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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. In an improved electrically operated camera having a variable focus
lens, a focus setting system for establishing at least two focus settings
of said lens respectively at a far-focus distance less than infinity and a
near-focus distance less than said far-focus distance, an aperture
adjusment system for controllingly setting the lens aperture to a maximum
aperture value and to at least one reduced aperture value no greater than
the hyperfocal aperture value corresponding to said far-focus setting of
said lens, a flash system for scene illumination, a photosensor means
responsive to scene illumination, a user-operated release member operable
at least to a picture-taking position, a shutter, and a shutter actuating
system responsive to movement of said user-operated release member to said
picture-taking position to operate said camera shutter, the improvement
comprising:
said control system including a single main control means operable between
first and second states for controlling both said focus setting and
aperture values;
means operable upon at least partial operation of said release member and
responsive to illumination below a given value sensed by said photosensor
means for enabling triggering of said flash system and for effecting
operation of said main control means at said first state, and responsive
to said illumination above said given value sensed by said photosensor
means for disabling the triggering of said flash system and for effecting
the operation of said main control means at said second state,
additional control means responsive to the operation of said single main
control means to said first state for operating said aperture adjusting
system to establish said lens aperture at said maximum value and for
operating said focus setting system to establish said lens at said
near-focus setting, said additional control means being responsive to the
operation of said single main control means to said second state for
operating said aperture adjustment system to operate said lens aperture to
said at least one reduced aperture value and to operate said focus setting
system to establish said lens at said far-focus setting.
2. The camera of claim 1 wherein said reduced aperture values number at
least two, said aperture adjustment system includes a movable aperture
control member for setting said aperture values according to the position
thereof, an aperture scanning drive system for moving said aperture
control member from a dormant initial position through a range of
positions corresponding to said aperture values responsive to actuation of
the release member and during an adjustment interval before said shutter
is opened, and said additional control means includes an aperture
arresting member operable for movement between a retracted and an
arresting position, means responsive to the first state of said main
control means and said photosensor means for effecting operation of said
arresting member to said arresting position to stop the aperture control
member at a position corresponding to said maximum aperture value and
responsive to the second state of said main control means and said
photosensor means for effecting operation of said arresting member to said
retracted position so that said aperture control member is for a while
freely movable past the position corresponding to said maximum aperture
value to positions corresponding to said reduced aperture values, said
additional control means including position sensing means for sensing the
position of said aperture control member and comparison means responsive
to correspondence of the aperture setting to the scene illumination
indicated by said photosensor means for operating said main control means
to said first state to operate said aperture arresting member to said
arresting position to set said aperture value at one of said reduced
aperture values corresponding to the level of scene illumination.
3. The camera of claim 2 wherein said aperture control member is a rotary
member and said arresting member is disposed to arrest the rotation of
said aperture control member at chosen orientations thereof to establish
chosen aperture values.
4. The camera of claim 3 wherein said arresting member includes an
arresting pawl, said rotary member is configured as a cam having a
plurality of pawl-engaging steps corresponding to said aperture values,
and said single main control means includes a solenoid responsively
controlled by said control system and disposed to attractingly hold said
pawl in a retracted state with respect to said steps, and there is
provided means for urging said pawl to a released step-engaging position
when said solenoid is de-energized.
5. The camera of claim 4 wherein said first state of said main control
means corresponds to retention of said pawl by said solenoid during the
energization thereof, and said second state corresponds to a released
condition therebetween with said solenoid de-energized.
6. The camera of claim 1 wherein said lens focusing system includes a focus
control member movably coupled to the movement of said lens during the
focusing thereof, a focus scanning drive system for moving said lens from
a dormant initial position through a range of focus settings including
said at least two focus settings responsively to actuation of said release
member and during an adjustment interval before said shutter is opened,
and said additional control means including a focus arresting member
operable responsively to the operative states of said single main control
means for movement between a near-focus arresting position and a far-focus
arresting position with respect to said focus control member so that when
said single control means is in said first operative state said focus
arresting member is disposed to engagingly arrest the movement of said
focus control member to set said lens at said near-focus setting and so
that when said main control means is in said second operative state said
focus arresting member is disposed to engagingly arrest the movement of
said focus control member to set said lens at said far-focus position.
