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AssigneeGTE Sylvania Incorporated
InventorsEmery G. Audesse, William T. Colville, John W. Shaffer, David W. Mecone
Estimating the term…
A photoflash lamp array comprising a plurality of high voltage type flashlamps mounted on a printed circuit board containing circuitry for sequentially igniting the flashlamps in response to successive high voltage firing pulses applied thereto. A plurality of reflectors respectively associated with the flashlamps are disposed between the lamps and circuit board, with each reflector having an aperture in alignment with a corresponding aperture in the circuit board. Connected in series with each but the last lamp of the array is a radiant-energy-activated quick-disconnect switch comprising a strip of electrically conductive heat shrinkable, polymeric material which is attached at both ends to the circuit board so as to bridge a respective one of the apertures therein. Upon ignition of its associated flashlamp, each disconnect switch is operative in response to the resulting radiation through the aperture aligned therewith to rapidly provide a reliable open circuit to high voltages, thereby permitting reliable flashing of the lamps in rapid succession.
In a multilamp photoflash unit containing a plurality of flashlamps and circuit means for sequentially igniting said flashlamps, at least one radiant-energy-activated quick-disconnect switch included in said circuit means, said disconnect switch being electrically connected in series with one of said flashlamps for interrupting the ignition circuit means for said flashlamp after said flashlamp is ignited, said disconnect switch comprising a length of electrically conductive, heat shrinkable material positioned so as to be in operative relationship with the radiant output from said ignited flashlamp, said heat shrinkable material being attached to said circuit means at both ends of said length thereof, with the mid portion of said length of heat shrinkable material being spatially suspended to avoid substantial thermal contact with heat absorbing surfaces and thereby maximize the speed with which the shrinking and separation of said mid portion occurs upon its being heated by the radiant output of said ignited flashlamp.
A photoflash lamp array comprising a printed circuit board having circuitry on a surface thereof, a plurality of flashlamps positioned over said surface and having lead-in wires connected to said circuitry, said circuitry being provided for sequentially igniting said flashlamps, a plurality of reflectors respectively associated with said flashlamps and positioned between said lamps and said circuit board, at least a subplurality of said reflectors each having a first aperture therein, and a respective subplurality of radiant-energy-activated quick-disconnect switches attached to said circuit board in alignment respectively with the first apertures of said reflectors, each of said disconnect switches being electrically connected to said circuitry in series with a respective one of said flashlamps for interrupting the ignition circuit for said flashlamp after said flashlamp is ignited, each of said disconnect switches comprising an electrically conducting strip of polymeric material having a melting point between about 80.degree. and 250.degree. C, said strip being attached at both ends to said circuit board with the midportion of said strip being spatially suspended to avoid contact with said circuit board, and each of said strip midportions being positioned so as to be in operative relationship with the radiant output from a respective ignited flashlamp via the first aperture in a respective reflector.
A photoflash unit comprising a printed circuit board having lamp igniting circuitry on a surface thereof, at least one flashlamp connected to said circuitry, and a radiant-energy-activated quick-disconnect switch connected to said circuitry in series with said lamp and positioned in alignment with said lamp, said switch comprising an electrically conducting strip of heat shrinkable material attached at both ends to said circuit board, with the midportion of said strip being spatially suspended to avoid contact with said circuit board and thereby maximize the speed with which the shrinking and separation of said midportion occurs upon its being heated by the radiant output of said flashlamps when said lamp is ignited.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.