Film and battery loading method for a single use camera such as a single use APS camera and a camera loaded according to the same

In a camera of the type designed for single use by an end user and that is packaged with a film cassette in a film cassette compartment and pre-wound unexposed film withdrawn from the film cassette disposed in a film spool compartment, and wherein a manual advance wheel is rotated in one direction to wind the film into the film cassette as exposures are taken, the film cassette having a light lock door, a method of loading the camera in non-darkroom conditions without exposing any substantial portion of the film comprising the steps of:

• a) with the light lock door closed, inserting the film cassette into the film cassette compartment with a back cover assembled to the camera;
• b) opening the light lock door;
• (c) rotating the manual advance wheel in another direction opposite to said one direction to cause unexposed film to scroll out of the film cassette and into the film spool compartment;
• and,
• (d) winding the unexposed film into a spool in the film spool compartment.

In an APS camera of the type for single use by an end user and that is packaged with an APS film cassette in a film cassette compartment and pre-wound unexposed film withdrawn from the film cassette disposed in a film spool compartment, the film cassette having a light lock door, and wherein a manual advance wheel is rotated in one direction to wind the film into the film cassette as exposures are taken, and wherein an underside of the camera has first and second openings generally aligned with the film cassette compartment and film spool compartment, respectively, the first and second openings being light tightedly sealed closed after film has been loaded into the camera, a method of assembling the camera comprising the steps of:

• a) inserting the APS film cassette into said film cassette compartment via the first opening with the unexposed film rolled entirely within the film cassette and with the light lock door closed and with a back cover assembled to the camera, and sealing the first opening;
• b) rotating said manual advance wheel in another direction opposite to said one direction to open the light lock door and scroll a leader portion of the film out of the APS film cassette and into the film spool compartment;
• and,
• c) winding unexposed film from the film cassette into the film spool compartment with externally rotatable apparatus.

A method for use in an APS camera comprising the steps of:

• a) inserting an APS film cassette into an underside of the camera so as to engage a light lock door of the film cassette with an actuator engagable with a user rotatable film advance of the camera and to engage a spool internally of the film cassette with a shaft of the film advance;
• b) sealing the camera so as to prevent any substantial light from entering a portion of the camera that can expose film in the film cassette when the light lock door is opened;
• and,
• c) manually rotating a manual advance wheel that is a part of the film advance in a clockwise direction to cause the actuator to open the light lock door and to cause film to advance out of the film cassette.

In a camera of the type that employs a film cassette having a light lock door that is movable between open and closed positions and rotatable advancing means for advancing film between the film cassette and a film spool compartment, a method comprising the steps of:

• a) loading the film cassette into the film cassette compartment with the light lock door closed, the advancing means engaging a light lock door actuator inside the film cassette;
• b) rotating the advancing means to open the light lock door;
• and
• c) preventing further rotation of the advancing means from operating the light lock door actuator.