Photographic film loading method, photographic film conveying apparatus, and image reading apparatus

A photographic film loading method of loading an elongate photographic film at an apparatus which has a carrier for holding the photographic film to convey the photographic film along a conveying path and which effects photometry of each frame image of the photographic film at a predetermined position of the conveying path, comprising the steps of:

• (a) spanning the photographic film between a supply reel and a winding reel;
• (b) drawing-out an intermediate portion of the photographic film using drawing-out rollers, such that the drawing-out rollers are located adjacent to reserver rollers, said reserver rollers being fixed during the drawing-out of the photographic film;
• (c) moving said reserver rollers in a longitudinal direction away from the drawing-out rollers, such that the intermediate portion of said photographic film is pressed against a first portion of said carrier, the first portion disposed so as to be fixed at said apparatus,
• (d) moving a second portion of said carrier between a first position at which the photographic film is held between the first portion and the second portion, the first and second portion forming the conveying path, and a second position, which is withdrawn from the first position such that release of the holding of the photographic film between the first portion and the second portion is permitted, drawing-out the intermediate portion of the photographic film between said supply reel and said winding reel while the second portion is located at the second position, so as to locate the intermediate portion on the conveying path;
• and
• (e) moving the second portion to the first position to hold the photographic film, thereby completing loading of the photographic film.

A photographic film conveying apparatus having a conveying path and including a carrier which holds an elongate photographic film and conveys the photographic film along the conveying path in a longitudinal direction of the photographic film, comprising:

• a fixed portion forming a portion of said carrier and fixed to said film conveying apparatus;
• a movable portion forming the remaining portion of said carrier;
• and
• connecting means for automatically connecting said fixed portion and said movable portion and permitting pivoting of said movable portion to a first position, at which the photographic film located on the conveying path is held between said movable portion and said fixed portion so as to permit conveying of the photographic film, and to a second position, which is withdrawn from the first position and at which location of the photographic film on the conveying path and removal of the photographic film from the conveying path are permitted;
• wherein said connecting means comprises:
• a shaft for pivotably connecting said fixed portion and said movable portion of said carrier;
• a motor to transmit a driving force to said shaft;
• and
• a controller for providing instructions to said motor when said photographic film is located on a conveying path on said fixed portion of said carrier, to drive said motor to pivot said movable portion of said carrier to said fixed portion of said carrier, to hold said photographic film between said movable portion and said fixed portion of said carrier.

An image reading apparatus which holds an elongate photographic film and conveys the photographic film along a conveying path and reads each frame image of the photographic film at a predetermined position of the conveying path, comprising:

• a carrier having a fixed portion fixed to said image reading apparatus and a movable portion which can be pivoted to a first position, said fixed portion and said movable portion together in the first position forming the conveying path, the first position being at which the photographic film located on the conveying path is held between said movable portion and said fixed portion such that conveying of the photographic film is permitted, and to a second position, which is withdrawn from the first position such that location of the photographic film on the conveying path and removal of the photographic film from the conveying path are permitted;
• a drawing-out mechanism including drawing-out rollers and reserver rollers, for, while the movable portion is located at the second position, drawing-out an intermediate portion of the photographic film using the drawing-out rollers into a first location spanned between a supply reel and a winding reel, then using the reserver rollers to move longitudinally away from the drawing-out rollers and draw-out the intermediate portion of photographic film into a second location wherein the photographic film presses the intermediate portion against the fixed portion and locates the intermediate portion on the conveying path;
• and
• a first drive device for pivoting the movable portion from the second position to the first position to hold the intermediate portion between the first portion and the second portion such that conveying of the photographic film is permitted.

A photographic film loading method of loading an elongate photographic film at an apparatus which has a carrier for holding the photographic film to convey the photographic film along a conveying path and which effects photometry of each frame image of the photographic film at a predetermined position of the conveying path, comprising the steps of:

• (a) spanning the photographic film between a supply reel and a winding reel;
• (b) said carrier having a first portion disposed so as to be fixed at said apparatus and a second portion movable between a first position, at which the photographic film located on the conveying path is held between the first portion and the second portion, and a second position, which is withdrawn from the first position such that release of the holding of the photographic film between the first portion and the second portion is permitted, drawing-out an intermediate portion of the photographic film between said supply reel and said winding reel while the second portion is located at the second position, so as to locate the intermediate portion on the conveying path;
• and
• (c) moving the second portion to the first position to hold the photographic film, thereby completing loading of the photographic film;
• wherein in step (a), the photographic film is spanned between said supply reel and said winding reel in accordance with a loading direction and a winding direction of the photographic film which are determined on the basis of a winding manner of the photographic film before the photographic film is loaded at said apparatus.

An image reading apparatus which holds an elongate photographic film and conveys the photographic film along a conveying path and reads each frame image of the photographic film at a predetermined position of the conveying path, comprising:

• a carrier having the conveying path, said carrier having a fixed portion fixed to said image reading apparatus and a movable portion which can be pivoted to a first position, at which the photographic film located on the conveying path is held between said movable portion and said fixed portion such that conveying of the photographic film is permitted, and to a second position, which is withdrawn from the first position such that location of the photographic film on the conveying path and removal of the photographic film from the conveying path are permitted;
• drawing-out means for, while the movable portion is located at the second position, drawing-out an intermediate portion of the photographic film spanned between a supply reel and a winding reel to press the intermediate portion against the fixed portion and to locate the intermediate portion on the conveying path;
• and
• a first drive device for pivoting the movable portion from the second position to the first position to hold the intermediate portion between the first portion and the second portion such that conveying of the photographic film is permitted;
• wherein said drawing-out means includes a first drawing-out means for pressing the intermediate portion to draw-out the intermediate portion to a predetermined position, and a second drawing-out means for further drawing-out the intermediate portion, which has been drawn-out by said first drawing-out means to the predetermined position, so as to press the intermediate portion against the fixed portion;
• and
• wherein said first drawing-out means includes an arm, a first roller rotatably supported by one longitudinal direction end portion of said arm, and second drive means engaged with another end portion of said arm and operated to pivot said arm about the other end portion, and the intermediate portion is pressed by said first roller in accordance with the operation of said second drive means so as to be drawn-out to the predetermined position;
• and
• wherein said second drawing-out means comprises a shaft member, a second roller rotatably supported by one longitudinal direction end portion of said shaft member, third drive means for moving said second roller to a third position at which said shaft member is extended in the longitudinal direction of said shaft member and a fourth position at which said shaft member is withdrawn in the longitudinal direction, and fourth drive means for supporting said third drive means and linearly moving said second roller through said third drive means between the third position and a fifth position at which the intermediate portion is pressed against the fixed portion through said second roller, wherein said shaft member is set in a withdrawn state by said third drive means when the intermediate portion is moved by said first drawing-out means to the predetermined position, and said second roller is moved to the fourth position by said third drive means after the intermediate portion is located at the predetermined position, and said second roller is moved by said fourth drive means from the fourth position to the fifth position with said second roller pressing the intermediate portion against the fixed portion, thereby locating the intermediate portion on the conveying path.