US 4,396,164 AGranted

Easy loading mechanism for cameras

AssigneeMinolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsKeisuke Maeda, Akira Yamanaka

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Abstract

A camera film easy loading takeup spool includes a body member rotatable about a longitudinal axis past a film delivery position and a plurality of peripherally spaced pairs of longitudinal jaw members, one of each of which is swingable about a longitudinal axis between film entry opening open and closed positions relative to the respective other jaw member and spring biased to its open position and including a depending follower engaging a circular cam which closes the jaws offset from the film delivery position and permits the spring opening of the jaw proximate the film delivery position. A film perforation engaging tooth or a friction pad is carried by one of each pair of jaws and the inner ends of the jaws delineate an inner passageway of a width equal to about the film thickness. A visual indicator is actuated when any one of the jaw members is open.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A camera film takeup spool mechanism comprising:

a body member rotatable about a longitudinal axis peripherally past a predetermined film delivery position and including a pair of jaw members having confronting faces delineating a film passageway, said jaw members being relatively transversely movable between an open position providing a relatively wide entry opening to said film passageway such that said film passageway delineating faces converge at the passageway end remote from said entry opening and a closed position providing a relatively narrow opening such that film is held between said jaw members;
shifting means responsive to the angular position of said body member for shifting one of said jaw members to said closed position when said body member is displaced from a predetermined position and for shifting said jaw members to said open position when said body member is at said predetermined position;
and
engaging means for providing, at the interior of said film passageway, a predetermined clearance and frictionally engaging a film leader traversing said film passageway and inserted in said clearance.

1 more element

An easy loading mechanism for cameras, comprising:

a takeup spool body member having a film insertion path into which a film leader is inserted, said takeup spool body member being rotatable about a predetermined axis;
a flap member having a face delineating one side of said film insertion path, said flap member being movable between an open position effecting a relatively wide entrance opening to said film insertion path such that said film insertion path contracts approaching its end remote from said entrance and a closed position effecting a relatively narrow entrance opening to said film insertion path, said flap member being supported by said takeup spool body member so as to be rotated therewith about said predetermined axis;
control means for maintaining said flap member at its closed position and moving said flap member from its closed to open position when said takeup spool body member is rotated to a predetermined angular position;
and
engaging means for providing, at the inner part of said film insertion path, a limited clearance and frictionally engaging a film leader traversing said path and inserted in said limited clearance.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/252,651Filed 9 Apr 1981
Priority: JP 55-4848711 Apr 1980
Granted: 2 Aug 1983
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G03B 17/30
Locating light-sensitive material within camera: locating spools or other rotatable holders of coiled film
B65H 75/28
Constructional details: arrangements for positively securing ends of material
B65H 2301/414225
Involving mechanical means: fixed to shaft or mandrel, e.g. clamping or pinching leading edge to shaft or mandrel
G03B 2217/261
Holders for containing light-sensitive material and adapted to be inserted within the camera: details of spools

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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