COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC 35M.M. SLIDE VIEWER

VISIONNEUSE PLASTIQUE REPLOYABLE POUR DIAPOSITIVES 35MM.

English Abstract

ABSTRACT


A viewer which can be used to hold 35 m.m. coloured photographic
slides, which also includes a lens which enlarges the image on
the slide so that the person looking can see the smallest
details on the slide. Viewer is plastic, injection moulded.
It is moulded in 2 pieces. The back portion is rigid clear
plastic and the front portion is made from a plastic used to
form "Living Hinges" which allow the apparatus to fold flat.
4 protrusions on the flexible portion snap into holes in the
rear portion to unite the 2 portion into one unit.. A lens
which is also moulded , snaps into the hole in the front
folding portion. The whole viewer is collapsible so it can
be mailed in a common postal envelope or carried in a persons
pocket or small purse.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A collapsible viewer for 35mm photographic coloured
slides comprising:
a flat rear section, injection molded from a clear,
colourless plastic which allows light to penetrate to
illuminate the slide to be viewed;
said section having a raised shoulder on the left,
right and bottom sides with the proper inside dimensions
to loosely hold said slide in position for viewing;
said left and right sides having a hole in each of
the four corners, penetrating from the face to the rear;
also included are 2 separate thin flat strips of the
same outside dimensions, having identical matching holes
which line up with the 4 holes in the 2 said shoulders,
both having an inner edge which extends approximately
1/16" inward for the purpose of holding said slides from
moving forward toward the person viewing and to hold said
slide in good focus;
said rear section also having a curved recess in its
top edge to allow the said slide to protrude for easy
removal of said slide from said viewer rear section; and
a front section, injection-molded from an opaque plastic
well known to produce self-hinges when molded very thin;
said front section to be injection-molded in a flat
rectangular strip having a front central panel with an
opening into which a lens can be pressed;
said front section having parallel hinges across
said strip at either side of lens opening, when each
is bent 90°, the 2 legs form the 2 support sides of the
said front section;




said front section having a pin molded integrally
and extending from each of the 4 corners of the extrem-
ities of the sides at predetermined dimensions, so as
to fit into the 4 holes of the rear section, said pins
to be of a size to form a tight friction fit;
the said 2 support sides having hinges molded
across the said 2 supports,parallel to the said rear
section, just above the 4 pins and parallel to the said
2 hinges at either side of the said lens opening;
the dimensions between all 4 said hinges to be the
same, with all hinges being parallel thus allowing the
said lens holding front section to fold flat against
the said rear section so that said assembled unit may
be carried in a pocket or mailed in an envelope;
said front section to have a cylinder extending
outward from the edge of the said lens opening approx-
imately 1/8" having a shoulder molded on the inside of
the outer edge of said cylinder to act as a stop against
which lens is pressed from the rear,.the dimension of
said lens being of a size to form a tight fit which will
hold lens in place by friction, said shoulder also
protecting said lens from being scratched by any flat
surface of 1" diameter or more,

Description

~PECIFIC~TION


This invention relates to coloured 35 m~m. photographic
slides.


The primary purpose of 35 m.m. slides is for projecting onto
a screen. This requires the person owning the slides to also
own a projector and a screen. There is a need for an apparatus
~o commonly called a viewer to view slides for the purpose of
seeing them without having to resort to the expense of buying
a projector or screen or do not wish to spend the time or
energy or do not have the space or proper conditions for
setting up a projector. There are viewers presently available
which are too expensive and which do not fold flat for
easy mailing in an envelope.

~rawing Figure 1 illustrates all the embodiments of the
invention.
The invention is produced by injection moulding in 2 sections
T,here are 4 reasons for this,(l) A rigid cle~r plastic is used
for the rear section ~ as it has to be clear to allo~ light
to pass through it to illuminate the slide. (2) For the front
section (B) a fle~.ible plzstic that is commonly used to ?roduce


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self hinges (C) by moulding the material to a reduced thickness

' in the areas where where it must hinge, is used here. (3) The
production of dies to mould this viewer in one piece
would be much more complicated and expensive than the 2 simple
moulds needed to mould it in ~ sections. (4) The lens (D) can
be moulded at the same time as the rear section as rigid
clear plastic is used. This would not be possible if a
flexible unclear plastic were used for the whole unit.

The foldiny section (B) is moulded flat with a pin protru~ing
from the ~ corners. lhen folded approximately 95 at the hinge
(~) and (F) as sho~n in illustration Fi~ure 1, these pins are
locked into holes moulded in the rear section (A). The lens
snaps into the hole (J). The exterior surface of the rear sect~on
is moulded with a frosted finish to act as a diffuser of the
light source. The hinges at (G) and (H) allow the front section
to fold flat against the rezr section so the invention can be
easily mailed in a common postal envelope or stored in a small
space or carried in a persons pocket or purse.


The rear section is moulded with a shoulder on 3 sides. The left
~o and right sides to allow a 2 inch X 2 inch slide to fit between
them and on the bottom to keep the slide from falling out the
bottom. 2 flat p ces ~ith holes molded in them (K~ and (L) are
used to keep the slide from slipping out of the rear section
and to guide the slide into position ~hen it is inserted.


The dimensions of the inside area of the rear section must be
2 inches high and l~ide enough for a 2 inch by 2 inch slide to
fit loosely inside it. The dimension of the p~nel holding the
lens is p~roxim~tely 1~-2 inches by 1~ inches. The 2 legs
-lhich determine the distance between the lens and the rear
section must be the s me as the focal length of the lens. The

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rear panel is recessed at (1~1) to allow easy finger gripping
for rem~val of the slide from the viewer.