Photography – Disposable or recyclable camera
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2001-03-20
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Disposable or recyclable camera
C396S529000, C359S819000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205293
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to a rotary engaging lens and mount assemblage for a camera.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Film and cameras that are all in one, commonly referred to as single-use or one-time-use cameras, have become well known. The one-time-use camera is a simple point-and-shoot type comprising an opaque plastic main body part that supports a conventional film cartridge in a cartridge receiving chamber, an unexposed filmstrip substantially prewound from a film take-up spool in the film cartridge onto a film supply spool in a film supply chamber in order to form an unexposed film roll on the film supply spool, a fixed-focus taking lens, a film metering mechanism with a rotatably supported metering sprocket that engages the filmstrip, a manually rotatable film winding thumbwheel coaxially engaged with the film take-up spool in the film cartridge, a single-blade shutter for exposing successive frames of the filmstrip, a manually depressible shutter release button, a rotatable frame counter for indicating the number of exposures remaining to be made on the filmstrip, a direct see-through viewfinder having front and rear viewfinder lenses, and in some models an electronic flash. A pair of opaque plastic front and rear cover parts house the main body part between them to complete the camera. The rear cover part connects to the main body part and/or to the front cover part to make the main body part light-tight. A decorative cardboard outer box or label at least partially covers the front and rear cover parts and has respective openings for the taking lens, etc.
After each picture is taken with the one-time-use camera, the photographer manually rotates the thumbwheel in a film winding direction to similarly rotate the film take-up spool in the film cartridge. This winds an exposed frame of the filmstrip from a rear backframe (exposure) opening in the main body part into the film cartridge, and advances an unexposed frame of the filmstrip from the unexposed film roll to the backframe opening. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of slightly more than one frame width rotates the metering sprocket in engagement with the filmstrip to decrement the frame counter to its next lower-numbered setting and to pivot a metering lever into engagement with the thumbwheel. When the metering lever engages the thumbwheel, further rotation of the thumbwheel is prevented. Manually depressing the shutter release button to take another picture pivots the metering lever out of engagement with the thumbwheel to permit renewed rotation of the thumbwheel. After the maximum number of exposures available on the filmstrip have been made, and the filmstrip is completely wound into the film cartridge, the one-time-use camera is given to a photofinisher who separates the rear cover part from the main body part and removes the film cartridge with the exposed filmstrip from the cartridge receiving chamber. Then, he removes the exposed filmstrip from the film cartridge to develop the negatives and make prints for the customer. Most of the used parts such as the electronic flash can be recycled, i.e. reused, to remanufacture the one-time-use camera.
PRIOR ART PROBLEM
During original manufacture or remanufacture of the one-time-use camera, the taking lens must be secured to a mount for the lens. This must be done in a way that assures the lens is held fast to the mount.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,235 issued Jun. 24, 1997 discloses a rotary securing lens and mount assemblage comprising a lens which has a central imaging portion and a circular rim portion with several engaging portions, and a mount for the lens which has several engageable portions equal in number to the engaging portions to engage with the respective engaging portions when the lens is rotated relative to the mount.
THE CROSS-REFERENCE APPLICATION
The cross-referenced application discloses a lens and mount assemblage that includes a lens and a mount for the lens which are secured to one another. The mount has elastic retaining members constructed to be deformed against the lens to secure the lens to the mount. A front cover part that fits over the lens and the mount has rigid deforming members arranged to deform the retaining members against the lens when the front cover part is fit over the lens and the mount
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A rotary securing lens and mount assemblage comprising a lens and a mount for the lens which are secured to one another when the lens is rotated relative to the mount, is characterized in that:
one of the lens and mount includes a cutting edge which is shaped to cut into the other of the lens and mount in order for the lens and the mount to become mutually engaged to be secured to one another when the lens is rotated relative to the mount.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4153340 (1979-05-01), Uesugi
patent: 4957341 (1990-09-01), Hasegawa
patent: 5642235 (1997-06-01), Ichikawa
patent: 5768649 (1998-06-01), Pearson
patent: 5815757 (1998-09-01), Katsura et al.
patent: 5969887 (1999-10-01), Hagimori et al.
patent: 6088160 (2000-07-01), Nomura et al.
DiRisio Anthony
Lawther Joel S.
Eastman Kodak Company
Fields Roger A.
Gray David M.
LandOfFree
Rotary engaging lens and mount assemblage does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Rotary engaging lens and mount assemblage, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Rotary engaging lens and mount assemblage will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2471037