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:
Aug. 03, 1993
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1992
William L Burnham, Leroy, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for purging particulate contaminants such as dust from a camera interior chamber and leak paths in the camera housing between the chamber and the atmosphere external to the housing. The camera is of the type having an operational component such as a deploying lens movable in the chamber in a manner varying the volume of the chamber. A passage in the housing provides an air flow path for placing the chamber in fluid communication with the atmosphere. Free flow of air is provided through the path from the atmosphere to the chamber at minimal pressure differential therebetween when the camera operational component moves in a direction increasing the volume of the chamber. The air flow through the path is filtered to remove particulate contaminants such as dust. Flow of air through the path from the chamber to the atmosphere is blocked by a valve when the camera operational component moves in a direction decreasing the volume of the chamber so that air is forced from the chamber through the leak paths in the housing into the atmosphere thereby purging the chamber and leak paths of particulate contaminants such as dust.