Photography – Exposure data from film itself
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-02-06
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Exposure data from film itself
C396S406000, C396S410000, C396S413000, C396S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera (e.g. a medium-sized camera) which uses a Brownie film, and more precisely it relates to a camera having an automatic film winding mechanism.
2. Description of the related Art
A cartridge for a 135 roll film or an APS film is provided with an identification mark such as a DX code or bar code which represents data such as the kind of the film (120, 220), ISO speed, color or monochrome, etc. When the film is loaded, the camera reads the DX code or bar code, so that the film speed, etc., can be automatically set in accordance with the read data. In general, a medium size film including a Brownie film is not provided with such film data. However, recently a Brownie film having a bar code has been proposed. In the Brownie film as shown in
FIG. 9
which shows a 120 film by way of example, a tape
5
which is adapted to connect a backing
3
and a leading end of the film
4
is provided with a bar code
6
printed on the surface of the tape
5
. In a camera using a Brownie film, a sensor which reads the bar code
6
is provided with a camera body, so that the data read by the sensor is input to a controller which performs various setting operations to automatically set the film speed based on the bar code.
In a camera using a Brownie film, in order to load a new film in the camera after an old film whose frames have been all exposed is removed from the camera, a spool remaining in the camera is moved from a film loading compartment to a film winding compartment, so that the new film can be loaded in the vacant film loading compartment. Therefore, the movement of the film spool must be carried out for each film replacement, thus resulting in a troublesome film replacement process.
In an attempt to provide a camera in which the film winding direction can be changed, wherein a bar code sensor to read a bar code is provided so as to automatically set the film speed, etc., the following problem is raised: Namely, the bar code sensor cannot read the bar code
6
when the film is wound in the opposite direction (with the spools in reversed positions in reversed spool compartments), since the bar code
6
is located on the opposite (lower) half of the film
4
shown in FIG.
9
. This makes it difficult to achieve a variable film winding direction camera in which various photographing data can be automatically set.
In the example mentioned above, the bar code
6
is provided with the outer surface of the tape
5
which connects the backing
3
and the leading end of the film
4
. However, the bar code can be provided on the outer surface of the film
4
or the backing
3
in accordance with the type of the film, so the term “film strip” referred to in the specification includes such a possibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera in which the winding direction of a roll film (such as a Brownie film) with a bar code can be changed and the bar code can be reliably read in any winding direction so as to carry out various setting operations.
To achieve the object mentioned above, according to the present invention, there is provided a camera for receiving a roll film that is provided with a separate film strip wound around a first spool, and a second spool. The strip being provided with an identification mark, on one half of the width of the film strip. The camera includes: a first and second spool compartment, wherein the roll film can be loaded into either the first or second spool compartments and the second spool can be loaded into either the second or first spool compartments, respectively; a reversible film winding mechanism that winds the film strip of the roll film onto the second spool, wherein the film winding direction can be reversed depending on which one of the first and second spool compartments the roll film is loaded into; and a pair of code sensors, wherein at least one code sensor of the pair of code sensors corresponds to the identification mark, regardless of the winding direction of the film.
Preferably, the identification mark includes a bar code.
Preferably, the identification mark includes the following data: type of film, ISO speed, and data indicating whether the film is monochrome or color.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera using a roll film that is provided with a separate film strip having an identification mark, on one half of the width of the film strip. The camera includes a pair of spool compartments; the film strip is wound onto one spool and can be loaded into one of the pair of spool compartments; and the film strip which is wound onto one spool and loaded into one spool compartment can be wound onto another spool loaded into the other spool compartment; and the camera is provided a pair of code sensors, wherein at least one code sensor of the pair of code sensors corresponds to the identification mark regardless of the winding direction of the film.
Preferably, the code sensors are located at positions corresponding to opposite portions of the roll film with respect to a straight line which passes through a center of an aperture formed in the camera, which defines a photographing frame, the straight line being parallel with the film winding direction.
Preferably, the code sensors are located at a position diagonally opposed on opposite sides of the straight line.
Preferably, the code sensors are both located on one side of an aperture formed in the camera. The code sensors lie on a straight line which does not pass through the aperture.
Preferably, the spool compartments are each provided with a film sensor which detects the presence of the roll film loaded in the spool compartments, the camera further including: a film winding device for winding the film loaded in one of the spool compartments into the other spool compartment in accordance with the detection outputs of the film sensors; and a selecting device for selecting one of the code sensors in accordance with the detection outputs of the film sensors.
Preferably, the camera also includes an initialization device for determining photographing conditions such as the film speed or the number of the frames of the loaded roll film in accordance with signals read from the identification mark by the code sensors.
Preferably, the camera also includes a pulse generator circuit which generates pulse signals in accordance with the winding operation of the loaded roll film, and a decoder which reads identification mark using the code sensors, in synchronization with the pulse signals generated from the pulse generator circuit.
Preferably the roll film is a Brownie film, the identification mark is a bar code, and the code sensor is a bar code sensor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera including: a first and a second spool compartment wherein a first spool can be loaded into either the first or second compartments and a second spool can be loaded into the second or first compartments, respectively; the first spool includes a roll film that is provided with a film strip wound around the first spool, and the film strip can be unwound from the first spool and wound onto the second spool; the film strip includes an identification mark located at a position on one half of the width of the film strip; a first code sensor for detecting the identification mark when the first and second spools are loaded into the first and second compartments, respectively; and a second code sensor for detecting the identification mark when the first and second spools are loaded into the second and first compartments, respectively.
Preferably, the identification mark includes the following data: type of film, ISO speed, and data indicating whether the film is monochrome or color.
Preferably, the roll film is a Brownie film, the identification mark is a bar code, and the code sensor is a bar code sensor.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-912
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Mathews Alan A.
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