GB2234084A - Disposable camera - Google Patents

Abstract

A disposable camera comprises a light-tight film casing (1) having an exposure opening with lens (4), a rolled film (23) disposed on one side of the exposure opening in the light-tight casing, a removable light-tight film container (20) having a film winding spool (28) therein disposed on the other side of the exposure opening in the light-tight film casing, a passage between the rolled film and the container defined by the curved portion (30) on back cover (3) and tracks (15) on main body (2), and externally operable shutter (6) and a film winding member (8) for winding the rolled film around the film winding spool of the light-tight film container. There is preferably a tab (38) which can be pulled up to tear along groove (37) to allow the container to be removed. <IMAGE>

Description

"PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME" The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photographic film package and a method of making the same, anci more particularly to a photographic tilm package in which a photograpnic film, a taking lens and an exposure elements wit their associated elements are incorporated in a light-tight film casing as an integral whole, and a method of making the same.

A lens-fitted photographic film package which has been placed on the market on an industrial scale by the applicant of this application can provide many chances to enjoy oneself by readily taking pictures even when one provides oneself with no camera.This lens-fitted photographic fil::i package comprises a film casing fitted with a taking lens, a sizzle exposure mechanism which includes a film winding mechanism and a shutter mechanism with their associated elements incorporated in the film casing, and a 110-size cartridge film previously packaged in the film casing, which can be sold wherever photografic film is solo. The lens-fitted photographic film, after the exposure of all frames of the film, is forwarded to a photo-shop or photo laboratory without removing the film. There, the exposed film is removed by opening the film package and developed to make prints therefrom while the film package without film is scrapped. The prints together with the developed film are returned to the customer. The lens-fitted single-use film package makes it easy to take pictures because of no requirement of film loading and disloading.

As is well known in the art, the 110-size film cartridge has a roll of 110-size film strip contained light-tightly therein. The film package can be assembled by fitting the film cartridge to an exposure chamber formed inside the lens-fitted film casing. Due to the incorporation of cartridge film, not only the assembling of the film package but also the removal ot the film cartridge from the film package can take place in a daylight room without fogging the film in tne cartridge.

However, it is hard to make an enlarged print witn a favorable image quality from the 110-size film. For the reason of image quality, it has been proposed to provide a lens-fitted film package including a 135-size roll film wnose image size is 30 x 24 mm. It incorporating the 135-size roll film contain in a film patrone defined by International Organization or Standardization ( ISO code 1007: 1979 edition ) in such a lensfitted film package, the existing film processing system can be available in its entirety for the lens-fitted film packages.

Such a 135-type lens-fitted film package is, however, quite difficult to manufacture in practical torn because the film patrone has a single film chamber, unlIke the 110-size film cartridge which has two film chambers. As a result, a serious problem lying behind such a lens-fitted film package containing a 135-size film in a patrone is that an exposed film must be removed from the lens-fitted film package in a dark room because the film is withdrawn from the patrone one frame every exposure and, after the exposure of all frames of the film, completely withdrawn out of the patrone. As is well known, such a dark room film handling is quite troublesome when a large number of films are processed at once.

If the film package is adapted to rewind the fully exposed and fully withdrawn film into the patrone, the film can be removed from the film package in a daylight room. However, the returning of exposed film into the patrone requires the provision of a film rewinding mechanism which is attended with an increase in manufacturing cost. Moreover, it is required in a photo laboratory to rewind the exposed film before removing it from the film package. In view of film handling, the film package containing the 135-size film, although possible to be handled in a daylight room, decreases handling etticiency.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a lens-fitted film package which makes it possible to remove easily an exposed film in a daylight room.

It is another object of te present invention to provide a method of assembling a lens-fitted film package which rr.aKes it possible to remove an exposed film in a daylight room.

Thus, viewed from one aspect, a lensfitted film package according to the present invention comprises a light-tight film casing having an exposure opening, a rolled film disposed on one side of the exposure opening in tne light- tight casing, a removable light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the other side of the exposure opening in said light-tight film casing, and an externally operable film winding member for winding the rolled film around the film spool of the light-tight film container.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the film of the lens-fitted film package is wound around the film spool in the light-tight film container by one frame after every exposure. When the exposure of all frames of the film has been completed, the film is fully contained in the light-tight film container. Therefore, the film can be removed from the film package in a daylight room or in the open air. Usually, the container is removed by breaking the light-tight casing In a photo-shop or a photo laboratory.

According to a preferred embodiment Ot the lens-fitted photographic film package according to the present invention, a 35 mm - size film patrone already commercially available is preferably taken for the light-tight film container. because he exposed film can be fully contained in t i: m patrone without any special winding or rewinding operation, the film with. all the frames exposed can be handled In the sarne manner as t conventional film patrone. Therefore, although the lens-fitted photographic film package of this invention is based on a new concept and provides a great convenience to the customers, tne existing film handling and processing equipments can cc used without any changing and modifications.

A lens-fitted photographic film package according to the present invention may be assembled by the steps ci; winding a film withdrawn from a light-tight film container in a roll in a dark room; loading the rolled film and the light-tight film container in receiving chambers formed in a main body section of the lens-fitted photographic film package, respectively; fitting a back cover section to the main body section so as to assemble light-tightly the lens-fitted photographic film package; and searing the lens-fitted photographic film package,unopenably.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lens-fitted photographic film package of one embodiment ot te present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lens fitted photographic film package of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lens-f itted photographic film package of Figure 1;; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lens fitted photographic film package of second embodiment of the present invention in which a film roll and a light-tIght film container are supported by a back cover section ot the lensfitted photographic film package; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, similar to Figure 3, of the lens-fitted photographic il package of Figure 4; Figure 6 is an illustration of a film supporting member of the lens-fitted photographic film package of Figure 4; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the lens-fitted photographic film package of third embodiment of the present invention;; Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the lensfitted photographic film package of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a shutter mechanism incorporated in the lens-fitted photographic filn package of Figures 7; Figures 10 (A) to (D) are explanation views showing the operation of the shutter mechanism of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a plan vie of an alternation of the frame counter used in cooperation with the shutter mechanism of Figure 9; Figure 12 is a perspective view ot the lens-fitted photographic film package of fourth embodiment cf the present invention;; Figure 13 is a cross sectional view ot tne lens-fitted photographic film package of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a elevational sectional view ot the lensfitted photographic film package of Figure 12 viewed from the back; Figure 1 5 is a plan view of a film loading device use for assembling the lens-fitted photographic c fil package figure 1; Figure 16 is a front view of the film loading device of Figure 15; Figure 17 is a side view of the film loading device of Figure 15; Figure 18 is-a perspective illustration showing a base plate on which the film loading device of Figure 15 and a semiassembly of the lens-fitted photographic film package of Figure 1 are placed thereon;; Figure 19 is a schematic illustration showing an automatic assembling line; Figure 20 is a plan view showing a part of the automatic assembling line of Figure 19; Figures 21 (A), (B) and (C) are perspective views showing various spool shafts for use with the film loading device of Figure 15; and Figures 22 (A) and (B) are perspective views showing a spool shaft with a sleeve for use with the film loading device of Figure 15.

