Patent Publication Number: US-2005129396-A1

Title: Camera and a system and method for promoting consumer loyalty

Description:
PRIORITY  
      The present application claims priority from co-pending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/525,041, filed on Nov. 25, 2003, and entitled CAMERA AND A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROMOTING CONSUMER LOYALTY 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of cameras and, more particularly, to a camera including a latching mechanism that promotes consumer loyalty in the choice of film developing services.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Many systems have been developed for encouraging consumers to return to a particular establishment for film developing services. In the past, such loyalty programs have provided free film replacement in exchange for developing the film in a certain establishment. The free film was then loaded by the user into the user&#39;s own camera of choice.  
      Other loyalty programs have involved cameras specifically dedicated to a specific loyalty program or rental service.  
      The Forever Camera Co. of Boca Raton, Fla. announced a reloadable, reusable 35 mm camera that comes pre-loaded with film and a battery. When a customer purchases the camera from a “forever camera” retailer, the purchaser automatically becomes a member of the Forever Camera Club. As a member, the customer qualifies for free film and batteries whenever they bring the camera back to the lab with film for processing. Although offering an incentive to the consumer to return to a Forever Camera Club location for developing, the Forever Camera does not discourage in any way reloading of the film by the consumer, or the taking of the film to another retailer for developing. The Forever Camera is nothing more than a regularly configured 35 mm camera.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,856 to Cloutier and U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,085 to Cloutier et al. and assigned to Eastman Kodak Company, relate to a rental camera with a locking device to deter customer reuse after completed exposure. The &#39;085 Cloutier et al. patent discloses a rental camera including a locking device with a key and keyhole arrangement. The Cloutier &#39;856 patent includes a locking screw arrangement. Both Cloutier patents disclose rental cameras which are to be used by a customer for picture-taking and returned to a lender to unlock the film door and unload exposed film and replace with fresh film. A motor within the cameras of the &#39;085 and &#39;856 patents is used to rewind the exposed film into a cartridge.  
      Two loyalty cameras and systems having the film pre-wound in the camera under non-darkroom conditions have been offered by the present assignee. A first loyalty camera system is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,555, that patent incorporated herein by reference. Another loyalty camera is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,411, that patent additionally incorporated herein by reference.  
      Another loyalty camera and system of the present assignee, is shown in commonly assigned United States Patent Publication No. 2003/0161618, which will issue on Dec. 2, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,206, that patent/publication being incorporated herein by reference.  
      What is needed is an inexpensive loyalty camera and system wherein a particular mechanism is used by a camera store affiliate to remove exposed film from the loyalty camera. What is further needed is an inexpensive camera and system for promoting user loyalty. These objects, as well as others, are satisfied by the present inventions.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A camera and method for promoting consumer loyalty for film developing services is provided. A camera is provided wherein a particular tool is required to open the film door latch. In one embodiment, a tool is used to bias a door latch finger out of the door latch catch hole and to slide the latch plate. In one particular embodiment, the tool is used by someone other than the consumer when the camera is returned by a consumer to an affiliated outlet. The camera is unlatched, unloaded, reloaded with unexposed film and returned to the consumer.  
      Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent in the description that follows.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an exemplary embodiment that is presently preferred, it being understood however, that the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentality&#39;s disclosed. Additionally, like reference numerals represent like items throughout the drawings. In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1A  is a front planar view of a camera.  
       FIG. 1B  is a rear planar view of a camera in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a rear view of the camera of one particular embodiment of the present invention, having the latching mechanism cover removed.  
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the latching mechanism of the camera of  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the latching mechanism of the camera of  FIG. 2 , wherein the latch mechanism has been unlatched.  
       FIG. 5A  is a top enlarged plan view of a tool for use with one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5B  is a side enlarged plan view of the tool of  FIG. 5A .  
       FIG. 5C  is a bottom enlarged plan view of the tool of  FIG. 5A .  
       FIG. 5D  is an enlarged front end view of the tool of  FIG. 5A .  
