A Film Cartridge

Europaisches Patentamt 19 European Patent Office

Office europeen des brevets (fi) Publication number : 0 561 636 A1

EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(22) Date of filing : 18.03.93

(30) Priority : 18.03.92 GB 9205912 (72) Inventor : Chan, Yet House 51, Palm Drive of the Redhill Peninsula Site D., 18 Pak Pat Shan Road (HK) (43) Date of publication of application 22.09.93 Bulletin 93/38 @) Representative : Findlay, Alice Rosemary Lloyd Wise, Tregear & Co. Norman House @ Designated Contracting States : 105-109 Strand DE FR GB IT London WC2R 0AE (GB)

@ Applicant : ACHIEVER INDUSTRIES LIMITED Twelth Floor, Union Hing Yip Factory Building, 20 Hing Yip Street Kwun Tong, Kowloon (HK)

(54) A film cartridge.

(57) A film cartridge is disclosed which comprises a film supply chamber 130 and a film take-up chamber 140 having a film wind-on spindle 150 rotatably mounted therein with a film connected to the spindle extending between the chambers via a film transport path in which a film exposure window is disposed. The cartridge is of such a size as to be compatible with a 126 format camera but the film exposure window is of full frame 135 format size.

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This invention relates to a film cartridge. take-up chamber having a film take-up spindle mount- Cameras which use a pop-in cartridge which en- ed therein, the chambers being connected via a film closes the film have been known for many years, for transport path in which a film exposure window is dis- example as manufactured by Kodak under their trade posed, the cartridge being operable by a 126 format mark "INSTAMATIC". Such cameras are extremely 5 camera and wherein the film exposure window is of easy to operate, generally requiring the user only to full frame 135 format size. insert the film cartridge into the camera, close the The inventors have found that, contrary to gener- back, wind the film on and then take a photograph. ally accepted belief, it is possible to design a film car- The cartridge comprises a casing, with the unex- tridge which is operable by a standard 126 format posed film stored in a film supply chamber of the cas- 10 camera of the kind described above but which in- ing in a roll and connected to a spindle in a take-up cludes a film exposure window of full frame 35mm di- chamber of the casing via a film transport path in mensions. which a film exposure window is disposed. The film Afeature of the film cartridge according to the in- includes a backing sheet indicating the picture frame vention is that the edge of the film window is slanted number which is visible through an opening in the 15 at an angle corresponding to the angle of incidence casing, thus obviating the need for any external of light rays passing through the camera lens, so that mechanism in the camera for performing this func- maximum frame area is provided with a minimal re- tion. duction in window structure. A winder on the camera engages the spindle to An embodiment of the invention will now be de- advance the film between frames and the film is pro- 20 scribed, by way of example, with reference to the ac- vided, at frame intervals, with an opening on one companying drawings in which: longitudinal side which is engaged by a spigot of the Figure 1 is aside view of an embodiment of a film camera. As the spigot engages a side of the opening, cartridge in accordance with the invention. the spigot is pulled to an upright locked position which Figure 2 is an axial cross sectional view of a spin- holds the film at the correct position to take a further 25 die of figure 1 through 2'- 2' in the plane of the paper. photograph. The action of movement of this spigot Figure 3 is an internal view through 3'- 3' of figure also cocks the shutter allowing a picture to be taken. 1 in the plane of the paper of a first component of the When the shutter release is pressed, this automati- casing of the embodiment of the invention. cally releases the locked spigot thus allowing the film Figure 4 is a simplified view through the plane 4'- to be advanced again. 30 4' of figure 3. Although the film cartridge is of somewhat more Figure 5 is a view in the plane 5'- 5' of figure 1 complex construction than ordinary roll film, this showing an internal view of a second component of does allow the camera to be of very simple construc- the casing of the embodiment of the invention. tion, thus leading to reduce manufacturing cost and With reference to the drawings, the film cartridge providing an inexpensive, simple to operate camera 35 illustrated comprises a casing 1 00 formed from a first suitable particularly for children. component 110 and a second component 120 which The film format used in such cameras is what is are permanently sealed together to form, with the ex- termed "126" format film which produces a 28mm ception of a film exposure window, a light sealed unit. square frame negative. While capable of producing The casing defines two chambers, a film supply acceptable results in good light, 126 square frame film 40 chamber 130 and a film take-up chamber 140. A ro- does not produce such an aesthetically pleasing pic- tatable film take-up spindle 150 is disposed in the ture format as, for example, standard 1 35 or 35mm chamber 140 and a film (not shown) is stored in the film which uses a negative of 24mm width and 36mm film supply chamber and connected at one end to the length, i.e. in a rectangular format. film take-up spindle 150 via a film transport path 180 Proposals have been made to provide the advan- 45 in which a film exposure window 190 is formed, as is tages of a rectangular format with 126 format film by best shown in fig 3. The spindle 150 can be rotated restricting the exposure area to provide a negative by engagement of a film wind on mechanism of a 126 with a length of 28mm but with a reduced width to pro- format camera (not shown) which engages end 160 duce a negative of the same side to edge ratio as 1 35 of the spindle in an interlocking manner, thusadvanc- format film but of a reduced size. It is a disadvantage 50 ing the film. of such a proposal, however, that if the negative is en- The cartridge 100 is dimensioned so as to be re- larged by conventional processing equipment, re- ceivable in a 126 format camera. Separation distance duced size prints are obtained and it is necessary to and approximate dimensions of the chambers 130, provide special equipment to make the additional en- 140 are the same as for a 1 26 format