Referring no to Fig. 1, shown therein is a lens-fitted photographic film package ( which is hereinafter referred to as a film package for simplicity ) of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The film package 1 comprises a main front body section 2 and a back cover section 3 which formes a light-tight box-shaped film container.The main front body section 2 is provided with a taking lens 4, a finder windo and shutter actuating member 6 in its outer walls, and necessary photographic mechanism such as a shutter mechanism, a film advancing mechanism, and the like incorporated therein. The back cover section 3 is fixed to the main front body section 2 in any well known manner, for example by means of ultrasonic welding, so as not to be removed by the user. The film package is preferably encased tightly in an outer casing in which is formed several openings for exposing the taking lens 4, finder window 5, and shutter actuating member 6.

In Fig. 2 showing the film package disassembled into two sections, the main front body section 2 has an opening 2a extending between its back and bottom. The back cover section 3 is shaped to complementarily close the opehing 2a of the main front body section 2 so as to provide the light-tight bo - shaped film container. Inside the main front body section 2, there are a film roll receiving chambe- 11 and a film patrone receiving chamber 12 disposed one on each side Of an exposure frame 10. Projected from the top wall of the film patrone receiving chamber 1 2 is a fork 1 4 which is in cooperation with a advancing knob 8 and rotatable in the counterclockwise cirection as viewed in Fig.2. The exposure frame 10 is tormee with film guiding and supporting tracks 15 on both sides thereof. In one of the tracks 15, there is a sprocket wheel 16 partiallv projecting out of the surface.

Upon assembling the film package 1, a roll of 135-size film 21 and a film patrone 20 in which the film 21 is retained at its end by a spool 28 in the film patrone 20 are put it n the receiving chambers 11, 12, respectively, prior =e fI:Inn the to sections - and 3. This film 21 is of the t:ype having 3 S image frame which is defined as 135 film by ISO.

The above described film loading operation is, in this embodiment, performed by the aid of a film loading jig which is shown by a double dotted line in Fig. 2. In greater detail, the unexposed film 21 withdrawn out of the film patrone 20 is wound around a cylindrical spool member 22 of the loading jig as a film roll 23 in many convolutions. While, the film patrone 20 is held by a gripping arm 25 of the loading jig and a part of the film etending between the film roll 23 and the film patrone 20 is supported by a plate member 27 of the loading jig In such a way to be slightly lifted to curve.

The film patrone 20 and the film 21 held by the loading jig can be inserted into the respective receiving chambers 11 and 12 through respective bottom openings 11a and 12a by moving the loading jig toward the main front body section 2 until the top of a spool 28 ( see Fig. 3 ) of the film patrone 20 is brought into engagement with the fork 1 4. During this film loading operation, since the part 26 of film 21 is lifted, an edge of the part is by no means caught by teeth of the sprocket wheel 1 6.

After having loaded the film roll 23 and the film patrone 20 in the above described manner, the gripping arm 25 unclamps the patrone 20 and the cylindrical spool member 22 is resiliently deformed to remove the film 21. The deformation cf the cylindrical spool member 22 is allowed due to the provision of a slit 22a which nips one end of the fIl 2. Then th'2 loading jig is returned while the film roll 22 patrone 20 are received in the respective receiv - in 1 and 12.Although the rolled film 23 is liable to loosen due to its own curling effect, the outermost convolution of the rolled film 23 is restricted by a curved wall of the film roll receiving chamber 11 to prevent the film roll 23 from loosening exceedingly some extent. Then the back cover section 3 is welded to the main front body section 2.

Inside the back cover section 3, there is a back-up portion 30 shaped complementarily to the shape of the guide tracks 15 of the exposure frame 10 for pressing the film against the tracks 15 so as to place it in a focal plane of the taking lens 4. There is also a raised portion 32 farmed on the bottom of the back cover section 3 which closes the opening lia of te film roll receiving chamber 11 and supports t lower edges of the convolutions of the rolled fil 23. From the econc-ical point of view, it is preferable to use a plastic single iens for the taking lens 4.Although the plastic single lens produces a distortion, nevertheless the curved form ot the tracks 15 is helpful to avoid the influence or c distorsion.

The film loading and film package assembling is required to be done in a dark room. The film package of this embodiment can be assembled automatically with the aid of a manipulator in cooperation with the above described loading ,is even in a dark room because of the structural simplicity thereof. Therefore, the film package can be assembled at a decrease cost.

Alternatively, the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23 may be loaded in such a way to wind the film 21 around the cylindrical spool member 2 2 of the loading fig after the loading of the film patrone in the patrone receiving chamber 12.

In this case, the film is wound while being lifted upwardly at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees with respect to the film roll receiving chamber 11. After the film 21 is fully wound around the cylindrical spool member 22, the rolled film 23 is placed in the film roll receiving chamber 11 and then the cylindrical spool member 22 is removed.

In using the film package thus assembled, when the shutter actuating member 6 is operated, a shutter 35 is opened and closed so as to make an exposure for a frame of the film 21 placed over the exposure frame 10. After the exposure, the film advancing knob 8 is operated to rotate the fork It, thereby rotating the spool 28 of the patrone 20 so as to wind the film by one frame, namely to take in the exposed part of the 11, in the patrone 20.On the other hand, a new france of the film 21 is advanced to the exposure frame 10 while rotating the sprocet 16. When the sprocket 16 makes a predetermined number of revolutions, the film advancing knob 8 and the shutter 35 w.itn its associated elements are self-cocked so as to complete necessary operation of the film package for the ne:-:t As the exposure is repeated in the same manner as described above, the film 21 is taken in the patrone 20, gradually. After the exposure of all frames of the film 21, the film package is forwarded to a photo-shop without removing the exposed film There, the back cover section 3 is detached from the main front body 2 by the aid of, for example, a jig so as to remove the patrone containing the exposed film The patrone 20 is handle in the same manner as conventional so as to take out the exposed film and subjecting It the necessary process for development and printing.

It is desirable to form a tab 38 which is pulled up to tear up along a groove 37 by which an openable part of the bottom of the back cover 3 is defined. When the part defined by the groove 37 is torn off, an opening is provided through which the patrone 20 can be removed without detaching the back cover section 3 from the main front body section 2. The forming of an opening in the film package prevents reuse of the film package. Therefore, it will be prevented to refill a new film in the used film package container in order to reclaim a film package which is not fit for its reuse.