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of one preferred embodiment of a loyalty method useful with the camera of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the present invention is directed towards a new and improved camera  10  having means for restricting rewinding of the exposed film and for limiting removal and replacement of the film cartridge to those in possession of the particular tool used for these purposes. The camera  10  may be a reusable camera that accepts APS film, 35 mm film, or other film formats.  
      The camera  10  includes a front cover  11 , including an opening for the front viewfinder lens  12   b , an opening for the flash lens  14 , and an aperture for the taking lens  16 , therethrough. Additionally, the camera  10  includes a rear cover, a portion of which is hingedly connected to the front cover  11 , by the hinge  22 , a flash charging button  18  and a flash ready light  19 , such as an LED. Alternatively, the rear cover may be hingedly connected to a portion of the camera body, not shown. Front cover  11  and rear cover  20  are structured to mate with the main body to form a light-tight casing.  
      It is envisioned in the present embodiment, that the film advance/rewind mechanism is motorized, as is known in the art. A rewind switch slot  24  passes through the rear cover  20 . A rewind switch  26  is used to activate the rewind mechanism. In another embodiment, a manual film rewind mechanism, such as that described in commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/613,181, entitled Loyalty Camera and a System and Method for Promoting Consumer Loyalty, may be used, that patent application being incorporated herein by reference.  
      The rear cover of camera  10  comprises a film door  20  and a fixed portion  30 . The fixed portion  30  is fixed to the camera body by the screws  34 . The film door  20  is movably connected to the front cover  11  by the hinge  22 . A latching member  27  secures the film door  20  closed in a light tight arrangement. When latched closed, the film door latch  27  mates with a fixed sill portion  32  on the fixed portion  30  to keep the film door closed. Unlatched, the film door  20  can swing open on the hinge  22  to provide access to a film cartridge receiving compartment (not shown) within the camera  10 . The latch mechanism  27  is contained within a cover  28 , which is fixed to the camera  10 . Access holes  28   a  provide limited access to the latch mechanism. Only a person with the proper tool to access the latch mechanism  27  through the holes  28   a  is able to open the film door  20 . Note that although two holes  28   a  are shown, a greater number or fewer number of holes, may be provided as needed. The cover  28  may be snapped into place using holes ( 46  of  FIGS. 2-4 ) on a mating structure underlying the cover  28 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown the camera  10  of  FIG. 1B  with the cover  28  removed to better shown the latch mechanism  27 .  FIG. 3  is a partial enlarged view of the latch mechanism  27  of  FIG. 2 , shown in the latched position.  FIG. 4  is a partial enlarged view of the latch mechanism  27  of  FIG. 2 , with the latch mechanism  27  having been moved by a tool (not shown) into the unlatched state.  
      The latch mechanism  27  comprises a latch plate  40  that is fixed to the film door  20 . In one embodiment, a portion of the latch plate  40  passes through the film door  20  and is heat staked to a plate (not shown) in contact with the interior surface of the film door  20 , to better stabilize the latch mechanism  27 . The latch plate  40  includes the flexible spring fingers  42 . Towards the free end of each spring finger  42  is a projection  42   a . The plate  40  is made from a material that permits the spring fingers  42  to flex away from the plane of the latch plate  40  when a pressure is applied to the free ends of the flexible fingers  42 . Both to add in the flexibility of the spring fingers  42  and to ensure a space into which the spring fingers can be biased, the spring fingers have a reduced thickness in comparison to the rest of the latch plate  40 . Also, if desired, the curvature of the film door  20 , can provide an additional space between the latch plate  40  and the surface of the film door  20  into which the spring fingers  42  can be moved. Note that although two spring fingers  42  are shown, it can be seen from the teachings herein that a fewer number or greater number of spring fingers may be used.  
      The latch plate  40  supports a sliding lock plate  50  parallel thereto, which is used to latch and unlatch the latch mechanism  27 . Posts  48  extend up from the surface of the latch plate  40  and through the slots  52  of the sliding lock plate  50  to hold the sliding lock plate  50  to the latch plate  40 , and permit the sliding lock plate  50  to slide over the latch plate  40 . In one particular embodiment shown, one end of the sliding lock plate  50  includes one slot  52  which mates with one post  48 , while the other end includes two slots  52  which mate with two posts  48 , to ensure that the sliding lock plate  50  is assembled on the latch plate  40  in the correct orientation.  
