Pump camera - Patent Review 5737656

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 08/580,095, entitled: COMPACT SHUTTER RELEASE/FILM DRIVE, and filed in the names of Edward N. Balling and David C. Smart, Ser. No. 08/577,288, entitled: FILM METERING MECHANISM and filed in the names of Thomas Dussinger, Dennis R. Zander, David C. Smart, and Edward N. Balling, Ser. No. 08/577,785, entitled: CAMERA WITH FILM METERING RESPONSIVE SHUTTER RELEASE, and filed in the name of Edward N. Balling, David C. Smart, Thomas Dussinger, and Dennis R. Zander, and Ser. No. 08/577,289, entitled: FILM ADVANCE IN A PUMP CAMERA and filed in the names of Edward N. Balling, David C. Smart, Dennis R. Zander, and Thomas Dussinger, each of which are assigned to the assignee of this application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography. More specifically, the invention relates to a film advancing system for a camera having a film drive mechanism which cooperates with a translatable pump action cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the production of single-use cameras, the traditional method of film advance has been the classic thumbwheel design. This system is used due to the low cost and ease of customer use.

Conventionally, a thumbwheel is used which drives a sprocket which engages the perforations of a filmstrip contained within the camera to advance the filmstrip in a frame by frame manner across the exposure gate. The rotation of the sprocket also cocks the high energy lever. When the trigger is fired, the high energy lever is released and the shutter blade is tripped. At the end of the stroke, the high energy lever also releases the thumbwheel lock and film sprocket.

A timing problem occurs in that the above sequence produces a race which is created between the closing of the shutter blade and the release of the film sprocket, which releases the thumbwheel and the filmstrip for advance. If the film sprocket is released before the closing of the shutter blade, then film motion may blur the image, producing undesirable results.

Additionally, the use of a thumbwheel film advance system requires several rotations of the wheel in order to advance a frame sized portion of the filmstrip into and out of the exposure gate.

There is a need then to provide a simple efficient and economical film advance system which advances an exposure frame in a single movement, and in which the functions between film metering and image capture are uniquely separable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera comprising:

a body portion having a cartridge chamber for retaining a film cartridge and a film chamber for retaining a filmstrip;

a pump cover coupled to said body portion and movable in opposite directions between an opened and a closed position; and

a rotatable film winding gear attached to said body portion for engaging the film cartridge to wind filmstrip into the film cartridge as said gear is rotated, which is characterized by:

engageable locking means for locking said film winding gear to prevent said gear from being rotated to wind the filmstrip into the film cartridge;

a movable gear rack having a set of engagement teeth for engaging said film winding gear to rotate the film winding gear when said cover is moved in one of the opposite directions; and

means for disengaging said locking means when said cover is moved in another of said opposite directions.

An advantageous feature of the present invention is that the pump cover can be opened and closed without prematurely advancing the film and with no resulting damage to the film advance mechanism in that the film metering and shutter release functions have been fully separated.

A further advantageous feature of the present invention is that operation of a pump camera made in accordance with the present invention is simple and efficient, with a minimum number of parts required, and without potential film chatter.

A still further advantageous feature of the present invention is that film can be advanced in a frame by frame manner using a single stroke of the pump cover, rather than having to execute multiple rotations of a conventionally known thumbwheel.

These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and appended Claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded front perspective view of a camera having a film advance system in accordance with a preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is the front perspective view of the camera of FIG. 1, showing a film advancing pump cover in a fully opened position;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the pump cover in a fully closed position;

FIG. 4 is a partial front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-3, showing the pump cover in the fully opened position, prior to the depression of the shutter release button;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the primary components of the film advance system according to this first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the of the camera of FIGS. 1-5 illustrating the interaction between the film drive components of the film advance system;

FIGS. 7(a)-7(d) are partial perspective views showing the interaction between the drive spline and the film cartridge drive components in respective disengaged and engaged positions;

