Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Norio Ohkawa

Tetsuya Takatori

A photo film cassette includes a spool lock member, which prevents a spool from rotating when a rotatable cassette shutter for a photo film passageway is in a closed position. The spool lock member includes a base portion. A first arm extends from the base portion toward the cassette shutter, and shifts in a first direction in response to rotation of the cassette shutter toward the closed position. A second arm extends from the base portion toward the spool, and blocks rotation of the spool by shifting in the first direction with the first arm. The first and second arms have respectively first and second end portions opposite to the base portion. The first and second end portions have a greater width or thickness than an interval between the first and second arms, and are prevented from accidental entry between the first and second arms of another spool lock member before being assembled.

Spool lock member and photo film cassette having the same

A photo film cassette has a spool about which photo film is wound in a roll form. A cassette shell contains the spool in a rotatable manner, and has first and second plastic shell halves joined together via a joining line. A first extended portion is disposed on the first shell half, to project from the joining line toward the second shell half. A first claw is disposed on an end of the first extended portion, to project inwards, and has a first engaging face confronted with the joining line. A securing cutout is formed in the second shell half and disposed close to the joining line, for receiving the first extended portion. A second extended portion is disposed on the second shell half, to project from an edge of the securing cutout, and is extended inwards, and covered by the first extended portion partially. A second claw is disposed on an end of the second extended portion, to project outwards, and retains the first claw to secure the first shell half to the second shell half. The second claw has a second engaging face, which is confronted with the edge of the securing cutout, is fitted on the first engaging face, and keeps the second claw engaged with the first claw. Two ridges project from the second engaging face, are extended in a direction of access of the first claw, and are pushed by the first engaging face. The ridges are deformed partially by the first engaging face, to tighten a contact between the first and second claws.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Norio Ohkawa