Figs. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the lens-fi.t=d film package according to the present invention. in this embodiment, the film patrone 20 and the film ci 23 are supported by the back cover section 3 before assembling the film package 1. For supporting the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23, a resiliently deformable retaining member 40 which is preferably made of a leaf spring is attached to the raised portion of the back cover section 2. The retaining member 40 is curved correspondingly to the curved surface of the exposure frame 15 and has upper and lower retaining arms 41 and 42 which extend laterally and are substantially semicircularly rounded.

These arms 41 and 42 are resilientlv bendable to hold the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23, respectively. The curvet section of the retaining member 40 is partially cut away at 40a so as to increase resiliency.

On assembling the lens-fitted film package of this embodiment, at first the film is withdrawn from the film patrone 20 while winding the film in a roll 23. Then the patrone 20 and the film roll 23 are fitted in and retained by the rounded end portions 41 and 42 of the retaining member 40. Since the film roll 23 tends to loose, the outermost convolution of the film roll 23 is brought into light contact with the inner surface of the rounded end portion 42 of the retaining member 40. The cut away portion 42a allows the tooth of the sprocket wheel 16 to pierce through a perforation of the film 21.

After the completion of the fitting of the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23, the back cover section 3 is fixed to the main front body section 2 of the film package 1 in the same manner as is described as to the previous embodiment.

As is seen clearly in Fig. 4, because the film roll 23 is held only at its top and bottom by the retaining arm 42, the friction force exerted on the outermost convolution of the film roller 23 is small. Due to the small friction force, the film can be smoothly withdrawn from the film roll receivin chamber 11. Rs is shown in Fig. 6, it is permissible to form tim roll retaining arm member 45 integral with the raised portion 39 in place of the resiliently deforriable member 40.In tnis case, it will be preferable to form grooves 46 in an inner surface of the retaining member 45 in order to reduce friction force possibly produced between the outermost convolution of the film roll 23 and the inner surface of the retaining member 45. The provision of the retaining member for holding the film tatrone and the film roll on the back cover section makes it considerably , to assemble the film package in an automatic assembling lIne.

The lens-fitted film package thus assembled is used in the same manner as that of the previous embodiment.

Reference is now had to Figs. 7 to 10 showing another preferred embodiment of the lens-fitted film pac3sage. the lensfitted film package 1 comprises a main body section 50, a back cover section 51, and a front cover section 52 which are all made of plastic materials. These sections are assembled into a light-tight box-shaped film container. As will be described in detail later, these sections are fixedly assembled after having loaded the film patrone 20 and a film 21 in the main body section 50. Therefore, the film patrone 20 and the film 21 can by no means removed by the user.

As is shown in Fig. 8, on a base plate 53 of the main body section 5C, there are formed a patrone receiving chamber 55 and a film roll receiving chamber 5 disposed apart 2 predetermined distance from each other.Each chamber 55, 56 opens at its bottom by an opening 55a, 56a through which the patrone 20 or the film 21 is inserted therein. Upon loadin film, the fil 21 is withdrawn from the film patrone 20 which Is well known to those skilled in the art and already commercially available, and the withdrawn part of the film Is wound in a film roll 23. Then the film Datrone 20 and the film roll 23 are loaded in the main body section 50 through the openings 55a ant 56a. This loading operation is done in a dark room. It is note that the film 21 may be withdrawn from the film patrone at or the loading of the film patrone 20 in the main bod. section DO.

Between the film patrone receiving and film roll receiving chambers 55 and 56, there is a connecting section 57 in which an exposure frame is formed. All the three sections 55, 56, and 57 are made as one body in a generally rectangular frame 58. At the bottom of the frame 57, there are formed openings in alignment with the openings 55a and 56a of the film patrone and film roll receiving chambers 55 and 56.At the top of the film patrone receiving chamber 55, there is a fork ( which is hidden in Fig. 8 ) similar to the fork 14 of Fig. 2 engageable with the spool 28 of the film patrone 20. When the film advancing knob 60, with which the fork is in cooperation, s rotatec in a direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 10, causing the fork to rotate the spool 28 of the patrone 20 so as to withdraw the tiim 21 into the film patrone 20. The periphery of the film advancing knob 60 is provided with teeth 60a which is engaged by a resiliently deformable pawl 60S so as to be prevented trom rotating in the clockwise direction.

In the main body section 50, there are also provided an exposure counter 61, a ratchet 62, shutter actuating lever 63, shutter blades 64, driving sprocket 65, ano eir associated elements by which a shutter mechanism is comprised, Referring to Fig. 9 showing the shutter mechanism, a shutter actuating member 66 is forme integrally with a supporting plate 67 which is pivotally mounted on the front cover section 51 by a a pivot 68 for pivotal movement.On the supporting plate, an operating rod 69 is fixed and e::tencs The ratchet 62 is supported by the main body section 50 or pivotal movement and has a bent arm 62a to which a spring 72 is attached. By te spring 72, the ratchet 62 is force in the clockwise direction. The bent arm 62a of the ratchet 62 at its lower end is engaged by the operating rod 69 of the plate 67 integral with the shutter actuating member 66. When the shutter actuating member 66 is depressed downwardly, the ratchet 62 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction through the operating rod 69.The ratchet 62 has a hoole 62b at the end of its arm which engages the teeth 60a of the film advancing knob 60 so as to prevent the film advancing knob 60 from being rotated.

The film 21 is provided with perforations 21a eight for each frame. The perforations 21a are engaged by one or two of eight teeth of a driven sprocket wheel 65. Therefore, when the film 21 is advanced by one frame, the sprocket wheel 65 is driven to turn fully once. Coaxially with the driven sprocket 65, there is provided a cam member 74 having a notch 74a on its outer periphery. The periphery of the cam member 74 is contacted by the hooked end 62C of one arm of the ratchet 62. The cam member 74 is caused to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as 11 as the driven sprocket wheel 65 when the film 21 is advanced in a direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 9.

A shutter actuating lever 63 is supported by the main body section 50 by means of a pivot 76 for pivotal movement.

This shutter actuating lever 63 is formed with a bent portion 63a at which one end 72b of a coil spring 72 is connected. Due to the provision of the coil print 72, the shutter actuating lever 63 can be rotatable in the counter clockwise direction. : is shown in Fig. S, the shutter actuating lever 63 con=acts with a projection 62d of the ratchet lever 62 to be maintained at a position shown in Fig. 10(A) against the coil spring 72. The shutter actuating lever 63 is also formed it a L-shaped bent portion 63b which ends forward to be able to hit the shutter blade 64 as is shown in Fig. 8.

