Film cassette for a photographic camera

Abstract: The invention concerns a film cassette (10) for a photographic camera to receive a film strip (37) equipped with an edge perforation, consisting of a flat, parallelepipedal housing (20) with an exposure window (24) and a film mouth (44). In order to accommodate a film strip (37) with a sufficient number of frames, there is configured in the housing (20) of the film cassette (10) a circumferential, continuous film channel (21) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which passes by the exposure window (24) and opens into the film mouth (44).

Description: The invention relates to a film cassette for a photographic camera for receiving a film strip equipped with an edge perforation, consisting of a flat, parallelepipedal housing with an exposure window and a film mouth. Known film cassettes of this design are configured so that they can receive a film strip only as a linear film section. A film cassette of this kind is described in DE-OS 2 901 104. The result is naturally that only a few picture areas can be accommodated on the film section, since the length of the film cassette cannot be of any dimensions. In camera design, however, there is presently a trend toward very small, pocket-size cameras, which nevertheless are intended to supply a sufficient number of pictures per film. Also in demand are cameras that, after complete exposure of a film strip, are unloaded by the finisher in order to develop the film strip and then reloaded by the camera manufacturer with an unexposed film strip in order to resell the camera. Camera concepts of this kind require a new configuration of film cassettes and cameras. The present invention is defined in claim 1. It is the object of the invention to configure a film cassette that can be attached in conveniently replaceable fashion to a camera of small, flat design, and that has a film strip with at least eight frames. According to the invention, this is achieved in a film cassette of the aforesaid type by the fact that configured in the housing of the film cassette is a peripheral, closed-loop, continuous film channel extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which passes by the exposure window and opens into the film mouth. This film channel consists of two straight sections extending parallel to one another, whose ends are connected by means of semicircular sections. Because the film cassette is configured in this manner, it has a very flat design and can receive a film strip of considerable length on which eight to twelve frames can be accommodated in half-frame format, i.e. 18 x 24 mm. Specifically, the film cassette is advantageously shaped in such a way that the film channel is constituted by the outer walls and semicircular wall sections of the housing, and a web configured in the housing. Despite the relatively small radius of the web ends, a film strip can easily follow the contour of the channel in the semicircular sections of the film channel without being blocked or damaged in its movement within the film channel. This applies in particular to the Advanced Photo System (APS) films just coming onto the market. In a further embodiment of the film cassette, the film mouth is arranged in a region in which a semicircular wall section meets an outer wall of the film cassette. The one semicircular wall section remains joined to the one outer wall, but is arranged separately from the outer wall opposite, this elastic tongue-like wall section resting with its free end against the outer wall under resilient preload, and forming the film mouth. The elastic tongue-like configuration of the semicircular wall section creates a simple and reliable capability of automatically inserting the film strip into the film cassette, and pulling it back out by means of a gripper after exposure. For this purpose, a U-shaped transfer shoe that is flat in cross section is provided, such that it can be inserted and pulled out between the outer wall and the elastic tongue-like semicircular wall section. Further features and advantages are evident from the description of an embodiment of the invention depicted in the drawings, and from the further subclaims. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a camera on which the film cassette according to the invention is used, ready to take a picture, in a front view; Fig. 2 shows the camera according to Fig. 1 in a side view; Fig. 3 shows the camera according to Fig. 1 in a plan view; Fig. 4 shows the empty film cassette according to the invention in a longitudinal section; Fig. 5 shows the film cassette according to Fig. 4 with an unexposed film strip in place, in longitudinal section; Fig. 6 shows the film cassette according to Fig. 4 with the exposed film strip ready to be pulled out, in longitudinal section; Fig. 7 shows the film cassette according to Fig. 4 with the film strip in place, in a front view partially in section; and Fig. 8 shows the film cassette according to Fig. 7 in a front view. Film cassette 10 according to the invention is used in a subminiature camera of flat design, and will be described with reference to such a camera. Subminiature camera 11 consists of a flat body shell 12 on whose front side a lens carrier 13 is slidable in a flat guideway from a non-operating position into a taking position. Lens carrier 13 carries, in addition to lens 14, a viewfinder 15 and a flash arrangement 16. On the back side of subminiature camera 11, film cassette 10 is guided, again by means of a flat guideway 17, in body shell 12 so as to slide in and out, and is held in its operating position. The construction of film cassette 10 is evident in an enlarged depiction in Figures 4, 5, and 6. As indicated therein, film cassette 10 consists of a flat, parallelepipedal housing 20 in which a continuous film channel 21 is provided. Film channel 21 is constituted by two longitudinal sections 21a and 21b extending parallel to one another, as well as semicircular sections 21c and 21d joining their ends. Parallel to section 21a of film channel 21, housing 20 has an outer wall 22 in which a flat guideway 23 associated with camera-side flat guideway 17 is configured. Parallel to section 21b of film channel 21, housing 20 has an outer wall 45. In addition, an exposure window 24 communicating with film channel section 21a is present in outer wall 22. Provided between film channel section 21a and exposure window 24 is a recess 25 extending over the latter, in which a spring-loaded shutter panel 26 is mounted longitudinally displaceably to close off exposure window 24 when not joined to a camera. A pin 27 that interacts with a camera-side stop in order to open shutter panel 26 is mounted on shutter panel 26. Provided in outer wall 22 of film cassette 10 that faces the camera are two parallel elongated slots 42 which allow a camera-side film gripper to pass through to the film perforation of the film strip in order to transport it. The inner walls of film channel 21 are constituted by a web 28 that, for reasons related to injection molding, is configured as a hollow web. The ends of web 28 can also be constituted by rotatably mounted rollers whose diameter is identical to the thickness of the web. In order to form a film mouth 44, a wall section 29 of housing 20 is arranged in the region of semicircular film channel section 21d, separated from outer wall 22 and configured as a film hinge by the fact that a constriction 30 is provided in that wall section 29. The free end of wall section 29 is configured as a lip and rests, in light-tight fashion and under elastic preload, against a projection 31 of outer wall 22. Lastly, web 28 is equipped, opposite exposure window 24, with an opening 32 which is larger in size than exposure window 24. A film pressure spring 33, which is braced on the one hand by means of a pressure plate 34 against the inside of outer wall 22 and on the other hand by means of spring feet 35 in a socket 36 configured in web 28, projects through this opening 32. In order to introduce an unexposed packaged film strip 37 of predetermined length through film mouth 44 into film cassette 10, a transfer shoe 38 serving as auxiliary tool is introduced between outer wall 22 and film hinge-like wall section 29, the latter deflecting elastically. Film strip 37 is inserted automatically through this transfer shoe 38 into the film channel of cassette 10 until the film strip completely fills film channel 21. A tongue 39 configured centeredly at the beginning of film strip 37 thus lies in a cutout 40 provided at the end of film strip 37. Figure 7 illustrates this situation. When film cassette 10 is attached onto subminiature camera 11, shutter panel 26 is pulled back by pin 27 so that exposure window 24 is open and film strip 37 is protected from incident light only by the camera shutter. In the embodiment, film cassette 10 is approximately the size of a credit card. When a picture format of 18 x 24 mm (half-frame format) is selected, at least eight frames can be accommodated on film strip 37, with the wider side of the frame lying perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of film strip 37. Removal of exposed film strip 37 from film cassette 10 is also accomplished automatically through film mouth 44 by the fact that with transfer shoe 38 inserted between outer wall 22 and elastic film hinge-like wall section 29, film strip 37 is grasped in its perforation by means of a gripper hook 41 and pulled out of film cassette 10. The individual film strips are then adhesively attached to one another, tongue 39 of one film strip engaging into cutout 40 of the preceding film strip, and the film strips being adhesively attached at that point.

