The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 11, 1989
Filed:
Jan. 15, 1988
John H Minnick, Rochester, NY (US);
John E Spencer, Geneseo, NY (US);
Peter S Tisack, Hilton, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A photographic camera includes a lens adjustable to different focus distances, means for supplying a flash illumination, and a rangefinder for indicating the distance to a subject as one of at least two zones. The camera is operable in a flash mode or a non-flash mode. A ratchet is provided defining at least three consecutive teeth connected to the lens, each one of the ratchet teeth defining a focus setting for the lens, the focus settings ranging from a relatively near focus setting to a relatively distant focus setting. A pawl is provided for engaging a selected one of the ratchet teeth to fix the focus of the lens at the focus distance associated with the selected ratchet tooth. Focusing means responsive to the rangefinder are provided for operating the pawl to select one of the two ratchet teeth defining the relatively more distant focus settings when the flash illumination is not supplied, and one of the two ratchet teeth defining the relatively nearer focus settings when the flash illumination is provided. Thus, at least one of the ratchet teeth defining a focus setting is shared in both the flash and non-flash modes of operation.