Opaque shade

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type including a plurality of superposed layers including photosensitive and transparent layers, and a processing composition including an opacifying agent which is adapted to be spread across the photosensitive layer comprising:

• means for supporting the film unit in position for exposure of the photosensitive layer;
• means for advancing the film unit subsequent to exposure away from said exposure position;
• pressure-applying means including a pair of juxtaposed members between which the exposed film unit is adapted to be advanced leading edge first during spreading of the processing composition;
• means defining an exit opening through which the film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of said photographic apparatus;
• and
• opaque means mounted adjacent said exit opening for sequential movement from a first position wherein said opaque means is in lighttight relation with said exit opening to a second position wherein it is in lighttight relation with the transparent layer of the film unit as it passes from said exit opening to the exterior of said photographic apparatus and then back toward said first position while a major portion of the film unit remains outside said photographic apparatus.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type including a plurality of superposed layers including photosensitive and transparent layers, and a processing composition including an opacifying agent which is adapted to be spread across the photosensitive layer comprising:

• means for supporting the film unit in position for exposure of the photosensitive layer;
• means for advancing the film unit subsequent to exposure away from said exposure position;
• pressure-applying means including a pair of juxtaposed members between which the exposed film unit is adapted to be advanced leading edge first during spreading of the processing composition;
• means defining an exit opening through which the exposed film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of said photographic apparatus;
• opaque means movable with the leading edge of the film unit a predetermined distance for covering the transparent layer of the film unit as it passes through said exit opening;
• and
• means for uncovering the transparent layer while the transparent layer remains outside said photographic apparatus so as to expose it to the ambient light when said predetermined distance has been reached by said opaque means.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type including a plurality of superposed layers including photosensitive and transparent layers, and a processing composition including an opacifying agent which is adapted to be spread across the photosensitive layer comprising:

• means for supporting the film unit in position for exposure of the photosensitive layer;
• pressure-applying means including a pair of juxtaposed members between which the film unit is adapted to be advanced, subsequent to exposure, leading edge first during spreading of the processing composition;
• means defining an exit opening located forwardly of said pressure-applying means through which the film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of said photographic apparatus;
• and
• opaque means mounted adjacent said exit opening for movement between non-extended and extended positions, said opaque means being movable toward said extended position with the leading edge of the film unit as it passes through said exit opening for covering in lighttight relation at least a predetermined area of the transparent layer as it passes from said exit opening sufficient to prevent ambient actinic light from being transmitted by portions of the transparent layer forward of said pressure-applying means to portions of the transparent layer rearwardly of said pressure-applying means, and toward said non-extended position while the predetermined area remains outside said photographic apparatus for progressively exposing the predetermined area to the ambient light.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type including a plurality of superposed layers including photosensitive and transparent layers, and a processing composition including an opacifying agent which is adapted to be spread across the photosensitive layer comprising:

• means for supporting the film unit in position for exposure of the photosensitive layer;
• pressure-applying means including a pair of juxtaposed members between which the film unit is adapted to be advanced, subsequent to exposure, leading edge first during spreading of the processing composition;
• means defining an exit opening through which the film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of said photographic apparatus;
• and
• opaque means mounted adjacent said exit opening for sequential movement from a first position wherein said opaque means is in lighttight relation with said exit opening to a second position wherein it is in lighttight relation with the transparent layer of the film unit as it passes from said exit opening to the exterior of said photographic apparatus and then back toward said first position while a major portion of the film unit remains outside said photographic apparatus.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type including a plurality of superposed layers including photosensitive and transparent layers, and a processing composition including an opacifying agent which is adapted to be spread across the photosensitive layer comprising:

• means for supporting the film unit in position for exposure of the photosensitive layer;
• pressure-applying means including a pair of juxtaposed members between which the film unit is adapted to be advanced, subsequent to exposure, leading edge first during spreading of the processing composition;
• means defining an exit opening through which the exposed film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of said photographic apparatus;
• opaque means movable with the leading edge of the film unit a predetermined distance for covering the transparent layer of the film unit as it passes through said exit opening;
• and
• means for uncovering the transparent layer while the transparent layer remains outside said photographic apparatus so as to expose it to the ambient light when said predetermined distance has been reached by said opaque means.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit including a pod of processing fluid located adjacent a leading edge thereof and arranged to release the processing fluid retained therein responsive to a compressive force being exerted thereagainst, the film unit further including a photosensitive layer and a light transparent layer overlying one side of the photosensitive layer, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing formed of opaque material, said housing being configured to retain at least one of the exposed film units at a given position and to define an opening through which the film unit may be advanced from said housing;
• a pair of elongated juxtaposed members located intermediate said given position within said housing and said opening and arranged to first exert a compressive force on the pod to release the processing fluid retained therein and then to subsequently direct the released processing fluid progressively over the photosensitive layer responsive to the exposed film unit being advanced from its said given position within said housing through said opening;
• and
• means for at least substantially protecting the light transparent layer from ambient light rays as the film unit emerges from said housing through said opening, said means including an extendable opaque member mounted on said housing and structured and arranged to be stored in an initial compact non-extended position and to be engaged by the leading edge of the film unit and progressively automatically extended therefrom to overlie the transparent layer as the film unit emerges from said housing through said opening and to automatically return to said compact non-extended position upon disengagement of said extendable opaque member from the film unit while the film unit remains outside said housing so as to expose the transparent layer to ambient light rays.

Photographic apparatus for processing an exposed film unit of the type having opposed major surfaces and including a pod of processing fluid arranged to release the processing fluid retained therein along a photosensitive layer in response to a compressive force being exerted thereagainst, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing formed of opaque material, said housing being configured to retain at least one of the exposed film units at a given position and to define an opening through which the film unit may be advanced from said housing;
• a pair of elongated juxtaposed members located intermediate said given position within said housing and said opening and arranged to first exert a compressive force on the pod to release the processing fluid retained therein and then to subsequently direct the released processing fluid progressively over the film unit's photosensitive layer responsive to the exposed film unit being advanced from its said given position within said housing through said opening;
• and
• means for at least substantially protecting a major surface of the film unit from ambient light rays as the film unit emerges from said housing through said opening, said means including an extendable opaque member mounted from said housing and structured and arranged to be automatically progressively extended from said housing to overlie at least one major surface of the film unit as the film unit is advanced a predetermined distance outward of said opening, and to be automatically returned to its unextended position while the major surface of the film unit remains outside said housing in response solely to said film unit being advanced further so as to expose the major surface to ambient light outwardly of said opening.