Concord Camera Corp.

Franco Yik Chung

Arthur Zawodny

Eli Shoer

Bill Yung Lam

An APS camera having various mechanical features that simplify film pre-loading, especially in single use APS cameras, is disclosed. The disclosed camera employs the film advance mechanism to open and close the APS film cassette's light lock door, and also employs a film sensor to disable the film advance mechanism from operating the light lock door when film is present in a film path of the camera. Camera size is kept to a minimum by a feature that defines a battery compartment within a film spool of the camera.

APS camera structure for film preloading

A method of pre-loading a camera with film and a battery, and specifically a single use camera, is disclosed. According to the disclosed method, the camera is pre-loaded by withdrawing film from a film cassette into a film spool compartment. The battery is then inserted inside the film spool compartment such that the film surrounds the battery.

Film and battery loading method for a single use camera such as a single

A camera includes a main body having a first cavity for receiving a film cartridge and a second cavity for receiving film withdrawn from the film cartridge, a metering apparatus mounted within the main body for metering the film, one frame at a time, between the first and second cavities and across a film exposing area, a back cover covering the first and second cavities and the film exposing areas, the metering apparatus having a member that projects toward the back cover when the film is metered and an indexable film frame counter disposed on the back cover and having frame number indicia viewable by a user via a window in the back cover. The frame counter being engageable by the member when the film is metered and indexing in response thereto to display a next frame number.

Photographic camera with a frame counter in the back

A single use camera has a film cassette and film spool compartment for receiving unexposed film withdrawn from the cassette. A battery is disposed inside the film spool compartment and is insertable and removable via a port on the bottom of the camera aligned with the film spool compartment. Packaging is disposed about an exterior surface of the camera and is arranged so as to permit an end user to take exposures without removing the packaging but such that removal of at least one of the back cover or battery requires at least partial removal or at least partial destruction of at least part of the packaging.

Single use camera with battery located in film spool

A method of loading film into a camera that employs a film cassette with a light lock door and has a back cover securely affixed to a main body includes loading the film cassette into a film cassette compartment via a film loading port with the light lock door closed, operating an advancing means to engage a light lock door driver affixed to the camera, rotating the advancing means to open the light lock door with the light lock door driver, preventing further rotation of the advancing means from operating the light lock door driver; continuing to rotate the advancing means to drive film out of the cassette across the film path and into a film receiving slot contained in a film spool and winding film from the cassette onto the spool. Additionally, a camera includes a mechanism for opening and closing a light lock door of a film safe cassette and the mechanism for opening and closing the light lock door. The method described above may also include loading film and/or operating the light lock door of the film safe cassette while at least a potion of the film path is exposed to light.

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Franco Yik Chung