DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for splicing and rewinding photographic negatives in cartridges for 35mm films.

It is known that after the first printing step from a photographic film negative, the negative is not returned to the user as a whole, but cutout in a plurality of rectangular strips. This cutting step is required to allow the insertion of the negative into the envelope housing the photographic prints. This is made possible by the addition of plastic pockets known with the term of"sleeves"on the inside of the envelope. When the user wishes to reprint one or more photographs, he hands the negative portion/s over to the photographic laboratory, which provides a reprint thereof.

This process entails various disadvantages.

A first disadvantage is due to the fact that the cutting of the negative and the insertion into the envelopes of the negative portions thus obtained increase the work.

A second disadvantage is due to the higher costs of the expendable materials such as the sleeves.

A considerably remarkable further disadvantage derives from the toilsome work needed in the reprinting.

In fact, the reprinting of a photograph starting from a negative strip is more difficult than the printing of a photograph starting from the uncut negative. Moreover, when a customer requests more reprints on different negative portions, this entails more work than the reprinting of images on the same negative portion.

Further, the user often shuffles the various negative portions, slowing down the retrieval of the images to be reprinted.

Moreover, often the user cuts out a subportion by himself, thereby making the entailed work even more

toilsome.

Another further disadvantage is due to the fact that the storing of the negative portions requires sometimes folders provided for the purpose. Furthermore, the space required for the storing of the negative portions is not negligible, and quite often the same can be said for the order of the various sleeve collections.

Other disadvantages are due to the handling of the negative, with the entailed risk of its exposure to dust and of possible fingermarks thereon.

Last but not least, the disadvantage has to be mentioned that the negative portions, although stored in the sleeves, are nevertheless at risk of being improperly stored and exposed to sunlight, with a progressive deterioration thereof.

In order to overcome such problems of the known art, recently an innovative system has been proposed, known with the term of APIS, providing particular cartridges, photographic apparatuses and development and printing machines. By means of this system, the negative is completely rewound in the cartridge after the printing step, and it can be reextracted in its entirety for subsequent reprinting. Moreover, for an easier retrieval of the negative portions to be reprinted, at the first printing the user is provided with a mosaic known with the name of"index", bearing in tiny characters the serial number of the positive of all the photographs on the negative. At the reprinting, and using apparatuses provided for the purpose, the negative will be wound up to the desired shot by setting the reproduction number, and a fast reprinting operation will be possible.

The obvious disadvantage of the APIS technology hereto briefly described is due to the fact that the user needs to provide himself with dedicated apparatuses like photographic apparatus and cartridges, and the photographic laboratory has to be equipped with the required developing, printing and finishing equipment.

<BR> <BR> <P>This entails an investment on both sides.

European patent EP 0 618 500 in the name of Noritsu is known. Such patent refers to a photographic processing method comprising the steps of rewinding an already developed and printed film in a cartridge, and providing an indexed printing on the cartridge showing a content of the film.

However, this method provides for the rewinding of the film to take place in a special cartridge, rather than in a standard 35mm film cartridge. Besides, the aforesaid method does not disclose splicing operations of the film to the leader of the cartridge.

US patent 5 083 155 in the name of Kataoka is also known, disclosing a cartridge for housing a photographic film that is rewound in it after a first printing thereof.

However, this cartridge is of a special type, and not a standard cartridge for 35mm films.

US patent 5 212 512 in the name of Shiota is also known, still however referring to a special cartridge.

A problem common to all three of the patents hereto mentioned derives from their being focused on special cartridges and not on standard 35mm cartridges, hence in no way allowing the reuse of these cartridges after the film development.

Therefore, the three patents hereto mentioned are merely delaying a solution to the environmental impact until a new type of cartridges is available, and in no way do they attempt to solve the technical problem related to the reuse of the normal cartridges for 35mm films.

The present invention solves said problems of the known art, by providing an apparatus and a process for rewinding photographic negatives in cartridges for 35mm films, obtaining the same advantages provided by the above-described system of the known art, however without the need to be provided with suitable dedicated

materials.

These cartridges for 35mm films are preferably to be found among those discarded from the developers of the short leader type after development.

In particular, an apparatus for splicing and rewinding of a photographic negative in a cartridge for 35mm films having a leader is provided, characterised in that it comprises: -a guide, along which the negative slides during use; -a hollow region, arranged in correspondence of the guide, for housing the cartridge during use ; -means for cutting, during use, a portion of adhesive tape along a splicing region; -means for fixing the portion of adhesive tape along the splicing region; and -cartridge revolving means, for allowing rewinding of the negative in the cartridge.

