Eastman-kodak Company

Clark E Harris

Thomas C Healey

Joel R Shaw

Jeffrey Charles Robertson

Roger G Covington

Andrew E Dominesey

Raymond D Hulbert

David E Foeller

Evan W Hutchison

Gaylynn F Ingram

Paul J Szwejbka

David Lynn Patton

Bradley S Bush

Edgar G Earnhart

Michael William Didas

Ronald A Janssen

Dennis Robert Stell

Julie D Stone

Thomas A Maurer

Robert P Provencher

Joseph Anthony Manico

John H Rosenburgh

Randy Eugene Armbruster

Thomas D Jensen

Bradley A Phillips

Michael L Koelsch

Mark D Fraser

Jerry Carmen

Mark J Morse

James D Harney

Richard M Fraczek

Karen L Pond

Berle A Dale

Anthony Joseph Imperato

John A Kappler

Fernando Palmeroni, Jr

Mari-Kim Cooke

Michael Decker

Anthony J Imperto

A probe and a valve, which may be used together in a valve assemblage, and a method of using them. The valve includes a valve body with a forward end having a forwardly tapering valve body opening defined by a valve seat; a valve seal positioned in the valve body and having a forward end with a forwardly tapering valve seating portion, with the forward end being movable rearwardly from a closed position in which the seating portion sealingly mates against the valve seat to close the valve body opening, to an open position in which the valve seating portion is spaced from the valve seat to allow fluid to pass through the valve body opening and hence through the valve; and a resilient member adapted to urge the forward end of the valve seal into the closed position.

Valve system having tapered sealing portions

An apparatus for is disclosed for detecting low liquid level in a bottom-draining container (12), the apparatus including a spout (14, 48) extended outwardly from the container, the spout having a central bore (18) through which liquid can drain from a bottom of the container; at least one guide member (26, 56, 62) positioned in the spout; at least one float (38) mounted for movement in the spout along the guide member, the float being buoyant in a liquid to be drained from the container; a source (42) for directing a beam of radiation into the spout along a path intersected by the float when a liquid drains to a preselected level within the spout; and a device (44, 46) for detecting when the float intersects the beam. The guide member may be omitted in one embodiment.

Apparatus for detecting low liquid level in bottom-draining container

A probe comprising of a probe body, a probe post positioned in the probe body and having a forward end with a forwardly tapering front face and a rearwardly tapering probe post seat. A probe seal is provided within the probe body having a forward end with a rearwardly tapering probe seal opening forward end of the probe seal has a seal face. The forward end is movable rearwardly from a closed position sealingly mating against the probe post seat to close the probe seal opening to an open position in which the probe seal face is spaced from the probe post seat to allow fluid to pass through the probe seal opening and hence through the probe. A first resilient means for urging the forward end of the probe seal into the closed position.

Valve system

A probe and a valve, which may be used together in a valve assemblage, and a method of using them. The probe has a body and a post having a forward end with a front face and a rearwardly tapering probe post seat. A resilient probe seal has a forward end with a rearwardly tapering probe seal opening, the forward end being movable between an open position and a closed position in which it mates against the probe post seat to close the probe seal opening. The valve has a body with a forward end having a forwardly tapering valve body opening defined by a valve seat. A valve seal in the valve body has a forward end with a forwardly tapering valve seating portion, which is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the seating portion sealingly mates against the valve seat. A resilient means urges the forward end of the valve seal into the closed position. The components are dimensioned so that when the valve and probe are moved toward one another from a disengaged to an engaged position, the probe pushes the forward end of the valve seal from the closed to open position, and the forward end of the valve body pushes the forward end of the probe seal from the closed to open position.

A film cartridge comprising a rotatable film spool, an indicator window, an annular indicator wheel rotatable behind the indicator window to move a film-exposed indication on the indicator wheel to the indicator window, and an annular drive wheel rotatably coupled with the film spool for rotating the indicator wheel to move the film-exposed indication to the indicator window, is characterized in that the indicator wheel is resilient and a flex-inducing protuberance is located to distort successive portions of the indicator wheel towards the indicator window as the indicator wheel is rotated, to position the film-exposed indication in the indicator window.

Film cartridge with film-exposed visual indicator

A light-tight enclosure (10) for storing and dispensing a roll (12) of photosensitive web material (14) wound about a hollow cylindrical core (42) having open opposite ends (32, 34). The enclosure comprises a flexible opaque bag (16) with opposite sidewalls (18) extending between opposing rearward and forward portions (20, 22) and between opposing upper and lower portions (24, 26). Each sidewall has a central aperture (28, 30) therein congruent with each core end. The rearward portion defines a closable opening for receiving the roll. A shallow neck portion (36) projects from the forward portion to an end thereof defining an exit slot (40) for dispensing the web material. An annular ring (48) is light-tightly bonded to the inner surface of each sidewall congruent with the central apertures. Each ring has an annular flange (54) on its inner radial surface (56) which fits rotatably within a mating annular groove (47) in the outer surface of the core near the end of the core when the ring is fitted around the end of the core, providing thereby a light-lock between the rings and the core. Preferably, the outer diameter (44) of the core is reduced (46) near its ends to accommodate rings having substantially the same outer diameter as the central portion of the core. Preferably the core surface between the grooves and the ends of the core is formed into circumferentially alternating reliefs (62) and prominences (64) to facilitate installing the rings onto the core.

