Eastman-kodak Company

William T Matthias

Maureen E Churan-King

Randy E Horning

James G Rydelek

Kevin C Koek

James T Barton

Dennis F Tianello

Joseph Anthony Manico

John Randall Fredlund

Roger A Fields

Dennis James O'Dea

Ralph E Williams

William J Greene

John A Romansky

Kenneth R Kanis

Gerald F Sherman, Jr

Alfonso Ianni

A one-time-use camera comprising a filmstrip, a concave-shaped flash reflector having a front open end, a flash illumination-producing flash tube inside the flash reflector, and a light-transmitting flash cover-lens over the front open end of the flash reflector, is characterized in that the flash cover-lens has film identifying indicia to identify the filmstrip which are light-transmitting to the same extent as the flash cover-lens in order to transmit flash illumination produced by the flash tube in concert with the flash cover-lens.

One-time-use camera with electronic flash having film identifying indicia

A one-time-use camera comprises a filmstrip and an electronic flash with a concave-shaped flash reflector having a front open end, a flash illumination-producing flash tube inside the flash reflector, and a light-transmitting flash cover-lens over the front open end of the flash reflector. The flash reflector has film identifying indicia visible from outside the camera to identify the filmstrip, which are light-reflecting to the same extent as the flash reflector in order to reflect flash illumination produced by the flash tube in concert with the flash reflector. The flash reflector is adhered to the flash tube to prevent the flash reflector from being separated from the flash tube without breaking the flash tube, whereby removal of the film identifying indicia in effect destroys the electronic flash.

One-time-use camera with electronic flash having film identifying indicia which cannot be removed without destroying flash

A method of recycling a spent one-time-use camera that originally includes a pair of front and rear cover parts and a main body part having a chamber for a film cartridge, and which has had corresponding bottom portions of the front and rear cover parts and the main body part cut off to provide an opening for removing the film cartridge from the chamber, comprises the steps:

Method of recycling one-time-use camera

A method of unloading a film cartridge with exposed film from a spent one-time-use camera that has a main body part with a chamber for the film cartridge and a pair of front and rear cover parts which house the main body part between them, comprises the steps:

Method of unloading film cartridge from one-time-use camera

An apparatus for cutting and desplicing a roll of spliced films, being transported through the apparatus, to form filmstrip leading and trailing ends and re-shaping each end to their desired configurations having, a splice cutter located along the film path for forming two filmstrip ends with residual splices thereon, punch and die assemblies located adjacent to the splice cutter for re-shaping the ends of the filmstrip and removing the residual splice, moveable alignment guides located adjacent to each punch and die assembly, for aligning the film prior to cutting and re-shaping operations, a plurality of flexible guides located along the film path for guiding the spliced and despliced films along the film path, and an aperture located below the splice cutter, underneath the film path, for disposing of the removed residual splices, is described. A method for cutting and re-shaping the ends of a filmstrip using the apparatus is also described.

Splice cutting and film re-shaping apparatus

A cartridge magazine is provided including a plurality of sleeves, each defining a pocket for containing a film cartridge, and a hub supporting the sleeves parallel to one another in a ring. Each sleeve defines a non-circular cross-section accommodating longitudinal movement of the cartridges through the sleeve, but blocking rotational movement of the cartridges in the sleeve. The sleeve, is open along one side, defining a slot for accessing cartridges from the exterior of the magazine. In certain applications, film in selected cartridges is advanced from the cartridge and through the slot without removing the cartridge from the magazine. According to other features, duplicate sections of the magazine are combined with the sleeves arranged in columns for increased capacity.

Film cartridge magazine

Receiving sheet jams in a toner image fuser are cleared by raising an upper frame of an image-forming apparatus. A pressure roller in the fuser is fixed to the upper frame and separates from a fusing roller when the upper frame is raised. Inner and outer guides providing a slot for the receiving sheet leading away from the fuser to an output hopper are mounted to separate when the upper frame is raised, permitting clearance of paper stuck between the guides. The outer guide is prevented from following the inner guide as the upper frame is raised, but instead stops at a position covering the fusing roller to prevent touching of a hot fusing roller by the operator while the operator is clearing a jam.

Image-forming apparatus having an openable sheet guide

Apparatus is disclosed for locating an imaging lens array formed of a plurality of gradient index optical fibers on a print head having a linear array of light sources, such that the light sources are readily spaced from a photosensitive surface a distance equal to the total conjugate of the imaging lens array and the optical fibers are accurately spaced from the light sources in a direction along their optical axes so as to be midway between the light sources and the photosensitive surface.

Imaging lens array and optical print head

Apparatus is disclosed for mounting an imaging lens array formed of a plurality of gradient index optical fibers onto a print head having a linear array of light sources, such that the optical fibers are accurately spaced from and aligned with the light sources. The apparatus includes attachment means for totally constraining one end of the imaging lens array relative to the print head and for constraining the other end of the imaging lens array to inhibit movement of the lens in two directions, while permitting at least limited relative movement between the imaging lens and the print head in a direction along the length of the light source array to accommodate different rates of thermal expansion of the imaging lens array and of the print head.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

William T Matthias