Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This application is a divisional of copending Canadian patent
application serial No. 306,403 filed on June Z8, 1978 in the name of Polaroid
Corporation.
This invention relates generally to a film assemblage of the self-
developing type together with apparatus for processing thereof, and more parti-
cularly to a self-developing film assemblage for use in conventional cameras
together with apparatus for processing the exposed film in order to provide
immediate photographic prints of the transparency type.
Cameras for use with self-developing type film are well known in
the art and generally include special apparatus for effecting the rapid pro-
cessing of the self-developing type film. One such camera as described in
United States Patent No. 3J350~990 entitled "Camera Apparatus", by P. Finelli,
issued November 7~ 1967~ relates to a camera of a miniature or so called 35mm
type embodying special structural elements which cooperate to effect the loading,
exposure5 processing and removal of the film pack used therewith. The afore-
mentioned camera additionally includes special apparatus for producing a com-
pletely processed and mounted transparency quickly following each photographic
exposure. The special processing apparatus associated with this camera includes,
in brief, a maga~ine, a transport means for drawing each film unit between a
pair of pressure rolls and depositing the compressed film unit in a lighttight
chamber wherein it is processed. The pressure rolls are closed and opened in a
progra~med sequence and access to the chamber is provided for removal of pro-
cessed prints. The self-developing type film units specially configured for use
in this camera are not suitable for use in other conventional 35mm cameras.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a
film assemblage of the self-developing type which may be used in conventional
commercially available cameras including those of the 35mm type.
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It is a further object of this invention to provlde a photographic
processing apparatlls for processing self-developing type film lmits that have
been previously exposed in a conventional commercially available type camera.
It is an even further object of this invention to provide a
photographic processing apparatus for use with self-developing type film which
has been previously exposed in a convcntional type camera to provide a pluralityof fully developed -transparencies suitable for cutting and framing in a well
known manner.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in
part appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the mechanism and
system possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of
parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.
A photographic system is provided for processing an elongated
exposed film strlp of the type comprising at least two superposed sheets of
photographic material and at least one pod of photographic processing composi~
tion disposed adjacent the trailing end of the film strip wherein the film stripis helically wound for containment in a substantially lighttight cartridge from
which it may be withdrawn, leading end first, in a given direction. The photo-
graphic processing system comprises an opaque housing to provide a substantiallylighttight environment in which the exposed film unit may be withdrawn from its
cartridge in a given direction without further exposure thereof. Means are
provided within the housing for receiving and releasably holding the film car-
tridge to allow the withdrawal of the film strip from its cartridge without
substantially moving the cartridge. Processing means are also included for
first withdrawing the exposed film strip~ leading end first, from its cartridge
in the given direction and then winding the withdrawn film strip in a helical
coil. The processing means operates to withdraw the entire length of the film
strip including the pod of` processing compos:ition and is therea:fter actuable
subsequent to the withdrawing and winding of the :Eilm strip for advancing the
exposed film strip, trailing end first, in a direction generally opposite to
the given direction. Ihe processing means additionally operates to apply
pressure to the film strip wherein the pressure is of sufficient force to break
the pod of processing composition to ef:Eect the spreading of the processing
composition between the superposed sileets in correspondence with film advance-
ment through the pressure applying means.. Means are also provided for aCCoTnmO-
dating the exit of the exposed processed film strip9 trai.ling end first, from
the housing without effecting the substantially lighttight environment within
the housing.
