Photographic film container, film assembly and loading method

Abstract

A method of loading a film assembly comprising a first film container ( 13 ) which may be a conventional film cassette and an additional film container ( 15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502 ) having a length of film wound in one of the containers and extending to the other, comprises the steps of: (a) providing a coiled length of film which may be a bulk roll ( 52 ) and attaching a free end to a film winding tool ( 34 ); (b) rotating the film winding tool ( 34 ) to wind the film into a coil about the tool ( 34 ); (c) before or after step (b), enclosing the coil in the additional film container ( 15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502 ) so that the film extends through a film slot thereof, and removing the film winding tool ( 34 ). The invention also resides in a film container for use in the method, and in an assembly so formed.

1 . A method of loading a film assembly comprising a first film container and an additional film container having a length of film wound in one of the containers and extending to the other, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a length of film and attaching a free end to a film winding tool;    (b) in a dark environment rotating the film winding tool to wind the film into a coil about the tool;    (c) before or after step (b), enclosing the coil in an additional film container so that the film extends through a film slot thereof; and    (d) removing the film winding tool.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein a film end opposite to said free end is secured to the first film container.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the film end opposite to said free end is secured to said first film container after step (c).  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the first film container is a conventional film patrone having a central spool, the said film end opposite the free end being secured to the central spool.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein at step (a) the length of film is provided wound in the first film container and extending through a film slot thereof, the film being unwound from the first film container as the film is wound onto the film winding tool.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  utilizing an additional container which comprises a housing which is closed by an end cap, the method involving, at step (c), winding the film onto the film winding tool, followed by insertion of the tool having the film wound about the tool end into the additional film container.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein after removal of the film winding tool the end cap is secured to the housing.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the tool end having the leading end of the film secured thereto is inserted into the additional film container, and the tool then rotated to wind the film into the additional container.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein at step (a) the length of film is a bulk roll of film, and wherein the method includes the step of cutting the wound film from the bulk roll after it has been wound onto the film winding tool.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the first film container is a conventional film patrone having a central spool, the trailing end of the film which has been cut from the bulk roll constituting said film end opposite to said free and being secured to a spool of the first film container.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  utilizing an additional film container which comprises a housing formed in two half shells which co-operate to define a film slot therebetween, and a film winding tool aperture, the method involving the step of, in a film winding apparatus, before step (b) providing a first shell half on one side of the film winding tool, followed by securing the second shell half to the first shell half with the film extending through the film slot, and then rotating the film winding tool to wind the film into the additional film container.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  comprising the further steps of withdrawing the tool from the film container and closing the tool winding aperture with a plug.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the film is unwound from a bulk roll of film, and wherein the method includes the step of cutting the film from the bulk roll after it had been wound into the additional container.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the free end of the film cut from the bulk roll is secured to the first film container, the first film container being a conventional film patrone having a central spool to which the free end is secured.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  utilizing an additional film container which comprises a housing formed in two half shells which co-operate to define a film slot therebetween, the method involving the step of, in a film winding apparatus, after step (b), removing the film winding tool, followed by enclosing the wound coil between the two half shells, with the film extending from the film slot.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the film is unwound from a bulk roll of film, and wherein the method includes the step of cutting the film from the bulk roll after it has been wound into the coil and before it is enclosed in the additional container.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein the first container is a conventional film patrone having a central spool, the free end of the film cut from the bulk roll being secured to the central spool of the film patrone.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of attaching a removable clip to secure the first film container and additional film container together.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of inserting the assembly of first film container and additional film container into a package which is sealed to contain the film containers.  
     
     
         20 . A film assembly when loaded according to the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         21 . A camera when loaded with a film assembly according to  claim 20 .  
     
     
         22 . A method of loading a film assembly into a camera having a pair of film chambers arranged on opposite sides of an exposure opening and a camera back which closes the film chambers comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a first film container;    (b) providing a length of film and attaching a free end to a film winding tool;    (c) in a dark environment rotating the film winding tool to wind the film into a coil about the tool;    (d) before or after step (c), enclosing the coil in an additional film container so that the film extends through a film slot thereof;    (e) removing the film winding tool; and    (f) placing the film assembly in the camera with the containers in respective chambers and closing the camera back.    
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  wherein the film carries pre-exposed latent images, the method involving at step (f) the additional step of ensuring that an alignment mark on the film is arranged in alignment with an alignment mark on the camera so as to ensure correct alignment of user-exposed images and pre-exposed images.  
     
