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:
Jul. 21, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1991
Richard R Lemberger, St. Paul, MN (US);
Paul C Schubert, St. Paul, MN (US);
Terrence H Joyce, St. Paul, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An opening and closing mechanism for photographic film cartridges of the type having a film-receiving tray with outwardly extending front and side lips and a flexible cover for the tray resealably engaged with the lips. The opening and closing mechanism includes a cartridge-receiving base with front and side lips for supporting the front and side lips of the tray. A carriage is mounted for movement with respect to the base. An elongated roller including cartridge cover-engaging fingers is rotatably and movably mounted to the carriage. Springs bias the roller toward engagement with the lips of the base. A carriage drive assembly includes a roller drive linkage, a track drive linkage, a motor and a shuttle linkage. A rack is mounted adjacent to the base for engagement by the track drive linkage. During the cartridge opening stroke, the shuttle linkage couples the motor to the roller drive linkage causing the roller to rotate in a first direction and peel the cover from the tray and wind the cover onto the roller. During the cartridge closing stroke, the shuttle linkage couples the motor to the track drive linkage to drive the carriage with respect to the base and rotate the roller in a second direction to unwind the reseal the cover onto the tray.