Photography – Having camera indicator – Film condition indicator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-30
2001-09-25
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Having camera indicator
Film condition indicator
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295416
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to camera exposure frame counters and the use of magnetic micro shutters for use therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many types of exposure frame counters are used in photographic cameras. These counters range from simple mechanical rotating disks where frame numbers appear in a window or pass by a pointer, to digital electronic counters where frame numbers are advanced through expensive electronic components.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,311, a simple rotating disk is used to count the exposures used in a One Time Use Camera. In this system, every time the film in the camera is wound to the next frame, the frame counter increments one count by rotating a counter wheel. The advantages to this system are the simplicity of the counter and the independence for the need of a power source, i.e. a battery. One drawback of this system is that the frame numbers on the wheel tend to be small because the wheel needs to be small and that only every third number is printed on the wheel to save space. Intermediate numbers are omitted and substituted with dots to indicate the frame count.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,351, two rotating disks are used for counting the exposure frames. In this version one wheel counts the single digits for each frame and the second wheel counts the 10's of digits. This system creates a smaller counter with larger numbers.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,828, a Digital Frame Counter is described where the exposures used for a camera are displayed in a digital format. Such a digital frame counter could be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The advantages of this type of display are that individual numbers can be larger than the above discussed rotating wheel, and each frame number can be displayed without resorting to the used of dots as intermediate frame numbers. The disadvantages of this type of display are that LCD's are relatively expensive, require support electronics and can appear dark in low light situations due to their dependence on polarizing filters for them to function.
The closest prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,189, a Micro-shutter patent assigned to MIT, that employs electrostatic fields to form micro-shutters. However, there is no suggestion for making micro-shutters operative within magnetic embodiment which is less expensive that the electrostatic environment.
From the above discussion, it should be apparent that there remains a need in the art for a display that does not require expensive electronics to operate, counts every exposure frame number and has large exposure frame numbers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a camera exposure frame counter that provides large easily readable numerals for every exposure frame, and does not require support electronics. It is also an object of this invention to provide a camera exposure frame counter that after an exposure frame has been counted that the ability to count this frame again is eradicated.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for an exposure frame counter for a camera by providing a substrate having a series of micro-shutter segments on a first surface of the substrate, segments that curl and uncurl in response to magnetic fields, and an alterable indicia that can create magnetic fields that correspond to the micro-shutter segments such that the micro-shutter segment create a discernable display, and altering the indicia to form at least one numeral on the discernable display. An exposure frame counter is provided having a magnetic wheel having a first surface with a series of frame count areas that are formed on the wheel. The alterable indicia is self contained for each of the frame count areas. There is a display formed near the first surface such that the display mates with the alterable indicia contained within the frame count areas, a plurality of micro-shutters having segments that curl and uncurl in response to the alterable indicia contained on the frame count areas.
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Allen Loretta E.
Dowe David R.
Reznik Svetlana
Eastman Kodak Company
Gray David M.
Leimbach James D.
Watkins Peyton C.
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