Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Akira Yamanaka

Kouji Yamamoto

Shinji Tominaga

Nobuyuki Taniguchi

Hiroshi Ueda

Toshinori Imura

Ikushi Nakamura

Michihiro Iwata

Keisuke Maeda

Junichi Tanii

Toshiaki Matsumoto

Keiji Yamazaki

Masaaki Chikasaki

Akira Yoshizaki

Haruo Kobayashi

Yujiro Mima

Nobuya Miki

Fumitaka Io

Masayoshi Horikawa

Masataka Kashima

A camera using a film cartridge having a shaft for winding a film and intercepting light, includes: a cartridge chamber for accommodating the film cartridge; a driving unit; a driving source for generating force for driving the driving unit; a transmitting device; and a limiting device. The driving member engages the shaft of the film cartridge accommodated in the cartridge chamber, and rotates the shaft in the film unwinding direction to remove the film from the film cartridge. The transmitting device is provided between the driving source and the driving unit, and transmits the force generated by the driving source to the driving unit. The limiting device is provided in the transmitting device, and limits the force to be transmitted to the driving unit so as to feed the film in the film unwinding direction.

Camera using film cartridge

An electronic circuitry for a photographic camera including functioning circuits for carrying out various functions of the camera, an electronic flash circuit having at least a voltage boosting circuit and a capacitor which charges the output of the voltage boosting circuit for flash, a control circuit for outputting control signals to the functioning circuits and to the electronic flash circuit and a battery for supplying power to the functioning circuits, the electronic flash circuit and the control circuit. In order to prevent erroneous functions of the functioning circuits caused by noise, the control circuit inhibits the output of the control signals to the functioning circuits while the capacitor for the flashing included in the electronic flash circuit is being charged.

Electronic circuit for a camera having means for suspending operation of

A camera having a photographic optical system, a lens barrel disposed to be movable relative to a camera body in a direction of an optical axis and holding the photographic optical system, a focal length switchover mechanism for moving the photographic optical system such that the photographic optical system has a longer focal length as the same is moved forwardly in the direction of the optical axis, and a lens barrier displaceable between a closed position and an opened position for covering and uncovering a front face of the lens barrel. This lens barrier is disposed independently of the lens barrel adjacent a front end of the lens barrel having returned to a home position thereof at the side of the camera body such that the lens barrier is not movable in unison with the lens barrel. The lens barrel is moved to a projected position at which a front portion of the same is projected forwardly of the lens barrier when the focal length of the photographic optical system is set to be long by the focal length switchover mechanism. When the lens barrel is placed at the projected position and if the lens barrier is operated to its closed position, the lens barrel first returns to its home position before the lens barrier will close.

Camera

A camera including a lens cover and provided with a plurality of picture taking modes. The camera has the capability for outputting a signal representing that the lens cover is open or closed, for selecting one of the plurality of picture taking modes and for sending a photographic film. The camera has a first display portion for displaying the picture taking mode selected and a second display portion for displaying information of the photographic film loaded in the camera. The operation of the camera is controlled according to the picture taking mode selected and such control of the operation of the camera is inhibited while a signal is output representing that the lens cover is closed. While a signal is output representing that the lens cover is open, the first display portion displays the picture taking mode selected; and while a signal is output representing that the lens cover is closed the first display portion is inhibited from displaying the picture taking mode selected. The displaying of information of the photographic film and the sending of the photographic film can be accomplished independent of the signal representing that the lens cover is open or closed.

Camera including a lens cover

Electronic circuitry for photographic camera

A camera system is capable of operating in a number of different photographic modes and includes a display system which provides information relevant to each of the modes. The camera system also includes an automatic film rewinding mechanism that has two modes of operation. In a first, automatic, mode, the tensioning of the film during winding is detected to indicate the end of the roll of film. Upon such detection, the film is automatically and fully rewound into the film cartridge. In a second, user selectable, mode a signal is manually provided by the user to initiate film rewinding. Rewinding of the film is stopped just prior to the time the end of the film enters the cartridge, so that a portion of the film leader remains extended outside of the cartridge.

Camera system

A mode selecting device for use in a camera provided with the various picture taking modes including standard picture taking mode, self-timer picture taking mode, flash light picture taking mode, close picture taking mode, fill in flash mode, nonflash mode and consecutive picture taking mode. A mode setting button is operable to select the mode and a memory is provided to store data corresponding to the selected mode. Also disclosed is a brightness measuring circuit and an automatic exposure control circuit. A flash is enabled or disabled in accordance with the mode selected and the measured brightness value. The camera is automatically reset to the most frequently used mode for emitting the flash light automatically under low light condition after a exposure has been completed, or a given time after the exposure has been completed. Additionally, a warning indicator is actuated when it is detected that the rear lid has been opened and film is mounted in the camera, and a display is provided to indicate the presence of film in the camera when a warning signal has been stored.

