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. 01, 1997
Filed:
Nov. 07, 1994
Stephen P North, Rochester, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
Orientation of a removable film gate with a docking frame is accomplished by a releasable locator connector assembly in conjunction with a force-responsive clamp assembly. The locator connector assembly includes a male connector subassembly on the removable film gate and a female connector subassembly located on the docking frame. A spring-biased threaded screw in the male connector subassembly connects with a tapped end of a locator pin in the female connector subassembly. The threaded screw and tapped locator pin locate each other by a cone-shaped protrusion at the top of the locator pin in conjunction with a recessed area of a locator seat within the male connector subassembly. The force-responsive clamp assembly accepts a tab of the removable film gate when the film gate is pushed into the photographic film printer, and releases the tab when a pulling force is applied to the film gate. The releasable locator connector assembly prevents movement of the film gate relative to the docking frame along each of an X, Y and Z axes, as well as preventing rotation of the film gate about the X and Y axes. The force-responsive clamp assembly prevents rotation of the film gate about the Z axis.