Photography – Disposable or recyclable camera
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-29
2002-11-12
Rutledge, D (Department: 2851)
Photography
Disposable or recyclable camera
C396S281000, C396S284000, C396S411000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480674
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted film unit wherein each of films of two or more types each having a different number of exposures can be loaded at need, and an exposure counter plate on which the number of exposures for unexposed frames is indicated with numerals or symbols is used in common for the films of various types, and to a production method of the lens-fitted film unit.
With regard to a lens-fitted film unit, a film having a different number of exposures is loaded despite the same camera specifications for shipment of the lens-fitted film unit.
On the other hand, an exposure counter plate which indicates the number of exposures with a numeral or with a symbol is provided on a lens-fitted film unit, and the exposure counter plate is arranged so that it may be recognized through an exposure counter window provided on an enclosure member. This exposure counter plate is an exposure counter plate of the so-called backward counting type on which the number of exposures for unexposed frames is indicated. Therefore, in a lens-fitted film unit wherein a film of 39 exposures is loaded, for example, it is constituted so that the numeral indicated in the course of the first exposure is 39, and this numeral is deducted one by one in each exposure so that the remaining number of exposures may be made out.
Incidentally, it is difficult to indicate all numerals on the exposure counter plate, and therefore, the numerals are skipped one numeral apart or two numerals apart to be indicated, and in some cases, a symbol or symbols such as a small circle or small circles are indicated between the indicated numerals.
In this case, in lens-fitted film units wherein two or more types of films each having a different number of exposures are loaded despite the same camera specifications, it is only the exposure counter plate that varies depending on the film variations. However, molding of an exposure counter plate that varies depending on film variation is a waste of an expense for metallic molds. Therefore, the numerals up to the maximum number of exposures to be used are formed to be convex on the exposure counter plate, and the numbers of exposures including the number of exposures corresponding to the film used and numerals smaller than the number of exposures are colored by means of roll leaf hot stamping. For example, in the lens-fitted film unit used commonly for a film of 39 exposures and a film of 27 exposures, the numerals up to the figure of 39 are molded on the exposure counter plate, and when a film of 39 exposures is loaded, the exposure counting plate on which all numerals and symbols are colored is used, while when a film of 27 exposures is loaded, the exposure counting plate on which the numeral 27 and numerals less than the numeral 27 and symbols are colored is used.
Incidentally, there is also available a lens-fitted film unit employing an exclusive exposure counter plate which varies depending on a film used.
As stated above, there have been prepared two types of exposure counter plates differing each other in terms of coloring in the past, to comply with films each being different from another in terms of the number of exposures. However, the exposure counter plates are alike to cause mistakes easily, and thereby, control had to be made sufficiently on the production site, which has taken a long time.
After an exposed film is taken out of a lens-fitted film unit in a photofinishing laboratory, the unit from which the film has been taken out is collected and reused by a maker of the lens-fitted film unit. In this case, the exposure counter plate varies in accordance with the number of exposures of the film loaded, even in the case of the lens-fitted film unit having the same specifications as stated above. Therefore, when a prescribed film is loaded in a reused lens-fitted film unit, an exposure counter plate complying with the number of exposures of the above-mentioned film needs to be used. For this reason, it was necessary to select exposure counter plates in advance for the collected lens-fitted film units and thereby to replace exposure counter plates when they are different.
Further, when a different and exclusive exposure counter plate is prepared in accordance with a film, the number of mistakes is reduced, but an expense of metallic molds is increased, and jobs for selection and replacement are needed when lens-fitted film units are collected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the problems mentioned above, the invention has been achieved, and its object is to provide a lens-fitted film unit wherein the exposure counting plate that is exactly the same as others can be used even when a length of the film to be loaded varies, and thereby, selection and replacement of the exposure counting plates have been made unnecessary, and to provide a production method for the lens-fitted film unit.
The object mentioned above can be attained by either one of the following Structures.
Structure 1: A lens-fitted film unit comprising a photographic film loaded in advance, a shutter, a picture taking lens, an exposure counter plate that is provided with numerals indicating the number of exposures or the number of exposed frames, and is moved in one direction for each exposure, and an exposure counter window through which the numeral on the exposure counter plate can be recognized wherein, a difference between a prescribed numeral provided on the exposure counter plate and a numeral provided to be next to the prescribed numeral and on the downstream side in the moving direction of the exposure counter plate is greatest, compared with other distances between other neighboring numerals on the aforesaid exposure counter plate.
Structure 2: The lens-fitted film unit according to Structure 1, wherein only one distance between the prescribed numeral and the neighboring numeral on the downstream side is greatest.
Structure 3: The lens-fitted film unit according to Structure 1, wherein a difference between the prescribed numeral and the immediate neighboring numeral on the downstream side is not less than 4.
Structure 4: The lens-fitted film unit according to Structure 1, wherein the prescribed numeral is either one in the range from 24 to 30.
Structure 5: The lens-fitted film unit according to Structure 1, wherein any of the first photographic film having the number of exposures representing the first number of exposures and the second photographic film having the number of exposures representing the second number of exposures that is less than the first number of exposures can be loaded in the lens-fitted film unit, and at least one of the first photographic film and the second photographic film is loaded in the lens-fitted film unit in advance, and the prescribed numeral stated above is either one of the second number of exposures, a numeral that is more than the second number of exposures by 1 and a numeral that is more than the second number of exposures by 2.
Structure 6: The lens-fitted film unit according to Structure 5, wherein, with regard to a distance between the prescribed numeral and the numeral provided to be next to the prescribed numeral and on the downstream side in the moving direction of the exposure counter plate, when the prescribed numeral is located in the exposure counter window at the uppermost position toward the upstream side in the moving direction of the exposure counter plate toward the upstream side in a way that the prescribed numeral can be observed totally through the exposure counter window, the neighboring numeral on the downstream side can not be observed through the exposure counter window, and when the prescribed numeral is located in the exposure counter window at the uppermost position toward the upstream side in the moving direction of the exposure counter plate toward the upstream side in a way that the prescribed numeral can be observed partially through the exposure counter window, the neighboring numeral on the downstream side can be observed partially through the exposure counter window.
Structure 7: T
Mizoguchi Shuri
Yamaguchi Hiroshi
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Konica Corporation
Rutledge D
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