The shutter blade 64 is supported by the main body section 50 for pivotal movement but retained by a spring 64b in its rest position shown in Fig. 8. When the shutter blade 64 is in the rest position, the shutter blade 64 closes an exposure aperture 73 so as to bloc light.When the projection 62d of the ratchet lever 62 releases the shutter actuating lever 63 as is shown in Fig. 10(B), the shutter actuating lever 63 is caused to turn in the counterclockwise direction by a contractile force o the spring 72, so as to hit the projection 64c o te shutter blade 6t. Consequently, the shutter blade 64 turns in the counterclockwise direction to open the exposure aperture 78 while charging a force in the spring 64b.When the D-shaped bent portion 63b of the shutter actuating lever 53 rides over the projection 64c of the shutter blade 64, the shutter blade 64 returns to its rest position by a contractile forte o f the spring 64b to close the exposure aperture 78.

The driven sprocket wheel 65 is provided coaxially integrally with a cam member 80 for setting the shutter mechanism. At the completion of the opening and closing of the shutter blade 6, the projection 64c of the shutter blade 6A falls into a recess 80a of the cam member 8C. Because of the cam member 80 integral with the driven sprocket wheel 6 cam member 80 turns in the counterclockwise direction as a result of the advancement of the film 21. This turn of the cam member 80 causes the shutter actuating lever 63 to turn in the counterclockwise direction and so as to return to its initial position.

The driven sprocket wheel 65 is further provided coaxially with a single notched member 82 which is engaged by any one of teeth 61a of the exposure counter 61. Therefore, when the driven sprocket wheel 65 makes one revolution, the single notched member 82 rotates one revolution, turning the exposure counter by one tooth. Correspondingly to the angular positions of the teeth 61a of the exposure counter ó1, these are marked out in order to indicate the number of exposed frame. The mark such as numerals is viewed through an window 83 termed in the front cover section 51.

As is shown in FIG. 7, in front of the shutter blade 64, there is a lens supporting board 85 in which an opening 85a is formed to hold a plastic lens 86 for the taking iens. The lens supporting Doer 85 is so placed as to align t plastic lens 86 with the exposure aperture 78.

In the top wall of the front cover section 5 is a square opening 87 which receives therein the shutter actuating member 66 with its top surface flush with, or even below, the outer surface of the top wall of the front cover section 51. In the front w wall of the front cover section 51 , there are a tunnel-like viewfinder 88, a circular opening 89, and small square openings 90. The opening 89 is formed coaxially with the optical axis of the lens 86. The small openings 90 is located correspondingly to fixing lugs 91 projecting from the main body section 50 by which the two sections 50 and 51 are temporarily fixed.

The back cover section 52 comprises a back wall 93 and a bottom wall and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. In the back wall 93 is an opening 95 in alignment with the tunnellike viewfinder 88 through which an object is viewed. There is also formed a rectangular opening 96 in the back wall 63 which receive therein the film advancing !;nob 60 with its outer periphery flush with, even below, the outer surface of the back wall 93 of the back cover section 52. Inside the back wall 93 of the back cover section 52 is a raised portion having a curved surface for supporting the film 21 thereon and guiding it therealong.

The back cover section is fitted to the main body section 50 in such a way to place the bottom plate 94 under the base plate 53 of the main body section 50 so as to cover the openings 55a and 56a of the film patrone and rilm roll receiving chambers 55 and 56.Due to the construction of the -il- package 1, by fixing the back cover 52 to the man body portion 50 in which the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23 are previously loaded, the film 21 is contained light-tightly. Thereafter, the fixing of the front cover section 51 is done, even in a daylight room, by welding side edges 52a and 52 of the back cover section to a corresponding recessed portion of the Upon. cover section 51.

The lens-fitted film package 1 Is operate oy depressing the shutter actuating member 66. With the depression of the shutter actuating member 66 from its initial position shown in Fig. 10(A), the ratchet lever 62 is caused by the operating rod 69 to turn in the counterclockwise directior.. As is shown in Fig. 10(B), the turn of the ratchet lever 62 releases and allows the shutter actuating lever 63 to turn in the counterclockwise direction by the spring 72. In consequence, the shutter blade 64 is opened and closed so as to maJie an exposure for the frame of the film 21 positioned in the exposure frame.

At the completion of the opening ant closing of the shutter blade 64, the hooked end 62c of the ratchet lever 62 gets out of the recess 74a of the can member 74. As a result, the projection 63d of the shutter actuating leer 63 engages the projection 62d of the ratchet lever 52 to maintain the ratchet lover in the engaged position shown in ig. 0(C).On the other hand, the hoo 62b of the ratchet lever 62 escapes from the tooth 61a of the film advancing knob 60 so as to allow it to be rotated in order to advance the ilm 21 S one When rotating the film advancing knob 60 in the clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9 after each exposure of the film 21, the fork directly in cooperation with the film advancing knob 60 rotates the spool 28 of the film patrone 20 to take up the film 21 in the film patrone 20. 3ue to the film advancement, the driven sprocket wheel 65 is turned fully once in the counterclockwise direction so as to rotate the cam members 74 and 80, and the single notched member 82. The cam member 80 moves the hooked end 63c of the shutter actuating lever 63 so as to rotate the shutter actuating lever 63 in the clockwise direction, disengaging the projection 63d of the shutter actuating lever 63 from the projection 62d of the ratchet lever 62 so as to allow the ratchet lever 62 to rotate in the clockwise direction under the spring force 72 as is shown in Fig. 10(D).Then the projection 62d of the ratchet lever 62 will be engaged by the projection of the shutter actuating lever 63 from the right side hand of the projection 63d as viewed in Fig. 1 0. On the other hand, the hooked end 62c of the ratchet from lever 62 is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the cam member 74.

Upon the driven sprocket wheel 65 turns fully once, the hooked end 62c of the ratchet lever 62 falls into the recess ,'- or the cam member 74; the ratchet lever 62 further slightly turns in the clockwise direction. As a result, t:.e nook 62 o the ratchet lever 62 is brought into engagement with the tooth 60a of the film advancing knob 60 so as to prevent the il advancing knob 60 and the driven sprocket wheel 65 from further rotating while the cam member 74 is prevented from rotating.

In this way, the one frame film advancement is completed; the shutter actuating lever 63 is returned to its initial position shown in Fig. 10(A) where the shutter actuating lever 63 engaged by the hooked end 62d of the ratchet lever 62 to be prevented from a further rotation in the counterclockwise direction. At this time, the single notched member 82 moves the exposure counter 61 to change the indicated number bv one.

On the under surface of the exposure counter 61 is s a cam member 61b ( shown in Fig. 9 ) formed integrally therewith. This cam member G1S is brought into engagement with an upwardly bent end portion 62e of the ratchet lever 62 to rotate the ratchet lever 62 in the counterclockwise direction. Simultaneously, a recess 61c formed in the outer periphery of the exposure counter 61 is moved to a position where the notch of the single notched member 82 is engageable with the teeth of the exposure counter 61.When the ratchet lever 62 is turned in such a way, the hooked end 62c of the ratchet lever 62 is disengaged from the peripheral recess 74a of the cam member 74 to allow the driven sprocket wheel 65 to rotate. In this state, as the single notched member is placed in the recess 61c of the exposure counter wheel 61, the exposure counter wheel 61 is by no means rotated even though the sprocket wheel 65 is rotated. Therefore, the film advancing knob can be rotated without any interruption to wind fully the film 21 in the film patrone 20.As is described above, the film 21 is completely wound in the film patrone 20 after the exposure of all frames of the film 21, the disloading of the film patrone 20 containing the exposed film is cone quite easily in a photo-shop.