cartridge. How- largement necessary to provide a "full size" prints 55 ever, unlike prior art 126 format cartridges, the film from the reduced size negative. exposure window 190 of the described embodiment According to the invention there is provided a film is of at least full frame 1 35 format. cartridge comprising a film supply chamber, a film The window 190 is provided with a peripheral 2 3 EP 0 561 636 A1 4 channel 205 (shown in plan in dotted lines in figure 3 preferred form, such a camera may be provided with and in cross section in figure 4) which engages a cor- replacement view finders, or view finder masks, so responding rib (not shown) that projects from the that either 126 or 135 format exposure areas may be camera body of a standard 126 format camera. The indicated by the camera in dependence upon the film rib engages the base of the channel 205 to set the 5 chosen for use. distance between the lens and the image plane/film transport path 180. Edges 230 of a ledge 220 which forms a side of the channel 205 are slanted at an an- Claims gle A of 34.6°) to the lens principal axis O corresponding to the angle of incidence that light from the lens 10 1. Afilm cartridge operable by a 126 format camera strikes the edge of the film window as shown in figure comprising a film supply chamber, 4. Slanting the edges 230 in this way allows the per- a film take-up chamber having a film wind-on ipheral channel structure of the window, which is an spindle, the chambers being connected via a film essential feature of conventional 126 camera design, transport path in which a film exposure window to be retained as the slanted edges at their minimum 15 is disposed and wherein the film exposure win- extent allow the formation of the channel structure, dow is of at least full frame 135 format size. while at their maximum extent, in the film transport path 180, allow the window dimensions to be of full 2. A cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least frame 135 size. one peripheral edge of the film exposure window The longitudinal edges 232 do not have the space 20 is slanted. constraint caused by channel 205 and thus need not be bevelled in the same way. However, if desired, 3. A cartridge as claimed in claim 2 wherein the or these edges can be slanted at a steeper angle (typi- each edge is slanted at the angle of incidence at cally » 60°) as they are closer to the lens principal axis which light from a camera lens falls upon the O. 25 edge. In order to compensate for non-planar variations in the focal plane, which are particularly noticeable 4. Afilm cartridge as claimed in any one of the pre- for high f number, e.g. f16 lenses, which are used in ceding claims wherein the exposure window is such simple cameras to keep manufacturing cost low, provided with a peripheral channel engageable the film transport path 180 is of slightly arcuate form, 30 with a corresponding rib of said camera. in the film transport direction, to maintain a constant lens-image plane distance, in the film transport direc- 5. Afilm cartridge as claimed in any one of the pre- tion. ceding claims further comprising a film, the film The film retained within the cartridge 100 is of ex- being disposed within the cartridge and connect- actly the same width dimension as 126 film, which is 35 ed at one end to the spindle and being provided sufficient to accommodate the width dimension of a with a plurality of openings at regular intervals 1 35 negative. The film includes a backing sheet to in- along one longitudinal edge engageable with a dicate the film frame number, an opening 210 is in frame registration member of said camera, the casing portion 120 forviewing the film exposure num- openings being at least 36mm apart. ber on the backing sheet. The film registration mech- 40 anism is exactly the same as for a normal 126 car- 6. A cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein the tridge film, as described in the prior art, in that open- openings are at least 38mm apart. ings are provided at frame intervals along the length of the film which are engaged by a spigot of the cam- 7. A cartridge as claimed in any one of the preced- era through an opening 200 in the cartridge. How- es ing claims wherein said film transport path is of ever, as the 135 frame is wider than a 126 frame, the arcuate form. distance between the openings along the film is larg- er to allow for the length of the negative as well as a 8. In combination, a cartridge as claimed in any one gap on either side of the negative to provide a break of the preceding claims and a 1 26 format camera. between negatives. Thus, typically, the frame open- 50 ings would be spaced 38mm apart. It should be noted 9. A combination as claimed in claim 7 having a that the film is not the same as conventional 135 film viewfinder corresponding to the dimensions of which is provided with two lines of openings on either the exposure window of the cartridge. longitudinal edge, for engagement with a conventional ratchet mechanism film advance. 55 10. Afilm cartridge substantially as hereinbefore de- Preferably, the film cartridge 100 is used with a scribed with reference to the accompanying 126 format camera with a view finder adapted to in- drawings. dicate the 135 exposure area. However, in a further 3 EP 0 561 636 A1

FIG. 2 :P 0 561 636 A1

FIG, 4

EP 0 561 636 A1

European Patent Number J EUROPEAN SEARCH REPORT Application Office EP 93 30 2054

DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category Citation of document with indication, where appropriate, Relevant CLASSIFICATION OF THE of relevant passages to daim APPLICATION ant. Q.5 ) X US-A-4 887 111 (C.J.HSIUNG) 1,8 G03B17/28 * column 4, line 35 - column 5, line 31 * * abstract; figures 1-4 * A 4-6

DE-A-4 014 418 (AGFA) 1,4,7-10 * column 2, line 31 - column 4, line 60; claims 1,3,5,7; figures 1-9 *

TECHNICAL FIELDS SEARCHED (Int. C1.5 )

G03B G03C

The present search report has been drawn up for all claims Place of ftearck Date of caapfouu at tat Hank BERLIN 12 MAY 1993 MANNTZ W. CATEGORY OF CITED DOCUMENTS T : theory or principle underlying the invention E : earlier patent document, but published on, or X : particularly relevant If taken alone after the filing date Y : particularly relevant if combined with another D : document cited in the application document of the same category L : document cited for other reasons A : technological background O : non-written disclosure A : member of the same patent family, corresponding P : intermediate document document