Apparatus and method for driving a takeup spool using a clutch mechanism

Abstract: A takeup spool drive (10) for motorized camera film winding mechanisms and the like has a clutch mechanism with simplified components including a driver (36), a driven member (38), such as a pinion gear, and a takeup spool (28). The driver (36) has lugs (68) which drive the pinion gear (38) in both directions with free play. Fingers (74) on flexing arms (70) of the driver (36) engage internal teeth (34) of the takeup spool (28) to drive it in a forward film takeup direction. The fingers (74) are disengaged by takeup of play in the reverse direction which causes inward flexing of the arms (70) and allows free running of the spool (28). In addition to selective engaging and declutching drive of the takeup spool, the mechanism fingers (74) re-engage the internal teeth (34) upon momentary forward rotation for takeup of play and thereby lock the free running takeup spool (28) when the motor (12) is stationary after a winding movement, such as when the film registers in a film gate.

Description: This invention relates to drives with clutch mechanisms for takeup spools such as may be used in film winding mechanisms for cameras and the like and to methods of operating such drives. It is known in the art relating to motor driven camera film winding mechanisms to provide a motor with a winding system drivingly connected with two takeup spools or other take-up means, for advancing and rewinding a film roll. To prevent lockup of the system due to varying speeds of the two spools, clutch mechanisms are provided in the spool drives to permit the motor to drive only one of the spools at a time. However, prior clutch mechanisms require the assembly of several small parts to manufacture and do not lock the position of the following takeup spool when the film is advanced to register in an associated camera film gate. European Patent Publication 0 424 938 A2 discloses a winding/rewinding apparatus for a camera. The apparatus has a winding spool on which an advanced film is wound when the winding spool rotates; a rewinding shaft that engages a spool of a film cartridge loaded into the camera; a motor; a transmission for transmitting the drive force of the motor to the winding spool and rewinding shaft; a clutch that disengages so as not to transmit the drive force of the motor to the rewinding shaft. U.S. Patent No. 4,548,304 discloses a one-way clutch whose attitude is controlled in accordance with the direction of rotation of the input side of the clutch and which turns as the input side rotates in a given direction thus operating to change over between transmission and non-transmission of a driving force by controlling engagement and disengagement in accordance with the direction of rotation and attitude of the pawl member. In application of this one-way clutch to winding and rewinding devices for cameras when one of a pair of one-way clutches is in the transmitting state by rotation of the motor in a given direction, the other one-way clutch is prevented from becoming engaged as a result of motion of the film. It is an object of the present invention to provide a clutch mechanism which overcomes the problems associated with prior art mechanisms. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a takeup spool drive mechanism as defined in claim 1. The present invention provides a spool drive with an improved clutch mechanism for camera film winding mechanisms and the like. The improved clutch mechanism includes only three components. In addition to selective engaging or declutching the drive of an associated takeup spool, the drive mechanism may be also operated to engage the clutch and lock the free running takeup spool at the end of a winding movement, such as when the film registers in the film gate. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a film takeup spool drive as defined in claim 5. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded pictorial view of a film takeup spool drive, including a clutch mechanism according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a semi-schematic view of the takeup spool drive of Figure 1, illustrating engaged operation of the clutch mechanism; and Figure 3 is a semi-schematic view similar to Figure 2, but illustrating disengaged operation of the clutch mechanism. Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, a takeup spool drive assembly for a motorized roll film camera is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The details of the operation of a camera, such as exposure of film loaded into a body etc., are conventionally known and are not detailed further. The assembly 10 includes a drive motor 12 assembled together with a gearhead 14 having an output shaft 16 rotatable on an axis 17. The exposed end 18 of shaft 16 includes flats 20 and an outer end 21 of smaller diameter. The end 21 is received in a piloting bushing 22 attached to a fixed mounting plate 23. The motor 12 is supported in a camera housing, not shown, by a motor mount 24 having at least one mounting tab 26. Rotatably mounted around the motor 12 and gearhead 14 is a hollow cylindrical film takeup spool 28 