Photography booth and method

• US 4,804,983 A
• Filed: 11/19/1986
• Issued: 02/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald O. Thayer Jr
• Original Assignee: Donald O. Thayer Jr
• Inventors: Thayer, Donald O. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US06/932,365
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 354/75, 354/76, 354/77, 354/80, 354/155, 354/219, 354/220, 354/290, 354/224, 354/225, 358/213.13, 358/224, 358/909
• US Class Current: 396/2
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin

Abstract

A self photography system includes a film camera having an image inlet and an image outlet and also includes a shutter assembly for selectively exposing a length of film to a viewed image. A video camera is coupled to the image outlet by a prism which assures transmission of the viewed image from the film camera to the video camera. A video monitor is connected with the video camera and displays the viewed image. A switch is associated with the shutter for causing a length of film to be selectively exposed with the viewed image which is being displayed on the video monitor.

Claims

1. A self photography system, comprising:

(a) a film camera including an image inlet disposed on a first axis and an image outlet disposed on a second axis parallel to said first axis and further including shutter means for selectively exposing a length of film to a perceived image;

(b) a video camera including a perceived image receiving opening disposed on a third axis generally transverse to said first and second axes;

(c) means coupling said outlet with said video camera perceived image receiving opening for assuring transmission of the perceived image from said film camera to said video camera;

(d) video display means operably associated with said video camera for displaying the perceived image; and

,

(e) film camera operating means operably associated with said shutter means for causing a length of film to be exposed by the perceived image displayed by said video display means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said coupling means including a prism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said operating means including a remotely located switch.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

(a) a housing being mounted to said camera in alignment with said outlet; and

,

(b) said prism being a right-angle prism and being mounted in said housing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said video display means being disposed closely proximate said inlet.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) a booth having an endwall;

(b) said video display means being mounted to said endwall; and

,

(c) said endwall having an opening therethrough closely proximate said video display means and said inlet being aligned with said opening.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

(a) a platform being pivotally associated with said endwall;

(b) said film camera being mounted to said platform; and

,

(c) means being associated with said platform for causing pivoting thereof.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

(a) support means being associated with said platform and pivotal therewith; and

,

(b) said video camera being mounted to said support means and pivotal therewith for assuring transmission of the perceived image from said inlet to said video camera.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein:

(a) brace means extending from said endwall;

(b) rod means being associated with said platform and engaged with said brace means for defining a pivot axis for said platform; and

,

(c) said rod means being disposed at one end of said platform and said pivoting means being disposed at an opposite end of said platform.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said pivoting means including:

(a) a sheave being mounted to said platform;

(b) a second platform being mounted to said endwall above said first mentioned platform;

(c) motor means being mounted to said second platform and including a rotating shaft; and

,

(d) linkage means extending from said shaft and trained about said sheave so that rotation of said shaft causes displacement of said linkage means and thereby pivoting of said first mentioned platform.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein:

(a) a series of light means being disposed about said endwall opening for attracting the attention of a user thereto; and

,

(b) strobe means being mounted to said endwall and being in circuit connection with said operating means for providing illumination when the film is exposed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

(a) video illumination means being mounted to said endwall above said strobe means for providing illumination for said video camera.

13. A photography booth, comprising:

(a) an enclosure including an endwall with a front surface and a rear surface and a seat spaced from said endwall;

(b) a first opening in said endwall disposed above said seat;

(c) a second opening in said endwall disposed below said first opening;

(d) a film camera including a lens and an image outlet, said film camera connected to said rear surface so that said lens is aligned with said first opening;

(e) a video camera;

(f) means coupling said outlet with said video camera so that the image perceived by said lens is transmitted to said video camera;

(g) video display means mounted to said endwall in alignment with said second opening and said display means operably associated with the video camera so that the transmitted image is displayed by said video display means;

(h) film camera operating means operably associated with said film camera for exposing a length of film with the image being displayed by said display means;

(i) a platform being pivotally associated with said rear surface;

(j) said film camera being secured to said platform and pivotal therewith; and

,

(k) means being operably associated with said platform for causing pivoting thereof.

14. The booth of claim 13, wherein:

(a) said lens and said outlet having parallel optical axes; and

,

(b) said video camera having an optical image receiving axis transverse to said lens and outlet axes.

15. The booth of claim 13, wherein:

(a) said coupling means including a prism for directing the image from said outlet to said video camera.

16. The booth of claim 13, wherein:

(a) support means being mounted to said platform and pivotal therewith; and

,

(b) said video camera being secured to said support means for maintaining alignment of said video camera with said coupling means.

17. The booth of claim 16, wherein said pivoting means including:

(a) a support secured to said rear surface above the pivot axis of said platform;

(b) motor drive means being mounted to said support and including a rotatable shaft and a reel secured to the distal end thereof and rotatable therewith; and

,

(c) a flexible cord having a first portion engaged with said platform and a second portion wrapped about said reel so that rotation of said shaft causes said cord to be wound upon or from said reel for varying the length thereof for thereby causing pivoting of said platform.