Camera, Accessories and Method of Taking Photographs

This invention relates to a camera having accessory attachments to both the exterior of the camera housing and the film cassette inside the camera housing.

A 1988 patent to Wheeler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,930, discloses a camera using instant photography techniques which incorporates a transparent template mounted in alignment with the exposure opening of a film cassette inserted into the camera. The template includes indicia which is recorded on each successive film unit as the normal exposure cycle occurs.

Additionally, the Wheeler patent discloses a solid transparent body secured to the front of the camera housing and overlying the camera's strobe or flash unit, view finder, and lens opening. The body is of clear transparent plastic material such as LUCITE. An oval aperture in the body is aligned with the lens opening of the camera whereby light generated by the flash unit and reflected from the object being photographed passes directly through the aperture to the lens opening. The patent discloses that the aperture is preferably elliptical in shape.

On the other hand, some of the light from the flash unit is reflected one or more times by the surfaces of the plastic body until it arrives at the elliptical surface of the aperture through the body. The elliptical surface allows some of the light to pass as diffused light through the aperture and into the lens opening in the camera. This diffused light results in a lightening or washing out of the area of the film unit surrounding the photographed object, tending to make the background in the film unit generally white except for the shape of the aperture through the plastic body and the indicia on the template.

The disclosed template in the film cassette and the diffused light combine to expose the periphery of the film unit in the cassette and produce an image of the indicia of the template on a white background which surrounds the elliptical shape encompassing the object being photographed.

The light modulated, white or near white, background produced by the reflected diffused light from the plastic body emphasizes the indicia from the template and the object being photographed.

Unfortunately, as disclosed in the Wheeler patent, the plastic body to be affixed to the front face of the camera housing is heavy and the attaching mechanism results in a heavy, unbalanced camera.

Placing templates in alignment with the exposure opening of the film cassettes for purposes of having a particular indicia on each successive film frame is known. Examples are disclosed in commonly owned, copending, patent application Ser. No. 620,897, filed Dec. 3, 1990 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,348.

A camera of the instant photography-type is provided in this invention, including a housing with a strobe or flash unit, an eye piece for the camera's viewfinder and a lens-shutter mechanism for exposing film units placed inside the camera.

A film cassette to be placed inside the camera includes a plurality of film units within the cassette and a frame or exposure window in its forward wall which is initially screened from light by a dark slide. A template of transparent plastic material, such as MYLAR, is inserted into the cassette between the dark slide and the forward wall and it serves to produce preferred indicia on exposed film frames when the film units are exposed to light after the dark slide has been ejected.

A paper or plastic reflecting shield which is largely opaque is adapted to be mounted on the front face of the camera by the photographer. It is formed from a flat, generally rectangular shape sheet. It may be supplied to users as a unit with the template or in combination with the template and a film cassette. The generally rectangular shield includes a plurality of score lines. Two parallel score lines extend from the top to the bottom of the shield to allow the side edges of the shield to be folded along the score lines to form the shield into a generally U-shaped configuration. The folded shield fits over the front face of the camera. Pressure sensitive adhesive is applied along the inside surface of the folded sides in the form of double-sided adhesive tape. This allows attachment of the shield to the sides of the camera housing with the inside face of the U-shaped shield being separated by an inch or so from the strobe lens opening, and view finder opening.

Additional score lines are provided in the main body of the shield of particular geometric shape and size as desired and at such time as the shield is about to be mounted on a camera, the geometric shapes may be manually punched from the shield to provide apertures to be aligned with the strobe, lens opening, and view finder opening. Preferably the aperture aligned with the strobe is of smaller cross-sectional area than the strobe itself to increase strobe light reflection from the inside surface of the shield. Preferably the inside surface of the shield is white to increase reflectivity. The front face of the camera housing is normally black but could be of a light color, such as white, to increase reflectivity.