centered on the axis 17 and having annularly spaced angled drive tangs 30 near one end adjacent the exposed end of the shaft 16. A reduced diameter portion of the spool 28 forms a bearing journal 32 having an inner ring of internal drive teeth 34. Mounted on the end 18 of the shaft 16 and the coaxial piloting bushing 22 are a driver 36 and a pinion gear 38. These, together with the internal teeth 34 of the takeup spool comprise the clutch mechanism for the spool drive of the invention. The gear 38 has a hub 40 with an outer ring of teeth 42 and a central axial bore 44. The bore 44 is received on the bushing 22 centered about the outer end 21 of the shaft 16 for free rotation of the hub thereon. The pinion gear 38 includes an annular flange 46 extending axially from the periphery of the hub 40 toward the gearhead 14 and forming a pocket 48 in which the driver 36 is received. The flange 48 is broken by a pair of oppositely located square edged lug openings 50, each having edge walls 52, 54 (Figures 2 and 3). Also, angularly spaced from the lug openings 50 are a pair of oppositely located finger openings 56, each having angled edges 58, 60 (Figures 2 and 3). The driver 36 has a flat sided body 62 fitting loosely within the pocket 48. A central drive opening 64 having flats 66 is received on the end 18 of the output shaft 16, drivingly engaging its flats 20 for rotating the driver 36 with the shaft 16. A pair of drive lugs 68 extend radially from the body 62 into the lug openings 50 of the gear flange 46. The lugs 68 are made narrower than the openings 50, allowing a desired free movement or lash of the lugs 68 within the edge walls 52, 54 (Figures 2 and 3). The driver body 62 also carries a pair of curved flexing arms 70. The arms 70 extend from the body 62 near the lugs 68 to enlarged ends 72 (Figures 2 and 3) adjacent the finger openings 56 in the gear flange 46. The ends 72 define pointed fingers 74 capable of extending through the openings 56 to engage the internal drive teeth 34 in the bearing journal of the takeup spool 28. Angled edges 76, 78 (Figures 2 and 3) of the fingers 74 mate with corresponding edges 58, 60, respectively, of the flange openings 56 when fingers 74 and teeth 34 are engaged as is shown in Figure 2. In operation, rotation of the drive motor 12 connected with the gearhead 14 causes rotation about the axis 17 of the output shaft 16 and the directly connected driver 36. When the driver 36 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as shown by arrow 80 in Figure 2, the drive lugs 68 move counterclockwise in the lug openings 50, taking up the lash in that direction and engaging the edge walls 52 of the pinion gear flange 46. This allows the fingers 74 of the flexing arms 70 to extend through the openings 56 and engage the teeth 34 as shown. In this condition, the driver 36, through the fingers 74, directly drives the takeup spool 28 counterclockwise to wind film, not shown, on to the spool 28 through engagement of the drive tangs 30 with mating perforations provided in the film. At the same time, the driver 36, through the lugs 68 and edge walls 52, drives the pinion gear 38 in a counterclockwise direction to operate other portions, not shown, of an exemplary film transport mechanism in which the gear 38 is connected. When the motor 12 is reversed, the driver 36 is rotated clockwise as shown by arrow 82 in Figure 3. The drive lugs 68 then move clockwise in the lug openings 50 taking up the clockwise lash and engaging the edge walls 54 of the pinion gear flange 46. The lash takeup motion also moves the flexing arms 70 clockwise relative to the pinion gear 38, causing the edges 76 of the ends 72 of the flexing arms to cam the ends 72 inward along the angled edges 58 of the pinion gear flange 46. The fingers 74 are thereby disengaged from the internal drive teeth 34, declutching the drive between the driver 36 and the takeup spool 28 and allowing free rotation of the spool 28. At the same time the driver 36, through the lugs 68 and edge walls 54, drives the pinion gear 38 in a clockwise direction to operate the other portions of the film transport mechanism. This action could be used, for example, to advance film in an associated film gate, not shown. When the desired film travel is completed and the film is registered in the film gate, the motor 12 may be momentarily reversed to back up the driver 36 an amount sufficient only to again take up the lash in the counterclockwise direction with the driver lugs 68 engaging the edge walls 52 of the pinion gear flange 46 as in Figure 2. This allows the fingers 74 to again pass through the finger openings 56 and engage the internal gear teeth 34 as in Figure 2. This then couples the gearhead 14 to the takeup spool 28 (through driver 36 and teeth 34) preventing the spool 28 from rotating while the drive motor 12 is stationary. In the exemplary film transport mechanism, not shown, this would help maintain the registered position of the film in the associated film gate. Although the invention has been described by reference to a specific embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiment, but that it have the full scope defined by the following claims.