7. The camera of claim 2 wherein said lens focusing system includes a focus
control member movably coupled to the movement of said lens during the
focusing thereof, a focus scanning drive system for moving said lens from
a dormant initial position through a range of focus settings including
said at least two focus settings responsively to actuation of said release
member and during an adjustment interval before said shutter is opened,
and said additional control means including a focus arresting member
operable responsively to the operative states of said single main control
means for movement between a near-focus arresting position and a far-focus
arresting position with respect to said focus control member so that when
said single control means is in said first state said focus arresting
member is disposed to engagingly arrest the movement of said focus control
member to set said lens at said near-focus setting and so that when said
main control means is in said second state said focus arresting member is
disposed to engagingly arrest the movement of said focus control member to
set said lens at said far-focus position.
8. The camera of claim 7 wherein said focus control member and said focus
arresting member are configured for mutual trapped non-arresting
engagement in at least first and second trapping configurations
selectively established responsively to the state of said main control
means before substantial movement of said focus control member during said
adjustment interval, said trapped engagement being maintained thereafter
irrespective of changes in said state of said main control means, said
focus control member and said focus arresting member being further
configured so that arresting engagement occurs therebetween at different
positions of said focus control member to establish different lens focus
settings.
9. The camera of claims 1 or 2 wherein said single main control means
includes a single solenoid energizingly governed by said control system
and a movable solenoid armature means operable between first and second
positions corresponding to said first and second states, and coupled to
arrestingly govern said aperture adjustment system and focus setting
system.
10. The camera of claim 7 wherein said single main control means includes a
single solenoid energizingly governed by said control system and a movable
solenoid armature means operable between first and second positions
corresponding to said first and second states, and coupled to arrestingly
govern said aperture adjustment system and focus setting system, said
aperture control member is configured as a rotatably mounted aperture
control cam having at least three cam steps thereon, and said aperture
arresting member is a cam-engaging pawl coupled to be operable
responsively to the state of energization of said solenoid between a
retracted position and an engaging position for arrestingly terminating
the rotation of said aperture control cam by engagement with one of the
steps thereof.
11. The camera of claim 10 wherein said focus arresting member is
releasably coupled to the movement of said aperture arresting member to be
positioned for trapping according to whether said aperture arresting
member is in said retracted or released position.
12. The camera of claim 10 wherein said focus control member is a rotary
member coupled to said lens so as to rotate through a range of angular
positions corresponding to various lens focus settings.
13. The camera of claim 12 wherein said single control means is a solenoid,
said focus arresting member is configured as a pivotally mounted arm
coupled to be rotated between two extreme positions by said solenoid and
having an arresting pin at the end thereof, said focus control member is
provided with adjacent peripheral arc-shaped long-focus and near-focus
passageways centered on the axis of rotation of said focus control member,
each passageway being configured to slidingly accept said arresting pin,
said passageways being separated by an arcuate barrier wall, adjacent
initial ends of said passageways being joined together by a joining
passageway disposed to accept said arresting pin so that before rotation
of said focus control member said arresting pin is positioned to enter the
far-focus or near-focus passageway according to the energization of said
solenoid to be trapped therein during subsequent rotation of said focus
control member, terminal ends of said passageways being configured to
engage said arresting pin at positions corresponding to the far-focus and
near-focus settings of said lens.
14. The camera of claim 10 wherein one of said terminal focus settings is a
macrofocus setting corresponding to an object focusing distance
substantially less than said near-focus distance, said camera further
including holding means operative between arresting and non-arresting
positions for arrestingly holding said lens at said macrofocus setting.
15. The camera of claim 14 further including means responsive to operation
of said holding means to said arresting position for operating said
control system so as to arrestingly hold said aperture control member at a
position corresponding to said minimum aperture value when said flash
system is enabled and so as to arrestingly hold said aperture control
member at a position governed by the level of scene illumination when said
flash system is disabled.
16. The camera of claim 10 further including means for adusting said given
value of illumination to which said responsive means responds according to
filmspeed.
17. The camera of claim 16 wherein said position sensing means includes
means for providing to said comparison means a progressively changing
voltage value corresponding to the varying positions of said aperture
control member, and said photosensor means provides to said comparison
means an electrical control signal varying with sensed scene illumination,
the equality of said progressively varying voltage and said electrical
control signal establishing said given value of illumination.
18. The camera of claim 17 including means for varying the magnitude of one
of said progressively varying voltage values and said electrical control
signal according to filmspeed.