The shield may be in the form of a greeting card, in which case the indicia on the template would be compatible with that of the greeting card. For example, if the indicia on the template is "Merry Christmas", then the card may show a winter wonderland scene.

Objects of the invention not understood from the above will be appreciated fully upon a review of the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments which follow.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a photographic film assemblage and a preferred embodiment of an image bearing template which is adapted for use therewith;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a camera according to this invention having a light reflecting shield mounted on its front;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the camera and shield combination of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic fragmentary sectional view of the camera of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flat preform comprising the light reflecting shield of this invention before it is folded into an operative configuration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the front surface of the shield which is in the form of a greeting card; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a kit which is adapted to be sold as a unit and which includes the shield, a package of instant film, and a template.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings wherein is shown a photographic film assemblage 10 and a preferred embodiment of an image bearing template 12 which is specifically designed for use therewith. The film assemblage 10 includes a cassette 14 having spaced forward and bottom walls 16 and 18, a pair of laterally spaced side walls 20 and 22, and longitudinally spaced leading and trailing end walls 24 and 26, respectively. The forward wall 16 includes therein an exposure aperture or window 28 defined by an upstanding integral rib 30. The rib 30 includes parallel, laterally spaced, longitudinally extending edges 32 and 34, with the edge 32 being shorter in length than the edge 34, and parallel, longitudinally spaced, laterally extending edges 36 and 38. The forward wall 16 also includes an elongate opening 40 which also extends part way down the trailing end wall 26. The leading end wall 24 cooperates with an edge of the forward wall 16 to define a film exit opening 42.

Supported within the cassette 14 is a stack of individual film units 44 (only one being shown), of the instant or self-developing type and a spring platen (not shown) for supporting and urging the stack toward the forward wall 16 such that the uppermost film unit 44 in the stack is located in engagement with the interior surface of the forward wall 16. Thus positioned, the photosensitive area 46 of the film unit 44 is located in alignment with the exposure window 28. A dark slide (not shown) is initially located between the uppermost film unit 44 and the interior surface of the forward wall 16 to prevent premature exposure of the film unit 44 during the loading of the film assemblage 10 into a camera. Subsequent to such loading, a camera mounted film advancing means is actuated such that it enters the cassette 14 via the opening 40, engages a trailing edge of the dark slide and moves its leading end out of the cassette 14 via the opening 42 and into the bite of a pair of rollers which complete the removal of the dark slide. With the dark slide removed, the uppermost film unit 44 is urged upwardly by the spring platen into engagement with the forward wall 16 for its exposure. Subsequent to its exposure, the aforementioned film advancing means is again actuated so as to move it into engagement with a trailing edge 48 of the film unit 44 and move the latter partially out of the cassette 14 via the opening 42 and into the bite of the aforementioned rollers. As is well known in the art, the rollers continue the advancement of the exposed film unit 44 from the cassette 14 while simultaneously rupturing a container 50 of processing liquid and spreading its contents between predetermined layers of the film unit 44 so as to initiate the formation of a visible image therein.

In accordance with the instant invention, the image produced within the film unit 44 may be enhanced by placing the image bearing template 12 between the image bearing light entering the camera via its objective lens and shutter and the film unit being exposed. At this point it should be noted that although the template shown in the drawings produce an image having a finite definition, the term "image bearing template" also includes a template which will produce an image having a nonfinite definition. An example of a finite definition would be that formed by the indicia "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" on the template 12. An example of an image of nonfinite definition would be one where the image being superposed on the film unit by the template would appear to fade away or dissolve as it "moves" toward the subject being photographed, much like a vignette having undefined borders.