Furthermore, a process for splicing and rewinding of a photographic negative in a cartridge for 35mm films is provided, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: -providing a cartridge having a leader; -arranging the negative to be rewound in correspondence of the leader ; -splicing the negative together with the leader ; and -rewinding the spliced negative in the cartridge.

Advantageous features of the present invention are reported in the dependent claims thereof.

A first advantage of the apparatus and of the process according to the present invention is provided by the enormous easing of the process of reprinting from a negative, as the laboratory will get the entire film for the reprinting, easily extractable from the cartridge.

The reprinting procedure will actually be identical to the one adopted for the first printing, since the

photogram sequence has not been altered'in any way.

A second advantage is further provided by the safe storing of the negative in the cartridge, with no need to use folders provided for the purpose, and with no risk of an incorrect storing in the sunlight.

A further advantage is of the environmental type, as the cartridge shall not have to be thrown away, as it happens at present, having to be used for the film storage.

Another further advantage is provided by the possibility of allowing an accurate storage of a remarkable amount of cartridges in limited spaces.

Moreover, the present invention meets the new European prescriptions (in particular the 94/62 EC directive on packing and on wastes deriving from packing) providing a limitation in the use of packing materials.

Other advantages, features, and modes of use will be evident from the detailed description of the invention provided in the following by means of embodiments given by way of example and without limitative purposes.

Reference to the figures of the annexed drawings will be made, wherein: figure 1 shows a front and top perspective view of the apparatus for splicing and rewinding according to the present invention; figure 2 shows a standard cartridge for 35mm films; figures 3 to 8 show the various steps of the process according to the present invention; figure 9 shows a sectional view taken along line A-A of figure 1; figure 10 shows a sectional view taken along line B- B of figure 1; figure 11 shows a sectional view taken along line C- C of figure 1; figure 12 shows a sectional view taken along line D- D of figure 1; figure 13 shows a sectional view taken along line E-

E of figure 12; figure 14 shows a front and top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus for splicing and rewinding according to the invention; and figures 15 to 18 show details of the apparatus shown in figure 14.

With reference first of all to figure 1, a front and top perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention is shown.

Such apparatus firstly comprises a guide 1, along the longitudinal extension of which the negative (not shown in figure) is made to slide during use, for its splicing and subsequent rewinding in the cartridge. Such guide 1 is usually made of a metallic material. In correspondence of a first end of the guide 1, a hollow region 2, having a substantially parallelepipedal shape, for housing the cartridge (not shown in figure) during the splicing and the rewinding steps is arranged.

Preferably, in correspondence of the transversal edges of the region 2 and of the guide 1 two blocking members, indicated with 3 and 4 respectively, are arranged. Such blocking members are movable between a raised resting position, shown in the figure, and a working position contacting the mouth of the region 2 and a portion of the guide 1, respectively. In particular, the blocking member 3 comprises a protruding element 5 for contacting the roll once inserted, whereas the blocking member 4 in turn comprises a protruding element 6 for contacting the negative once inserted.

Advantageously, a pair of rollers 7 is disposed in correspondence of the second longitudinal end of the guide 1, sketched on the right side of figure 1. The function of such rollers, preferably made of a plastic material, is that of aiding the sliding of the negative onto the guide 1.

Moreover, the apparatus represented in the figure shows a cover 8, represented in a raised position. Onto

<BR> <BR> such cover, a handle 9 is arranged, which first of all aids the motion of the cover 8 from the raised position of the figure to a position of minimal distance from the guide 1. In the lower region of the cover 8 a pressure element 10, of a substantially quadrilateral shape is arranged, serving as fixing means and contacting a negative portion once the cover 8 is placed in a condition of minimal distance from the guide 1. Two cutters 11 are arranged at the sides of the pressure element 10, one of which is shown in the figure. Such cutters 11 are vertically movable once the cover 8 is placed in the condition of minimal distance from the guide 1. In such condition, a pressure onto the handle 9 will cause the vertical motion of the cutters 11, in order to perform a cutting action, explained hereinafter.

The upward reverse motion of the cutters 11 is made possible by the presence of spring members arranged between the handle 9 and the cutters 11, not shown in the figure but easily detectable for a person skilled in the art.

Arranged near the outer transverse edge of the guide 1, and extending in a perpendicular direction thereto, there is a portion 12 of preferably transparent adhesive tape, reeling from a roll 13. In particular, the front end 14 of the portion 12 is anchored to a bridge 15. On the left side of the roll 13 there is a leverage consisting of a revolving shaft 16, a crank 17 and a drum 18. In particular, the shaft 16 has an end 19 disposed inside the region 2.

