Abstract:
A flexible film holder having a format which is consistent with a first filmstrip size. The film holder comprises a first sheet member and second sheet member which are secured to each other so as to form a longitudinally extended pocket therebetween for receiving and holding a filmstrip having a size smaller than the first filmstrip size.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a flexible film holder designed to allow use of a filmstrip of a first size in a printing, processing, or scanning apparatus designed to receive a filmstrip having a size greater than the first size. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain photographic processing devices, such as processors, printers and film scanners, are dedicated to a particular size film. In particular, many devices are designed to receive 35 mm film negatives. Typically, the negatives are provided in short length strips, i.e. from about 4-8 inches, each having a plurality of images thereon. A typical 35 mm negative filmstrip will have approximately 3-5 images thereon. Film formats smaller than 35 mm, for example, 110 mm or 16 mm film size formats, would not properly fit into the devices designed for use with 35 mm film. In order for these size films to be used in these devices, it would typically be necessary to redesign the film transport mechanism to receive these smaller sizes at substantial cost. Thus, there exists a need to provide means for allowing use of a smaller size film in a device without incurring substantial cost in modifying the device. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a film holder which allows the use of a smaller format filmstrip in a device designed to receive a larger size filmstrip without any modification to the apparatus which is reliable, easy to use, and will not interfere with the normal use and operation of the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A flexible film holder having a format which is consistent with a first filmstrip size. The film holder comprises a first sheet member and second sheet member which are secured to each other so as to form a longitudinally extended pocket therebetween for receiving and holding a filmstrip having a size smaller than the first filmstrip size. 
     The present invention provides a film holder which is simple in construction, relatively inexpensive, and requires no substantial change or modification to the device in which it is to be used. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a film holder made in accordance with the present invention having a film format of a first size; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the bottom sheet of the film holder of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top sheet of the film holder of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a filmstrip of a size smaller than the film format size of the film holder of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the insertion of the smaller size filmstrip of FIG. 4 into the film holder of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the film holder of FIG. 1 with the smaller size filmstrip of FIG. 4 completely inserted therein; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the holder and inserted filmstrip of FIG. 6 as taken along line  7 — 7 ; 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a modified film holder of a first format size made in accordance with the present invention for holding a filmstrip having a format size smaller than the first format size; 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the bottom sheet of the film holder of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the intermediate layer of the filmstrip holder of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the top sheet of the filmstrip holder of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  12 — 12  of the filmstrip holder of FIG.  8  and the smaller size filmstrip disposed therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-7, there is illustrated a filmstrip holder  10  made in accordance with the present invention. The filmstrip holder  10 , in the particular embodiment illustrated, is of a 35 mm format and thus has a plurality of perforations  12  along each of the edges which are designed to engage appropriate drive and transport mechanisms used to hold and transport 35 mm size film negatives. An example of such a device is a processor printer sold by the Eastman Kodak company under the trademark CREATE-A-PRINT. The device is designed to receive 35 mm negative filmstrips and allows the user to create copies and/or enlargements of selected images that are available on the 35 mm negative filmstrip. 
     The filmstrip holder  10  comprises a bottom sheet  14  and a top sheet  16 . The top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  are secured to each other at their lateral edges  18 , 20 , respectively, so as to form a longitudinal receiving pocket  22  having a substantially constant width W and a length L. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a top plan view of the bottom sheet of the filmstrip holder  10 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, the bottom sheet  14  has a length L b  and a width W b . The width W b  is selected so as to be compatible with 35 mm film negative formats. The length L b  is such so as to accommodate the appropriate length of filmstrip  24  (see FIG. 4) having a format size smaller than that of the format of the holder  10 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, the filmstrip  24  has a format size equivalent to that of a  110  film format and has a length L 1  and a width W 1 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, the width W 1  is approximately 16 mm and the length L 1  is approximately 152 mm. 
     Referring back to FIG. 2, the bottom sheet  14  is provided with a plurality of openings  26  which are spaced apart a distance D b  and form cross braces  27 . The braces  27  assist in providing the appreciate stiffness to the holder. The distance D b  is selected to be equal to or less than the distance D 1  between adjacent images on the filmstrip  24 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, D 1  is approximately 8 mm. The openings  26  each have a leading edge  28  which is preferably curved with respect to the direction of insertion of the filmstrip  24  into the pocket  22 . This is done so that the leading end  30  of strip  24  will not stub or catch the leading edge  28  of the openings  26  as the strip is being inserted into pocket  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a top plan view of the top sheet  16 . Top sheet  16  is provided with a plurality of openings  32  which are sized, shaped and spaced apart so as to substantially correspond in position with respect to openings  26  such that when the top sheet is placed on the bottom sheet  14 , openings  26 , 32  will be in substantial alignment. The openings  26 , 32  combine to provide a plurality of windows  34  when the sheets  14 , 16  are assembled to form the filmstrip holder  10  which is designed to align with the image areas  25  on filmstrip  24 . The openings  32 , like openings  26 , have a leading edge  30  which is curved with respect to the direction of insertion of the strip  24  so as to minimize stubbing of the leading end  30  of filmstrip  24  as it is being inserted into the pocket  22 . The windows  34  allow for direct exposure of the images on the filmstrip  24  in the apparatus which is to be used. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  are each provided with perforations  31 , 33  such that when the sheets  14 , 16  are assembled they form perforations  12 . 