The image bearing template 12 may be a thin (0.005") generally planar, rectangular, resilient sheet of transparent material, e.g., MYLAR. The template 12 includes laterally spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending side edges 52 and 54, and longitudinally spaced, laterally extending leading and trailing edges 56 and 58, respectively. The lateral distance between the side edges 52 and 54 is substantially the same as, or slightly less than, the corresponding lateral distance between the edges 32 and 34 of the exposure window defining rib 30. The longitudinal distance between the leading and trailing edges 56 and 58 is greater than the corresponding distance between the edges 36 and 38 of the rib 30 but less than the corresponding distance between the cassette's leading and trailing end walls 24 and 26, respectively. The template 12 may be manually inserted into its operative position between the dark slide (not shown) and the interior surface of the forward wall 16 of the cassette by sliding the trailing edge 58 under a trailing end portion 60 of the cassette's forward wall 16 and then flexing the template 12 so as to enable its leading edge 56 to be inserted under the edge 36 of the rib 30. Thus located, the user may now allow the template 12 to resume its unflexed condition thus permitting the leading end of the template to slide to a position under the forward wall 16 and on top of the aforementioned dark slide. Alternatively the template 12 may be a part of the film assemblage 10 when it is originally assembled at the factory. When the template 12 is located in its operative position, a stop 62 is located substantially adjacent to the edge 36 such that engagement between the two will not only prevent the removal of the template 12 from the cassette 14 in response to the friction applied thereto during the removal of the dark slide, but it also, in combination with the adjacency of the trailing edge 58 with the trailing end wall 26, prevents an indicia or image bearing portion 64 of the template from becoming longitudinally displaced relative to the photosensitive area 46 of the uppermost film unit 44. The stop 62 may be formed by stamping out a generally U-shaped section and folding it about an integral laterally extending hinge 66. The longitudinal distance between the stop 62 and the edge 58 of the template is substantially equal to, or slightly less than, the corresponding distance between the edge 36 and the interior surface of the trailing end wall 26 of the cassette 14. It should be noted that the template 12 may be cut away at 68 such that the aforementioned film advancing means may be provided with additional clearance as it extends into the cassette 14, via the opening 40, and engages either the trailing end of the dark slide, or the uppermost film unit 44 if the dark slide has been previously removed, without being able to engage the template 12.

Lateral movement of the template 12 relative to the exposure window 28 is prevented by a pair of upwardly projecting dimples 70 and 72 integrally formed in the edges 52 and 54, respectively. These dimples are adapted to engage the adjacent edges 32 and 34 of the rib 30 to prevent said lateral displacement of the template 12 relative to the exposure window 28.

The aforementioned indicia 64 may be printed on either side of the template. However, it is preferred to print the indicia on the side of the template 12 facing away from the film unit in order to prevent scratching of the indicia and possible removal of a portion thereof during removal of an underlying dark slide or film unit. Such indicia may be originally protected by a peelable transparent cover sheet which would be releasably secured to the face of the template containing the indicia and which would be manually removed therefrom prior to inserting the template into the cassette.

In practice the particular indicia on the template may be printed on one side of a shield 94 which may take the form of a greeting card forming one element of a product package. The package may include the template 12, the greeting card 94 and a package of instant film 95 or the template and greeting card may be packaged separately as a unit for use with a separately purchased film package. It is contemplated that the greeting card surface displaying the template indicia will serve as a visual display for customers who desire a particular indicia for special occasion photographs. A rear surface of the greeting card also serves as one surface of a U-shaped light reflecting shield to be attached to the front face of a camera in a manner to be discussed subsequently.

Looking now to FIGS. 2-5, an instant camera 74, according to the present invention, includes a housing 76 having a rear wall 78, a front wall 80 having a film exit slot therein, and side walls 82 and 84. An eye piece 86 projects rearwardly from the housing and serves to allow the photographer to view the object to be photographed. A pivotable housing 88 for a strobe or flash unit 90 is shown in its operative position ready for actuation by a shutter release button 92. The camera 74 is a Model 600 LMS camera sold by Polaroid Corporation.

A generally U-shaped light reflecting shield 94 is attached to the front face of the camera 74 by pressure sensitive adhesive tape secured to the inside surface of two side flaps 96, 98 of the shield. The pressure sensitive adhesive is preferably in the form of double sided adhesive tape 100, best seen in FIG. 5. Conventional peel strips (not shown) cover the adhesive before it is exposed for attachment to the camera side walls 82, 84.