Claims: Film cassette for a photographic camera to receive a film strip equipped with an edge perforation, consisting of a flat, parallelepipedal housing with an exposure window and a film mouth, characterized in that configured in the housing (20) is a peripheral, closed-loop continuous film channel (21) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which passes by the exposure window (24) and opens into the film mouth (44). Film cassette as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that the film channel (21) consists of two straight ections (21a and 21b) running parallel to one another, whose ends are joined by means of semicircular sections (21c and 21d). Film cassette as defined in Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the film channel (21) is constituted by the outer walls (22, 45) and the semicircular wall sections (29 and 46) of the housing (20) and a web (28) configured in the housing. Film cassette as defined in Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at the ends of the web (28), rollers whose diameter corresponds to the thickness of the web are arranged, mounted rotatably, perpendicular to the movement direction of a film strip (37). Film cassette as defined in Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the outer wall (22) on the exposure window side, at least one elongated slot (42) extending in the movement direction of the film strip (37) is present for passage of a camera-side film gripper (76). Film cassette as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that the film mouth (44) is arranged in a region in which the semicircular wall section (29) meets the outer wall (22). Film cassette as defined in Claims 1 and 6, characterized in that the semicircular wall section (29) is joined to the outer wall (45) of the housing and is arranged separately from the opposite outer wall (22); and that it rests with its free end against the outer wall (22) under elastic preload and constitutes the film mouth (44). Film cassette as defined in Claim 7, characterized in that in order to insert and pull out the film strip (37) into and from the film cassette (10), a flat transfer shoe (38) that is U-shaped in cross section can be slid between the outer wall (22) and the elastic semicircular wall section (29). Film cassette as defined in Claim 8, characterized in that the free end of the semicircular wall section (29) is wedge-shaped. Film cassette as defined in Claim 9, characterized in that the wedge-shaped end of the semicircular wall section (29) is equipped with a flexible sealing lip. Film cassette as defined in Claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the semicircular wall section (29) is configured like a film hinge. Film cassette as defined in Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the semicircular wall section (29) has a material constriction (30) in the center region of its curve. Film cassette as defined in one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the outer wall (22) on the exposure window side is equipped with a flat guideway (23), extending in the longitudinal direction, that interacts with a counter-guideway provided on the camera. Film cassette as defined in Claim 13, characterized in that the flat guideway is configured as a dovetail guideway. Film cassette as defined in one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a film pressure spring (33) is arranged in the web (28) in the region of the exposure window (24). Film cassette as defined in Claim 15, characterized in that the film pressure spring (33) consists of a pressure plate (34), resting against the inside of the outer wall (22), from which proceed spring feet (35) that pass through an opening (32) in the web (28) and are braced against a socket (36) in the web (28). Film cassette as defined in one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that a spring-loaded shutter panel (26) for the exposure window (24), which covers the exposure window (24) when the film cassette (10) is not being used, is mounted longitudinally displaceably in the outer wall (22) on the exposure window side; and that the shutter panel (26) is equipped with a pin (27) associated with which is a counterstop arranged in the camera, such that when the film cassette (10) is attached to the camera, the shutter panel (26) uncovers the exposure window (24).

Inventors: REIBL MICHAEL, REIBL, MICHAEL
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G03B19
IPC codes: G03B17, G03B19