FIGS. 8(a)-8(c) are rear perspective views of the film drive components of the camera of FIGS. 1-6; in which FIG. 8(a) is partially cut-away and FIGS. 8(b) and 8(c) are taken partially in section;

FIG. 9 is the partial rear perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-8(c) showing the camera after the shutter release button has been depressed;

FIG. 10 is the partial front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-9 immediately after the shutter release button has been depressed;

FIG. 11 is a partial front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-10 showing the initial engagement of the pump cover with the film advance system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a partial top view of the camera showing the unlocking of the metering pawl member;

FIG. 13 is a partial side perspective view of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is the partial top perspective view of the movement of metering pawl member of FIG. 12 relative to the frame of the camera;

FIG. 15 is the partial top perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-14 showing the initial disengagement of the metering pawl member with the advancing filmstrip;

FIG. 16 is a partial top perspective view of FIG. 15 showing the complete disengagement of the metering pawl member from the filmstrip;

FIG. 17 is the partial front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 1-16 illustrating the realignment of the metering pawl member with the filmplane;

FIG. 18 is the partial front perspective view of FIG. 17 showing the positioning of the demetering lever relative to the metering pawl member prior to film metering;

FIG. 19 is a partial front perspective view of FIG. 18 showing the relative movement of the metering pawl member after the member has engaged a new set of exposure frame-defining perforations of the advancing filmstrip;

FIG. 20 is the partial front perspective view of FIG. 19 showing the camera in the film metered position prior to image capture;

FIG. 21 is an exploded front perspective view of a camera having a film advance system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a partial top perspective view of the camera of FIG. 21, showing the pump cover in the opened position;

FIG. 23 is a partially assembled front perspective view of the frame portion of the camera shown in FIG. 21 and 22;

FIG. 24 is a top perspective view of the camera film advance mechanism prior to depression of the shutter release button;

FIG. 25 is a top view of the camera of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a partial rear perspective view of the camera of FIG. 25, showing the alignment of the pump cover with the elongating arms of the high energy lever and the metering release element;

FIG. 27 is a top view of the camera of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a top perspective view of the camera of FIG. 24, showing engagement of the pump cover with the high energy lever, and the initial loading of the gear rack;

FIG. 29 is the rear perspective view of FIG. 26 showing the engagement of the pump cover with the elongate portion of the metering release element;

FIG. 30 is a rear view of the camera of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is the top view of FIG. 27, showing the displacement of the metering release element when engaged by a rib member of the pump cover;

FIG. 32 is the rear perspective view of FIG. 29, showing the completion of the pump closing stroke;

FIG. 33 is the rear perspective view of FIG. 32, as the pump cover initiates a translation in the opening direction;

FIG. 34 is the partial top view of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a top perspective view of the rear of the camera of FIGS. 21-34, showing the initiation of the pump cover opening sequence and the release of the film release gear to allow advancing of a filmstrip;

FIG. 36 is the top perspective view of FIG. 35, showing the metering pawl being cammed out of engagement with the filmstrip;

FIG. 37 is the top perspective view of FIGS. 35 and 36, showing the metering pawl after the pawl has been biased into a filmstrip engageable position;

FIG. 38 is the top perspective view of FIGS. 35-37, showing the metering pawl as reengaged with the advancing filmstrip;

FIG. 39 is a rear perspective view of the camera showing the disengagement of the metering release lever from the opening pump cover;

FIG. 40 is a top perspective view of the opened pump cover;

FIG. 41 is a rear perspective view of the camera after the pump cover has assumed the fully opened position and the film advance components have assumed their respective initial positions;

FIG. 42 is an exploded front perspective view of the invention according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 43 is a partial front perspective view of the camera of FIG. 42, with the pump cover in the opened position;

FIG. 44 is a top perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 42 and 43 with the pump cover removed;

FIG. 45 is the top perspective view of FIG. 44 after the shutter release button has been depressed;

FIG. 46 is the top perspective view of FIG. 45 with a portion of the pump cover visible and translated to an engagement position with the high energy lever;

