Photography – Disposable or recyclable camera
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-06-05
Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Disposable or recyclable camera
C396S176000, C396S267000, C396S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243536
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photo film unit with a data recording device that photographically records data, such as the date of photography, on a filmstrip contained in the lens-fitted photo film unit.
2. Background Arts
Many types of lens-fitted photo film units have been known and sold in the market, that contain a roll of unexposed photo filmstrip and have simple photographic mechanisms for taking pictures on the filmstrip. Hereinafter, the lens-fitted photo film unit will be referred to as a film unit.
Recently, a film unit with a data recording device have been suggested, wherein data displayed on a data display device, such as the date of photography displayed on an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel, is photographically recorded on the filmstrip. On the other hand, cameras with such a data recording device have already been known in the art. Most of the data recording devices incorporated in the cameras use a specific light source, e.g. an LED. However, since the specific light source and a specific circuit for driving the light source increase the production cost and complicate the internal construction, it is not preferable to mount this kind of data recording device in the film unit because the film unit is expected to be simple in construction, and produced at a low cost.
To solve this problem, a data recording device for a film unit has been suggested in a prior art, which is provided with a light converging device, such as a condenser lens, so as to use external light for photographing data on the filmstrip. To enable photographing data on the filmstrip even when the exterior or the room is dark, this prior art suggests using a flash light that is projected from a flash device of the film unit and reflected from a photographic subjected, and then enters through the light converging device into the film unit.
This solution does not need a specific light source for the data recording device, and thus the data recording device does not electrically and mechanically complicate the film unit. However the intensity of the external light obtained through the light converging device, including the flash light reflected from the subject, is not always sufficient for recording data at an adequate density on the filmstrip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a film unit with a data recording device, which is simple in construction and is always able to record data photographically on the filmstrip at an adequate density without using a specific light source for the data recording.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a lens-fitted photo film unit with a data recording device for recording data on a filmstrip contained in the film unit, by projecting a data recording light onto the filmstrip through a data display device that displays the data to record, the film unit is comprised of a first light guide member having an external light entering surface exposed to outside of the film unit, the first light guide member conducting external light that enters through the external light entering surface to the data display device, to use the external light for the data recording light; and a second light guide member for conducting a flash light partly from a built-in flash device of the film unit to the first light guide member, to use the flash light for the data recording light in addition to the external light alone.
Since the flash light from the flash device is conducted as the data recording light to the data display device when the film unit is used in a dark place, it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of data recording light enough for recording data at an adequate density even where it is impossible to obtain the sufficient amount of light from the external light.
According to a preferred embodiment, at least one of the first and second light guide members is formed from a transparent or semi-transparent plastic. The plastic may be composed by mixing a transparent plastic material with fluorescent dyestuffs. Thereby, light conduction efficiency of the light guide member is improved. It is possible to compose the plastic by mixing a transparent plastic material with dyestuffs that absorbs light components of a predetermined wavelength range, in order to color the data recording light to print the data in a particular color. The first and second light guide members may be formed as an integral light guide member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4973997 (1990-11-01), Harvey
patent: 5339125 (1994-08-01), Fridman et al.
patent: 5486885 (1996-01-01), Matsumoto
patent: 5521665 (1996-05-01), Petruchik
patent: 5784658 (1998-07-01), Hata et al.
patent: 5892993 (1999-04-01), Moriya
patent: 6151452 (2000-11-01), Ping
Moriya Mitsuhiro
Tasaka Hisashi
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Perkey W. B.
Young & Thompson
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