Camera apparatus and method for detecting film speed indication

• US 5,122,820 A
• Filed: 04/03/1991
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Miller, Stephen H., Pagano, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Noh, Jae
• Application Number:
  US07/679,846
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 354/21, 354/275-285
• US Class Current: 396/207
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/30 Locating spools or other rotatable holders of coiled film
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/008 using holders for the photographic material
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/263 Details of exposure status indicators; Double exposure prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/266 Thrust-type cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/268 Unloading the cartridge from the camera; Loading the cartridge into the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/24 automatically in accordance with markings or other means indicating film speed or kind of film on the magazine to be inserted in the camera

Abstract

A photographic camera to be used with a film cassette having film speed indicator means movable between a storage position in which it cannot be detected to provide an indication of the speed of a filmstrip inside the cassette and a use position in which it can be detected to provide the indication, is characterized in that a loading chamber is configured to receive the film cassette with the film speed indicator means in the storage position, actuation means is located in the loading chamber for moving the film speed indicator from the storage position to the use position responsive to insertion of the film cassette into the loading chamber, and sensing means is located in the loading chamber for detecting the film speed indicator means when it is in the use position to determine the speed of the filmstrip inside the cassette.

Claims

1. A photographic camera to be used with a film cassette having film speed indicator means movable between a storage position in which it will not be detected to provide an indication of the speed of a filmstrip inside the cassette and a use position in which it will be detected to provide the indication, is characterized by including:

a loading chamber configured to receive the film cassette with the film speed indicator means in the storage position; and

actuation means located in said loading chamber for moving the film speed indicator from the storage position to the use position while the film cassette is being inserted into the loading chamber.

2. A photographic camera is recited in claim 1, characterized further by including:

return means located in said loading chamber for moving the film speed indicator from the use position to the storage position while the film cassette is being removed from the loading chamber.

3. A method of determining the speed of a filmstrip inside a film cassette having film speed indicator means movable between a storage position in which it is not to be detected to provide an indication of the speed of the filmstrip and a use position in which it is to be detected to provide the indication, is characterized by the steps including:

initially inserting the film cassette into a loading chamber with the film speed indicator in the storage position; and

moving the film speed indicator from the storage position to the use position simultaneously with continued insertion of the film cassette into the loading chamber.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, characterized further by the step including:

returning the film speed indicator means to the storage position simultaneously with moving the film cassette out of the loading chamber.