Film rewinding mechanism that fully retracts the film or leaves it partially extended

• US 5,659,829 A
• Filed: 11/17/1988
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kouji, Taniguchi, Nobuyuki, Tominaga, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US07/272,441
• Time in Patent Office: 3,197 Days
• Field of Search: 354/173.1, 354/173.11, 354/214, 354/217
• US Class Current: 396/390
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/425 motor drive cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/091 Digital circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera

Abstract

A camera system is capable of operating in a number of different photographic modes and includes a display system which provides information relevant to each of the modes. The camera system also includes an automatic film rewinding mechanism that has two modes of operation. In a first, automatic, mode, the tensioning of the film during winding is detected to indicate the end of the roll of film. Upon such detection, the film is automatically and fully rewound into the film cartridge. In a second, user selectable, mode a signal is manually provided by the user to initiate film rewinding. Rewinding of the film is stopped just prior to the time the end of the film enters the cartridge, so that a portion of the film leader remains extended outside of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A film rewinding mechanism for use in a camera, comprising:

means for rewinding a film into a film container;

means for selecting one of two rewinding modes including a first rewinding mode and a second rewinding mode;

means for detecting the location of the end of the film relative to the container, said detecting means includes a sensor for determining whether the film is present at a predetermined location; and

control means responsive to said selecting means and to said detecting means for controlling the operation of said rewinding means to stop the rewinding of the film with the end of the film located outside of the container when the first rewinding mode is selected and the film is detected not to be at said location, and to stop the rewinding of the film after the film is fully retracted into the container when the second rewinding mode is selected;

said control means includes a timer for counting a predetermined period of time, and functions in said second rewinding mode to stop the operation of said rewinding mechanism said period of time after the film is detected not to be at said location.

2. A film rewinding device for use in a camera, comprising:

a motor;

means driven by said motor for rewinding a film into a film container;

means for selecting one of two film rewinding modes including a first rewinding mode and a second rewinding mode;

detection means for detecting whether the end of the film is present at a predetermined location and providing output indication thereof;

control means responsive to said detecting means for discontinuing operation of said motor in a film rewinding operation, when the first rewinding mode is selected, at the expiration of a first time period following such output indication by said detection means, thereby to effect such rewinding of said film fully into said film container, and discontinuing operation of said motor in a film rewinding operation, when the second rewinding mode is selected, at the expiration of a second time period following output indication by said detection means, thereby to effect such rewinding of said film partially into said film container with a leader thereof extending outwardly of said film container, said second time period being less than said first time period.