The exposure counter 61 has another Indicaton shown by T in Fig. 11. The indication comprises several dots the number of which corresponds to a number, for example two or three, of possible frames of the leader portion of the film 21 which is subjected to blind exposure. Due to the blind exposure indication, it is possible to test the operation of the shutter ano film advancement after he assemblage of the lens-Itted film package.

According to the self-cocking mechanism descrIbed above, although the film is wound up by a quite simple mechanism that the film advancing knob 60 is directly cooperated with the spool 28 of the film patrone 20, the film advancing knob 60 and the driven sprocket wheel 65 are prevented from being further rotated by a single member, namely the ratchet lever 62, every time the film 21 is wound by one frame. Terefore, the lensfitted film package can have a reliable one frame film advancer,lent mechanism while having simple shutter mechanism.

Figs. 1 2 to 1 4 show still another preferred embodiment of a lens-fitted film package according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a film advancing knob 103 is provided at the bottom of a front wall of a main body section 100 which is formed with an opening 102 for receiving a taking lens 101 therein. Behind the lens opening 102 and a viewfinder window 104 are bores 105 and 106 with grooves formed on the inner surface thereof for preventing diffused reflected light from entering through the openings.

As is shown in Fig. 13, behind the taking lens 101 is a shutter mechanism 107 supported by an exposure frame 103. On the right hand side of che exposure frame 108 as viewed from the front of the main body section 100 of the film package, there is a film container receiving chamber 111 for receiving a lighttight film container 110. On the other hand, on the left hand side of the exposure frame 103, there is a film receiving chamber 112. In the film receiving chamber 112 is a spool shaft 113 supported by thereby for rotation. The filr.- which is not yet exposed is wound up around the spool shaft 113.The leading end 21a of the film 21 is attached to a spool 114 supported by the film container 110 for rotation. The part of the film 21 between the film receiving chamber 112 and the film container 110 in the film container receiving chamber 111 extends passing the back of the exposure frame 108.

In Fig. 14 showing the main body section 100 as viewed from the back thereof, the spool 114 of the film container 110 is engaged by a fonk 116 projecting partially from tre bottom of the rilm container receiving chamber 111. The on 116 is formed integrally with a shaft of a gear 115 which is in cooperation with a film advancing knob 103 through an idler gear 117. When rotating the film advancing knob 103, the film 21 is wound around the spool 114. The spool shaft 113 disposed in the film receiving chamber 112 projects outside the film receiving chamber 112 but is kept off from the bottom of the main body section 100.

At the bottom of the spool shaft 113 is formed a groove 11 3a which is engaged by the tip end of a screw driver in order to be rotated to wind up the film 21 therearound. The groove 113a may take a particular shape suitable or a special tool rather than usual screw drivers in order to disable te wincing up or rewInding of the film 21 by users.

According to the above described construction, the lensfitted film package is assembled in the following way. At first the film container 110 with the leading portion of the film 21 withdrawn and the trailing end fixed to the spool 114 is loaded in the film container receiving chamber 111 of the main bodv section 100. After fixing the end of the reading portion of the film 21 to the spool shaft 113 of the film m receiving chamber 112, the back cover section 119 is fixed to the main bodv section 100 so as to form a light-tight rectangular box-shaped film package. Then a screw driver, for example, is inserted through an opening formed in the bottom wall of the main body section 100 to engage with the groove 113a of the soool shaft 113, thereby turning the spool shaft 113 In the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 13 in order to wind up the film 21 around the spool 113 in the film receiving chamber 112. This film winding operation can be performed in a daylight room because the film package is maintained light-tight.

In using the lens-fitted film package thus comprised, after operating the shutter actuating member 120 to exposure, the film advancing knob 103 is rotated. As a result, as the spool 114 of the film container 110 is rotated in the clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 14, the exposed film 21 is wound it the light-tight film container 110. Therefore, when the exposure of all frames of the film 21 has been completed, the -; is film is fully contained in the light-tight film container 110.

Consequently, the film container 110 can be remove ov breaking or disassembled the film package in a daylight room.

It is to be understood that, although a 35 mm-size patrone which is now commertially available is used in this embodiment, the light-tight film containers themselves may take various forms. For instance, a light-tight film container having a film slot may be formed integrally with the main body y section 100 but adapted to be separable therefrom. Furthermore, It is not always necessary to provide the light-tight - m container with a spool.In the case of providing no spool, the exposed film may be thrusted into the light-tight film: container Sy the aid of a sprocket wheel well known per Se in the art which is caused to rotate by a film advancing knob.

Reference is now had to Figs. 15 to 20 showing, by way of example, a film loading apparatus for automatically loading a film roll and a film patrone into the main oov section o ne lens-fitted film package shown in Figs. to 3. The film loading apparatus 150 is placed on a base plate 152 which will be disclosed in detail later. On the base plate 152 are frames 152a and 152b as is clearly seen in Fig. 18 by which the main body section 2 and the back cover section 3 are adjusted in position.

The film loading apparatus 150 is provided with pedestals 156 and 157 supporting yuide rods 154 and 155, a frame member 158 held by the guide rods 154 and 155 for sliding movement, and a rotary arm 160 supported by a shaft fixed to the movable frame 158 for pivotal movement. Between the rotatable arm 160 and the movable frame 153 is a zoil. spring 162 to urge the rotatable arm 160 to pivot in the counterclockwise direction and to press it normally upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 6.

The movable frame 158 is ordinarily held in its preparatory position far from the main body secticn 2 by the coil spring 162 as is shown in Figs. 14 and 6. As is shown in Fig. 15, the movable frame 158 is provided with an annularshaped magnet 163 fixed to its one end thereof by means of set screws. "his magnet 163 can attract an end surface of the film patrone 20 and thereby hold the film patrone 20 as is shown in Fig. 15.The movable frame 153 is further provided with an ejecting rod 165 which is movable axially and urged by a spring 1 66 to retract downwardly viewed in Fig. 15. At the foremost end of the ejecting rod 165, there is a rotatable for 165a engageable with the spool 28 of the film oatrone 20.

n air cylinder 169 with a gear 170 attached to its rear end is supported by the rotatable arm 100 through a rearing 163 for rotation. Through the gear 170 which is prevented from moving axially, the cylinder 169 is rotated to drive a spool 172 which is urged by a spring incorporated in the cylinder 169 to protrude forwardly. When air is released from the air cylinder 169, the spool 172 is retracted from a position shown in Fig. 15 to position its forward end below the bottom surface of the main body section 2. When the air cylinder 169 rotates, the spool 172 in cooperation with the cylinder is rotated.

