Switch control for camera flash unit
AssigneePolaroid Corporation
InventorsDavid Van Allen, Fred M. Finnemore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic flash unit attachable to the top of a camera shutter housing is provided with a switch control apparatus which connects with the flash unit and is positioned on the camera so as to be readily reachable by the photographer's camera-operating hand when it is in a normal position to operate the shutter and flash switch of the camera. Engagement of the switch control apparatus by the photographer's hand effects the closing of a charging switch to apply power to the flash unit and release of the switch control apparatus automatically effects the opening of the charging switch. The shutter and flash switch can be operated by the so-positioned hand as soon as the flash unit is charged.
Claims8
An electronic flash unit for use with a camera of the type which the photographer would normally hold in one hand and operate with his other hand and which includes a photographic exposure cycle initiating button together with means for providing a flash fire trigger signal at an appropriate time during the photographic exposure interval together with connecting apparatus for accommodating the removable fixed connection of said flash unit with respect to the camera, said flash unit comprising:
- a first housing;
- a storage capacitor;
- a flash discharge tube;
- means responsive to an applied voltage for charging said capacitor;
- circuit means responsive to the trigger signal for discharging said capacitor through said discharge tube to produce an illuminating flash of light;
- electrical connecting means for facilitating the electrical connection of said circuit means to the trigger signal providing means of the camera;
- physical connecting means complementary to the camera connecting apparatus for facilitating the releasable fixed connection of said flash unit housing to the camera;
- p1 an actuator assembly comprising:
- an electric switch connectable to a source of electrical energy for controlling the application of electrical energy to said capacitor charging means, means for connecting said switch to said capacitor charging means, an actuator member mounted for manual displacement from a first position to a second position and operatively associated with said switch so as to move said switch from an open condition so as not to apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means, to a closed condition so as to apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means when said actuator is moved from its said first position to said second position, resilient means for yieldably biasing said actuator member to move from its said second position back to its said first position, means for facilitating the releasable fixed connection of said actuator assembly to the camera so as to locate said actuator member in closely spaced apart relation with respect to the camera photographic cycle initiating button thereby enabling the photograher to first apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means by moving said actuator member from its said first position to its said second position with the thumb of his camera operating hand and to thereafter, without substantially changing the position of his camera operating hand initiate a photographic exposure cycle by actuating the photographic cycle initiating button with the forefinger of his same camera operating hand.
A photographic camera and electronic flash apparatus of the type which the photographer would normally hold in one hand and operate with his other hand, said camera and flash apparatus comprising:
- means for housing said camera and flash apparatus, including a forward wall and a rearward wall spaced closely apart behind said forward wall;
- an objective lens;
- a photographic exposure cycle initiating button supported by said forward wall;
- means responsive to the actuation of said button for conducting a photographic exposure cycle, including means for providing a flash fire trigger signal at an appropriate time during the photographic exposure cycle;
- a storage capacitor;
- a flash discharge tube;
- means responsive to an applied voltage for charging said capacitor;
- circuit means responsive to said trigger signal for discharging said capacitor through said discharge tube to provide an illuminating flash of light;
- an electric switch connectable to a source of electrical energy for controlling the application of energy to said capacitor charging means;
- means for connecting said switch to said capacitor charging means;
- and
- flash actuator means for controlling the closure of said electric switch, said actuator means comprising an actuator member, means for mounting said actuator member for manual displacement from a first position to a second position whereby said actuator member is operatively associated with said switch so as to move said switch from an open condition so as not to apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means, to a closed condition so as to apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means when said actuator member is moved from its said first position to its said second position, resilient means for yieldably biasing said actuator member to move from its said second position back to its said first position, said means for displaceably mounting said actuator member further operating to mount said actuator member behind said rearward wall for movement from its said first to its said second position along a direction generally parallel and opposite to the direction of actuation of the camera photographic cycle initiating button thereby enabling the photographer to first apply electrical energy to said capacitor charging means by moving said actuator member from its said first position to its said second position with the thumb of his camera-operating hand and to thereafter without substantially changing the position of his camera-operating hand initiate a photographic exposure cycle by actuating the photographic cycle initiating button with the forefinger of his same camera-operating hand thereby enabling the photographer to utilize the natural opposite movement of the thumb and forefinger of his camera-operating hand to actuate respectively the electronic flash and photographic cycle initiation button of the camera.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.