Toy camera

• US 5,708,883 A
• Filed: 10/09/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Segan, Marc H., Parker, Steven, Strauss, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/727,945
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 396/335, 396/336, 396/337, 396/338, 396/339, 396/340, 396/411, 396/471, 396/387, 396/322, 396/395
• US Class Current: 396/339
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/04 Roll-film cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/07 having more than one objective

Abstract

A multiple-image camera providing high-density use of conventional 35 mm film is disclosed. Many more individual exposures can be made using standard film and standard film processing services, which greatly reduces the cost of children'"'"'s irratic and often unproductive experiments with photography. The mechanical simplicity of the camera make it both reliable and inexpensive, also make it useful as an expendable vacation camera for adults.

Claims

1. A camera for recording multiple sequentially exposed images on a single film frame on a strip of film having a multiplicity of unexposed film frames, said camera comprising:

first and second lenses each defining an imaging axis therethrough for receiving images to be recorded on the film;

the film being disposed in said camera with one of the unexposed film frames in alignment with said axes and orthogonal thereto for recording images thereon;

an articulable film advance mechanism operable for longitudinally advancing the strip of film for a distance of one-half of a film frame in a direction orthogonal to said lens axes so as to provide longitudinal alignment of the images exposed through said lenses and a one-half film frame; and

means for selectively exposing respective portions of said aligned one-half film frame by each of said lenses before said film advance mechanism is operated to advance the film to a successive one-half film frame so that images are recorded on the film through both of said lenses each time the film is advanced by said film advance mechanism to a successive one-half film frame.

2. The camera of claim 1, further comprising means for aligning a first object from a first scene in said first lens for exposure on a first quadrant of the film frame in the aligned one-half film frame and for aligning a second object from a second scene in said second lens for exposure on a second quadrant of the film frame in the aligned one-half film frame, said second quadrant being immediately adjacent said first quadrant so that said first object and said second object are exposed and appear on the film as a single area unitarily forming a single combined image in the aligned one-half film frame.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein said film advance mechanism comprises means for advancing the film one-half of a film frame every other time said mechanism is actuated.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein said film exposure means is a rotating aperture disc, said disc selectively permitting one of said lenses to expose said film at a time.

5. The multiple-image camera of claim 4 wherein said disc carries a single aperture and completes a half rotation after each image is exposed.

6. The camera of claim 1, wherein said film exposure means includes a shutter selection lever, said shutter selection lever permitting only one of said lenses to expose said film at a time.

7. The camera of claim 6, wherein said shutter selection lever is disposed to be actuated when said film advance mechanism is actuated.

8. The camera of claim 1, further comprising a selected-lens indicator.

9. A method of recording multiple sequentially exposed images on a single film frame on a strip of film having a multiplicity of unexposed film frames in a camera having multiple lenses each defining an imaging axis therethrough, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) aligning the film strip in a first position in which a first half of a film frame is aligned with a lens axis of each of a first and a second lens of the camera;

(b) exposing a first scene onto a first portion of said film frame first half using said first lens with the film strip in said first position;

(c) exposing a second scene onto a second portion of said film frame first half using said second lens with the film strip in said first position;

(d) after said steps (b) and (c), moving the strip of film to a second position a distance from said first position of one-half of a film frame in a direction orthogonal to said lens axes so as to align said lens axes of each of said first and said second lenses with a second half of the film frame; and

(e) repeating steps (b)-(c) with said film strip in said second position so as to expose third and fourth scenes on first and second portions of said film frame second half and thereby expose multiple images on each one-half of the film frame in an array orthogonal to the movement of the film.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

aligning a first object from a first scene in said first lens for exposure on a first quadrant of the film frame and a second object from a second scene in said second lens for exposure on a second quadrant of the film frame, said second quadrant being adjacent said first quadrant so that said first object and said second object are exposed and appear on the film as a single area unitarily forming a single combined image on the aligned one-half film frame.