The rotatable arm 160 moves to a position shown by a double dotted line in Fig. 1 6, the distance between tne center lines or the spool 172 and the ejecting rod 165 is equal to the distance between the center lines of the film patrone receiving chamber 12 and the film roll receiving chamber 11. At the top of the spool 172, the spool is formed with a slit 172 in which the leading portion 21a of the film 21 is held by means o- a spring 173. If tightly winding the leading portion 21a of the film 21 around the spool 172 while holding it in the slit 172a, the film will get sharply curled.For preventing such a sharp curl, it is desirable to cut off or round snar edges of the spool 172 adjacent to the slit 172a as is shown in Figs. 20 (A) and (3).

The shaft 159 which serves as a pivot for te rotatable arm 160 is provided with a ratchet 175 in engagement with teeth of the gear 170 so s to prevent the gear 175 from being rotated in the counterclockwise direction.

The film loading apparatus thus constructed i installed in an automatic assembling line as is shorn in Figs. 9 and 20.

Fig. 1 9 illustrates schematically the automatic assembling line and Fig. 20 shows the relative position beLeen the base plate 152 and a loading station 177.

A plurality of the base plates 152 each carrying the film loading apparatus 150 and the frames 152a and 152b are attached as a unit to a conveying belt 178 which is rorwarded stepwise in the right hand direction viewed in Fig. 19 and passes through a dark room 180 in its course. Along the course of the conveying belt 178, there are defined unit supplying station, patrone supplying station 177, dark room station 180, and pick-up station.Carried out in the dark-room operation station are the steps of making a film roll 23 bv withdrawing unexposed film 21 from the film pat one 0 without posing it to light, engaging the spool 28 of the film patrone 20 with the fork 14 by inserting the patrone axially into the film patrone receiving chamber 12 of the main body section 2, lowering the rolled film 23 into the film roll receiving camber 11, removing the spool 172 from the film roll 23, and itted the back cover section 3 to the main bod section In the unit supplying station, the main body section 2 and the back cover section 3 are manually supplied onto the base plate 152. In the patrone supplying station, a tilm patrone 20 with only a film leader withdrawn therefrom is placed in the film patrone receiving chamber 12 of the main body section 2.

When the conveyer 173 carries the base plate 152 to the patrone supplying station 177, the arm 181 ( see Figs. 1L and 16 protrudes by a predetermined distance to pus,. the movable frame 158 forwardly against the coil spring 162. As a result of the forward movement of the movable frame 158, the magnet 1 63 attracts the film patrone 20 in the film patrone receiving chamber 12.

After the attraction of the film patrone 20, the arm 181 is returned to its initial position while returning the movable frame 158 to the preparation position shown in Fig. 15 so as to take out the film patrone 20 partially out of the film patrone receiving chamber 12. At this time, the fork 165a of the ejection rod 165 is brought into resilient engagement with the spool 28 of the film patrone 20 through the spring. Uhen the spool 28 is slightly turned in the ne::t station, the fork and spool are caused to engage with each other.For this engagement, the spool 28 of the film patrone 20 is given a back- tension through the fork 165a when the uni poses film 21 is withdrawn fro. the film patrone 20.

When the movable frame returns to the preparation position shown in Fig. 15, a driving gear 182 in the patrone supplying station 177 comes down to mesh with the gear 170 of the air cylinder 169. Simultaneously, the supporting member 183 protrudes and comes under a receiving portion 185 attached to the bottom of the rotatable arm 1G0, preventing the rotatable arrn 160 from falling down when the driving gear 182 meshes with the gear 170. After the driving gear 182 has been adjustably turned to bring the slit 1 72a of the spool 172 to its predetermined position, the driving gear 182 and the supporting member 133 are returned.Then the film leader 21a out of the film patrone 20 is manually inserted into the slit 1 72a of the spool 172 and held by the leaf spring 173, thereby prevented from falling out.

The conveyer 178 brings the filn loading apparatus 150 on the base plate 152 to the dark room station 180. Therein the film loading device 150 is operated at a rewinding stage 187 which is also provided. with a driving gear and a supporting member, similar to the gear 182 and the supporting member 183, engageable withthe gear 170 of the air cylinder 169. The driving gear drives the gear 170 to turn in the clockwise direction viewed in Fig. 16. As the turn of the gear 170, the spool 172 is rotated to withdraw the film 21 from the film patrone 20 and wind it therearound. Since the film 21 is given a slight baclw-tension through the fore 1ova, the spool 172 can wind the film 21 tightly therearound.The driving gear 182 is driven by a motor ( not shown ) disposed in the manipulator 187.

Between the motor and the gear 182, there is provide a slipping mechanism so as to give the driving gear 182 a constant torque.

For the purpose of preventing the film patrone 20 from being detached from the magnet during the winding of the film 21 around the spool 172, the film patrone 20 is cesirably supported in any well known manner.

When a sufficient period has been progressed after the spool 172 is started to rotate, the driven gear 182 automatically stops its rotation. Because the length of the film previously contained in the film patrone 20 is known, said sufficient time is previously set according to the length of film to fully withdrawn the film 21 out of the film patrone 20 at the time the spool 172 stops its rotation. In this way, the film roll 23 is formed. As the film 21 is risen above the main body section 2 during the winding of thereof, he film 21 is prevented from getting scratches on the surfaces thereof.

Moreover, the film can be wound at a high speec. t may be preferable to detect the load exerted on the spool shaft 172 by means of the slipping mechanism, so as to stop the driving gear 182 when a load over a predetermined load is detected.

After the film roll 23 has been formed and the spool shaft 172 stops, the driving gear 182 and the supporting member 183 are returned to their initial positions, resoectively. The the base plate 152 moves to the next operating stage, namely film installing stage 188. During this movement, as the gear 170 is prevented from the counterclockwise rotation by the ratchet 175, the film roll 23 does not loosen due to the resiliency of the film 21 itself.

At the film installing stage 188, there are an ar.

similar to the arm 181 of the film loading stage 177, a push- don rod 190 with a roller attached to its en for pushing on the rotatable arm 160 in the manner shown in ig. 16, and a stopping rod 191 which is in contact with the rear end of the ejecting rod 165 supported by the movable frame 58 and prevents the ejecting rod 165 from returning when the movable frame 15S moves rearwardly in the same manner as is shown in Figs. 14 and 16 so as to push out the ejecting rod 165 relative to the frame 158. At the film installing stage 138, there is an air nozzle 192 which projects and is brought into connection with a nozzle coupler 169a at the end of the air cylinder 16 9 when the rotatable arm 160 comes down to a position snow by a double dotted line in Fig. 1 6.