According to a broad aspect of the present invention, there is
provided apparatus for effecting the processing of an elongated strip of self-
processing film having a pod of processing :El-lid and housing in a single reel
type of cartridge, after its exposure in a presently commercially a-vailable
camera to record a plurality of images therealong, the cartridge including a
general cylindrical housing structure having an elongated light sealed opening
passing therethrough and a spool having a central axle portion with a recess
mounted for rotation in the housing structure about an axis extending length-
2~ wIse of the housing structure, ~he self-processing film strip having one end
thereo~ connected to the spool and being coiled around the spool's central axle
portion with its pod disposed in the spool's recess and with its other end
extending through the housing structure's elongated light sealed opening, said
apparatus including:
means for rel.easably locating the cartridge;
an elongated imbibition channel;
means, once operably connected to the film strip adjacent the
other e~d thereof, for progressi.vely withdrawing the film strip from the car-
tridge and, after the -~ilm strip has become completely disengaged from the car-
~.ridge, for progressively advancing the film strip, other end first, into said
elongated imbibition channel;
means for a.utomatically progressively receiving and storing at
least the major portion of the film strip as it is withdrawn from the cartridge
by said withdrawing and advancing means; and
means for exerting a compressive force against compressive incre-
mental sections of a film strip as it is being advanced from said receiving and
storing means responsive to the opera~ion of said withdrawing and advancing
means to facilitate the rupturing of the film strip's pod of processing fluid
and the spreading of the released fluid along the length of the film strip
containing the recorded images.
According to another broad aspect of the present invention, there
is provided photographic system for processing an elongated exposed film strip
of the type comprising at least two superposed sheets of photographic film
material and at least one pod of photographic processing composition disposed
adjacent the trailing end of the film strip and wherein the film strip is
helically wound for containment in a substantially lighttight film cartridge
from which it may be withdrawn, leading end first, in a given direction, said
photographic processing system comprising,
an opaque housing to provide a substantially lighttight environ-
ment in which the exposed film unit may be withdrawn from its cartridge in the
given direction without further exposure thereof;
means within said housing for receiving and releasably holding
the film cartridge to allow the withdrawal of the film strip from its cartridge
without substantially moving the cartridge;
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processi.ng mecLns for first withdrawi.ng the exposed film strip,
leading elld f:irst, from its ca:rtridge in the gi.ven direction and then winding
the withdrawn film strip in a helical coil, said processing means operating to
withdraw the entire length of the film strip including the pod of processing
composition and bei.ng thereafter actuable subsequent to the withdrawing and
winding of the film strip for advancing the exposed film strip, trailing end
first, in a direction generally opposite to the given direction and for applying
pressure to the film strip of sufficient force to break the pod of processing
composition to effect the spreading of the processing composition between the
superposed sheets in correspondence with film advancement through said pressure
applying means; and
means for accommodating the exit of the exposed and processed
film strip, trailing end first, from said housing without effecting the sub-
stantially lighttight environment within said housing,
The invention and that of copending Canadian patent application
Serial No. 306,403 will now be described in greater detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the film assemblage
of this invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view with portions broken away
: of the film assemblage of Figure 1 in a particular mode of its operation;
Figure 3 is a side elevation view with portions broken away of
the film assemblage of Figure 1 in another mode of its operation;
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the film processing
apparatus of this invention;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 4 in a particular
mode of its operation;
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Figllre 6 is a cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus
of Figure l in another mode of its operation;
Figure 7 shows an enlarged portion of Fig~re 5 in another mode
of its operation; and
Figure 8 shows an enlarged portion of Figure 5 in still another
mode of its operation.
Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown generally at lO a film
assemblage of this invention which ls suitable for use with known commercially
available cameras which may be of the 35mm type, a representative model of whichis more fully described in United States Patent 3,377,936 entitled "Easy LoadingApparatus For Film Supply For Photographic Cameras" issued April 16, 1968. Such
known cameras generally include means for operably locating a conventional sin-
gle reel cartridge of film of the non-self-processing type which has a generallycylindrical housing structure of a given diameter and a given length with an
; elongated light sealed opening extending therethrough. A spool is mounted in
the housing structure for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of the
housing structure and includes a central substantially uninterruped axle portionaround which an elongated strip of photographic film is coiled for storage inter-
mediate the central axle portion of the spool and the inner surface of the cy-
lindrical housing structure with a free end of the film strip extending through
the opening. For further information regarding such well known film cartridges,
reference may be made to United States Patent No. 3,537,376 entitled "Li!ght Lock
- For The Entrance/Exit Passageway Of A Container For Light Sensitive Material" by
; P. Fleming et al. issued November 3, 1~70.
