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:
Mar. 24, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 06, 1995
Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hidaka, JP;
Yasuo Asakura, Hachioji, JP;
Yuji Kobayashi, Hachioji, JP;
Masatoshi Sato, Hachioji, JP;
Keita Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A camera for setting the aspect ratio of a photographic image plane and recording information of the set aspect ratio has a full-size frame defining a full-size finder image plane corresponding to a photographing image plane, a vertical mask for vertical trimming of the finder image plane, a lateral mask for lateral trimming of the finder image plane, a shaft supporting the masks, and a camshaft with a cam groove engaged by each of the masks. The masks are moved along the shaft by rotating the camshaft. The visual field range of the finder image plane is changed among a plurality of states corresponding to different aspect ratios. The camera finder visual field frame switching mechanism consists of: a vertical mask for vertical trimming, lateral mask for lateral trimming, cam gear having a cam, vertically movable mask operating member, a vertical trimming switch detecting vertical-mask trimming movement, which is aspect ratio information, and a lateral trimming switch detecting lateral-mask trimming movement positional information which is also aspect ratio information. Another embodiment is provided with a vertical mask for vertical trimming of a finder image plane and a lateral mask for lateral trimming of the finder image plane, which, after the vertical mask retreats from a vertical trimming position, moves the lateral mask to a lateral trimming position. After the lateral mask retreats from the lateral trimming position, the vertical mask is moved to the vertical trimming position.