19. The camera of claim 18 including controllable attenuator means for
attenuating said electrical control signal according to filmspeed.
20. The camera of claim 10 wherein said single control means is a solenoid
and said focus arresting member is coupled to said solenoid to be operable
between a near-focus member position and a far-focus member position, said
focus control system including trapping means for trapping said focus
arresting member at one of said member positions during an initial portion
of the rotation of said focus control member so as to remain in said one
member position thereafter irrespective of the state of energization of
said solenoid, said trapping means and said focus arresting member being
configured to arrestingly terminate focus control member rotation at a
position corresponding to the far-focus lens position when said focus
arresting member is trapped in said far-focus member position and at a
position corresponding to said near-focus lens position when said focus
arresting member is trapped at said near-focus member position.
21. The camera of claim 10 wherein said shutter is of the variable-aperture
type having an effective aperture established by a controllable stroke
length, and said aperture control means includes a rotatably mounted
stroke-limiting cam disposed to arrestingly govern said stroke length
according to the position of said stroke-limiting cam, said
stroke-limiting cam being coupled to the rotation of said aperture control
member, said control means including means for arresting the rotation of
said stroke-limiting cam according to the position of said aperture
control member.
22. The camera of claim 21 wherein said aperture control member is
configured as a rotatably mounted aperture control cam coupled to the
rotation of said stroke-limiting cam and having at least three cam steps
thereon, and said aperture arresting member is a spring-biased
cam-engaging pawl coupled to be operable responsively to the state of
energization of said solenoid between a retracted position and an engaging
position for arrestingly terminating the rotation of said aperture control
cam by engagement with one of the steps thereof.
23. The camera of claim 22 wherein said focus control system drives said
lens to focus at progressively increasing object distances and said
aperture control system drives said aperture control cam to serially
present for engagement by said pawl a first step corresponding to a
maximum aperture setting of said stroke-limiting cam, a second step
corresponding to a hyperfocal aperture setting for said lens at said
far-focus position, and at least one additional cam step corresponding to
at least one aperture setting less than said hyperfocal aperture setting.
24. The camera of claims 1, 6, 7, or 10 wherein said focus control system
drives said lens to focus at progressively increasing object distances.
25. The camera of claims 1, 6, 7 or 10 wherein said far-focus setting is
one of said limiting focus settings.
26. The camera of claims 2, 6, 7, or 10 wherein the largest of said reduced
aperture values is the hyperfocal value corresponding to said far-focus
setting.
27. In an improved electrically operated camera having a picture-taking
lens, a photosensor means for producing photosensing control signal
conditions indicative of scene illumination, a flash system, an aperture
adjusment system responsive to said photosensor means for controllingly
setting the lens aperture to a maximum aperture value and to a plurality
of reduced aperture values, a user-operated release member operable at
least to a picture-taking position, a shutter, and a shutter actuating
system responsive to movement of said user-operated release member to said
picture-taking position to operate said shutter, main control means
responsive to said photosensing control signal conditions by assuming a
first state for a scene illumination below a given value and a second
state for a scene illumination above said value, means operable upon at
least partial operation of said release member and responsive to
illumination below a given value sensed by said photosensor means for
enabling triggering of said flash system and for effecting operation of
said main control means at said first state, and responsive to said
illumination above said given value sensed by said photosensor means for
disabling the triggering of said flash system and for effecting the
operation of said main control means at said second state, the improvement
wherein said aperture adjustment system comprises:
a movable aperture control member for setting said aperture values
according to the position thereof; an aperture scanning drive system for
moving said aperture control member from a dormant initial position
through a range of positions corresponding to said aperture values
responsive to actuation of the release member and during an adjustment
interval before said shutter is opened; an aperture arresting member
operable for movement between a retracted and an arresting position; means
responsive to the first state of said main control means and said
photosensor means for effecting operation of said arresting member to an
arresting condition to later stop the aperture control member at a
position corresponding to said maximum aperture value and responsive to
the second state of said main control means and said photosensor means for
effecting operation of said arresting member to said retracted position so
that said aperture control member is for a while freely movable past the
position corresponding to said maximum aperture value to positions
corresponding to said reduced aperture values; position sensing means for
sensing the position of said aperture control member and comparison means
responsive to correspondence of the aperture setting to the scene
illumination indicated by said photosensor means for operating said main
control means to said first state to operate said aperture arresting
member to said arresting position to set said aperture value at one of
said reduced aperture values corresponding to the level of scene
illumination.