The film assemblage 10 of this invention includes an elongated
film strip 12 comprising at least 2 superposed sheets 14, 16 of photographic
film material having leading and trailing end portions, shown respectively at 17
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and 19~ together with at least one pod 26 of photographic processing fluid or
composition 27 (see ~igure 7) disposed adjacent the trailing end 19 of the film
strip between the superposed sheets 14 and 16 of photographic film material.
The photographic sheet material 14 may comprise a silver halide
strata to operate as a negative while the photographic film sheet 16 comprises a
silver receptive strata to operate as a positive. The processing composition 27
within the pod 26 may contain for example, a silver halide developer such as
hydroquinone, a silver halide solvent such as sodium thiosulfate, and a film
forming material such as a water-soluble polymer, such as starch or gum. Either
or both the silver halide stratum 14 together with the silver receptive strata 16
are preferably semi-transparent so that the image presented by the superposed
negative and positive prints may be readily observed by transmitted light. The
spreading of the processing composition 27 in a uniformly thin layer between the
superposed sheets 14 and 16, for example by advancing the film strip 12 between
a pair of pressure applying rollers in a manner to be more fully described, re-
sults in the ormation of a negative print iTI the photographic sheet 14 by re-
ducing silver halide to silver and also by reacting with unreduced silver halide,
results in the formation o complex silver salts which migrate to the film sheet
16 where they are reduced to silver to form a positive print. When the process-
; 20 ing composition 27 is dry, there is -formed a more or less solid residue which
serves as an adhesive to bond the superposedsheets 14 and 16 of photographic film
material together. Additional information regarding the aforementioned film
strip 12 may be provided by referring to United States Patent No. 2,861,885 en-
titled "Photographic Processes and Products7' by E. Land issued November 25,1958.
The fil~l strip 12 may also comprise spaced apart strips of hea~
activatable adhesive as shown generally at 22 and 24 disposed generally along
the longitudinal edges of the film strip 12 between the superposed sheets 14
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and 16 of photographic material. In addition, one of the sheets of photo-
graphic material, as is shown at 16, may also include rows of spaced apart
pe~forations as shown generally at 18 and 20, which rows are disposed along the
longitudinal edges of the film strip 12 in a conventional manner to facilitate
the ~ovement of the film strip in a manner as is well known in the art.
The film assemblage 10 additionally includes a spool as shown
generally at 28, about which the film strip 12 is helically wound. The spool
28 comprises a center axial portion 30 which is adapted to releasably connect
to the trailing end 19 of the film strip 12 in a well known manner to accommo-
date the winding of the film strip 12, trailing end 19 first, about the center
axial portion 30. The center axial portion 30 includes a recess 32 formed
therein of a given depth and a given width which is preferably less than the
~idth of the film strip 12. The recess 32 is provided to receive and store the
pod 26 of photographic processing composition substantially within the limits
defined by the outer periphery of the cen~er axial portion 30. Thus the pod
26 of processing composition is dimensioned to be seated in the recess 32 so
that substantially the same lepgth of film strip 12 can be stored around the
center axial portion 30 within the film assemblage 10 as could otherwise be
st~red were the pod 26 to be removed from the film strip 12. The spool 28
additionally includes journal portions 39 and 41 extending outward from the
opposed ends thereof to facilitate the rotatable mounting of the spool 28 in a
manner to be subsequently described.
; The film assemblage additionally includes an opaque generally
cylindrical cartridge or housing 34 of substantially the same given length and
; diameter as the aforementioned conventional film cartridge (see United States
Patent No. 3~537,376, supra). Cartridge 34 comprises cylindrical end wall
portlons 36 and 38 interconnected by a cylindrical sidewall portion 40 to define
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a substantially lighttight chamber therein. The end wall pOrtions 36, 38 may beconnected in any conventional manner to the sidewall portion 40 such as by press
fitting. The endwalls 36 and 38 include respective bearing surfaces, one of
which is shown at 37, for rotatably supporting respective journals 39 and 41 from
the spool 28 thereby mounting the spool 28 for rotation about an axis extending
lengthwise of the cartridge 34. The cartridge 34 is provided with a substan-
tially lighttight or light sealed opening as shown generally at 42 extending
lengthwise thereof through which the leading edge 17 of the film strip 12 extends
in order to facilitate its withdrawal from the cartridge. The lighttight
opening 42 is defined by two tangentially extending lipportions 44 and 46, each
of which is respectively faced with a foam-cloth laminate 43,45 to provide an
e~fective light lock as is more fully described in United States Patent No.
