GB2318649A - Photographic package - Google Patents

Abstract

A photographic package comprises at least one image source, such as a negative strip 10 carrying a plurality of images 12, 14, 16 and a positive print strip 20 carrying, in positive form, images corresponding to those stored in the negative strip. The positive strip 20 also carries, in juxtaposition with respective images 12a, 14a, 16a thereon, respective identifying markings 22, 23, 24 allowing respective positive images carried by the positive strip 20 to be reliably correlated with respective images carried by the negative strip 10. The two strips are preferably attached to each other by adhesive strip 30.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Title: "A photographic package" THIS INVENTION relates to a photographic package comprising a photographic negative or other medium storing a recorded image.

When photographic films of the appropriate kind are processed for customers by a photographic processing laboratory, the end-product supplied or returned to the customer generally comprises a bundle of enlarged photographic prints and a plastics or paper envelope provided with elongate pockets each receiving a respective section of the processed film strip bearing photographic negatives from which the prints are derived. This arrangement, however, has the disadvantage that, given (a) the degree of enlargement commonly involved, (b) the fact that the film strips bear negative rather than positive images and (c) in the case of colour films, the incorporation, conventionally, of a deep orange filter in the plastic substrate of the film itself, it is often not easy for the customer to determine which "frame" of the negative resulting from development of the original film corresponds with which print, so that, where a customer desires to order additional prints of a particular "frame" of the negative film strip it is relatively easy for the customer to identify wrongly the frame of the negative film strip which corresponds to the print he desires. This is particularly liable to occur where, for example, a series of "shots" of substantially the same scene, group or individual have been taken in rapid succession with, for example, only minor changes in viewpoint, body position, facial expression or the like. It will be appreciated that the usual procedure, where such a customer requires an additional print of a particular photograph, is for him to return the negative section bearing the appropriate negative and for him to identify the appropriate frame by quoting the appropriate frame number (such frame numbers being marked in a border region of the original film strip during manufacture of the same).

It is an object of the present invention to provide a photographic package by which the above-noted difficulty may be avoided.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographic package comprising at least one image source, as herein defined, carrying a plurality of images, and a positive image carrier carrying, in positive form, images corresponding to those stored in said image source, said positive image carrier also carrying, in juxtaposition with respective said images, respective identifying markings allowing respective positive images carried by the positive image carrier to be reliably correlated with respective said images carried by said image source.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a photographic package comprising at least one positive print disposed adjacent its corresponding negative and adhesively or otherwise secured thereto.

Such positive print may, for example, be permanently or semi-permanently attached to its corresponding negative using a flexible connecting strip coated with a contact adhesive or a permanently tacky adhesive.

Preferably the package comprises a negative strip incorporating a plurality of image "frames" and the positive comprises a positive strip bearing corresponding positive "frames", the arrangement being such that each positive frame directly adjoins its corresponding negative frame.

The positive strip is preferably so printed as to reproduce, adjacent each positive frame, the corresponding frame number appearing in the margin of the developed film adjacent the respective frame of the negative strip.

The invention is of particular utility in cases where the film size and or frame size on film, is substantially smaller than the size of any "normal" prints likely to be required, for example in cases where the original film is, for example, 35 mm, 16 mm or even 8 mm, wide, with "frame" sizes, on negative, being correspondingly small.

An embodiment of this invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a photographic package embodying the invention; and FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale of the package of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, reference 10 indicates a photographic negative strip, i.e. a strip of transparent plastics film having negative frame images 12, 14, 16, etc. produced by the conventional photographic processing, in manner known per se of the photographic film exposed in the customer's camera. Reference 20 denotes a positive print strip, typically a photographic contact print produced on photographic paper or card by exposure through the negative strip 10 and subsequent processing of such photographic paper or card, the strip 20 typically bearing positive image frames 12a, 14a, 16a, respectively corresponding to the negative frames 12, 14 and 16. The strip 20 is arranged adjacent the strip 10, and extending parallel therewith, so that each positive image frame 12a, 14a, 16a, etc. is directly adjacent its respective negative frame 12, 14, 16, etc. The width of the contact print 20 exposed through the negative strip 10 is preferably such as to provide longitudinal border portions of the strip 20 exposed through the longitudinal edge portions of the strip 10 so that the frame numbers appearing in said longitudinal edge regions of the negative strip 10 are reproduced in these border regions of the positive strip 20, adjacent the respective frames as indicated, for ready identification.

Indeed, at least one longitudinal border portion of the strip 20 may be substantially wider than either of the longitudinal edge portions of the negative strip 10 extending between the longitudinal edges of the negative "frames" and the adjacent longitudinal edges of the film, and such wider longitudinal border portion of strip 20 may carry information additional to frame numbers, such as the date of processing the film, and/or other relevant data, for example, processing data. In the arrangement illustrated, the strips 20 and 10 are arranged longitudinal edge to longitudinal edge and are adhesively secured together by a flexible strip 30 coated on one side with adhesive and bridging the parting line between the strips 10,20, the strip 30 extending over the marginal edge of the negative strip 10 adjoining the strip 20 but stopping short of the image frames 12, 14, 16. The adhesive on strip 30 may be arranged to form a substantially permanent bond with the strips 10,20 and in this case may be a contact adhesive or alternatively such adhesive may be of such a character as to bond only relatively weakly to the film strip 10 and/or to the print strip 20, but to be permanently tacky, so that the negative strip can be readily detached from the strip 30 and the strip 20 for insertion in a photographic enlarger, for example, and can subsequently be re-applied to the strip 30 to be adhesively lightly bonded thereto once again.

