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:
Nov. 12, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1995
Robert L Kuhn, Jr, Rush, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
In a camera, an apparatus to be used with a film cassette having a film-exposure status indicator which is movable from an unexposed position, to indicate that a filmstrip within the cassette is unexposed, to a partly exposed position to indicate that the filmstrip is only partly exposed, and to a fully exposed position to indicate that exposure of the filmstrip is completed. According to the invention, the camera includes a loading chamber sized for receiving the cassette, and a blocking member which cooperates with the status indicator for blocking the cassette from entering the loading chamber when the status indicator indicates that film contained within the cassette has been at least partly exposed. The apparatus also includes a switch element for sensing the presence of an unblocked cassette loaded into the chamber made from a spring material mounted for retaining and for biasing the blocking member in the loading chamber while simultaneously biasing the switch element in a first position. The switch element when opened by an unblocked cassette allows film from the cassette to be loaded into the camera but prevents the reloading of film until the switch is closed and reopened.