A mode selecting device for use in a camera provided with various picture taking modes including a normal picture taking mode, having a mode selecting device which is able to return to the normal picture taking mode from various kinds of camera modes automatically. The device further including a component for selecting a first mode in which the camera operates to take picture consecutively and a second mode in which the camera operates to take only one picture at a time, a mechanism for preliminary winding up of a film by a predetermined length in response to the closure of the back lid of the camera, the film lying in the normal frame position when the preliminary winding is terminated and components for forcibly selecting the second mode before the preliminary winding is terminated.

Control device for use in a camera having a consecutive picture taking

A photographic camera in which a lens adjustable in two positions is focused automatically on subjects located within 'near' and 'far' distance range from the camera. The lens is normally positioned in one of the two positions and movable to the other of the two positions in response to a signal generated by an automatic focusing device upon the detection of the subject location in the focus range to which the other position corresponds, wherein it is characterized that the movement of the lens is automatically controlled by an electromagnetic device.

Lens driving system for automatic focusing zone focus camera

A film winding-up system for a photographic camera including a film detection switch, a one-frame film winding-up device, a detection switch for detecting completion of an operation of the one-frame film winding-up device, a film advance detection switch for detecting whether a film is properly wound-up or not, a display device having a film frame counter and a control device connected to the film detection switch, the one-frame film winding-up device, the one-frame film winding-up completion detection switch, the film advance detection switch and to the film frame counter. The control device controls the film frame counter to count up the value on the film frame counter when the film is not loaded and at the same time the one-frame film winding-up operation is completed and the control device also controls the film frame counter to count up the value on the film frame counter when the film is loaded and at the same time the one-frame film winding-up operation is completed and further the film advance is properly detected and the control device inhibits the counting-up operation of the film frame counter when the film is loaded and at the same time the one-frame film winding-up operation is completed and further the proper film advance is not detected.

Film winding-up system for photographic camera

The present invention relates to a battery compartment capable of selectively accommodating an integrated battery unit and a plurality of cylindrical batteries. This battery compartment comprises a housing adapted to fit the integrated battery unit and a support member which is pivotably placed about a support portion provided to a side interior wall of the housing between a supporting position substantially perpendicular to the side interior wall to laterally support the plurality of cylindrical batteries and a recessed position along the side interior wall to be recessed from an accommodating space for the integrated battery unit. This support member is always urged toward the supporting position and a loading of the integrated battery unit is carried out in such a manner that the support member is displaced to the recessed position against a resilience of the support member toward the supporting position.

Battery compartment

The motor drive device according to the present invention drives a motor until a hold signal disappears and the motor is braked when the holding signal disappears. After a predetermined period from the time when the holding signal disappears, it is detected whether or not a completion position signal representing that the load has reached the normal complete position is output. If the completion position signal is not output, the motor is started again. The load is driven until the load reaches the position where the completion position signal is output, and then the motor is braked. Thus the load can be stopped at the correct position. Also, with the motor drive device according to the present invention, the motor may be braked after the load is driven by a predetermined amount. After a predetermined period has passed therefrom, it is detected whether or not a signal representing that the load is normally driven is output, and if the signal is not ouput, the motor is started again. The load is driven until the signal is output and then the motor is braked. Thus, the load can be correctly driven.

Moving driving device of camera

A mode selecting device for use in a camera having at least two modes, namely, a consecutive picture taking mode and a single picture taking mode. In the consecutive picture taking mode, the camera operates to take pictures consecutively so long as the exposure release button is depressed. In the single picture taking mode, the camera operates to take a single picture no matter how long the release button is continuously depressed. The selected mode is displayed on a display. The camera returns to the single picture taking mode when the back lid is opened, when the back lid is closed, when the film is rewound, or when the film undergoes preliminary winding so that the camera is not inadvertently left in the consecutive picture taking mode.

Camera system with mode selecting device

A camera with a flash device that includes a manually operable member. The camera has a capability for controlling exposure, for detecting a completion of charge of the flash device, and for counting a lapse of time from the operation of the manually operable member. The camera also has the capability to allow the control of exposure when the completion of charge is detected, and for forbidding the control of exposure when a predetermined time is counted without the detecting of the completion of charge.

Growing community of inventors

Sakai, Japan

Akira Yamanaka