Photography – Camera detail – Detachable or removable film holder unit
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-09
2001-05-01
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Detachable or removable film holder unit
C242S358100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224272
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to camera apparatus, and more particularly relates to an indicator on a film cartridge to indicate whether the film cartridge has been used in a photographic camera.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A user can generally determine whether a filmstrip disposed within a film cartridge has been exposed. For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a typical unexposed 35mm film product has a portion of a filmstrip
10
positioned outside of a film cartridge
12
. Once the filmstrip has been exposed, the entire filmstrip is wound into the film cartridge; no portion of the filmstrip remains outside of the film cartridge. As such, a user is able to determine whether the filmstrip has been exposed.
However, for some photographic film products, such a visual inspection does not provide an indication of whether a filmstrip has been exposed. For example, for typical APS film product, no portion of the filmstrip is positioned outside of the film cartridge when the filmstrip is both unexposed and exposed. In contrast, for other types of film product, a portion of the filmstrip is positioned outside of the film cartridge when the filmstrip is both unexposed and exposed. Thus, a user is not able to determine the state (i.e., unexposed or exposed) of the filmstrip from the positioning of the filmstrip relative to the film cartridge.
Failure to recognize an exposed filmstrip can be detrimental since an exposed filmstrip may be re-exposed (i.e., double exposure). Conversely, failure to recognize an unexposed filmstrip may cause the unexposed filmstrip to be wasted by passage through a developing process without producing an image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,862 (Behnke) discloses an indicator to indicate that a film cartridge has been used. Behnke teaches a film spool having a frangible indicator layer located to extend proximate the outer side of face of the end wall or canister end cap. The frangible indicator layer is penetrated by a plunger and punctured when the filmstrip is exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,188 (Takahashi et al) discloses a film cartridge which is provided with a first indicating member which is to be broken in response to the loading of the film in a camera, and a second indicating member which is to be broken in response to a specific photographing method, such as panoramic photographing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,870 (Atkinson), commonly assigned, relates to a particular type of camera requiring an exposed film to receive special handling by a photofinisher. A film spool includes a coaxial hole opening at one end of the spool and a readily fracturable element located within the coaxial hole.
While such apparatus may have achieved certain degrees of success in their particular applications, each apparatus requires the destruction of a component as an indication of film exposure. Such destruction can generate debris or other fragments which can interfere with the operation of the camera. Indeed, such debris can be detrimental to the operation of the camera or the exposure of the filmstrip.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for an indicator to indicate that a filmstrip has been exposed wherein no destruction of a component is required, and no debris is generated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an indicator to indicate whether a filmstrip of a film cartridge has been exposed.
Another object of the invention is to provide such an indicator wherein no debris is generated.
These objects are given only by way of illustrative example. Thus, other desirable objectives and advantages inherently achieved by the disclosed invention may occur or become apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is defined by the appended claims.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a film cartridge for use in a photographic camera having a plunger adapted to receive the film cartridge. The film cartridge includes a film spool having an elongate coaxial hole open at one end of the film spool and an indicator disposed within the coaxial hole. The indicator is deformable from a first state to a second state in response to being received by the plunger in the photographic camera. The second state is different than the first state, and the indicator has a continuous, non-punctured, non-fractured configuration when in both the first and second states.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographic camera comprising a film cartridge and a film cartridge chamber for receiving the film cartridge. The film cartridge includes a film spool having an elongate coaxial hole open at one end of the film spool. Disposed within the coaxial hole of the film spool is an indicator which is deformable from a first state to a second state different than the first state. In both the first and second states, the indicator has a continuous, non-punctured, non-fractured configuration. The film cartridge chamber has a plunger receivable in the coaxial hole of the film spool at the open end. The indicator deforms from the first state to the second state in response to being received by the plunger, whereby an indication is provided that the film cartridge has been used in the photographic camera.
As such, the present invention provides an indicator on a film cartridge to indicate that a filmstrip has been exposed wherein no debris is generated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2503734 (1950-04-01), Hendel
patent: 2503756 (1950-04-01), Mihalyi
patent: 4058823 (1977-11-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 4682870 (1987-07-01), Atkinson
patent: 5032862 (1991-07-01), Behnke
patent: 5232175 (1993-08-01), Zander et al.
patent: 5404188 (1995-04-01), Takahashi et al.
Eastman Kodak Company
Gray David M.
Parulski Susan L.
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