Electronic flash unit with two integrated flash heads
OwnerYuzo Tsurutainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated flash head having a ring flash for taking shadowless pictures and a bar flash for taking contoured pictures. The bar flash is pivotably mounted on the ring flash housing and the ring flash housing is movable relative to the camera lens to change the orientation of the bar relative to the camera lens. An electrical circuit is provided for selectively activating either the ring flash or bar flash.
Claims11
A flash unit for a camera of the type having a lens, comprising:
- a support member;
- means for releasably connecting the support member to the camera;
- a first flash means;
- a second flash means mounted to said first flash means;
- means for mounting said first flash means to said support member such that the angular position of the second flash means relative to the camera can be changed without removing the flash unit from the camera;
- a first trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the first flash means;.
- a second trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the second flash means and
- means in circuit with the low voltage side of both said first and second trigger circuits for selecting which of the trigger circuits respond to the camera flash output signal
- whereby operation of the camera simultaneously operates the selected first or second flash means.
In a combination point flash and ring flash unit for a camera the improvement comprising:
- a support member supporting both the point and ring flash including means for allowing the support member to rotate relative to the camera and be temporarily fixed in a plurality of positions relative to the camera and means for releasably connecting the support member to the camera;
- a first trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the point flash;
- a second trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the ring flash;
- and
- means in circuit with the low voltage side of both said first and second trigger circuits for selecting which of the trigger circuits respond to the camera flash output signal;
- whereby operation of the camera simultaneously operates the selected first or second flash means.
In a dual flash unit having a camera which provides a flash output signal, said flash unit having both a bar flash and a ring flash thereon, the improvement comprising:
- a. a first trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the bar flash;
- b. a second trigger circuit having a low voltage input and a high voltage output for triggering the ring flash and;
- c. means in circuit with the low voltage side of both said first and second trigger circuits for selecting which of said trigger circuits respond to the camera flash output signal;
- whereby operation of the camera simultaneously operates the selected bar or ring flash.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.