Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Norihiro Inoue

Yoshiaki Hata

Manabu Inoue

Takeo Hoda

Shinji Tominaga

Toshiaki Matsumoto

Ikushi Nakamura

Masatoshi Kamitani

Nobuyuki Taniguchi

Hiroshi Ootsuka

Masaaki Nakai

Yoshinobu Kudo

Akihiko Fujino

Masatake Niwa

Kunio Kawamura

Akira Fukushima

Norio Beppu

Masataka Kashima

The present invention provides a bifocal camera capable of changing focal length of a photographic lens system and having lens drive means operable by a motor to switch the photographic lens system between a first focal length state wherein a main lens component is located at a rear position and a second focal length state wherein the main lens component is located at a front position and an auxiliary lens component is located at an operative position. This camera comprises a device for automatically stopping the motor when shifting of the main lens component is interrupted by force, and a device for restricting the shifting of the main lens component between the front position and the rear position. The auxiliary lens component is moved and a lens barrier is opened and closed in interlocked relationship with the shifting of the main lens component.

Variable focal length camera

A camera comprising a main lens component disposed in a photographic optical path, and a first and a second auxiliary lens components movable into and out of the photographic optical path. The main lens component provides a standard focal length. The first auxiliary lens component is pivotable about an axis extending parallel to an optical axis of the main lens component. When in the optical path, the first auxiliary lens component, in combination with the main lens component, provides a long focal length. The second auxiliary lens component is pivotable about an axis extending parallel to a straight line perpendicular to the optical axis of the main lens component. When in the optical path, the second auxiliary lens component, in combination with the main lens component, provides a short focal length.

Camera

An electronic instrument, such as a camera, which is supplied with electric power from a battery and selectively receives two kinds of batteries which are different from each other in shape and output voltage. A battery chamber of the electronic instrument is constructed to commonly receive the first and second batteries such that a space of the battery chamber is commonly occupied by parts of the first and second batteries. Additionally, a member is projected into the battery chamber and determines which kind of batteries is received. In response to the result of the determination, a voltage converting means converts the output voltage of the battery to a given voltage such that an electionic circuit of the electronic instrument operates with the optimum voltage condition with the voltage supplied from either one of the batteries which are different from each other in shape and output voltage.

Electronic instrument which selectively receives different kinds of

A data reading device for a camera can provide a data being accurate with high probability through repeated data reading of a code pattern on a film cartridge even in hard conditions, such as a condition where contact between contact terminals of the device and code regions of the code pattern is unstable and a condition where the resistance value of a conductive code region is comparatively high or varies with the area on which the corresponding contact terminal abuts. In one operation example of an embodiment, the device discriminates consistency and inconsistency between the contents of the successively read data bit by bit and substitutes the contents of the later read data discriminated as being inconsistent for those of the previously read data only when the inconsistency discriminated contents of the later read data indicate conduction of the corresponding code regions. The previously read data is thus renewed again and again so as to more accurately correspond to the data indicated by the code regions of the code pattern.

Data reading device for automatically reading film cartridge data

An electrical drive which includes a motor for actuation of a film wind-up and shutter mechanism subsequent to exposure of a film frame and a mechanism for decoupling drive from the motor at the end of each wind-up and shutter charge action and also during this action if something occurs a fault preventing correct action of the film wind-up and shutter charge mechanism, whereby damage to the mechanism, the motor and film is prevented. The drive is correctly positioned with respect to a camera by a mechanism which also serves to provide electrical connection between a shutter control circuit and a drive control circuit, whereby the number of elements required to be precisely positioned with respect to the camera is less and manufacturing and assembly cost is reduced.

Photographic film wind-up and shutter charge mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Nara, Japan

Norihiro Inoue