28. The camera of claim 27 wherein said aperture control member is a rotary
member and said aperture arresting member is disposed to arrest the
rotation of said aperture control member at chosen orientations thereof to
establish chosen aperture values.
29. The camera of claim 28 wherein said arresting member includes an
arresting pawl, said rotary member is configured as a cam having a
plurality of pawl-engaging steps corresponding to said aperture values,
and said main control means includes a solenoid responsively energized by
said photosensor means and disposed to attractingly hold said pawl in a
retracted state with respect to said steps, and there is provided means
for urging said pawl to a released step-engaging position when said
solenoid is de-energized.
30. The camera of claim 29 wherein during operation of said aperture
adjustment system said solenoid is maintained in said de-energized
condition when said photosensor means senses a scene illumination below
said given level. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The technical field of the invention is the photographic camera art, and in
particular cameras having provision for automatic electronic control of
lens focus and aperture setting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A coworker of the inventor has recently developed a simplified automatic
control system for electrical cameras. This system is the subject of
patent applications pending in various countries throughout the world, and
in the United States under application Ser. No. 785,572 filed Oct. 8,
1985, now abandoned. This system sets the lens focus between one of two
settings according to ambient scene light sensings. Under relatively
bright light conditions, the lens is selectively set by one solenoid to a
far-focus position for objects at significant distances from the camera,
this far-focus position focusing the lens at an object distance less than
infinity. An automatic aperture control, similarly governed by scene
illumination, establishes, in the most preferred form of the invention,
under bright light conditions an aperture setting at one of preferably two
values each less than the maximum possible aperture value, the larger of
these being the hyperfocal aperture value corresponding to the far-focus
setting of the lens. The smaller of these is selected by a second solenoid
which is energized when a bright range of light values is detected, and
the larger of these settings is selected by a third solenoid when a lower
range of light values is detected, but which is still bright enough that
flash illumination is unnecessary. The abovementioned hyperfocal aperture
setting has the effect of placing the far edge of the depth of field at
infinity, and the near edge at approximately half the object focusing
distance. With the aperture at the second reduced aperture setting, a
greater depth of field is achieved so that objects at infinity are
rendered somewhat sharper, and the near edge of the depth of field moves
somewhat closer to the camera. Under relatively weak lighting conditions,
a flash system is automatically actuated, the lens is moved to the
near-focus position, and the aperture is automatically set to its maximum
value where the depth of field is at a minimum.
Thus for each desired additional operative setting, it would seem that an
additional solenoid would be needed, which would be costly and bulky.
A more desirable control system is needed whereby preferably a single
solenoid or other control means can be used in such a system to govern the
lens adjustment and the various aperture settings.
The instant invention has some features in common with those described in
U.S. application Ser. No. 825,797 filed Feb. 7, 1986. However, unlike the
most advantageous form of the present invention, it discloses aperture and
focus control systems requiring two independent solenoids to provide a few
focus and aperture settings. To provide for a large range of aperture
settings, the present application, unlike this other application,
discloses the employment of a rotary contactor for rotating an
aperture-setting control cam so as to provide sensing information to an
associated control system providing a large number of aperture settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,801 issued Oct. 29, 1985 to Winter and owned by the
assignee of the present invention also discloses the employment of such a
rotary contactor in conjunction with a control circuit to govern such
settings. However, in other respects it is a completely different focus
and aperture control system and bears no relationship to the present
hyperfocal setting of the lens to which one aspect of the present
invention relates. In this patented system as well, independent solenoids
are necessary to its implementation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a feature of the invention, a pair of synchronous rotary drive
systems driving a lens focusing ring and an aperture control cam are
governed by properly timed control signals governing the energization of a
single control solenoid operatively linked to these systems. Under bright
scene illumination the focusing rotation of the lens is stopped at a
far-focus position corresponding to a long object distance less than
infinity, and the exposure control cam is stopped to set the lens aperture
setting to one of a number of possible values less than the largest
aperture setting, in the preferred embodiment numbering eight, depending
on the amount of light detected. The largest of these eight aperture
settings is preferably the hyperfocal aperture value corresponding to the
far-focus lens setting. Under weak scene illumination a flash system is
automatically enabled, and properly timed solenoid energization causes the
lens focusing rotation to be arrested at a near-focus position
corresponding to an object distance substantially less than the far-focus
position, and causes the aperture control cam to be arrested at a position
yielding a maximum aperture value.