      The amount of travel undergone by the sliding lock plate  50  is limited by the length of the slots  52 . Slots  52  should be sized and located to permit the fingers  50   a  of the sliding lock plate  50  to be free from apertures  32   a  in the sill  32  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) to allow the film door  20  to open.  
      Latch plate  40  additionally includes a channel  44 , which is used to capture one end of the compression spring  60  when the latch mechanism  27  is assembled. If desired, a portion of the latch plate  40  near the channel  44  may be curved to complement the curvature of the coil spring  60 , so as to better support the spring  60  in the plane of the latch plate  40 . Correspondingly, the sliding lock plate  50  also includes a channel  50   b , which is used to capture the second end of the compression spring  60 . Compression spring  60  provides a spring force between the end walls of the channels  44 ,  50   b , to bias the sliding lock plate  50  into its normally latched position (shown in  FIG. 3 ). In the normally latched position, the fingers  50   a  engage openings  32   a  in the sill  32  so that the film door  20  cannot be opened. Additionally, the projections  42   a  on the spring fingers  42  are captured in catch holes  54  on the sliding lock plate  50 , to prevent the sliding lock plate  50  from unintentionally drifting out of the latched position.  
      Referring now specifically to  FIG. 4 , there is shown the latching mechanism  27  in the unlatched position. A tool (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) including prongs matched up with catch holes  54  is inserted into the catch holes  54  in the direction of the x-axis, which is perpendicular to and extends into the plane of the page. The prongs of the tool flex the spring fingers  42  away from the sliding lock plate  50  and bias the projections  42   a  out of the catch holes  54 . Simultaneously, the tool is moved linearly in the direction of the length of the camera, along the y-axis, to slide the catch holes  54  away from the projections  42   a  and to free the locking fingers  50   a  from the sill apertures  32   a . Thus the latch mechanism  27  is unlatched and the film door  20  may be swung open with the tool or the hand of the user. Once the tool is removed from the catch holes  54 , the spring  60  biases the sliding lock plate  50  back to the normally biased position, the spring fingers  42  additionally return to their normal positions and the projections  42   a  are again trapped in the catch holes  54 .  
      With the film door  20  open, the film may be removed and replaced with an unexposed roll of film. To close the film door the tool is used to bias the fingers down (along the x-axis) and slide the lock plate  50  (along the y-axis) to again unlatch the latching mechanism, as described, and the door is closed. When the tool is again removed, the latch is biased by the spring  60  into the latched position.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-5D , a tool  70  is shown which may be used in connection with the camera  10  of the present inventions. The tool  70  includes a pair of pins  72 , sized to engage holes  28   a ,  54 , to permit the door latch mechanism  27  to be unlatched and to open the film door  20 . Indicia may be provided on the top face of the tool  70  to instruct the user of its proper usage to open the film door  20 . Additionally, the central portion  74  may be formed to allow the user to better grasp the tool  70  during use.  
      A pin  76  including a tip  78  extends from one end of the tool  70 . If desired, the tip  78  may be used to rewind/prewind the film in the motorized embodiment of the camera  10 . For example, to prevent the user from prematurely rewinding the film, the rewind switch ( 26  if  FIG. 1B ) may be made flush with the film door  20 . Notches  26   a  and  26   b  may be sized to receive the tip  78 . Manipulation of the tool  70 , while the tip  78  is engaged with one of the notches  261 ,  26   b  will slide the switch  26  from one end to the other of the switch slot  24  and activate the film rewind mechanism. When the film is rewinded, the tool  70  may be used to return the switch  26  to its normal position, to ready the camera for a subsequent use. As such, in the particular embodiment described, it can be seen that the tool  70  is necessary to rewind the exposed film. If the camera  10  were one in which film were pre-wound, the tool  70  could be used to activate the motor to prewind the film.  