Other arrangements are, of course, possible. For example, the edge of the strip 20 may overlie the adjacent marginal edge of the negative strip 10 and may be permanently or temporarily adhesively secured thereto by an adhesive coating provided on the underside of the strip 20 in the region of said marginal edge, with the strip 30 being dispensed with or the strip 20 may have along one edge a portion which entirely overlies the negative strip 10 but has windows formed therein through which the negative frames 12, 14, 16 are exposed, the resulting package being adapted for insertion as a whole, in an appropriately adapted photographic enlarger, for example.

Thus, in this variant the strip 20 as a whole would be approximately twice the width of strip 10.

The packages of Figures 1 and 2, incorporating the strips 10 and 20 adhesively secured together, may be retained, with a plurality of similar packages, in respective pockets provided in a transparent or semitransparent envelope or album of plastics or paper, in much the same way as is known for conventional negative strips, (with the pockets being, of course, correspondingly wider to accommodate the combined width of the strips 10 and 20).

If desired, and in order to avoid the need for separation of the strips 10 from the strips 20 once they have been bonded thereto, photographic processing facilities, and in particular photographic enlargers or the like in such facilities may be adapted to receive the combined strips formed by the strips 10,20 adhesively bonded together.

In operation of the invention it is envisaged that the processing laboratory to which exposed photographic films are entrusted by customers for development and printing will return to such customers, with the desired enlarged photographic prints, the corresponding composite strips such as illustrated in the figures, comprising negative strips 10 with the associated print strips 20 attached. If a customer then desires further prints from a particular negative frame, he can readily determine, from inspection of the positive prints on the respective strip 20, precisely which photograph he requires additional prints of and can readily identify to the processing laboratory, in terms of the frame number printed adjacent the respective positive print, the view of which he requires further prints. Furthermore, assuming that the strips 20 remain attached to their respective strips 10, there is no danger of correlation being lost between the negatives and the corresponding positive prints during storage or handling.

It will be understood that the invention is also applicable to photographic systems other than conventional silver halide systems, which do not yield a viewable negative image. For example, the invention may be applied to so-called digital photography in which a scene scanned by what is, in effect, a video camera is recorded in terms of a succession of digital signals stored upon a magnetic disc or other recording medium, by techniques developed from the computer art, with the images so recorded and stored being subsequently reproduced upon paper, for example, by a complementary primary apparatus controlled by signals derived from the magnetic disc or other recording medium. In such an arrangement, it is impracticable and pointless to attempt to associate each scene or "frame" with its respective physical location on the recording medium, but it may nevertheless be valuable, in accordance with the invention, to provide, in association with each such magnetic disc or other recording medium, a positive print sheet bearing, on a relative small scale, the (positive) images stored on the respective magnetic disc or other medium, and having, adjacent each image, the relevant information identifying the corresponding "frame" stored in the magnetic disc or other medium, and, if desired, other information such as date of taking of the photograph, or making of the respective print sheet, etc. The print sheet, in such an instance, may be secured temporarily or permanently to the magnetic disc (or rather the casing therefore) or other image source. A similar expedient may be adopted in relation to the so-called APS film cassette and developing system in which conventional photographic film is used and is conventionally processed, in most respects, but where the developed negative is returned to the customer in a single length within the original film cassette and is not intended to be extracted from such cassette by the customer but only, (as required for making further prints etc.) by the film processor in order to fulfil orders for additional prints or enlargements for example.

Claims (7)

1. A photographic package comprising at least one image source, as herein defined, carrying a plurality of images, and a positive image carrier carrying, in positive form, images corresponding to those stored in said image source, said positive image carrier also carrying, in juxtaposition with respective said images, respective identifying markings allowing respective positive images carried by the positive image carrier to be reliably correlated with respective said images carried by said image source.

2. A photographic package comprising at least one positive print disposed adjacent its corresponding negative and adhesively or otherwise secured thereto.

3. A package according to Claim 2 comprising a negative strip incorporating a plurality of negative image areas and a positive print strip incorporating corresponding positive image areas, each said positive image area on the positive print strip directly adjoining its corresponding negative image area on the negative strip.

4. A package according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein a permanently tacky adhesive is used to secure said positive print or print strip to said negative or negative strip, whereby the negative may be detached from the positive print and re-attached at will using the same adhesive and without any fresh adhesive.

5. A package according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said negative and said positive print are disposed edge to edge and are secured together by a flexible attachment strip coated with said adhesive and extending across the region of the adjoining said edges.

6. A photographic package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.