Single use photographic film package and camera
First Claim
1. A recyclable, single use, photographic film package of the type having a camera mechanism fitted with a lens, a shutter release, a film advance mechanism, and containing an unexposed filmstrip attached to a film cartridge, wherein the filmstrip is pre-wound out of the film cartridge and in a roll around a takeup spool positioned on one side of an exposure gate and extends to the film cartridge disposed on the other side of the exposure gate, and wherein the film advance mechanism is operable to advance the filmstrip past the exposure gate after operation of the shutter release to make an exposure through the lens successively until all image frames of the filmstrip are exposed and advanced back into the film cartridge, wherein the improvement in said takeup spool comprises:
- an attachment mechanism formed in said takeup spool for receiving a leader of said filmstrip and for attaching said filmstrip to said takeup spool to enable the winding of said filmstrip in the roll around said takeup spool in a pre-wind operation rotating said takeup spool to withdraw the filmstrip from the film cartridge, said attachment mechanism being deformable by force applied thereto upon advancement of all image frames of the photographic filmstrip back into said film cartridge sufficiently to inhibit attachment of the leader of a replacement filmstrip to said takeup spool in order to perform said prewind operation to thereby inhibit unauthorized reuse of the camera mechanism without replacement of the damaged takeup spool.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A recyclable, single use photographic film package and camera comprising a light-tight camera mechanism having a frame forming exposure gate, a roll of unexposed film withdrawn from its cartridge and pre-wound on a film takeup spool disposed on one side of the exposure gate, the cartridge disposed on the other side of the exposure gate, and an externally operable film winding thumbwheel for winding the filmstrip through the exposure gate and back into its cartridge as the film is exposed frame by frame. When all frames are exposed, the exposed film is removed and processed, and the package is recycled by substituting a fresh film cartridge and new packaging for resale. To prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera mechanism by refilling it with other than genuine film, a component of the takeup spool is intentionally damaged upon winding the last image frame into the film cartridge. The damaged takeup spool is not usable to pre-wind the substitute filmstrip onto it and must be replaced by an authorized recycler of the film package.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A recyclable, single use, photographic film package of the type having a camera mechanism fitted with a lens, a shutter release, a film advance mechanism, and containing an unexposed filmstrip attached to a film cartridge, wherein the filmstrip is pre-wound out of the film cartridge and in a roll around a takeup spool positioned on one side of an exposure gate and extends to the film cartridge disposed on the other side of the exposure gate, and wherein the film advance mechanism is operable to advance the filmstrip past the exposure gate after operation of the shutter release to make an exposure through the lens successively until all image frames of the filmstrip are exposed and advanced back into the film cartridge, wherein the improvement in said takeup spool comprises:
an attachment mechanism formed in said takeup spool for receiving a leader of said filmstrip and for attaching said filmstrip to said takeup spool to enable the winding of said filmstrip in the roll around said takeup spool in a pre-wind operation rotating said takeup spool to withdraw the filmstrip from the film cartridge, said attachment mechanism being deformable by force applied thereto upon advancement of all image frames of the photographic filmstrip back into said film cartridge sufficiently to inhibit attachment of the leader of a replacement filmstrip to said takeup spool in order to perform said prewind operation to thereby inhibit unauthorized reuse of the camera mechanism without replacement of the damaged takeup spool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A lens-fitted photographic film package having an externally operable shutter member for effecting an exposure of a filmstrip image frame in an exposure gate and an externally operable film advance member for advancing to the next exposure frame after making an exposure comprising:
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a light-tight camera mechanism having a shutter opening through which said exposure is made when said externally operable shutter member is operated and a camera frame defining said exposure gate; a takeup spool having means for attaching the leader of a filmstrip thereto and disposed for rotation on a first side of said exposure gate and supported by said camera frame; a removable, light-tight film cartridge having a cartridge spool therein supported by said camera frame and disposed on a second side of said exposure gate in said light-tight casing, said filmstrip being attached at its leader to said takeup spool and wound in a roll around said takeup spool and attached at its other end to said cartridge spool; winding control means responsive to operation of said externally operable advance member for allowing said film winding spool to rotate so as to enable said filmstrip to be advanced by only one image frame after every exposure, said winding control means applying sufficient force through said filmstrip to said attaching means for releasing said leader and effecting permanent damage thereto to prevent the attachment to the leader of a replacement filmstrip and inhibit effective reuse of the photographic film package. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification