Camera apparatus for magnetically recording on film

• US 4,996,546 A
• Filed: 06/20/1990
• Issued: 02/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Cloutier, Robert P., Pagano, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US07/541,177
• Time in Patent Office: 251 Days
• Field of Search: 354/21, 354/105, 354/106, 354/75, 354/76, 354/203
• US Class Current: 396/319
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/244 Magnetic devices

Abstract

Magnetic recording apparatus for a photographic still camera comprises a fixed magnetic head mounted on a film platen. The head is adapted to contact a magnetic coating on the film adjacent the image area of the film. A pressure pad is mounted in the camera on the opposite side of the film and positioned in close proximity to the film. The pressure pad is biased by a spring to apply pressure on the head through pressure on the film to assure that the film is in intimate contact with the head when the film is advancing. During film exposure when the film is stationary, the pressure pad is retracted to avoid distortion of the image plane.

Claims

1. A photographic still camera for transporting a photographic film over an exposure opening to expose frames of the film, the film having a magnetic surface on one side for magnetically recording information on the film, said camera comprising:

a camera body having an exposure opening;

a film platen supported to engage the film and retain it in an exposure plane adjacent said opening; and

a magnetic head mounted at said platen to engage the magnetic surface of said film in said plane.

2. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 1, further including means at an other side opposite the one side of a photographic film having a magnetic surface for urging the film into contact with said head.

3. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein said urging means is effective to urge the film into engagement with said head only during transport of the film.

4. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 3, wherein said urging means comprises a complient pressure pad movable into engagement with the film.

5. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 4, further including:

a pivotal lever carrying said pressure pad;

means for biasing said pivotal lever to a first position to urge said pressure pad into engagement with the film; and

means for moving said pivotal lever to a second position to disengage said pressure pad from the film.

6. A photographic still camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pivotal lever is in said first position during film transport and in said second position during film exposure.

7. A photographic still camera for transporting a photographic film over an exposure opening to expose frames of the film, the film having a magnetic surface for magnetically recording information on the film, said camera comprising:

a camera body having an exposure opening;

a magnetic head;

means for supporting the magnetic head to engage the magnetic surface; and

8. A photographic still camera for transporting a photographic film over an exposure opening to expose frames of the film, the film having a magnetic surface for magnetically recording information on the film, said camera comprising:

a camera body having an exposure opening;

a magnetic head;

means for supporting the magnetic head to engage the magnetic surface;

movable means having a first position for engaging and urging the film into engagement with said head and a second position wherein said means is out of engagement with the film; and

means for moving said movable means to its first position during film transport and to its second position before film exposure.

9. A photographic still camera as claimed in claim 8 wherein said movable means comprises a movable pressure pad.

10. A photographic still camera as claimed in claim 9 further including a film platen supported to engage the film and retain it in an exposure plane adjacent said opening.

11. A photographic still camera for transporting a photographic film over an exposure opening to expose frames of the film, the film having a magnetic surface for magnetically recording information on the film, said camera comprising:

a camera body having an exposure opening;

means for advancing the film relative to the opening frame by frame;

a magnetic head;

means for supporting the magnetic head to engage the magnetic surface;

movable means having a first position for engaging and urging the film into engagement with said head and a second position wherein said means is out of engagement with the film; and

means coupled to said transport means for moving said movable means from its first position to its second position near the end of advance of a film frame.

12. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 11 further including shutter means including a shutter release means for opening said shutter means to expose a film frame aligned with said opening;

and

means coupled to said shutter release means for moving said movable means from said second position to said first position at the end of the exposure of the film frame.

13. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 12 wherein said movable means comprises a pressure pad.

14. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 13 wherein said movable means comprises a pivotal lever carrying said pressure pad;

and

means for biasing said lever toward its first position.

15. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means coupled to said transport means comprises a cam for displacing said lever against the bias of said biasing means to said second position.

16. A photographic camera as claimed in claim 15 further including releasable means for latching said lever in said second position, said means coupled to said shutter release means being adapted to release said releasable means at the end of exposure of a film frame.

17. A photographic still camera including transport means for transporting a photographic film having a magnetic surface on which information may be recorded, the improvement comprising:

a magnetic head; and

means for effecting head-to-film contact between said magnetic head and the magnetic surface of the photographic film adequate for reliable recording, only during film transport.

18. A photographic still camera as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

exposure means for exposing the film; and

means for discontinuing said head-to-film contact to prevent distortion of the film before exposing the film.