Claims: A film takeup spool drive mechanism (10) including: a film takeup spool (28), a drive motor (12), and a driver (36) mounted to the drive motor (12), the driver (36) be engageable with and disengageable from the film takeup spool (28); characterized by: the film takeup spool (28) which is hollow and has internal drive teeth (34) located on the internal surface of the film takeup spool, the spool being mounted for rotation about an axis (17) in forward and reverse directions, the spool (28) internally receives the drive motor (12) and a gearhead assembly (14) having an output shaft (16) drivably connected with the driver (36), a driven member (38) which is rotatably mounted about said axis (17) and has a flange (46) extending within said spool (28), said flange (46) having first and second angularly spaced openings (50, 56) aligned laterally with said internal drive teeth (34), each opening (50, 56) being defined by angularly opposite edges (52, 54, 58, 60) of said flange (46), and the driven member (38) being supported for rotation on the shaft (16) and forming a part of a film transport drive mechanism; the driver (36) which is rotatably mounted on said axis (17) and within said flange (46), said driver (36) including: a radially projecting lug (68) extending into said first opening (50) of the flange, said lug (68) being engagable with said opposite edges (52, 54) defining said first opening for driving said driven member (34) in either forward or reverse directions of rotation, said lug (68) being sufficiently narrower than said first opening (50) to provide lash allowing limited oscillating movement of said driver (36) relative to said flange (46); and an outwardly biased radially movable finger (74) extending through said second opening (56) into engagement with said drive teeth (34) for driving said spool (28) in said forward direction when said lug (68) is positioned against one of said edges (52, 54) of the first opening (50) with the lash taken up in said forward direction of rotation so that the driver, through the finger and the drive teeths directly drives the spool so as to wind the film as the spool, said finger (74) and one of said opposite edges (58, 60) of said second opening (56) having cooperating angled surfaces (76, 58) operative to cam said finger (74) radially inward inside said flange and out of engagement with said drive teeth (34) when said lug of said driver (36) is moved relative to said flange (46) to take up said lash in said reverse direction, so that said spool (28) is thereby freed for rotation about said driver (36) and the driver drives the driven member through the lug in said first aperture so as to operate said film transport drive mechanism. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said driver (36) includes an integral flexing arm (70) and said finger (74) extends outward from an outwardly biased end (72) of said arm (70). A mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said arm (70) extends circumferentially within said flange (46) toward said finger (74) in the direction of forward rotation of said spool (28) and said cooperating angled surfaces (76, 58) are on a side (76) of said finger (74) in the direction of reverse rotation of said spool (28). A mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: (i) said spool (28) has external tangs (30) adapted for gripping film for takeup on the spool (28) in said forward direction of rotation; (ii) said driven member (38) comprises a pinion gear (38) rotatably mounted on said shaft (16), and said first and second angularly spaced openings (50, 56) each comprises pairs of opposed openings (50, 56) aligned laterally with said drive teeth (34); (iii) said driver (36) is drivably mounted on said shaft (16) and includes a pair of radially projecting lugs (68) extending into the first openings (56) of the flange, said lugs (68) being engagable with the opposite edges (52, 54) of the first openings of the flange for driving said driven member (38) in either forward or reverse directions of rotation, said lugs (68) being sufficiently narrower than their associated first openings (50) to provide said lash, said driver (36) further including a pair of outwardly biased integral flexing arms (70) each including one radially movable finger (74) extending through one of said second openings (56) into engagement with said drive teeth (34) when said lugs (68) are each positioned against one of said edges (52, 54) of their associated first openings (50) with the lash taken up in said forward direction of rotation for driving said spool (28) in said forward direction; and (iv) said fingers (74) and one of the opposite edges (58, 60) of each of said second openings (56) having said cooperating angled surfaces (76, 58) operative to cam said fingers (74) radially inward inside said flange and out of engagement with said drive teeth (34) when said lugs of said driver (36) are moved relative to said flange (46) to take up said lash in said reverse direction, so that said spool (28) is thereby freed for rotation about said driver. A method of operating a film takeup spool drive (10) having a takeup spool (28), a drive motor (12), a driver (36) mounted to the drive motor (12) and a driven member (38) as defined in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of: operating the drive (10) in a forward direction to disengage the driver (36) and takeup spool (28) while advancing the film to a desired position by means of the driven member; stopping the drive (10) upon reaching by the film of said position; and reversing the drive (10) motion momentarily an amount sufficient to take up the lash so as to engage the driver (36) and takeup spool (28) without changing the film position, thereby locking the spool (28) against further motion while the drive (10) remains stationary.

Inventors: STIEHLER WAYNE EDWARD, STIEHLER, WAYNE EDWARD, C/O EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G03B17
IPC codes: G03B17