3,537,376, supra. The lighttight opening 42 is preferably of sufficiently
narroN width to inhibit the withdrawal of the pod 26 of processing composition
rom the cartridge 34. A projection 15 is aLso provided adjacent the leading
edge 17 of the film strip 12 to prevent the leading edge 17 from being rewound
into the cartridge 34 for reasons which will become apparent from the following
discussion.
Means are cooperatively associated with the lighttight opening
42 in the form of a pull tab 48 which may be manually actuated to allow an in-
crease in the width of the opening 42 to allow the withdrawal of the pod 26 of
processing composition from the cartridge 34. The pull tab 48 includes an elong-
ated opening 50 therethrough or receiving the lip portions 44 and46 in generally
tight frictional engagement therewith. Thus, the pull tab 48 may be releasably
connected in overlying relation with respect to the sidewall 40 with the pull
tab opening 50 in registration with the lighttight opening 42.
The sidewall portion 40 additionally includes two spaced apart
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parallel cuts or slits 56, 56' wh:ich extend from the lip portion 46 of the
lighttight opening 42 along the side wall 40 to a fold line 54 which extends
substantially along the length of the side wall portion 40 to interconnect the
opposed cuts.
As is now readily apparent, the slits 56 are spaced apart by a
distance at least as long as the lighttight opening 42 so as to lie substantially
adjacent respective end wall portions 36~ 38. Thus removal of the pull tab 48
operates in cooperation with the fold line 54 to permit a portion of the side
wall 40 to be folded outward]y as shown in Figure 3 thereby allowing pod 26 of
processing composition to be entirely withdrawn from the cartridge 34. Prior to
its removal, the pull tab 48 operates to preclude the passage of the pod 26 of
processing composition from the cartridge 34 without precluding the withdrawal of
the forward portion o the film strip by reinforcing the edges of the lighttight
opening 42 and particularly that portion of the side wall 40 between the slits
56 from being bent outwardly about the fold line 54 in the manner as shown in
Figure 3. Thus removal of the pull tab 4~ permits the pod 26 of processing
composition to be pulled against that portion of the side wa.ll 40 intermediate
the slits 56 so as to bend that portion of the side wall outwardly about the fold
line 54 thereby effecting an increase in the width of the opening in the car-
tridge 34 ~hrough which the pod 26 of processing composition can be withdrawn.
The slits 56, 56' thereby provide sufficient depth to the light-
tight opening 42 ~o permit the film strip 12 including the pod 26 of processing
composition to be withdrawn therethrough without effecting the rupture of the
pod 26.
Reerring now to Figures 4 through 6, there is shown a photo-
graphic processing apparatus at 11 having an opaque cylindrical housing 62
through which access may be provided by means of a hinged access door 64. When
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the access door6~ is closed, the housing 62 provi.des a substantially light-
tight environment in which all exposed E:ilm strip 12 may be with~rawn from :itscartridge 34 in a given direction without risk o-f further exposure to the film
strip. Centrally disposed within the housing 62 there is provided a base block
61 which is selectively machined to define a film cartridge chamber 66 for
receiving and releasably holding or locating an exposed film assemblage 10 to
allow the withdrawal of the exposed film strip 12 from its canister 34 without
substantially moving the canister 34.
Photographic processing means, which when connected to the
leading end 17 of the film strip 12~ operate to progressively withdraw
the e~posed film strip 12, leading end 17 first, from its canister 34
in a given direction and then wind the withdrawn film strip 12 in a helical
coil. The film strip 12 may be withdrawm from its canister 34 by means
o two spaced apart sprocket wheels 70, 72 which are rotatably disposed
with respec~ to the base block 61. The sprocket wheels 70 and 72 may be
rotatably driven in concert with each other by means of a chain or belt
74 which drivably connects the two sprocket wheels 70 and 72~ The sprocket
wheel 70 may be rotatably driven by way of a motor 76 and an interconnecting
gear train 78.