According to a related feature of the invention, the final degree of
rotation of the lens is established early during the synchronous rotation
of the two scanning drive systems by trapping the arresting member in one
of two positions according to the initial state of energization of the
solenoid, this position being maintained irrespective of subsequent states
of the solenoid, to arrest the lens at either the near-focus or the
far-focus setting thereof, according to ambient illumination sensings.
According to a further related feature of the invention, aperture control
is achieved by maintaining a cam-arresting pawl at a retracted position by
energizing the solenoid, and by releasing this pawl to arrest the aperture
control cam by de-energizing the solenoid at an appropriate time. In
particular, under dim lighting conditions requiring maximum aperture, the
solenoid is de-energized prior to system rotation so as to engage the
first cam step, thereby establishing the maximum possible aperture for the
system; whereas, under lighting conditions sufficiently bright that flash
illumination is unnecessary, the solenoid is energized prior to system
rotation, and de-energized at an appropriate time so as to drop the pawl
to arrest cam rotation at one of the reduced aperture settings.
According to related features of the invention, the aperture setting under
conditions of relatively bright scene illumination is governed according
to filmspeed sensings as well as ambient scene illumination, and the
changeover between flash mode and ambient illumination mode is similarly
governed by filmspeed sensings. There is further provided a macrofocus
(ultra-short focus) capability which is achieved by arresting the lens
movement close to its initial (very close focus) position, there further
being provided means for controlling the aperture setting over a range of
values according to filmspeed sensings, and for providing automatic flash
mode of operation under weak lighting conditions with the aperture
automatically set to its minimum position. This changeover threshold is
also governed by filmspeed. The aperture setting is set automatically at
its largest value in this flash mode. All of the foregoing features are
accomplished by means of a system of minimum complexity and expense.
Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent upon
making reference to the specification, claims, and drawings to follow.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front elevational view of the principal
components of a focus and aperture control system, a focus control system,
and an exposure control system as mounted on a rear mounting board, the
system being in a cocked condition.
FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, further having central components removed to
show the initial phase of the opening of a pair of variable aperture
shutter blades.
FIG. 3 shows the principal elements of FIG. 2 at the extreme open limit of
the shutter blades.
FIG. 4 is a fold-out view of the central region of the rear mounting board
of FIG. 1 confronting a front mounting board carrying a lens cell
assembly. Details of the lens focus control system have been removed for
clarity.
FIG. 5 shows the principal focus and exposure control elements of the
system shown in FIG. 1 in the dormant cocked condition.
FIG. 6 shows an intermediate phase of focus adjustment in flash mode.
FIG. 7 shows the terminal phase of focus adjustment in flash mode shortly
after lens focusing has been completed, and further showing the variable
aperture shutter at the moment of full-aperture extension.
FIG. 8 shows an intermediate phase of adjustment of the lens focus and
aperture setting in the daylight mode of operation.
FIG. 9 shows the elements of FIG. 8 with focus and aperture settings fully
established, and the variable aperture shutter at maximum stroke when
fully stopped down.
FIG. 10 shows early termination of the focusing adjustment to provide a
macrofocus capability by engagement with a rotation limiting element.
FIG. 11 is a fold-out view showing a rotary contactor used to govern the
control system and its opposing metallization pads mounted on the front
mounting board.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for the electrical control circuit used to
govern camera focus and exposure, having certain control subcircuits in
block schematic form.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention deals with a system whereby a still camera is
operated between daylight and flash mode responsively to a photosensing of
the ambient lighting conditions. Below a given detected threshold level of
ambient illumination, preferably governed by filmspeed entry of one form
or another, the camera is automatically actuated to a flash mode providing
a maximum lens aperture setting and automatically setting the lens to a
near-focus condition. Above this threshold level the flash is disabled,
the lens is automatically moved to a far-focus position, and the aperture
is adjusted accordingly over a range of lens aperture values less than the
largest flash mode setting. In particular, the first of these reduced
aperture settings is the preferably hyperfocal aperture setting, i.e.,
that aperture value which, with the lens set at the far-focus position,
places the far edge of the depth of field at infinity, and the near edge
at approximately one-half the object focusing distance of the lens.
