Patent ID: 6195506
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A take-up spool incorporated in a lens-fitted photo film unit, said lens-fitted photo film unit having a cassette containing chamber and a roll chamber between which an exposure aperture is located, said cassette containing chamber containing a cassette, said take-up spool being disposed in said roll chamber in rotatable fashion, unexposed photo film being drawn from said cassette, a leader of said photo film being secured to said take-up spool about which said photo film is wound in a form of a photo film roll, said take-up spool comprising:a core having a substantially cylindrical shape with an outer cylindrical face, and said core having a diametrical take-up slot which divides said core into first and second core members, each core member having a confronting planar wall at said take-up slot, and said core having an auxiliary slot in one of said two core members disposed between said take-up slot and said outer cylindrical face;a nip device, disposed in said auxiliary slot of said one of said two core members of said core, said nip device having a planar surface which forms a portion of one said confronting planar wall in said one of said two core members at said take-up slot, said nip device for nipping said leader between said planar surface of said nip device and the other confronting planar wall at said take-up slot in removable fashion, wherein said nip device, when operated, moves between one of a non-engaged position and a fully-seated position, said non-eniazed position being wherein said planar surface of said nip device does not contact said leader, and said fully-seated position,wherein said nip device nips said leader by moving toward said take-up slot and said other confronting planar wall and pressing said leader between said planar surface of said nip device and said other confronting planar wall, said nip device forming a raised portion in said respective planar wall in said one of said two core members at said take-up slot in said fully-seated position; andat least one curved face, formed on at least one of said two core members between said respective confronting planar wall at said take-up slot and said cylindrical face of said core, a center of said curved face being positioned between said take-up slot and a center of the spool, said curved face having an arc shape and having a radius of curvature which is measured at 0.4-0.85 times a radius of said core, said curved face for preventing said leader secured to said core from being sharply bent.