The shaft 16, besides revolving around its axis of rotation by use of the crank 17, is also susceptible of translatory motion, as indicated by arrow Fl. In particular, by moving the shaft 16 outwards, the end 19 thereof, usually arranged inside the region 2, can be made to protrude therefrom, thus allowing the blocking of the roll inside the region 2.

With reference to the next figure 2, a cartridge 20

for 35mm films bearing a negative portion 21 is shown.

Such portion 21 results from the cutting of the remaining part of negative, which has been left over after printing. The portion 21 will be indicated in the following with the term of"leader". Further, a hollow cylindrical part protruding from the upper surface of the cartridge 20 is indicated in figure with 22. The presence of such part 22, a common feature of all the cartridges for 35mm films, will be used in the present invention to allow the revolving of the cartridge 20 during the rewinding step of the negative.

The next figures 3 to 8 show the various steps allowing the splicing of the negative on the cartridge and its subsequent rewinding into it.

With reference first of all to figure 3, the insertion step of the cartridge 20 inside the hollow region 2, e. g. by the hand 23 of a user is shown. However, it is to be understood that such insertion can take place according to different modes, e. g. in an automatic way. In order to allow such insertion, first of all the shaft 16 is pulled outwards-as indicated by arrow F2 of figure-to free the housing for the cartridge 20 provided within the hollow region 2 completely, thereby making possible the insertion thereof. The cartridge 20 in inserted so that the leader 21 rests on the guide 1. Once the cartridge 20 is inserted inside the hollow region, the shaft 16 will be released, so that its end 19 (not shown in figure) fittedly engages in the protruding part 22 of the cartridge 20 (not shown in figure). The modes by which the engagement between the end 19 of the shaft and the protruding part 22 of the cartridge 20 takes place will be explained in detail in the following figures 12 and 13.

With reference to the following figure 4, the feeding step of the negative 24 onto the guide 1 by the insertion thereof through the sliding rollers 7, as indicated by arrow F3, is shown. The feeding of the

negative is performed by the hand 23 oi a user, but also here the movement could conceivably be automated for faster performance.

Figure 5 shows the process according to the present invention in a condition in which the negative 24 is already into contact with the leader 21 of the cartridge 20.

The presence of the blocking members 3 and 4 is advantageous in order to keep such contact stable. The blocking member 3 is lowered on the cartridge 20 to maximize the adherence of the leader 21 on the guide, thereby minimizing the gap between the leader 21 and the negative 24. The blocking member 4 has the same purpose, as it is lowered onto the negative 24 in order to guarantee maximal adherence of the negative 24 to the guide. Thus, the subsequent splicing operation is made as precise as possible.

In the following figure 6 the arrangement of the transparent adhesive tape above the juxtaposition region between the leader 21 and the end of the negative 24 is shown. An advantageous embodiment of such an arrangement provides that the portion of transparent adhesive tape apt to allow the splicing be not directly applied onto the juxtaposition region, being instead arranged thereover, with no contact thereto. The structural embodiments of the device according to the present invention in order to make this possible will be illustrated in the following figure 11.

In figure 7 the step of lowering the cover 8 by gripping the handle 9 with the hand 23 of a user is shown. The results of this step are shown in the following figure 8. In such figure, it can be observed how the portion of transparent adhesive tape arranged above the juxtaposition region between the negative 24 and the leader 21 has been made to adhere to it by means of the pressure exerted by the pressure element 10, and trimmed to it by the joint cutting action of the cutters

r 11. However, it is understood that the fixing among tape, negative and leader can be performed with any fixing means whatsoever, even simply using the fingers of a hand. Thus, a splicing region 25 is formed, comprising the leader 21, the end part of the negative 24 and a portion of transparent adhesive tape glued thereon.

Therefore, the joint function of the pressure element 10 and of the cutters 11 is evident: the former allows the fixing of the portion of adhesive tape along the splicing region 25, the latter allow the cutting thereof.

Now the negative 24 is ready to be completely wound inside the cartridge 20 subsequently to the lifting of the blocking members 4 and 3, by a revolution of the crank 17 and consequently of the shaft 16. Once this winding stage has ended, the negative 24 will be completely inserted in the cartridge 20.

The advantageous presence of the drum 18 is provided, allowing a fine adjustment during the rewinding. The drum 18 has a knurled surface, allowing a better friction with the fingers of a user.

The winding can be completed according to two different modes. In a first mode, the negative is not completely wound in the cartridge, as an end thereof is left protruding to ease its subsequent extraction.

Instead, in a second mode the negative is completely wound in the cartridge. In this event the extraction of the negative will be made possible by apparatuses provided for the purpose, e. g. by the extractor object of Italian Utility Model 00 227 301 in the name of the same Applicant.

However, it has to be pointed out that the winding hereto described by use of the crank 17 can be carried out for example through an electric motor.

