Instant camera and recording apparatus

• US 20040136703A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Wataru, Ushiro, Seimei
• Granted Patent: US 6,847,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/52 of the Land type

Abstract

A camera body of an instant camera is provided with four light sources LED1 to LED4 for a display. The four light sources LED1 to LED4 flash on and off in mutually different display modes in accordance with the state of progress of a series of processing of an exposure operation, a developing operation and a delivery operation which is carried out in accordance with one time photographic operation. This feature makes it possible to exactly inform a user of the state of progress of a series of processing.

Claims

1. An instant camera wherein an instant film incorporating thereinto liquid developer, in which the liquid developer is developed after exposure so that a photograph appears, is mounted, and the instant film is exposed and the exposed instant film is delivered while the liquid developer is developed, the instant camera comprising:

an image taking button for instructing a photography;

a plurality of light sources arranged in a delivery direction to deliver the instant film, including a light source for turning on the image taking button; and

a display control section for causing the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a delivery display mode in which the plurality of light sources sequentially repeatedly flash on and off in the delivery direction while the instant film is delivered.

2. An instant camera according to claim 1, wherein the instant camera further comprises a flash light emitting unit comprising:

a main condenser for storing electric power for flash light emission;

a flash light emitting section for emitting a flash light in synchronism with a photography upon receipt of a supply of the electric power from the main condenser; and

a charging section for charging the main condenser in a predetermined timing including a timing just after the delivery of the instant film, and

wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a charge display mode in which the plurality of light sources sequentially repeatedly flash on and off in a period shorter than that of the delivery display mode, while the charging section charges the main condenser.

3. An instant camera according to claim 1, wherein the instant camera has a self timer photographic mode in which a photography is carried out after a lapse of a predetermined set time of a self timer since the image taking button is operated, and

wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a self timer display mode in which the image taking button is first turned on or flashed on and off during the set time of the self timer after the operation of the image taking button in the self timer photographic mode, and then all the plurality of light sources are simultaneously turned on or flashed on and off.

4. An instant camera according to claim 2, wherein the instant camera has a self timer photographic mode in which a photography is carried out after a lapse of a predetermined set time of a self timer since the image taking button is operated, and

wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a self timer display mode in which the image taking button is first turned on or flashed on and off during the set time of the self timer after the operation of the image taking button in the self timer photographic mode, and then all the plurality of light sources are simultaneously turned on or flashed on and off.

5. An instant camera according to claim 2, wherein the instant camera has a double self photographic mode in which an operation of a delivery of the instant film exposed after a lapse of a predetermined set time of a self timer since the image taking button is operated is repeated twice in accordance with one time operation of the image taking button, and

wherein the display control section causes a same display mode to be repeated twice without the display according to the charge display mode during the photography twice in the double self photographic mode, and thereafter causes the display according to the charge display mode to be performed.

6. An instant camera according to claim 5, wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a self timer display mode in which the image taking button is first turned on or flashed on and off during the set time of the self timer after the operation of the image taking button in the double self photographic mode, and then all the plurality of light sources are turned on or flashed on and off;

causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to the delivery display mode while the instant film is delivered;

causes the plurality of light sources to again perform the display according to the self timer display mode prior to a second photography;

causes the plurality of light sources to again perform the display according to the delivery display mode while a second instant film is delivered; and

causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to the charge display mode while the second instant film is delivered.

7. An instant camera according to claim 1, wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a demonstration display mode in which the plurality of light sources repeatedly flash on and off in accordance with a predetermined operation in a state that photography is inhibited.

8. A recording apparatus that performs a recording on a recording medium and delivers the recording medium after the recording, the recording apparatus comprising:

a recording instruction button for instructing a recording;

a plurality of light sources arranged in a delivery direction to deliver the recording medium, including a light source for turning on the recording instruction button; and

a display control section for causing the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a delivery display mode in which the plurality of light sources sequentially flash on and off in the delivery direction while the recording medium after the recording is delivered.

9. A recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the recording apparatus has a plural recording mode in which a recording on a recording medium and a delivery of the recording medium after the recording are repeated by a plurality of number of times in accordance with one time operation of the recording instruction button, and

wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to repeat a same display mode by a plurality number of times in the plural recording mode.

10. A recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display control section causes the plurality of light sources to perform a display according to a demonstration display mode in which the plurality of light sources repeatedly flash on and off in accordance with a predetermined operation in a state that a recording onto the recording medium is inhibited.