Film unit loading device and method

• US 5,541,691 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/479,555
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 354/21, 354/106, 354/173.1, 354/217, 354/275
• US Class Current: 396/409
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/30 Locating spools or other rotatable holders of coiled film
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/425 motor drive cameras
• 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 2217/268 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 device in which is inserted a film unit, having a film and a container for accommodating the film, comprises a first transporter which performs a first transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of the film is electrically transported outside the container to bring the unexposed frame to an exposure position, a second transporter which performs a second transporting operation by which the film transported outside the container by the first transporting operation is electrically transported back into the container, and a container driver which electrically moves the container between a loaded position and an unloaded position. The first and second transporting operations are conducted with the container in the loaded position, and the container is removable from the camera when in the unloaded position.

Claims

1. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a first transporter which performs a first transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of said film in said container is electrically transported outside said container to bring said unexposed frame to an exposure position;

a second transporter which performs a second transporting operation by which said film transported outside said container by said first transporting operation is electrically transported back into said container; and

a container driver which electrically moves said container of said film unit between a loaded position and an unloaded position, said first and second transporting operations requiring that said container be in said loaded position, and removal of said container from said camera requiring that said container be in said unloaded position; and

wherein said first transporter performs said first transporting operation after said container driver drives said container from said unloaded position to said loaded position, and said container driver drives said container from said loaded position to said unloaded position after said second transporter performs said second transporting operation.

2. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a switch which generates a load start signal to cause said container driver to start moving said container from said unloaded position to said loaded position.

3. A camera according to claim 2, wherein said switch detects said container.

4. A camera according to claim 2, wherein said switch generates said load start signal in response to a manual operation.

5. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a switch which generates an unload start signal to cause said container driver to start moving said container from said loaded position to said unloaded position.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said switch generates said unload start signal in response to a manual operation.

7. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said container from said unloaded position to said loaded position by said container driver.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said container from said loaded position to said unloaded position by said container driver.

9. A method of operating a camera to utilize a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating the film, comprising the following steps:

electrically driving the container of the film unit from an unloaded position to a loaded position within the camera;

conducting a first film transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of the film in the container at the loaded position is electrically transported outside the container to bring the unexposed frame to an exposure position;

conducting a second transporting operation by which the film transported outside the container by the first transporting operation is electrically transported back into the container in the loaded position; and

electrically driving the container from the loaded position to the unloaded position after the second transporting operation.

10. A method according to claim 9, including the step of causing a switch to generate a load start signal to start the driving of the container from the unloaded position to the loaded position.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the switch detects the container and generates the load start signal in response to detection of the container.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the switch generates the load start signal in response to a manual operation.

13. A method according to claim 9, including the step of causing a switch to generate an unload start signal to start the driving of the container from the loaded position to the unloaded position.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the switch generates the unload start signal in response to a manual operation.

15. A method according to claim 9, including the step of manually operating an operation member to initiate the driving of the container from the unloaded position to the loaded position.

16. A method according to claim 9, including the step of manually operating an operation member to initiate the driving of the container from the loaded position to the unloaded position.

17. A film transporting device in which is inserted a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a first transporter which performs a first transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of said film in said container is electrically transported outside said container to bring said unexposed frame to an exposure position;

a second transporter which performs a second transporting operation by which said film transported outside said container by said first transporting operation is electrically transported back into said container; and

a container driver which electrically moves said container of said film unit between a loaded position and an unloaded position, said first and second transporting operations requiring that said container be in said loaded position, and removal of said container from said film transporting device requiring that said container be in said unloaded position; and

wherein said first transporter performs said first transporting operation after said container driver drives said container from said unloaded position to said loaded position, and said container driver drives said container from said loaded position to said unloaded position after said second transporter preforms said second transporting operation.

18. A film transporting device according to claim 17, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said container from said unloaded position to said loaded position by said container driver.

19. A film transporting device according to claim 17, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said container from said loaded position to said unloaded position by said container driver.

20. A method of operating a film transporting device to utilize a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating the film, comprising the following steps:

electrically driving the container of the film unit from an unloaded position to a loaded position within the film transporting device;

conducting a first film transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of the film in the container at the loaded position is electrically transported outside the container to bring the unexposed frame to an exposure position;

conducting a second transporting operation by which the film transported outside the container by the first transporting operation is electrically transported back into the container in the loaded position; and

electrically driving the container from the loaded position to the unloaded position after the second transporting operation.

21. A method according to claim 20, including the step of manually operating an operation member to initiate the driving of the container from the unloaded position to the loaded position.

22. A method according to claim 20, including the step of manually operating an operation member to initiate the driving of the container from the loaded position to the unloaded position.

23. A film unit loading device capable of loading, at a predetermined position therein, a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a drive device which electrically loads said film unit at said predetermined position;

a detector which electrically detects a completion of loading said film unit at said predetermined position;

a film feeding device which electrically feeds said film out from said container; and

a controller which, when said detector detects the completion of loading, allows a feeding operation of said film feeding device.

