Patent ID: 6081667
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
An organized photographic film strip handling system for handling a roll of film of Advanced Photo System film which comprises:a lens-fitted film unit with a roll of unexposed Advanced Photo System photographic film strip pre-loaded therein and equipped with exposure means for exposure of said film strip, said film strip having a pair of retaining holes in close proximity to a trailing end of the film strip and being separable from the lens-fitted film unit after exposures; anda negative return cartridge for receiving said film strip only after development, said negative return cartridge being equipped with a spool which has a retainer for detachably engaging said trailing end of said film strip through said retaining holes and is rotatable inside the negative cartridge in opposite directions so as to unwind and force said film strip, when fully contained within the negative return cartridge, out of the interior of said negative return cartridge and to wind up said film strip into the interior of said negative return cartridge;said lens-fitted film unit comprising:a light-sealed film container formed with a film wind-up chamber and a film supply chamber disposed at opposite sides of said light-sealed film container and equipped with exposure means disposed between said film wind-up chamber and said film supply chamber;a wind-up spool placed in said film wind-up chamber which has a film retainer for detachably retaining said trailing end of said film strip through said retaining holes;film wind-up means for rotating said wind-up spool to wind up said film strip on said wind-up spool after every exposure of said film strip; anda film cartridge disposed in the film wind-up chamber and within which the wind-up spool is rotatably disposed, the film strip being wound onto the wind-up spool after every exposure, the film cartridge being removable from the light-sealed film container, the film cartridge comprising a generally cylindrically shaped container having a generally circular cross-section made of a thin steel sheet and having light-sealing cloth strips at a film strip egress/ingress slot;wherein said film cartridge is not capable of permitting movement of said film strip out of said film cartridge by means of reverse rotation of said wind-up spool, and said negative return cartridge is provided with a rotatable door for opening a film strip egress/ingress slot of negative return cartridge to permit movement of said film strip into and out of said spool of said negative return cartridge by means of rotation of said spool of negative said return cartridge and closing said film strip egress/ingress slot.