Brighter ambient sensings cause correspondingly reduced aperture settings
to be established, thereby sharpening the image quality throughout the
hyperfocal focusing range, and extending it additionally somewhat closer
to the camera.
Both aperture and focus settings are established by properly timed control
signals supplied to single-solenoid governed linkages establishing the
lens focus and the aperture settings. Additionally, there is provided a
macro focus position providing for a lens focus position such that
extremely close objects will be in focus, the system concomitantly
stopping down the aperture to its minimum value to provide maximum depth
of field during flash exposures. If flash is unnecessary, then the
aperture value is automatically set according to ambient light sensings.
FIG. 1 shows in partial cutaway form the principal elements of the shutter
release system of the present invention mounted on a rear mounting board
10. A shutter actuating slide 12 has a pair of elongated guide slots 14,16
disposed along the length thereof and is held slidably secured to the rear
mounting board by guide pins 18,20 having retaining crowns 22,24 thereon.
A slide energizing spring 26, fastened at its righthand end to the shutter
slide by a post 28 and at its lefthand end to the rear mounting board 10
by a pin 30, thus urges the shutter slide to the left. A shutter release
bar (release lever) 32, rotatably mounted on a pivot 34, is configured at
the righthand end with a release bar latch face 36 confronting a
complementarily configured shutter slide latch face 38 provided on an
extension of the shutter slide 12. Spring bias means 11 (not shown in FIG.
1; see FIG. 12) urge the shutter release bar 32 clockwise to hold the
shutter slide 12 to the right in a cocked position as shown. A
counterclockwise rotation of the shutter release bar 32 will release the
latch engagement, allowing the shutter slide 12 to move to the left under
the action of the slide energizing spring 26, ultimately to actuate the
shutter through an exposure cycle.
The upper suface of the shutter actuating slide 12 is provided with a
toothed rack 142 engaging a pinion gear 144 drivingly coupled to a
velocity limiter consisting of elements of a velocity limiter assembly 146
consisting of elements 150,152,154,156,148, 158,216,218. These elements
are not the subject of the instant invention and will not be discussed
further, except to state that their function is to inhibit the leftward
velocity of the shutter actuating slide 12 until the complete possible
range of focus and aperture settings have been traversed. After this time,
the velocity limiter assembly 146 disengages from the shutter actuating
slide 12, and the slide moves rapidly to the left under the action the
spring 14, shortly thereafter causing initiation of shutter actuation.
Two principal mechanical control systems are also shown in FIG. 1. One
system rotates a focus control ring 40 which varies the position of a lens
cell assembly 42 along the optic axis 44, as shown in better detail in
FIG. 4. The other system controls the exposure by adjusting the maximum
stroke of an impulse-driven variable aperture shutter 46,48,50 as best
shown in FIG. 3. An exposure control cam assembly 52 carries a step-shaped
stroke limiter cam 54 disposed to obstructingly limit the shutter stroke.
Rotation of the exposure control cam assembly 52 to a suitable point
before the shutter is driven open will control the exposure, and in
particular the effective aperture, as will be discussed.
Considering first the focus control system in more detail, the rotatably
mounted focus control ring 40 (focus control member) has a central clear
aperture 56. Gear teeth 58--58 are provided along one margin thereof
engaging confronting teeth of a rotatable focus drive sector gear 60
mounted on a pivot 61. A focus drive energizing spring 62 attached at one
end to pin 30 mounted on the rear mounting board and at the other to a
post 64 on the sector gear 60 urges the sector gear in a counterclockwise
direction. The focus drive sector gear 60 has a regulator extension 66
carrying a regulator pin 68 at the end thereof disposed so that the pin
confronts an extension hook 70 on the shutter slide 12. In the cocked
state shown in FIG. 1, the engagement of the regulator pin 68 with the
hook 70 prevents the sector gear 60 from rotating so as to drive the focus
control ring 40 through the focusing range of the lens. As will
subsequently discussed in more detail, properly timed actuation of a
control solenoid 72 will cause the rotation of the focus control ring 40
to be interrupted so as to arrest the lens motion at either a near-focus
or a far-focus position.
