Self developing camera with film feedout control

• US 4,181,414 A
• Filed: 03/10/1977
• Issued: 01/01/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ryoichi, Uchiyama, Takashi, Furukawa, Hiroshi, Ito, Fumio, Tsunekawa, Tokuichi, Matsuda, Mutsuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perkey, William B.
• Application Number:
  US05/776,480
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 354/53, 354/60 R, 354/60 L, 354/83-86, 354/170, 354/171, 354/173, 354/212, 354/213, 354/289, 352/170, 352/171, 242/71.5
• US Class Current: 396/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/52 of the Land type
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 43/00 Testing correct operation of photographic apparatus or parts thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera using a photo-sensitive sheet material of self developing process type, which can actuate a photo-sensitive material take out device to take out the exposed photo-sensitive material sheet material to outside of the camera while conducting self developing process thereon, selectively by an electric motor or manually, and has a checking device to check whether or not the voltage of a battery to drive said electric motor is at a level to be able to properly activate said photo-sensitive material take out device, further has a means to direct to stop power supply to said motor when the voltage of said battery is below said level and to activate said photo-sensitive take out device manually.

Claims

1. A camera device of the self developing type using photo-sensitive sheet material having a means to store developer liquid and forming a visible image after a processing by said developer liquid in said storage bag after exposure, comprising:

(a) a power source circuit to actuate said camera device;

(b) a first device for covering exposure and permitting exposure of the sheet material; and

(c) a second device coupled to the first device for holding the sheet material, having;

feeding and removing means to advance said photo-sensitive material after exposure and to process said exposed photo-sensitive material with the developer liquid during the advance as well as to remove the material from said second device;

a first driving means having a motor coupled to the conductive means to be driven by the power of the power source and for actuating said feeding and removing means;

a second driving means to actuate said feeding and taking out means manually, said second driving means having a handle operable from outside of said second device; and

a checking means to check the power of said power source circuit, and stopping means responsive to the checking means to stop power supply to said motor when the power of said power source circuit is not enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

2. A camera device, according to claim 1, in which said checking means has a display means to display whether or not the power of said power source circuit is enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

3. A camera device according to claim 1, in which said second device has a means to so lock said second driving means in a disabled condition, said locking means being actuated in response to actuation of said stopping means.

4. A camera device according to claim 1, in which said checking means has a dummy circuit to draw a dummy current substantially equivalent to the current necessary to properly operate said first driving device by said motor from said power source circuit as said power source circuit is checked.

5. A camera device according to claim 1, in which said checking means has a latch circuit to prevent said stopping means from being activated until the next checking action is done when the power of the power source circuit is determined to be enough to properly operate said motor at a prescribed speed by one checking action.

6. A camera device of the self developing type using photo-sensitive sheet material having a means to store developer liquid and forming a visible image after a processing by said developer liquid in said storage bag after exposure, comprising:

(a) a power source to actuate said camera device;

(b) a trigger means to initiate the operation of said camera device;

(c) a first device to have a photo-sensitive surface of said photo-sensitive material exposed, having;

a shutter means to control the exposure onto said photo-sensitive surface, and

a switch means controlled by actuation of said shutter means;

(d) a second device to which said photo-sensitive material is loaded, having;

a feeding and taking out means to advance said photo-sensitive material after exposure and to process said exposed photo-sensitive material by said developer liquid in a course of said advancing, and to take the material out of said second device;

a first driving means having a motor driven by the power of said power source battery and activating said feeding and taking out means by the driving power of said motor; and

a second driving means which can activate said feeding and taking out means manually, said second driving means having a handle operable from outside of said second device;

(e) a test means containing a motor testing circuit to test whether the power of said power source is enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed upon initiation of said switching means; and

(f) a stopping means coupled to the test means to stop power supply to said motor when the power of said power source is not enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed, said stopping means being connected to said test means and is controlled in response to said test means.

7. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said shutter means operates on the basis of the power of said power source and said test means has a shutter test circuit to test whether or not the power of said power source is enough to actuate said shutter means.

8. A camera device according to claim 7, in which said shutter test circuit is functionally coupled with said trigger means so as to be activated in an association with said trigger means.

9. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said second device has a shutter charge means to conduct shutter charging of said shutter means in an association with the action of said feeding and taking out means.

10. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said second device has a switching device to cut the power supply to the motor of said first driving means in correspondence with the taking out of said photo-sensitive material to outside of the second device by the feeding and taking out means.

11. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said second driving means has a speed control means to drive said feeding and taking out means with a constant speed.

12. A camera device according to claim 7, in which said checking means has one display means to display both outputs of said motor checking circuit and of said shutter checking circuit.

13. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said second device has a means to lock said second driving means in a disabled state, said locking means being actuated by the activation of said stopping means.

14. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said motor test circuit has a dummy circuit to draw a dummy current substantially equivalent to the current necessary to properly activate said first driving device by said motor from said power source battery as the power of said battery is tested.

15. A camera device according to claim 6, in which said test means has a latch circuit to prevent said stopping means from functioning until a next test when the power of the power source battery is determined to be sufficient to operate said motor is a prescribed speed by a first test.

16. A camera device of the self developing type using photo-sensitive sheet material having means to store developer liquid and forming a visible image after a processing by said developer liquid in said storage bag after exposure, comprising:

(a) a camera body including a first device for covering and exposing the photo-sensitive surface of said sheet material and a second device to which said sheet material is loaded;

(b) conductive means in the body for receiving current from a battery;

(c) photographic optical means in said first device for producing the image of an object on the photo-sensitive surface of a loaded sheet material in said second device;

(d) feeding means to advance said sheet material after exposure and process said exposed sheet material with said developer liquid while the material advances and to move the material out of said second device, said feeding means being mounted in said second device and engageable with the loaded sheet material in said second device;

(e) drive means in said second device and coupled to said conductive means for actuating said feeding means, said drive means including a motor driven by the power of the battery through the conductive means, said motor being operatively coupled with said feeding means; and

(f) check means in said body and coupled to said conductive means for checking the power of the battery connected to the conductive means, and stopping means responsive to the checking means to stop power supply to said motor when the power of a battery connected to the conductive means is not enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

17. A camera device according to claim 16, in which said check means includes display means to display whether or not the power of a battery connected to the conductive means is enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

18. A camera device according to claim 16, in which said check means includes a dummy circuit to fraw a dummy current substantially equivalent to the current necessary to properly operate said feeding means with said motor from said power source battery, as a battery connected to the conductive means is checked.

19. A camera device according to claim 16, in which said check means has a latch circuit to prevent said stopping means from being activated until next checking action is performed when the power of a battery connected to the conductive means is determined to be enough to properly operate said motor at a prescribed speed by one checking action.

20. A camera device of the self developing type using photo-sensitive sheet material having a means to store developer liquid and forming a visible image after a processing by said developer liquid in said storage bag after exposure, comprising:

(a) a camera body including, a first device to cover and expose the photo-sensitive surface of said sheet material, and a second device to which said sheet material is loaded;

(b) conductive means in the body for connection to a power source;

(c) a photographic optical system in said first device for producing the image of the object on the photo-sensitive surface of a loaded sheet material in said second device;

(d) shutter means in said first device, said shutter means shielding the object light reaching said photo-sensitive surface of a loaded sheet material in said second device through said photographic optical system;

(e) shutter control means in said body for releasing said shutter means for a predetermined period of time and exposing the photo-sensitive surface of a loaded sheet material, said control means being actuated by the power of said battery and being operatively coupled with said shutter means;

(f) feeding means to advance said sheet material after exposure and to process said exposed sheet material with the developer liquid during the advance and to move the material outside of said second device, said feeding means being mounted in said second device and engageable with the loaded sheet material in said second device;

(g) drive means in said second device and connected to said conductive means for actuating said feeding means, said drive means including a motor driven by power source connected to the conductive means, said motor being operatively coupled with said feeding means; and

(h) check means in said body for checking the power of a power source connected to the conductive means, said check means having stopping means to stop power to said motor when the power of a power source connected to the conductive means is enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

21. A camera device according to claim 20, in which said check means includes display means to display whether or not the power of a power source is enough to operate said motor at a prescribed speed.

22. A camera device according to claim 20, in which said check means has a dummy circuit to draw a dummy current substantially equivalent to the current necessary to properly operate said feeding means with said motor from a power source connected to conductive means as a power source is checked.

23. A camera device according to claim 20, in which said check means includes a latch circuit to prevent said stopping means from being activated until the next checking action is performed when the power of a power source connected to said conductive means is determined to be enough to properly operate said motor at a prescribed speed by one checking action.