Observing particularly FIG. 3, the shield 94 includes three apertures 106, 108, 110; one each for the flash unit 90, the camera's view finder, and the camera's objective lens. Note that the aperture 106 for the flash unit 90 is smaller in size than the cross-sectional area of the flash unit 90. Aperture 108 for the view finder is illustrated as being larger than the view finder itself but it could be smaller. Aperture 110 is shown to be about the same size as the lens opening 111 (see FIG. 4). It will be observed that the strobe or flash unit 90, its associated aperture 106, the lens opening 111, and its associated aperture 110 all must be aligned correctly for successful operation such that a major portion of the light from the flash unit 90 may pass in a straight line through aperture 106 to the object 112 to be photographed and reflected light from the object 112 in a straight line through the aperture 110 and the lens opening 111.

Looking to FIG. 4, light reflected from the object 112 passes as image bearing light through the aperture 110, the lens opening 111 and through the lens and shutter assembly 114 at such time as the shutter and flash unit are actuated. The remainder of the light from flash unit 90 is reflected from the inside surface 116 of the shield and after a series of reflections, passes through the lens and shutter 114 as non image bearing diffused light and is reflected by a mirror 120 and ultimately, along with the image bearing light, passes through the template 12 and onto a film unit 44.

Looking to FIG. 5, the shield 94 is initially formed as a flat piece of opaque plastic or paper having a central portion 121 bounded by the two side flaps 96, 98 and with a cut-out 122 at one corner to accommodate the shutter release button 92. The decorative indicia displayed on the greeting card-reflecting shield surface 123 which faces toward photograph object 112 is in harmony with, if not identical to, that on the template 12. The reflecting surface 116, which preferably is white, is on the opposite surface of the greeting card (facing upward as illustrated in FIG. 5). A pair of parallel score lines 124 extend from the top 125 to the bottom 127 of the shield to allow easy pattern bending of the side flaps 96, 98 when they are ready to be attached to side walls 82, 84 of the camera housing. Other score lines 126, 128, 130 are particularly designed of a geometric pattern to weaken the shield wall and allow the geometric patterns to be punched from the shield at such time as the operator is ready to assemble the shield on the face of the camera. The inside surface of one of the side flaps 96, 98 may contain printed instructions for transforming the greeting card 94 into a reflecting shield and attaching it to a camera of the type shown at 74.

In operation the shield 94 of FIG. 5 is provided in flat form with the double-sided adhesive tape 100 on each side flap 96, 98. First the geometric patterns defined by score lines 126, 128, 130 are punched from the shield to provide apertures 106, 108, 110 for the flash unit, view finder, and lens opening, respectively. After side flaps 96, 98 are bent along score lines 124 to form the generally U-shaped structure of the shield with the white surface 116 on the inside of the U-shape, peel strips are stripped from the pressure sensitive adhesive 100 and the shield is attached to the front face of the camera 74 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4.

Before the film cassette 14 is inserted into the camera 74, the template 12 is inserted into place between the dark slide and the forward wall 16 of the cassette with the stop 62 engaging the forward, laterally extending rib 36.

After the film cassette 14 is inserted into the camera 74 in conventional fashion and the dark slide ejected, the camera is ready to take photographs. Shutter 114 is actuated substantially simultaneously with the flash unit 90. Light from the flash unit impinges on the object 112 to be photographed and is reflected back through aperture 110 and lens opening 111 (FIG. 4). Simultaneously, light is reflected around the surfaces 116 of the U-shaped shield and the front face of the camera until some of the diffused light passes through lens opening 111 to function with the light from object 112 to expose film unit 44 in conventional fashion. The indicia on the template 12 is formed on each exposed film unit 44 by the diffused light.

While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various modifications may be adopted without department from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.