24. A film unit loading device according to claim 23, and which is provided in a camera.

25. A film unit loading device according to claim 23, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate loading of said film unit by said drive device.

26. A film unit loading device capable of loading, at a predetermined position therein, a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a film rewinding device which electrically rewinds a film from outside said container into said container;

a detector which electrically detects completion of a rewinding operation by said film rewinding device;

a drive device which electrically drives said film unit from said predetermined position to a position different from said predetermined position; and

a controller which, when said detector detects the completion of said rewinding operation, allows a drive operation of said drive device.

27. A film unit loading device according to claim 26, and which is provided in a camera.

28. A film unit loading device according to claim 26, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate driving of said film unit from said predetermined position by said drive device.

29. A film unit loading device capable of loading, at a predetermined position therein, a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a drive device which automatically loads said film unit at said predetermined position;

a detector which electrically detects a completion of loading said film unit at said predetermined position;

a film feeding device which automatically feeds said film out from said container; and

a controller which, when said detector detects the completion of loading, allows a feeding operation of said film feeding device.

30. A film unit loading device according to claim 29, and which is provided in a camera.

31. A film unit loading device according to claim 29, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate loading of said film unit by said drive device.

32. A film unit loading device capable of loading, at a predetermined position therein, a film unit having a film and a container for accommodating said film, comprising:

a film rewinding device which automatically rewinds a film from outside said container into said container;

a detector which electrically detects completion of a rewinding operation by said film rewinding device;

a drive device which automatically drives said film unit from said predetermined position to a position different from said predetermined position; and

a controller which, when said detector detects the completion of said rewinding operation, allows a drive operation of said drive device.

33. A film unit loading device according to claim 32, and which is provided in a camera.

34. A film unit loading device according to claim 32, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate driving of said film unit from said predetermined position by said drive device.

35. A device in which a cartridge accommodating a film therein is loaded in a predetermined position, the device comprising:

a cartridge driver which electrically moves said cartridge to the predetermined position;

a film driver which electrically feeds the film out from said cartridge;

a signal generator which outputs a signal indicating that movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver has been completed; and

a controller which is electrically connected to said signal generator and to said film driver, and which prohibits the feeding of the film by said film driver if said signal generator has not output said signal.

36. A device according to claim 35, including an operation portion which is manually operated by the operator, and wherein said film driver feeds the film in response to an operation of said operation portion by the operator when said signal has been output by said signal generator.

37. A device according to claim 35, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver.

38. A device in which a cartridge accommodating a film therein is loaded in a predetermined position, the device comprising:

a cartridge driver which electrically moves said cartridge to the predetermined position;

a film driver which electrically feeds the film out from said cartridge; and

a controller which is electrically connected to said cartridge driver and to said film driver, and which prohibits the feeding of the film by said film driver if the movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver has not been completed.

39. A device according to claim 38, wherein said controller stops the operation of said cartridge driver in response to completion of the movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver.

40. A device according to claim 38, including an operation portion which is manually operated by the operator, and wherein said film driver feeds the film in response to an operation of said operation portion by the operator when the movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver has been completed.

41. A device according to claim 38, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said cartridge to the predetermined position by said cartridge driver.

42. A device in which a cartridge accommodating a film therein is loaded in a predetermined position, the device comprising:

a cartridge driver which electrically moves said cartridge from the predetermined position;

a film driver which electrically rewinds the film from outside said cartridge into said cartridge;

a signal generator which outputs a signal indicating that a rewinding operation of the film into the cartridge by said film driver has been completed; and

a controller which is electrically connected to said film driver and to said signal generator, and which prohibits a movement of said cartridge from the predetermined position by said cartridge driver if said signal generator has not output said signal.

43. A device according to claim 42, including an operation portion which is manually operated by the operator, and wherein said film driver performs the rewinding operation of the film in response to an operation of said operation portion by the operator when said signal has been output by said signal generator.

44. A device according to claim 42, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said cartridge from the predetermined position by said cartridge driver.

45. A device in which a cartridge accommodating a film therein is loaded in a predetermined position, the device comprising:

a cartridge driver which electrically moves said cartridge from the predetermined position;

a film driver which electrically rewinds the film from outside said cartridge into said cartridge; and

a controller which is electrically connected to said cartridge driver and to said film driver, and which prohibits a movement of said cartridge from the predetermined position by said cartridge driver if a rewinding operation of the film into the cartridge by said film driver has not been completed.

46. A device according to claim 45, wherein said controller stops an operation of said film driver in response to completion of the rewinding operation.

47. A device according to claim 45, including an operation portion which is manually operated by the operator, and wherein said film driver performs the rewinding operation of the film in response to an operation of the operation portion by the operator when the rewinding operation has been completed.

48. A device according to claim 45, further comprising a member which is manually operable to initiate movement of said cartridge from the predetermined position by said cartridge driver.