Photographic roll film

Details Photographic roll film Photographic roll film

1999-11-15

2001-07-10

Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)

Photography

Camera detail

Detachable or removable film holder unit

C430S501000, C206S410000, C206S455000, C206S389000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257777

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to photographic film and light-tight packaging, and more particularly to methods for securing or sealing closed a light-shielding member of a roll of photographic film.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Rolls of light sensitive web material (such as photographic paper and film) require light-tight packaging so that such rolls are not exposed to white or room light whereby the light sensitive characteristics of the rolls would be adversely effected.
A known method of light shielding an unexposed roll of photographic film is shown in FIG.
1
. As shown, a spool
10
includes a core
12
and a pair of flanges
14
,
16
disposed at opposite ends of core
12
. Web material W is wound between the flanges
14
,
16
. A light-shielding opaque member
18
is attached to web material W, for example by means of an adhesive tape
19
, and wound about the web material W to shield the web material W from light.
With the light-shielding member wound about the film roll, a variety of securing or sealing means may be employed for sealing closed the light-shielding member of an unexposed photographic film roll. U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,912 (Myers) commonly assigned and incorporated herewith by reference, relates to a tear-out region having an adhesive which bonds to an underlying convolution of the light-shielding member. Other means for sealing closed a light-shielding member of an unexposed photographic film roll are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,779 (Roehrl), U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,170 (Flinchbaugh), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,879 (Klinkammer).
After the photographic film roll has been exposed, for example, using a camera (not shown), the exposed photographic film may be rewound onto the spool. Alternatively, the exposed film may be wound onto another, different spool. If wound onto another spool, the light-tight packaging may include a light-shielding member arranged to light shield the wound roll of photographic film.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,812 (Jones), U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,813 (Jones), and U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,814 (Jones), all commonly assigned and incorporated herewith by reference, relate to a roll package having such an arrangement. As shown in
FIG. 2
, a roll package includes a light-shielding leader
20
disposed at one end of the web material W, and a light-shielding trailer
22
disposed at the other end of the web material W, with the light-shielding trailer
22
being engaged to spool
10
, for example by a slot (not shown). Accordingly, when the unexposed web material W is wound about spool
10
between end flanges
14
,
16
, trailer
22
is first wound, then the web material W is wound, with leader
20
being wound about the web material W. After exposure, the exposed web material W is wound onto another spool such that leader
20
is first wound about the spool, then the exposed web material W is wound, with trailer
22
being wound about the exposed web material W. Such a film roll configuration (i.e., trailer/web/leader) has been generally referred to as 220 format film roll.
Another film roll adapted for winding of exposed web material W onto another spool after exposure is illustrated in
FIG. 3
, and generally referred to as a 120 format film roll. As illustrated, a light-shielding backing material
24
is disposed on one side of the web material W along the entire length of the web material W, with a length of light-shielding backing material
24
being greater than the length of the web material W. The backing material may extend beyond the web material W at both ends. Accordingly, when the web material W and light-shielding backing material
24
are wound onto the spool
10
between the flanges
14
,
16
, the wound convolutions alternate between the web material W and the light-shielding backing material
24
.
A variety of securing or sealing means may be employed for securing or sealing closed the light-shielding member of an exposed photographic film roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,991,442 (Barenyi) discloses a strip of gummed paper attached to the end of a protective backing strip wherein the gummed strip is used to fix the exposed film in position on a film receiving spool. One portion of the gummed strip is attached to the backing strip and another portion lies loose with its outer portion on the backing strip. The gummed strip is exposed by tearing off an end of the backing strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,465 (Shamay) discloses a paper wrapper strip attached to an outer end of a masking strip with the legend EXPOSED which is displayed when the exposed film is wound on the spool.
Some known photographic film rolls include a light-shielding member
28
having a tongue
30
and a gummed strip
32
as illustrated in
FIG. 4. A
first portion
34
of gummed strip
32
is attached to light-shielding member
28
and a second portion
36
is not attached to light-shielding member
28
. Second portion
36
comprises a moisture-activated adhesive on its inner side. To secure the photographic film roll, light-shielding member
28
is wound about spool
10
and tongue
30
is folded back under itself, for example along transverse line
38
. Second portion
36
is round about the roll and secured to light-shielding member
28
after the adhesive is moisture activated. The resulting wound roll is illustrated in FIG.
5
.
The strips of these references are generally referred to as an “after exposure label” or “exposure label” since the strip is applied to the roll film after exposure to support the film in a roll shape for transport to a developer. An optional legend “EXPOSED” on the strip indicates to a user that the roll film has been exposed.
While such after exposure labels may have achieved certain degrees of success in their particular application, currently, the after exposure labels are activated by moisture or application of a liquid, for example by licking. Unfortunately, the flavoring of such “lick-n-stick” labels has been considered to be offensive by users.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a means for sealing a roll of exposed photographic film which does not require a liquid or moisture for activation, provides secure closure of the roll, and is not photoactive. Further, the means for sealing must not adversely affect the photosensitive characteristics of the film, such as impressions resulting from discontinuous edges or thick material areas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a means for sealing roll of photographic film which does not require a liquid or moisture for activation.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a means for sealing a roll of exposed photographic film and providing an EXPOSED legend.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a means for sealing which does not adversely affect the photosensitive characteristics of the film.
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 photographic film roll comprising a length of photosensitive web material wound about a spool. A light-shielding member is wound about the length of photosensitive web material, and includes an exterior side. The light-shielding member further includes a transverse fold line spaced from one end of the light-shielding member to define a tongue portion. Applied on the exterior side of the tongue portion is an adhesive. The adhesive tongue portion is bondable to the exterior side of an underlying convolution of the light-shielding member when the light-shielding member is wound about the length of photosensitive web material.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographic film roll comprising a length of photosensitive web material wound about a spool. A light-shielding member is wound about the length of photosensitive web material. The light-shielding member includes

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