When the film loading device 150 is moved to the film installing stage 183 from the film winding stage 137, the arm 181 is pushed out to move the movable frame 153 toward the loading position shown by a double dotted line in Fig. 17 from the preparation position shown in Fig. 15, so as to insert the film patrone 20 attracted by the magnet 163 into the film patrone receiving chamber 12 of the main body section 2. In such the way, the spool 28 of the film patrone 20 is smoothly brought into engagement with the for 14 of tne main body section 2.

At this time, as the rotatable arm 150 is in its iitte position, the film roll 23 wound around the spool shaft 172 is still placed above the film roll receiving chamber 11. when the arm 181 is pushed out by a predetermined distance, the movable frame 158 moves to the loading position, and the push-down rod 190 is caused to come down by means of, for example, a motor or an air cylinder so as to rotate the rotatable arm 160 about the shaft 159 against the spring 162.

tjhen the rotatable arm 160 reaches 2 position shown by a double dotted line in Fig. 16 to align horizontally, centrally the spool shaft 172 with the ejecting rod 165, namely the tiim roll 23 with the film patrone 20, the film roll 23 is inserted into the film roll receiving chamber 11 from abcve. In such the way, as the film 21 is put on the sprocket 1 G projecting from the film supporting surface of the exposure frame 15 from above so as to be prevented from being caught by the sprocket t.Ar angle through which te rotatable arm 160 turns is set to about 35 degrees.

When the push-down rod 190 moves down a predetermined distance to insert the film roll 23 into the film roll receiving chamber 11, the air nozzle 192 ( see Fig. 15 ) of the film installation stage 188 is projected to be connected with the nozzle coupler 169a of the air cylinder 169. 3y sucking air from the air cylinder 169, the spool shaft 172 is gradually retracted. As the film roll 23 is retained by the front edge 169b of the air cylinder 169 during the retraction of the spool shaft 172, the spool shaft 172 slips off the film roll 23 so as to allow it to fall down in the film roll receiving chamber 11.

After the spool shaft 172 nas returned, the stopping rod 191 is caused to move so as to contact to the rear end of the ejecting rod 165. At this time, the arm 1.01 is retracted and the movable frame 158 is moved to the preparation position by the coil spring 164. As the result of the movement of the movable frame 158, the film patrone 20 is pushed out by the ejecting rod 165 and disconnected from the magnet 163 to be let i the film patrone receiving chamber 12.

When the movable frame 158 returns after the fil.m patrone 20 and the film roll 23 have been received in the respective receiving chambers 11 and 12, respectively, in the manner described above, the moved elements such as the pushdown rod 190, stopping rod 191, air nozzle 152, rotatable ar: 160, and the spool shaft 172 return to their initial positions to complete the film installing operation. The base plat 1 is is then moved to the ne::t stage, namely the back cover fitting stage 195 in the dark room station 180.Therein a manipulator is provided to put the back cover section 3 which is located on the base plate 152 on the main body section 2 to form a light-tight box-shaped film package. The main body section 2 fitted with the back cover section 3 is then moved to the welding stage 196 to be subjected to an ultrasonic welding. In such the way, the film package is completely assembled into one body, to provide a light-tight lens-fitted film package including the film patrone 20 and the film roll 23 therein. However, it is preferable that a part 3a of the bottom of the back cover section 3 is let unwelded in order to make it easy to break the bac cover 3 when the film patrone is removed.The completed lens-fitted film package on the base plate 152 is transferred by the conveyer out of the dark room station 130 to the next station, namely pick-up station in the daylight room wherein the completed lens-fitted film package is picked-up and subjected to inspection.

After the pick-up station, the base plate 152 whose movable frame 158 is restored to its preparation position shown in Fig. 15 and whose rotatable arm 160 returns to its lifted position shown by a solid line in Fig. 16 is returned to the unit supplying station to load another unit.

Although, in the above-described embodiment, the patio supplying station is provided in order to supply the film patrone 20 to the film patrone receiving chamber 12 of the main body section 2, the loading station 177 can oc omitted bv holding directly the film patrone by the magnet at the patrone supplying station. In this case, the adjustment o the initial position of the spool shaft 172 is, for example, performed at the end of the operation at the film installing stage, while the leader portion of the film extending the film patrone 20 is inserted into the slit 172a of the spool shaft 172.

In order to avoid that the leader portion of the film 21 will get an impression or mark of the slit 172a thereon when winding the film 21 around the spool shaft 172, it is desirable to use a spool shaft 198 shown in Fig. 21 (C). The spool shaft 198 comprises a slitted shaft 200 attached with a retraining spring member 201. Between the slitted spool shaft 200 and the retaining spring member 201, the leader portion of the film 21 is grasped. Therefore, if the spool shaft 20C is rotated in tne counterclockwise direction, the film can be wound around the spool shaft 200 with slipping off.When slitting off the roiea film, the spool shaft 200 is deformed.

As is shown in Fic. 22 (A), it is also desirable to use the slitted spool shaft 172 fitted with a resilient sleeve 203.

In this case of using the sleeve-fitted spool shaft 172, after inserting the film leader portion 21a into the slit 172a and holding it by the leaf spring 173, the sleeve 20 is expanded and fitted over the spool shaft 172. -hen removing tne spool shaft 172 from the rolled film 23 therearound, tno rolled film 23 is left with the sleeve 203 in the film roll receiving chamber 11. The sleeve 203 left in the film roll receiving chamber 11 can serve as a spool for the film roll 23.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification,or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based-thereon.

Claims (20)