It will further be noted with reference to FIG. 1 that any such arresting
rotation of the focus control ring 40 will simultaneously arrest the
rotation of the sector gear 60, causing the regulator pin 68 to be
similarly arrested in its leftward travel, allowing the extension hook 70
of shutter slide 12 to continue its movement to the left. Thereafter
throughout the remainder of the exposure operation, the lens focus setting
is retained until restored to its original dormant position shown in FIG.
1 by a cocking operation returning the shutter slide 12 to the cocked
position shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows further partial details of the lens focusing system. The
various lens-arresting elements have been removed for purposes of clarity.
A camera lens 43, mounted in the lens cell assembly 42, is movably
retained in a lens cell receiving sleeve 222 extending from the front
mounting board 170 generally towards, and coaxially disposed with respect
to, the focus control ring 40. A wave spring 224 disposed between the
front mounting board 170 and the cell assembly tends to force the lens
cell 42 towards the focus control ring, and an antirotation lug 226 guided
by a lug guide slot 228 (one wall cut away for clarity) in the lens cell
receiving sleeve 42 prevents rotation of the lens cell. With reference to
the focus control ring 40, it will be seen that along the inner periphery
of the ring are three annularly disposed ramps 230--230. The lens cell 42
is provided along the peripheral edges thereof with three ramp follower
lugs 232--232, each lug being positioned to confront one of the three
focus control ring ramps 230--230. During the cocking operation, rotation
of the focus control ring 40 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 4 then
causes each ramp 230--230 to force its associated follower lug 232--232
forward against the force of the wave spring 224, thereby moving the lens
43 progressively farther away from the rear of the camera to a very close
focusing position. This is the dormant position of the lens 43 prior to
initiation of the exposure operation. During the exposure operation, the
lens 43 is driven from the very close focusing position corresponding to a
macrofocus position (ultrashort object focusing distance) towards a
terminal far-focus position.
Considering next the exposure control system (see also FIG. 3), the
rotatable exposure control cam assembly 52, rotatably mounted on a pivot
106, carries a pinion 108 integral therewith which engages an exposure
control sector drive gear 110 rotatably mounted on a pivot 112. An
exposure cam energizing spring 114, secured at one end to a post 116
fastened to the rear mounting board 10 and at the other to a portion of
the sector drive gear 110, urges the sector gear in a counterclockwise
direction, so as to rotate the exposure control cam assembly 52 in a
clockwise direction.
As in the case of the focus drive sector gear 60, the exposure control
sector gear 110 is provided at one end thereof with a regulator extension
118 and a regulator pin 120, the pin being disposed in confronting
engagement with a cutout 122 in the righthand end of the shutter slide 12.
The exposure control cam assembly is provided with an integral exposure
control cam (aperture control member) 140 having a number of ratchet teeth
140a-140i disposed to serially pass an opposing control pawl (aperture
arresting member) 126 mounted on a rotatable control pawl assembly 128. As
will subsequently be discussed in greater detail, properly timed actuation
of the control solenoid 72 will cause the rotation of the exposure control
cam 140 to be arrested at the appropriate time by the control pawl 126 to
govern the exposure. As in the case of the focus control ring 40,
arresting the rotation of the cam assembly 52 stops the rotation of the
sector drive gear 110, causing the regulator pin 120 to disengage from the
cutout 122 in the righthand end of the shutter slide 12. In this respect
it should also be recognized that complete resynchronization of the focus
control ring 40 and the exposure control cam assembly 52 will be
reestablished at their original dormant positions when the shutter
actuating slide 12 is returned to the cocked position shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows the initial phase of the opening of the shutter. The shutter
will be seen to consist of overlapping upper and lower shutter blade
leaves 46,48, each leaf having a guide slot 174,176 therein whereby the
leaves are captively retained by a pair of guide pins 178,180. Each
shutter leaf 46,48 is provided with a blade extension arm 182,184, the
ends of each blade extension arm being attached by pivots 186,188 to the
ends of a coupling bar mounted on its own pivot 192. A shutter return
spring 194 anchored at one end to a portion of the coupling bar and at the
other to a post 196 on the rear mounting board 10 provides a clockwise
torque to the coupling bar to return the shutter blades 46,48 to the
completely overlapping position wherein arcuate cutouts 198,200 in the
shutter blade leaves are completely masked.
In the phase of shutter actuation shown in FIG. 2, the shutter slide 12 has
moved rapidly to the left. An extension is formed on the lower edge of the
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