Method and apparatus for storing and dispensing a roll of photographic

A valve assemblage (10, 50) for controlling the flow between fast and second containerized systems (C.sub.1, C.sub.2) having first and second openings (A,B), respectively. The assemblage comprises a first valve assembly (12, 52) positioned at the first opening of the fast containerized system and a second valve assembly (14, 54) positioned at the second opening of the second containerized system. A piston (20, 84) in the first valve assembly, when in a first position opens an entrance port (18, 100) for receiving fluid from or passing fluid into the first containerized system; and correspondingly, a retractable sleeve (36, 136) in the second valve assembly (14, 54) opens an entrance port (30, 122) in a proboscis member (26, 110) having a channel (28, 118) and outlet (32, 142, 144) for passing fluid to or receiving fluid from the second containerized system.

Valve assemblage and method of use

An apparatus for indicating the presence or absence of a sheet within a cassette. The apparatus includes a plate and a mask stationarily mounted on a first side of the plate. An indicating element is movably mounted in overlapping orientation to the mask for one-dimensional movement between a first position wherein the indicating element and the mask define a first pattern indicative of the absence of the sheet, and a second position wherein the indicating element and the mask define a second pattern indicative of the presence of the sheet. A spring biases the indicating element in the first position, and a movable member moves the indicating element to define the second pattern when the sheet is positioned within the cassette. Alternatively, the indicating element is stationarily mounted and the mask is movably mounted for one-dimensional movement.

Film presence indicator

A valve assembly for dispensing a measured quantity of a gelatinous semisolid material into a receptacle comprises a cylindrical housing provided with a piston actuatable to move through the throughbore of the housing to a cap provided with a cylindrical sleeve. Mounted within the sleeve is a hollow valve body connected to a sealing member having an end of circular cross-section and a slidable hollow cylindrical body provided with an orifice whose cross-section is substantially equal to that of the end of the sealing member. The barrel is connected to the valve body by springs. In the valve closed position the end of the sealing member is situated in the barrel orifice, preventing the dispensing of the gelatinous material; in the valve open position the barrel is pushed away from the sealing member, allowing the material to be dispensed. The barrel returns to the valve closed position after the material has been dispensed. In use, the material is introduced into the housing; weighing the valve assembly before and after dispensing enables the quantity of dispensed material to be verified.

Valve assembly and method for dispensing gelatinous materials

A combined shipping and dispensing package for fluid containers has an outer container and an internal packing. The internal packing has mating support members, each having a rib section with openings with extending, compliant jacket walls that form cavities to receive and support the fluid containers. Collar portions are formed in the rib section and upper cavity walls to provide support for dispensing conduits extending outwardly of the fluid containers. Compliant spacer walls extend laterally from the rib section to provide lateral support and shock absorption for the jacketed cavities. The package may be used for direct positioning of the fluid container dispensing conduits onto mating fluid receptacles on associated processing equipment without removing the fluid containers from the package.

Combined shipping and dispensing package for fluid containers

Flow control system (10) for controlling the flow between first and second containerized systems (12,14) has a first flow control member (20) positioned in the first containerized member (12) for cooperating with a second flow control member (22) positioned in the second containerized system (14). The first flow control member (20) has a fluid flow channel (28) in fluid communication with a proboscis member (50) having a through channel (58) in the second flow control member (14). Displacement of the flow control members (20,22) toward and away from one another enables the proboscis member (50) to open and, alternatively, close communicating fluid flow channels connecting the first and second containerized systems (12,14), without apparent leakage.

Flow control system and method

A water-resistant camera housing comprises a pair of housing sections, and a waterproof sealing band covering a seam between the housing sections to provide a water-resistant seal for the seam. The pair of housing sections are joined at an integral flexible hinge in line with the seam to constitute a single-piece housing. The sealing band has a pair of opposite end portions that are located adjacent one another over the flexible hinge.

Water-resistant camera housing

A light-tight enclosure (10) for storing and dispensing a roll of photosensitive web material (32) directly in a cooperating apparatus without need for an auxiliary cartridge. The web is wound about a cylindrical core (34, 68, 74) having flush, closed opposite ends (36) and an axial bore (38) in each end. The core may be closed by integral ends or by fullfitting plugs (76). The enclosure comprises a flexible opaque bag (12) with opposite sidewalls (16) extending between opposing rearward and forward portions (18 and 20) and between opposing upper and lower portions (22 and 24). Each sidewall has a central aperture therein congruent with each core end. The rearward portion defines a closable opening for receiving the roll. A shallow neck portion (26) projects from the forward portion to an end (28) thereof defining an exit slot (30) for dispensing the web material. Mounting pins (40) are disposed in both axial bores and extend through the apertures in the sidewalls, and flanges (44) on the shafts (42) of the pins outside the bag capture the sidewall material light-tightly between the flanges and the ends of the cores. The mounting pins have shouldered portions (48) outboard of the flanges which are adapted to mate rotatably with saddles (64) in a storage and dispensing stand (52), which stand can be adapted to mate operationally with the dispensing region of a printing or processing machine.

A system and method are taught for transferring fluids between a container and an associated apparatus for using the fluid. Interface members (52, 68; 86, 88) on the container (80, 82) cooperate with sensor probe assemblies (54, 70; 90-108) and a controller (56) in the associated apparatus to indicate the status of the container as full or partially full of fresh liquid, emptied of fresh liquid, or full or partially full of effluent liquid. The likelihood of delivering the wrong liquid to the associated apparatus is minimized. The invention is particularly useful for delivery of liquid chemicals to a photographic processor apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Fairport, NY, United States of America

Clark E Harris