1. MI claims

   CLAIMS: 1. A lens-fitted photographic film package having at least an externally operable member for effecting an exposure, comprising: a light-tight casing having an opening through which said exposure is made when said externally operable member is operated; a rolled film disposed on one side of said opening in said light-tight casing; a removable light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the other side of said opening in said light-tight casing, one end of said rolled film being attached to said film winding spool; and means for winding said rolled film around said film winding spool.
2. 2. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means is an externally operable, rotatable member in direct cooperation with said film winding spool.
3. 3. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said means is adapted to rotate in only one way so as to prevent film wound around said film winding spool from being unwound.
4. 4. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims I to 3, further comprising a spool around which said rolled film is wound.
5. 5. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein said removable light-tight film container is a 35mm-size film patrone having a spool to which one end of said rolled film is attached.
6. 6. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said lighttight casing is arranged so as to be unopenable by a user.
7. 7. A'lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 6, wherein said unopenable lighttight casing comprises a main body section which is provided with at least a shutter member, and a back cover section having first supporting means for supporting said light-tight film container, these two sections being assembled into one integral whole.
8. 8. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7, wherein said main body section is provided with a curved film supporting member being rearwardly curved.
9. 9. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said first supporting means comprises a resilient member attached to said back cover section which is adapted to removably hold said light-tight film container.
10. 10. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first supporting means is a flexible portion integrally formed with and'extending from said main body section which is adapted to removably bold said light-tight film container.
11. 11. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10, further comprising second supporting means for supporting said rolled film.
12. 12. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims 7 to 11, wherein either one of said main body section and back cover section is provided with a portion which is breakable.
13. 13. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 12, wherein said breakable portion is formed adjacent to said light-tight film cntainer.
14. 14. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means in cooperation with said externally operable member for allowing said film winding spool to rotate so as to wind said rolled film every exposure.
15. 15. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means in cooperation with said externally operable member includes a sprocket wheel driven as a result of a movement of said rolled film.
16. 16. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 15, wherein said means in cooperation with said externally operable member includes a frame counter in cooperation with said sprocket wheel.
17. 17. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 16, wherein said frame counter has at least one indication before a consecutive series of frame numbers.
18. 18. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein said frame counter is provided with a cam member for disabling said means in cooperation with said externally operable member.
19. 19. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means comprises: an externally operable film winding member in direct cooperation with said film winding spool for rotating said film winding spool so as to wind said rolled film around said film winding spool one frame every exposure; a rotatable member disposed between said rolled film and said removable light-tight container and drivn as a result of a movement of said rolled film towards said removable light-tight container; and e a ratching member in cooperation with said rotatable member for ratching said externally operable film winding member when said rotatable member rotates through a predetermined angle.
20. 20. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 19, wherein said externally operable film winding member is adapted to rotate in only one way so as to prevent film wound around said film winding spool from being unwound.

    20. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed '1 claim 19, wherein said externally operable film winding member is adapted to rotate in only one way so as to prevent film wound around said film winding spool from being unwound.

    21. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 19 or 20, further comprising a spool around which said rolled film is wound.

    22. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein said removable light-tight container is a 35 mm - size film patrone.

    23. A method of assembling a lens-fitted photographic film package which comprises a light-tight casing comprising a main body section having at least an exposure opening and a back cover section, a rolled film disposed on one side of said exposure opening, and a light-tight container disposed on the other side of said exposure opening which has a film winding spool attached with one end of said rolled film, said method comprising the steps of; winding a film withdrawn from said lighttight container in a roll in a dark room; loading said film in a roll and said lighttight container in receiving chambers formed in either section of said light-tight casing of said lens-fitted photographic film package; and fixing said back cover section to said main body section so as to assemble light-tightly said lens-fitting photographic film package.

    24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said either section of said light-tight casing is said main body section.

    25. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said either section of said light-tight casing is said back cover section.

    26. A method as claimed in any of claims 23 to 25, wherein said main body section and back cover section are fixed by ultrasonic welding.

    27. A method as claimed in any of claims 23 to 26, wherein said winding step comprises attaching a leading portion of said film to a spool shaft and then winding said film around said spool shaft in a roll.

    28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said light-tight container from which said film is withdrawn to he wound around said spool shaft is at least partially received in said receiving chamber.

    29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein said spool shaft is removed from said film wound in a roll therearound at an end of said loading step.

    30. A method as defined in any of claims 23 to 29, wherein said light-tight container is a 35 mm - size film patrone.

    31. A method of assembling a lens-fitted photographic film package which comprises a light-tight casing having at least an exposure opening, a rolled film disposed on one side of said exposure opening, and a light-tight container disposed on the other side of said exposure opening which has a film winding spool attached with one end of said rolled film, said method comprising the steps of:: placing said light-tight container in which a greater part of said film is contained in a film container receiving chamber formed on one side of said exposure opening in a main body section of said light-tight casing; attaching a leader portion of said film withdrawn out of said film container to a spool provided in a film roll receiving chamber formed on the other side of said exposure opening in said main body section of said light-tight casing; fitting a back cover section to said main body section so as to make said lens-fitted photographic film package light-tight; and externally rotating said spool in said film roll receiving chamber so as to wind said film around said spool.

    32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said light-tight film container is a 35 mm - size film patrone.

    33. Lens-fitted photographic film packages, or methods of assembling the same, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

    Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS: l A lens-fitted photographic film package having at least an externally. operable member for effecting an exposure, comprising: a light-tight casing having an opening through which said exposure is made when said externally operable member is operated; a rolled unexposed film disposed on one side of said opening in an unexposed film roll receiving chamber in said light-tight casing with its outermost turn exposed to side walls of said chamber and its innermost turn surrounding an empty space; a removable light-tight film container having a film winding spool therein disposed on the opposite side of said opening in said light-tight casing from said rolled filr, one end of said rolled film being attached to said film winding spool;; means for winding said rolled film into said lighttight film container and around said film winding spool; and means defining a film passage in said light-tight casing, wherein said light-tight casing must be destroyed to expose said film passage.

    2. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means is an externally operable, rotatable member in direct cooperation with said film winding spool.

    3. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said means is adapted to rotate in only one way so as to prevent film wound around said film winding spool from being unwound.

    4. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a spool around which said rolled film is wound.

    5. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein said removable light-tight film container is a 35mm-size film patrone having a spool to which one end of said rolled film is attached.

    6. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said light- tight casing is arranged so as to be unopenable by a user.

    7. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 6, wherein said unopenable light- tight casing comprises a main body section which is provided with at least a shutter member, and a back cover section having first supporting means for supporting said light-tight film container, these two sections being assembled into one integral whole.

    8. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7, wherein said main body section is provided with a curved film supporting member being rearwardly curved.

    9. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said first supporting means comprises a resilient member attached to said back cover section which is adapted to removably hold said light-tight film container.

    10. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first supporting means is a flexible portion integrally tormed with and extending from said main body section which is adapted to removably hold said light-tight film container.

    11. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10, further comprising second supporting means for supporting said rolled film.

    12. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any of claims 7 to 11, wherein either one of said main body section and back cover section is provided with a portion which is breakable.

    13. A lens-fitted photographic film package claimed in claim 12, wherein said breakable portion is formed adjacent to said light-tight film container.

    14. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means in cooperation with said externally operable member for allowing saidifilm winding spool to rotate so as to wind said rolled film every exposure.

    15. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means in cooperation with said externally operable member includes a sprocket wheel driven as a result of a movement of said rolled film.

    16. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 15, wherein said means in cooperation with said externally operable member includes a frame counter in cooperation with said sprocket wheel.

    17. lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 16, wherein said frame counter has at least one indication before a consecutive series of frame numbers.

    18. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein said frame counter is provided with a cam member for disabling said means in cooperation with said externally operable member.

    19. A lens-fitted photographic film package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means comprises: an externally operable film winding member in direct cooperation with said film winding spool for rotating said film winding spool so as to wind said rolled film around said film winding spool one frame every exposure; a rotatable member disposed between said rolled film and said removable light-tight container and drivn as a result of a movement of said rolled film towards said removable light-tight container; and a ratching member in cooperation with said rotatable member for ratching said externally operable film winding member when said rotatable member rotates through a predetermined angle.