~eans comprising a generally cylindrical film receiving chamber 80
are provided for facilitating the automatic progressive winding of the withdrawnfilm strip 12 in helical coil so as to temporarily store the film strip 12. A
rotatable member 82 is disposed for rotation along the center axis of the chamber
80 and includes a flexible wiper member 86 extending radially outward therefrom
along the longitudinal length thereof. The rotatable member 82 and its associa-
ted wiper member 86 are rotatably driven in concert with the sprocket wheels 70,72 by means of an interconnecting belt drive as sho~m generally at 84. The
leading end 17 oE the Eilrn strip 12 is guided into film receiving chamber 80
by way of a tapered inlet openillg 87 as bes-t viewed in ~igure 8.
~ pair of opposed pressure applying rollers 88, 90 are provided
to define a roller bite therebetween or processing the film strip 12 in a
manller to be made more apparent Erom the subsequent discussion. As is readily
apparent> roller 88 is rotatably connected with respect to the base block 61
whereas roller 90 is connected for rotation with respect to a movable frame
member as shown generally at 92, Frame member 92 is disposed for verti,cal trans-
lation away from the ~ase block 61 along two spaced apart stanchions 94, 96 which
extend outward from fixed connection with respect to the base block 61. Trans-
lation of the frame member 92 along the stanchions 94, 96 may be controlled by
way of a solenoid 98 in a manner to be subsequently described. The processing
means additionally includes a photodiode lO0 for sensing the complete withdrawal
of the film strip 12 from its canister 34 for reasons which will also 'become
apparent from the following discussion. The photodiode lO0 in turn signals a
control circuit 101 which controls the actuation of solenoid 98 and the direction
of rotation of the motor 76 in a manner to be subsequently described.
Means are provided for accommodating the exit of an exposed pro-
cessed film strip 12 from the housing 62 without effecting the substantially
lighttight environment within the housing. Such means may comprise a helical
elongated imbibition chamber 104 having an inlet opening 106 for receipt of the
f,ilm strip 12 and an outlet opening 1()8 through which the developed film strip 12
may exit from the housing 62. The exposed and processed film strip 12 may be
deflected into the inlet opening 106 by means of a film deflec~ing plate llO
which extends laterally outward from the frame member 92.
As previously discussed, the film assemblage 10 may be exposed in
a conventional manner in any well known camera. During exposure of the film
strip 12, tlle pull tab 48 remains connected to the canister 34 so as to inhibitthe withdrawal of the entire film strip 12 including the pod 26 of processing
composition. After the las~ frame of the film strip 12 is exposed, it may be
rewound in the camera in a well known mamler thereby permitting the removal of
the film assemblage lO from the camera without risk of further exposing the filmstrip 12. As is now readily apparent, the projection 15 prohibits the leading
edge 17 of the film strip 12 from being rewound into the cartridge 34, thereby
permitting its subsequent withdrawal in a manner to be herein descri'bed. After
removing the film assemblage 10 from the camera, the user may then grasp the
pull tab 48 so as to forceably remove it from the canister 34. Such removal neednot be particularly difficult since the pull tab 48 may only be retained to the
cartridge 34 by way of the frictional engagement between the tangentially ex-
tending lip po~tions44 and 46 and the pull tab opening 50. Alternatively, a
frangible adhesive could be utili~ed to connect the pull tab 48 to the cartridge34 during exposure.
After exposing the film strip 12 and removing the pull tab 48 from
the cartridge 34, the user may then insert the film assemblage 10 into the photo-
graphic processing apparatus 11 by way of the access door 64. The exposed film
assemblage 10 may then be placed into the film receiving chamber 66 as shown in
; 20 Figu~e 4. The leading end 17 of the film strip 12 which was not rewound into the
cartridge 34 may then be withdrawn in the given direction away from the cartridge
34 so as ~o at least overlie the sprocket wheels 70 and 72 with the rows 18 and
20 of spaced apart perforations engaged by the sprockets from respective sprocket
wheels 70 and 72. As is readily apparent, the frame member 92 is actuated by
the solenoid 98 to translate outwardly from the base block 61 thereby separatingthe distance between the rollers 88, 90 so as to define a gap therebetween in
order that the rollers 88, 90 become ineffective in applying pressure to the
exposed film strip 12 as the film strip 12 is withdrawn from its cartridge 34.
