia at least range from the number “1” which indicates either that only one frame remains available to be exposed on the filmstrip, or only one frame has been actually exposed, to a higher number which is the maximum number of exposures, for example “15”, “24” or “40” available on the filmstrip.
PRIOR ART PROBLEM
Typically, one can only look to the visible indication of the number of film frames that remain available to be exposed on a filmstrip in the camera, i.e. the current number of exposures that can be made on the filmstrip, or conversely, the visible indication of the number of film frames actually exposed on the filmstrip, i.e. the number of exposures actually made. No further indication is provided that gives one a sense of the incrementally-increasing exposed length of the filmstrip each time an exposure is made in the camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method of operating an exposure count indicator comprising:
rotating a flexible split ring or a mask relative to the other to direct the split ring through an indicia viewing opening in the mask, both to cause a series of exposure count indicia provided along the split ring to be successively shown at the indicia viewing opening and to progressively relocate the split ring from being adjacent one side of the mask to being adjacent another side of the mask, whereby the split ring becomes increasingly present at one side of the mask and decreasingly present at the other side of the mask as the exposure count indicia can be successively seen at the indicia viewing opening.
An exposure count indicator comprising:
a flexible split ring including a scale of exposure count indicia provided along the split ring;
a mask having a pair of opposite sides one of which covers the split ring to prevent the exposure count indicia from being seen, and having an indicia viewing opening with a ramped exit portion that directs the split ring through the indicia viewing opening both to progressively relocate the split ring from being adjacent one of the sides of the mask to being adjacent the other side of the mask and to cause the exposure count indicia to be successively shown at the indicia viewing opening when there is relative rotation between the split ring and the mask; and
a rotator for rotating one of the split ring and the mask relative to the other, whereby the split ring becomes increasingly present at one of the sides of the mask and decreasingly present at the other side of the mask as the exposure count indicia can be successively seen at the indicia viewing opening.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1294433 (1919-02-01), Evers
patent: 2917981 (1959-12-01), Sewig
patent: 5153627 (1992-10-01), Dwyer
patent: 6007260 (1999-12-01), Moseley et al.
Skop, Jr. Francis R.
Zander Dennis R.
Eastman Kodak Company
Fields Roger A.
Mathews Alan A.
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