Camera having transverse optical encoder
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorDavid C. Smart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera has a body having an exposure frame surrounding an exposure opening. The exposure frame has a window. A mask core is mounted in the body. The mask core has an axis of rotation extending transverse to the exposure frame. The mask core has a plurality of sectors arranged about the axis of rotation. Each sector has an active position adjoining the window. Each sector shades the window differently in the respective active position. A drive is coupled to the mask core. The drive selectively rotates the mask core between the active positions of each of the sectors.
Claims21
A camera comprising:
- a body having an exposure frame surrounding an exposure opening, said exposure frame having a window;
- a mask core mounted in said body, said mask core having an axis of rotation extending transverse to said exposure frame, said mask core having a plurality of sectors arranged about said axis of rotation, each said sector having an active position adjoining said window, each said sector shading said window differently in the respective said active position;
- a drive coupled to said mask core, said drive selectively rotating said mask core between said active positions of each of said sectors.
A camera comprising:
- a shell;
- a taking lens disposed in said shell;
- a camera-frame disposed in said shell, said camera-frame having an exposure frame disposed to receive light from said taking lens, said exposure frame surrounding an exposure opening, said exposure frame having a window laterally adjoining said exposure opening, said camera-frame having a passageway extending transverse to said exposure frame;
- a mask core mounted in said passageway, said mask core being rotatable about an axis of rotation extending along said passageway, said mask core having a plurality of light shading portions, each said shading portion being attenuative of transmitted light, said mask core having a plurality of light transmitting portions, each said transmitting portion being at least partially light transmissive, said mask core having a plurality of sectors, said portions having a different configuration in each of said sectors;
- a drive coupled to said mask core, said drive selectively rotating said mask core to align each of said sectors with said window, in alternation.
A method for encoding information on photographic film comprising the steps of:
- directing light through a passageway that extends transverse to an exposure frame holding a filmstrip;
- propagating said light through a window in said exposure frame to said filmstrip;
- during said directing, modulating said light to encode a pattern on said filmstrip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.