     
         24 . A photographic film assembly comprising a first film container having a spool therein to which an end of the film is attached, and a second spoolless light-tight film container within which the film is wound having a removable end cap, the film being wound in a coil in the second film container and extending to the first container.  
     
     
         25 . A photographic film-receiving container having a housing comprising a pair of shell halves which together define a film slot through which, in use, film may extend.  
     
     
         26 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 25  having a housing which further defines an aperture for insertion of a film winding tool.  
     
     
         27 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 25  wherein each shell half is provided with an edge region which faces the edge region of the other shell half defining the film slot therebetween, each edge region being provided with a strip of soft fabric or fabric-like material thereon.  
     
     
         28 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 25  having securing means for securing the two shell halves together.  
     
     
         29 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 28  wherein the securing means provide a snap-fit connection between the two shell halves.  
     
     
         30 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 27  wherein the edge regions defining the film slot define a film exit plane, the two shell halves of the housing being joined along a plane substantially parallel to said exist plane.  
     
     
         31 . A photographic film-receiving container according to  claim 27  wherein edge regions defining the film slot define a film exit plane, the two shell halves of the housing being joined along a plane substantially perpendicular to said exit plane.  
     
     
         32 . A film assembly comprising a film-receiving container according to  claim 25  having a length of film wound therein and extending to a first film container having a spool therein to which an end of the length of the film is attached.  
     
     
         33 . A method of film winding comprising the steps of: 
 (a) withdrawing the free end of a film from a first film cassette and attaching a film winding tool thereto;    (b) in a dark environment, rotating the film winding tool to wind the film out of the first film container around the film winding tool;    (c) before or after step (b), inserting the end of film winding tool having the film secured thereto into an open second spoolless film container;    (d) withdrawing the film winding tool; and    (e) attaching an end cap to the open end of the second film container to render this light-tight.    
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein the film is wound out of the first film container onto the film winding tool, followed by insertion of the tool having the film wound about-the tool into the second film container.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein the tool end having the leading end of the film secured thereto is inserted into the second film container, and the tool then rotated to wind the film into the second container.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 33  further comprising the step of attaching a removable clip to secure the first and second film containers together.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 33  further comprising the step of inserting the film containers into a package which is sealed to contain the film containers.  
     
     
         38 . A method of loading film into a camera having a pair of film chambers arranged on opposite sides of an exposure opening, and a camera back which closes the chambers comprising the steps of: 
 is (a) withdrawing the free end of a film from a first film cassette and attaching a film winding tool thereto;    (b) in a dark environment, rotating the film winding tool to wind the film out of the first film container around the tool;    (c) before or after step (b), inserting the end of film winding tool having the film secured thereto into an open second spoolless film container;    (d) attaching an end cap to the open end of the second film container to render this light-tight;    (e) with the back open, inserting the first and second containers into the respective chambers with the film extending therebetween; and    (f) closing the camera back.    
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the film is wound out of the first film container onto the film winding tool, followed by insertion of the tool having the film wound about the tool into the second film container.  
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the tool end having the leading end of the film secured thereto is inserted into the second film container, and the tool then rotated to wind the film into the second container.  
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the camera includes a removable plate which closes the bottom of the chamber which receives the first container, the method further comprising the step of fitting the plate to close said chamber bottom.  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein before step (e) an empty second container from a previous use of the camera is removed.  
     
     
         43 . A film assembly comprising a first film container having a spool therein to which an end of the film is attached and about which the film may be wound, and a second spoolless light-tight film container within which the film may be wound having a removable end cap, the film extending between the first and second containers and being wound within one or other of said containers, wherein securing means are provided to hold the first and second containers in a fixed position relative to each other.  
     
     
         44 . A film assembly according to  claim 43  wherein the securing means comprises a removable clip of a springy construction which tightly grips each film container.  
     
     
         45 . A film assembly according to  claim 43  wherein the securing means comprises an enclosure adapted to hold each film container in a fixed position relative to the other.  
     
     
         46 . A film assembly according to  claim 43  wherein the second container has a film slot which is lined with velvet.  
     
     
         47 . A film assembly according to  claim 43  when sealed inside an air-tight package.  
     
     
         48 . A film assembly according to  claim 47  wherein said package is formed of a metallized plastics material.  
     
     
         49 . A film assembly according to  claim 43  when contained in a protective canister.