Figure 9 shows a sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line A-A of figure 1. In such figure 9 the shape of the rollers 7 can be seen in greater detail. In particular, an

advantageous embodiment is shown, providing two different dimensions in the diameter of the rollers.'The regions 7' of larger diameter of the rollers allow the sliding and the contacting of the outer transverse negative portions 26, i. e. those bearing the feed holes. The regions 7'of shorter diameter of the rollers instead allow the absence of contact between the rollers 7 and the central transverse negative portion 27, i. e. those bearing the images. Thus, possible physical damages or scorings on the images are avoided.

Figure 10 shows a sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line B-B of figure 1. In such figure 10, the contact between the protruding element 6 of the blocking member 4 and the negative 24 can be seen in greater detail. It has to be pointed out that such contact entails no risk of spoiling the image of the negative. The protruding element 6 can be made for example of a metallic material or rubber.

Figure 11 shows a sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line C-C of figure 1. In such figure 11, the portion of transparent adhesive tape 28 placed above the juxtaposition region between the negative 24 and the leader 21 can be seen in greater detail. The bridge 15 and a further bridge, indicated with 29, can be seen in the figure.

An advantageous feature of the present invention is provided by the fact that the height of the bridge 29 is greater than the height of the guide 1. Thus, it is made possible for the portion 28 of adhesive tape, once it is extended and fixed onto the bridge 29 (i. e., in the condition shown in the previous figure 6), not to contact the leader 21 and/or the negative 24.

Moreover, a further advantageous feature of the present invention is provided by the fact that the bridge 15 revolves around an axis 30. This eases the initial gripping of the portion 31 of adhesive tape-hatched in

figure-once it has to be extended for anchoring at the further bridge 29.

Figure 12 shows a sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line D-D of figure 1. From such figure 12, an advantageous shape of the end 19 of the shaft 16, which engages in the cylindrical part 22 of the cartridge 20 (the latter two hatched in figure) to allow the revolution thereof, can be seen in greater detail. First of all a spring 32 is provided, to allow in compression the protruding of the end 19 from the hollow region 2, and to allow in extension the reinsertion of such end inside the hollow region 2.

Figure 13 shows a sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention, taken along line E-E of figure 12. The cartridge 20 and the protruding part 22 are visible, hatched in figure. Furthermore, the preferred shape of the end 19, apt to fittedly engaging in the protruding part 22 can be clearly seen in the figure.

The following figures 14 to 18 show an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which the blocking members 3 and 4 are not provided, replaced instead by a spring latch 40 and by a pressure spring 41, respectively, and in which the winding takes place in a motor-driven manner.

Figure 14 shows a front and top perspective view of such embodiment. For clarity of description the elements of the apparatus common to both embodiments will not be described again. From figure 14 the presence of a spring latch 40, placed along one of the vertical walls of the hollow region 2, can be noted. The function of such spring latch is that of retracting during the insertion of the cartridge in the hollow region and of exerting a force when the cartridge is inserted, keeping the latter in a correct position during the splicing step.

Further, a pressure spring 41 is provided. The

function of such spring is that of keeping the film in position along the guide during the splicing step.

Further, a power unit consisting of a motor 42 and of a reduction unit 43 is provided. The power unit is operated through a push button 44. In the present description the circuitry for operating the power unit will not be described in detail, as it is understood to be well-known to a person skilled in the art.

The following figures 15 and 16 show partial perspective views of details of the apparatus of figure 14. Firstly, by figure 15 it is possible to better understand the functionalities of the spring latch 40 that keeps the cartridge 20 in a correct position during the handling of the leader 21 for splicing. Secondly, from figure 16 it is possible to note how the pressure spring 41 keeps the film 24 into contact with the guide 1, pressing it sideways during the splicing operation, to allow a splicing as precise as possible.

With reference to figure 17, similarly to what indicated in figure 6, the arrangement of the adhesive tape above the juxtaposition region between the leader and the negative end is shown. It has to be pointed out how at this stage the tape 24 is pressed sideways by the pressure spring 41.

Lastly, with reference to figure 18, the film rewinding by the pressure of a finger 45 of a user onto the push button 44 is shown. As soon as said motor-driven rewinding starts, the tractive force of the film 24 overcomes the pressure exerted by the spring 41.

Therefore, during the rewinding the film is not in contact with the guide 1, as shown in figure. This is advantageous, as in such way no risks of damage due to the possible contact of the film 24 with the guide 1 during the rewinding are entailed.

The present invention has been hereto described according to its embodiments given by way of example and without limitative purposes. It is understood that other embodiments may be provided, all however comprised within the protective scope of the same.