     The top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  are designed so to have substantially the same degree of flexibility and physical properties as the filmstrip designed to be used with the device such that the drive mechanism of the apparatus will experience no substantial difference between the holder and the film negative which it was originally designed to accommodate. Thus, it is important that the thickness and configuration of the holder  10  closely resembles the filmstrip negative for which the device is originally designed to be used. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the sheets  14 , 16  are designed such that the overall thickness T is substantially equal to that of a conventional filmstrip and has the appropriate same degree of stiffness/flexibility of the filmstrip for which the device was originally designed to receive. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the bottom sheet  14  is made of Mylar material having a thickness T b  of about 0.08 mm. The top sheet  16  is made of Mylar material and has a thickness T t  of about 0.08 mm. The top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  may be secured together by any appropriate means. In the particular embodiment illustrated, an appropriate adhesive is used at the lateral edges  18 , 20 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, pressure sensitive adhesive was used, however, other securing techniques may be used, for example, such as ultrasonic welding. 
     In the preferred embodiment illustrated, top sheet  16  is made of a clear plastic material and the bottom sheet  14  is provided with indicia  39  that may be picked up by an appropriate sensor which would indicate that a filmstrip holder having a smaller size film therein is being inserted into the apparatus. For example, as illustrated, indicia may comprise a machine readable bar-code placed on one of the lateral edges  20  of the bottom sheet  14 . Such sensor additions and software modifications to the device can be made relatively simply as opposed to redesigning the transport mechanism for receiving small size film. Preferably, the device would be able to read the bar-code so that the device would know what size film was being scanned and make any appropriate adjustments as needed or programmed therein. 
     Also, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, means are also provided for locking the filmstrip  24  at a desired position within the pocket. In the particular embodiment illustrated, a pair of dimples  41 , such as indentations or projections, are formed in the top and/or bottom sheets  14 , 16  which mate and lock with a corresponding indentation formed on the strip  24 . In particular, this could take advantage of the existing perforation  46  that is provided in the filmstrip  24  in the space between adjacent images as is customarily done in the prior art as shown by FIG.  4 . 
     As can be seen by reference to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  4 , the top sheet  16  has a length L t  which is less than the length L b  of the bottom sheet  14 . Thus, when the top sheet  16  is secured to the bottom sheet  14 , the forward edge  38  of the top sheet  16  will lie over a portion of the bottom sheet  16 . Preferably, as illustrated, the top sheet  16  will have a cut-away section  40  which defines the entrance to the pocket  22 . 
     In order to more clearly understand the present invention, a brief description of its use will now be described. Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated the initial insertion of a filmstrip  24  (such as that illustrated in FIG. 4) into the opening  45  of the pocket  22 . The filmstrip is simply slid in the longitudinal direction as illustrated by arrow  47 . The lateral edges  44  of filmstrip  24  are clampingly held between the top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  in the pocket  22 , as best seen by reference to FIG.  7 . The edges of the pocket also serve to guide the filmstrip  24  as it is being slid into position. The strip  24  is inserted into the pocket  22  until the locking dimples  41  locks with the leading perforation  45  in strip  24 . The holder  10  is of sufficient length L to accommodate the number of image areas typically found on the smaller filmstrip  24 . Then the film holder  10  is simply placed into the device as any other filmstrip would be inserted. After use of the film has been completed, the filmstrip  24  is simply slipped out of pocket  22  and returned to the user in the appropriate format. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8-12, there is illustrated a modified form of the present invention. In particular, there is illustrated a film holder  60 . The film holder  60  is similar to film holder  10 , like numerals indicating like parts. The film holder  60  includes a bottom sheet  14 , a top sheet  16  and an intermediate sheet  82  (see FIG.  9 ). The use of an intermediate sheet  82  has a thickness T i  which forms pocket  22  which has a substantially uniform thickness T s  along its cross-sectional width as illustrated in FIG.  12 . Preferably, the thickness T i  of the pocket is slightly smaller than the thickness T s  of the strip  24 . The intermediate layer  82  has a width W i  substantially equal to that of top and bottom sheets  14 , 16 . The intermediate layer  82  is secured to the top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  by any appropriate means. In the particular embodiment illustrated, intermediate layer  82  is made of Mylar and secured to sheets  14 , 16  by an appropriate adhesive. The intermediate sheet  82  includes a long, continuous opening  86  which allows the filmstrip  24  to enter the pocket  22 . The intermediate strip  82  is also provided with a plurality of perforations  83  at the lateral edges which are aligned with the appropriate perforations  31 , 33  provided in the top and bottom sheets  14 , 16  to form perforations  12 . The operation and use of the film holder  60  is identical to that of filmstrip holder  10 . 
     The present invention provides a film holder which is simple in construction, relatively inexpensive, and requires no substantial change or modification to the device in which it is to be used. 
     It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, but not by way of limitation, the perforations in the holder may be formed in the holder after the top, bottom and intermediate sheets are secured together. This would avoid the necessity of aligning these openings. Additionally the color of the sheets  14 , 16  and intermediate layer  82  may any color so desired. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the top sheet  16  and intermediate layer  82  are substantially clear so the bar-code on the bottom sheet can be read. Yet further, the bar-code may be placed in the intermediate layer  82  or top sheet  16 . 
     The present invention is limited only by the following claims: 
     Parts List 
       10  . . . filmstrip holder 
       12  . . . perforations 
       14  . . . bottom sheet 
       16  . . . top sheet 
       18 , 20  . . . lateral edges 
       22  . . . receiving pocket 
       24  . . . filmstrip 
       25  . . . images 
       26 , 32  . . . openings 
       27  . . . cross braces 
       28  . . . leading edges 
       30  . . . leading end 
       31 , 33  . . . perforations 
       34  . . . windows 
       38  . . . forward edge 
       39  . . . indicia 
       40  . . . cut-away section 
       41  . . . dimples 
       42  . . . indentations 
       44  . . . lateral edges 
       45  . . . leading perforation 
       46  . . . perforations 
       47  . . . arrow 
       60  . . . film holder 
       82  . . . intermediate sheet 
       83  . . . perforations 
       86  . . . continuous opening