Lens-fitted photo film unit and method of unloading a cassette from the same

A lens-fitted photo film unit including a body in which a cassette containing chamber and a photo film roll chamber are formed, a rear cover for covering a rear of said body, a bottom cover for closing a bottom opening of said cassette containing chamber, first engaging means for engaging said bottom cover with said body, and second engaging means for engaging said rear cover with said body, said cassette containing chamber containing a cassette, said roll chamber containing a roll of unexposed photo film drawn out of said cassette, said cassette incorporating a photo film port shutter rotatable between a closed position to block a photo film passage port and an open position to open said photo film passage port, said photo film being wound into said cassette by one frame after an exposure is taken thereon, said cassette being unloaded from said cassette containing chamber through said bottom opening after said photo film is wound therein and said bottom cover is removed, said lens-fitted photo film unit comprising:

• a rotating member connected to said port shutter and rotatable between first and second positions, said port shutter having said open position when said rotating member has said first position, and said port shutter having said closed position when said rotating member has said second position, said rotating member being disconnected from said port shutter at a time of moving said cassette in said cassette containing chamber for unloading said cassette from said cassette containing chamber;
• and
• a drive mechanism for rotating said rotating member from said first position to said second position in response to disengaging said first or second engaging means.

A cassette unloading method for a lens-fitted photo film unit, said lens-fitted photo film unit including a body in which a cassette containing chamber and a photo film roll chamber are formed, a rear cover for covering a rear of said body, a bottom cover for closing a bottom opening of said cassette containing chamber, first engaging means for engaging said bottom cover with said body, and second engaging means for engaging said rear cover with said body, said cassette containing chamber containing a cassette, said roll chamber containing a roll of unexposed photo film drawn out of said cassette, said cassette incorporating a photo film port shutter rotatable between a closed position to block a photo film passage port and an open position to open said photo film passage port, said cassette unloading method comprising steps of:

• disengaging said first or second engaging means after said photo film is wound in said cassette;
• rotating a rotating member in response to disengaging said first or second engaging means, said rotating member rotating said port shutter to set said port shutter in said closed position;
• removing said bottom cover from said bottom opening after disengaging said first engaging means;
• moving said cassette in said cassette containing chamber for exiting said cassette from said bottom opening at least partially, to disengage said rotating member from said port shutter;
• and
• moving said cassette further to exit said cassette from said cassette containing chamber.