Operation method of device loaded with a film unit

• US 5,752,105 A
• Filed: 01/15/1997
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Hitoshi, Takahashi, Tsugio, Imura, Yoshio, Miyamoto, Hidenori, Nagai, Jun, Tsukahara, Daiki, Inoue, Hideya, Kotani, Noriyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/782,681
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 396/207, 396/284, 396/285, 396/390, 396/515, 396/263, 396/266, 396/319, 396/310, 396/389
• US Class Current: 396/207
• 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 (e.g., a camera) loaded with a film unit operates to detect a characteristic of the film unit, such as the state of an information part of the film unit. The detection result is used as a basis to control the performance of a further operation, such as a phototaking operation or a state-setting operation for the information part.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device which is capable of loading a film unit of a type having film and a container for accommodating said film, said device being provided with a transporter capable of electrically feeding and rewinding said film, and said film unit being unloadable from said device after a rewind operation in which film fed outside said container is fed back inside said container by said transporter, said method comprising:

loading said device with a film unit of the aforesaid type and having a changeable information part;

detecting whether said information part has a predetermined state; and

in response to a detection that said information part does not have said predetermined state, setting said information part to said predetermined state.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device is constructed to subject film fed outside the container of the loaded film unit to light.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said device is constituted by a camera constructed to subject film fed outside the container of the loaded film unit to light in order to make an exposure.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information part is supported by the container of the loaded film unit.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the setting of said information part is performed in association with a rewind operation of said transporter.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the setting of said information part is performed in association with a completion of the rewind operation of said transporter.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said device is constituted by a camera.

8. A method according to claim 1, including electrically driving said information part, and wherein the setting of said information part includes contacting a magnetic head with said information part to magnetically set said information part to said predetermined state when said information part is driven.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising moving said recording head from a retracted position retracted from said information part to a contact position in contact with said information part in order to perform the setting of said information part, and retracting said recording head to said retracted position after a completion of the setting of said information part.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined state indicates a film use state.

11. A method of operating a camera, comprising:

loading the camera with a single-chamber cartridge;

detecting from the loaded cartridge, a characteristic of the cartridge; and

automatically prohibiting phototaking, depending upon the detection result.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said characteristic is detected magnetically.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said characteristic is detected photoelectrically.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said characteristic indicates a use state of said cartridge, and said prohibiting is performed when said characteristic indicates that said cartridge is used.

15. A method of operating a camera capable of loading a single-chamber type film unit having film and a container defining said chamber, with said chamber accommodating said film, said method comprising:

loading the camera with a film unit of the aforesaid type and having a changeable-state information part;

detecting a state of said information part; and

automatically prohibiting phototaking, depending upon the detected state.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said state is detected photoelectrically.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said information part is supported by the container of the loaded film unit.

18. A method according to claim 15, including electrically driving said information part, and contacting a reproducing head with said information part when said information part is driven, in order to magnetically detect the state of said information part.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising moving said reproducing head from a retracted position retracted from said information part to a contact position in contact with said information part, in order to perform the detecting of the state of said information part, and retracting said reproducing head to said retracted position after a completion of the detecting.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the state of said information part represents information regarding a prevention of re-exposure.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said information regarding a prevention of re-exposure corresponds to a partially used film state, and said prohibiting is performed when said state representing said information regarding a prevention of re-exposure is detected.