Photographic film package and method of making the same

• US 4,954,857 A
• Filed: 09/19/1989
• Issued: 09/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Shigeru, Maekawa, Tokuo, Yoshida, Toshio, Matsumoto, Yasuo, Ohmura, Hiroshi, Asano, Seiji, Ushiro, Seimei, Mochida, Mitsuyoshi, Takei, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US07/409,420
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 354/75, 354/76, 354/202, 354/212, 354/217, 354/288
• US Class Current: 396/6
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/04 Roll-film cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2219/045 adapted for unloading the film in the processing laboratory, e.g. disposable, reusable or recyclable cameras

Abstract

A lens-fitted photographic film package comprising a light-tight film casing having an exposure opening, a rolled film disposed on one side of the exposure opening in the light-tight casing, a removable light-tight container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the other side of the exposure opening in the light-tight film casing, and an externally operable film winding member for winding the rolled film around said film winding spool of the light-tight film container. The lens-fitted photographic film package is assembled by the steps of winding film withdrawn from a light-tight film container in a roll in a darkroom; loading the rolled film and the light-tight film container in separate respective receiving chambers formed in a main body section of the lens-fitted photographic film package; and fixing a back cover section to the main body section so as to assemble light-tightly the lens-fitted photographic film package.

Claims

1. A lens-fitted photographic film package having an externally operable member for effecting an exposure, comprising:

a light-tight casing having an opening through which said exposure is made when said externally operable member is operated;

a roller unexposed film disposed on one side of said opening in an unexposed film roll receiving chamber in said light-tight casing with its outermost turn exposed to side walls of said chamber and its innermost turn surrounding an empty space;

a removable light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the opposite side of said opening in said light-tight casing from said rolled film, one end of said rolled film being attached to said film winding spool;

means for winding said rolled film into said light-tight film container and around said film winding spool; and

means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

2. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 1, wherein said means is an externally operable, rotatable member connected with said film winding spool to rotate said spool.

3. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 1, and means preventing said winding means from rotating in more than one direction, so as to prevent film wound around said film winding spool from being unwound.

4. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 1, wherein said removable light-tight film container is a 35 mm-size film patrone having a spool to which one end of said rolled film is attached.

5. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 1, wherein said light-tight casing comprises a main body section which is provided with a shutter member, and a back cover section having first supporting means for supporting said light-tight film container, these two sections being assembled into one integral unit.

6. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 5, wherein said main body section has a curved film supporting member which is rearwardly convex.

7. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first supporting means comprises a resilient member attached to said back cover section which is adapted to removably hold said light-tight film container.

8. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 5, wherein said first supporting means is a flexible portion integrally formed with and extending from said main body section which is adapted to removably hold said light-tight film container.

9. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 5, further comprising second supporting means for supporting said rolled film.

10. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 5, wherein one of said sections is provided with a portion which is breakable to gain access to remove said container.

11. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 10, wherein said breakable portion is formed adjacent to said light-tight film container.

12. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 6, further comprising means responsive to operation of said externally operable member for allowing said film winding spool to rotate so as to enable winding said rolled film every exposure.

13. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 12, wherein said responsive means includes a sprocket wheel driven by movement of said rolled film.

14. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 13, wherein said responsive means includes a frame counter driven by said sprocket wheel.

15. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 14, wherein said frame counter has at least one indication before a consecutive series of frame numbers.

16. A lens-fitted photographic film package as defined in claim 14, wherein said frame counter is provided with a cam member for disabling said responsive means.

17. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 6, wherein said light-tight casing further comprises a removable portion permitting axial withdrawal of said light-tight film container having exposed film wound thereon without exposing said light passage.

18. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 1, wherein said winding means is operable to wind said rolled film in only one direction.

19. A lens-fitted photographic film package having an externally operable member for effecting an exposure, comprising:

a light-tight film casing having an opening through which said exposure is made when said externally operable member is operated;

an exposed rolled film disposed on one side of said opening in said light-tight casing;

a removable light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the opposite side of said opening in said light-tight casing from said rolled film, one end of said rolled film being attached to said film winding spool;

means for winding said rolled film into said light-tight film container and around said film winding spool; and

winding control means responsive to operation of said externally operable member for allowing said film winding spool to rotate so as to enable said rolled film to be advanced by only one frame after every exposure;

said winding control means including;

a sprocket wheel driven by movement of said rolled film;

a frame counter driven by said sprocket wheel, said frame counter being provided with indications designating a series of frame numbers and means for disabling said winding control means responsive to said frame counter indicating there remains on said unexposed film no film frame capable of being exposed; and

means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

20. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 19, wherein said light-tight casing further comprises a removable portion permitting axial withdrawal of said light-tight film container having exposed film wound thereon without exposing said light passage.

21. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 19, wherein said winding means is operable to wind said rolled film in only one direction.

22. A lens-fitted photographic film package comprising:

a light-tight film casing having an opening through which an exposure is made;

a light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on one side of said opening in said light-tight film casing;

a rotatable spool disposed on the opposite side of said opening in said light-tight film casing from said light-tight film container;

one end of said spool being exposed outside said light-tight film casing;

a film roll of unexposed film of which one end is attached to said film winding spool in said light-tight film container and which is rolled around said rotatable spool; and

means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

23. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 22, wherein said light-tight casing further comprises a removable portion permitting axial withdrawal of said light-tight film container having exposed film wound thereon without exposing said light passage.

24. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 22, wherein said winding means is operable to wind said rolled film in only one direction.

25. A lens-fitted photographic film package comprising a light-tight film casing and a rolled film contained in said light-tight film package, said light-tight film package comprising:

a front casing section provided with a lens opening, a finder frame opening, and engaging openings;

a middle casing section with its back open and containing said rolled film therein, said middle casing section having engaging lugs which engage with said engaging openings of said front casing section and holding a lens behind said lens opening between said front and middle casing sections;

a rear casing section light-tightly closing said back of said middle casing section; and

means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

26. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 25, wherein said light-tight casing further comprises a removable portion permitting axial withdrawal of said light-tight film container having exposed film wound thereon without exposing said light passage.

27. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 41, wherein said winding means is operable to wind said rolled film in only one direction.

28. A lens-fitted photographic film package comprising:

a light-tight film casing having an opening through which an exposure is made;

a light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on one side of said opening in said light-tight film casing;

a resilient sleeve disposed on the opposite side of said opening in said light-tight film casing from said light-tight film container;

a roll of unexposed film of which one end is attached to said film winding spool in said light-tight film container and which is rolled around said rotatable sleeve;

said resilient sleeve being split lengthwise the full length thereof, the other end of said roll of unexposed film being disposed within said sleeve and passing between edges of said resilient split sleeve; and

means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

29. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 28, wherein said light-tight casing further comprises a removable portion permitting axial withdrawal of said light-tight film container having exposed film wound thereon without exposing said light passage.

30. A lens-fitted photographic film package according to claim 28, wherein said winding means is operable to wind said rolled film in only one direction.