FIG. 47 is the top perspective view of FIG. 46 showing the initial pivot of the metering release element due to the closing movement of the pump cover;

FIG. 48 is the top perspective view of FIG. 47 showing the continued pivot of the metering release element in response to the closing movement of the pump cover to cause a gear lifting arm to lift the idler gear into engagement with the remainder of the film drive system;

FIG. 49 is the top perspective view showing the pump cover at the end of the closing stroke;

FIG. 50 is a partial front perspective view of a camera similar to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-20, with a pump cover having a different configuration for engaging and rotating the metering release lever and the high energy lever;

FIG. 51 is a partial top view of the camera shown in FIG. 50;

FIG. 52 is the partial top view of the camera shown in FIG. 51 after the high energy lever has been released;

FIG. 53 is the partial top view of FIGS. 51 and 52 depicting the engagement of a contacting arm with the spring arm of the high energy lever;

FIG. 54 is the partial top view of FIG. 53 depicting the cocking of the high energy lever and the rotation of the metering release lever as the pump cover is closed;

FIG. 55 is a partial front perspective view of a camera according to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-20, illustrating another alternate configuration of the pump cover, metering release lever, and high energy lever;

FIG. 56 is a partial top perspective view of the camera of FIG. 55 showing the engagement of the pump cover with the metering release lever and the high energy lever; and

FIG. 57 is an enhanced partial front perspective view of the camera of FIGS. 55 and 56 showing the engagement of the pump cover with the metering release element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention is herein described with reference to FIGS. 1-20 with certain modifications effected and described with reference to FIGS. 50-57. Throughout the course of the discussion, terminology such as "top", "bottom", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., are used relating to the particular FIGS. These conventions, however, should not be considered limiting to the concept of the present invention, but are intended only to provide a frame of reference for descriptive discussion.

Beginning with FIG. 1, an exploded view is provided for a camera 10 having a plastic frame portion 12 including molded-in features which define a film supply chamber 14 for containing an unexposed film roll (not shown), a film cartridge chamber 16 for containing a film cartridge 28, shown partially in FIG. 30, and an exposure chamber 18 situated between the film supply chamber 14 and the film cartridge chamber 16 through which ambient light enters the camera 10 through a front opening 20. In addition, the frame portion 12 serves to support several of the major photographic components of the camera 10, as herein described. The film cartridge 28, FIG. 30, for purposes of the foregoing discussion is a conventional lighttight film magazine which is commonly known in the field having a rotatably engageable spool end. Other film cartridges having engageable film spool ends can be used, such as the so-called "thrusting-type" film cartridges described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,948,063, 5,031,853, and 5,248,108, among others. The workings of the cartridges themselves is known and does not form a part of the present invention, except where indicated. That is, a spool having means for supporting a filmstrip and having engageable means for winding the filmstrip thereon could be utilized.

A translatable pump handle or cover 30 is attached in a known manner to the exterior of the camera 10 and is movable from an opened or extended position, FIG. 2, to a closed position, FIG. 3 relative to the frame 12. The pump cover 30 is preferably a plastic injection-molded component having a front half section 32, and a rear half section 34 which combine to form an open end 35, as well as define an interior recess 33 which is sized to enclose a portion of the frame portion 12 when the pump cover 30 is translated from the opened to the closed position. The interior wall of the rear half section 34 includes a stationary linear gear rack 36 having a set of spaced gear teeth 37 for engaging an adjacent idler gear 38 that is mounted by placement of the gear hub through a post 39 extending from the top of the frame portion 12.

A tapered engagement or contacting arm 40 is disposed along the interior wall of the front half section 32, a portion of which extends from the open end 35 of the cover 30, for contacting film metering and demetering apparatus attached to the camera frame 12, as described in greater detail below.

The cover 30 further includes a slotted or cutout portion 46 along a top surface 45 adjacent the open end 35 for allowing access to a depressible shutter release button 52 when the cover is in the opened position, FIG. 2. Otherwise, the shutter release button 52 as well as a front lens element 100 are each hidden when the pump cover 30 is