      Additionally, the tool  70  may be used in connection with an embodiment of the camera  10  wherein the film is manually rewound/prewound. For example, in co-pending commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/613,181, that application incorporated herein by reference, a manually rewound camera is disclosed. That camera includes an end cap disposed over the film advance wheel. The tool  70  may, optionally, include a generally circular-shaped area  75 , having at least one outwardly extending pin  75   a , extending out from its bottom face. In one particular embodiment, four pins  75   a  extend perpendicularly from the bottom face. Note however that the number of pins  75   a  used is merely a design choice. The prongs  75   a  are structured and disposed to mate with corresponding holes in the upper end cap of the camera, which are connected by a stem to the film advance wheel of the camera. Generally circular shaped area  75  and pins  75   a  are arranged to engage the upper end cap.  
      In such an embodiment, the post  76  of the tool  70  would act as a handle extending out from its top face, in generally perpendicular relation thereto, to facilitate grasping and rotation of the tool  70  during manual film rewinding.  
      One particular embodiment of a loyalty method using the camera  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 , will now be described in connection with  FIG. 6 . Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a flow diagram of a camera loyalty system  100 .  
      A camera, loaded with unexposed film, is provided to a consumer by a particular entity. Step  110 . The entity providing the camera may be a retail store or outlet, or an internet or other entity. The present loyalty system is provided so as to motivate the consumer, once the film has been exposed, to return the film to an affiliate of the entity (i.e. another location of the original entity an entity in business with or affiliated with the original entity and/or the original entity, itself) for film developing. As such, the camera may be purchased by the consumer from the entity, or the camera may be provided free of charge to the consumer as part of a promotional incentive by the entity.  
      The consumer than takes pictures with the camera on the film provided. Step  120 . The consumer is not provided with the tool necessary for opening the camera and/or rewinding the film, so the camera, loaded now with the exposed film, must be returned for developing to an affiliate of the original entity that has the necessary tool. Step  130 . This may be done by walking into an affiliate of the entity and handing a worker the camera, or by returning the camera by mail, in the case of an internet entity.  
      In one particular embodiment, a worker (not the consumer) affiliated with the entity uses the tool to rewind the exposed film into the original film cassette. Step  140 . As described above, if the camera is motorized, a tip of the tool may be used to activate the rewind motor switch. If the camera is manually rewound, a mating portion of the tool may be used to rewind the film. Note that if the camera is of the “pre-wind” variety, this step  140  may be omitted and a corresponding step for “pre-winding” the film would be provided after step  190  of the method  100 .  
      To open the camera and take out the exposed film cassette, the worker inserts a prong ( 72  of  FIG. 5A ) into the door latch hole and presses down (in the direction of the x-axis of  FIG. 4 ) to bias the spring fingers out of locking engagement with the catch holes. Step  150 . With the tool inserted through the catch holes, the worker uses the tool to slide the lock plate (in the direction of the y-axis of  FIG. 4 ) to unlatch and open the film door. Step  160 .  
      The worker then removes the cassette containing the exposed film, and loads an unexposed film cassette into the camera. Step  170 . Using the tool as described above, the worker relatches the camera film door. Step  180 . In one motorized embodiment of the invention, closing the film door automatically loads the film to the ready position.  
      Step  180 , the worker removes the tool from the door latch mechanism. Step  190 . The film is developed and the pictures are provided by the affiliate to the consumer in a desired format (i.e. prints, photoCD, email, etc.). Step  200 . Additionally, the camera, again loaded with unexposed film, is provided back to the consumer. Step  110 . The need for the tool to recover the exposed film ensures that the consumer will return the exposed film, still intact in the camera, to a desired affiliated entity.  
      As further incentive to return the camera to the affiliated entity, in one embodiment of the loyalty program described herein, the new roll of film is provided to the consumer free of charge. The consumer is charged only for the developed prints and (if desired) the initial purchase of the camera.  
      While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Although the present loyalty camera is described as using a tool to operate both the rewind mechanism and the door lever, it can be seen that the present loyalty system may be implemented wherein the particular tool is used to operate only one of the rewind mechanism and the door lever, permitting the consumer to freely operate the other of the rewind mechanism and the door lever. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.