Closure of the access door 64 may operate by way of the control circuit 101 to
actuate the motor 76 which in turn drives the sprocket wheels 70, 72 by way of
interconnecting gear train 78 and drive chain 74. In this manner, the exposed
film strip 12 may be entirely withdrawn from its canister 34.
As the exposed film strip 12 is withdrawn in the given direction
from its cartridge 34, the leading end 17 enters the film receiving chamber 80
by way of the inlet opening 87 and is thereafter grasped between the outside
edge of the wiper member 86 and the inside surface of the film receiving chamber80 (see Figure 8) so as to continue the forward movement of the leading end 17
o the film strip around the cylindrical chamber 80 in a manner as is more fully- taught in United States Patent No. 3,377,936 entitled "Easy Loading Apparatus
~or Film Supply Por Photographic Cameras", issued April 16, 1968. As the windingof the exposed film strip 12 increases in the number of its turns within the
chamber 80, the flexible wiper member 86 automatically reduces itself in outer
diameter. The pod 26 of processing composition is ultimately withdrawn through
the opening 42 by bending over that portion of the side wall 40 between the
slits 56 and about the fold line 54 as previously described. The photodiode 100
thereafter senses the trailing end 19 of the exposed film strip 12 ~see Figure 7)
so as to signal the motor 76 by way of the control circuit 101 to reverse its
direction of rotation while simultaneously actuating the solenoid 98 to cause the
frame member 92 to move toward the base block 61 thereby moving the pressure
applying rollers 88~ 90 into juxtaposed position with each other to establish a
roller bite therebetween. ~:rame member 92 may additionally support a heater
element 112 wh:Lch is complementary to the spaced apartstrips 22, 24 of the heatactivatable adhesive so as to effectively activate the adhesive strips 22, 24
when the frame member 92 is moved to its position closely adjacent the base block
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61 as shown in l;igure 6. Ihe heater clement 112 may also be act.ivated by way of
the control ci.rcuit 101.
Reversi.ng -the rotationa]. direction of the motor 76, as is readily
apparent, reverses the rotational direction of the sprocket wheels 70, 72 so as
to advance the film strip 12, trailing end 19 first, in a direction generally
opposite to the given directi.on in which the exposed film strip 12 was pre-
viously witlldrawn from the cartridge 34D ~dvancement of the exposed film strip
12 past the heater element 112 operates to activate the spaced apart strips 22
and 24 of adhesive so as to bond the longitudinal edges of the two superposed
sheets 14, 16 of photographic material together immediately prior to the appli-
cation of pressure to the film strip 12 by way of the rollers 88, 90. The
rollers 88, 90 thereafter exert a compressive force against progressive incre-
mental sections of the film strip 12 containing the recorded images as it is
advanced from the chamber 80 by the sprocket wheels 70, 72 to facilitate the
rupturing of the pod 26 of processing composition and the spreading of the pro-
cessing composition 27 between the superposed sheets 14, 16 in correspondence
with film advancement through the pressure applying rollers 88, 90. The trailing
edge 19 of the exposed and processed film unit 12 is thereafter advanced by way
of the deflecting plate 110 into the inlet opening 106 of the imbibition chamber
104 from which it ultimately exits from the housing 62 by way of the outlet
openi.ng 108 after a sufficient duration has elapsed to allow the exposed and
processed film strip 12 to develop a viewable image in the aforementioned manner.
The viewable images provided by the exposed, processed and developed film strip
12 may be viewed by transmitted light and thus are categorized as transparencies.
Such transparencies may thereafter be cut from the film strip 12 and mounted in
frames suitable for insertion in a slide projector as is well known in the art.
In this manner the photographer may process his own slide transparencies at home
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in an ~collomica] and efficient manner so that they may be viewed immediately
after the last frame of the film strip 12 is exposecl.
Since certain ch~nges may be made in the above described ernbodi-
ment without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is
intended that all mat~er contained in the above description or shown in the
accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
