Patent · US Expired

Film cartridge sorting device for use with photographic film processor

US6173841A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
12References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 16, 1998
Grant dateJan 16, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 16, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S209/924
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a film processor, filmstrips are contained in their specific cartridge shells with their film leaders attached to a leader plate, and are fed into processing baths with the leader plate in the lead, while being pulled out from the cartridge shells. After the filmstrips are separated from the cartridge shells, the cartridge shells drop on a chute and slide down on the chute. Smaller cartridge shells sift through a sifting slit formed through the chute along the sliding direction, while larger cartridge shells slide down to a lower end of the chute. A lateral guide plate extends under the sifting slit, to guide smaller cartridge shells having sifted through the sifting slit in the lateral direction of the sifting chute toward a cartridge recovery box. Larger cartridge shells drop from the lower end of the chute down to a second cartridge recovery box.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.