Magnetically attaching flash units to cameras

Apparatus for fixing a flash unit to a camera and providing bounce flash, comprising:

• (a) spaced apart ferromagnetic members fixed to the camera;
• (b) first and second sets of mounting magnets fixed to the flash unit, each mounting magnet having respective north and south poles and each mounting magnet producing a field, the mounting magnets being arranged so as to permit the flash unit to be moved to a plurality of docked positions which permit adjustment of the flash unit to provide for bounce flash;
• (c) shielding means for shielding the fields produced by the first and second sets of mounting magnets in an undocked position, for exposing the fields produced by the first set of mounting magnets in a first docked position so that the ferromagnetic members are aligned with the first set of mounting magnets to create an attractive force, and for exposing the fields produced by the second set of mounting magnets in a second docked position so that the ferromagnetic members are aligned with the second set of mounting magnets to create an attractive force;
• and
• (d) means effective in the undocked position for causing the flash unit to be moveably mounted to the camera and for positioning the shielding means in the undocked position and effective when the flash unit is moved to the first and second docked positions for causing the shielding means to be in the first and second docked positions, respectively, and for fixing the flash unit to the camera which permits adjustment of the flash unit to provide for bounce flash.

Apparatus for fixing a flash unit to a camera and providing bounce flash, comprising:

• (a) spaced apart ferromagnetic members fixed to the camera;
• (b) first and second sets of mounting magnets fixed to the flash unit, each set being spaced apart from the other set and each mounting magnet having respective north and south poles and each mounting magnet producing a field, the mounting magnets being arranged so as to permit the flash unit to be moved to a plurality of docked positions which permit adjustment of the flash unit to provide for bounce flash;
• (c) a shielding member fixed to the flash unit having shielding portions which shield the fields produced by the first and second sets of mounting magnets in an undocked position, and nonshielding portions which expose the fields produced by the first set of mounting magnets to the ferromagnetic members in a first docked position to create an attractive force and which expose the fields produced by the second set of mounting magnets to the ferromagnetic members in a second docked position to create an attractive force;
• and
• (d) means effective in the undocked position for causing the flash unit to be moveably mounted to the camera and for positioning the shielding means in the undocked position and effective when the flash unit is moved to the first and second docked positions for causing the shielding means to be in the first and second docked positions, respectively, and for fixing the flash unit to the camera which permits adjustment of the flash unit to provide for bounce flash.

Apparatus for fixing a flash unit to a camera, comprising:

• (a) mounting magnets having respective north and south poles and each producing a field, the mounting magnets being arranged so as to permit the flash unit to be moved to a plurality of docked positions which permit adjustment of the flash unit to provide for bounce flash;
• (b) shielding means rotatably mounted in the camera for shielding the fields produced by the mounting magnets in a first undocked position and for exposing the fields produced by the mounting magnets in a second docked position and having a key receiving hole;
• and
• (c) a ferromagnetic member rotatably mounted in the flash unit having shielding portions which shield the fields produced by the mounting magnets in the undocked position and nonshielding portions which expose the fields produced by the mounting magnets to the ferromagnetic member in the docked position, and having a key which engages the key receiving hole so that when the key is rotated to the docked position, the shielding means and the ferromagnetic member are rotated so that the fields produced by the mounting magnets are attracted to the ferromagnetic member to fix the flash unit to the camera.

Apparatus for fixing a flash unit to a camera and activating the flash unit, comprising:

• (a) a mounting magnet for producing a field;
• (b) shielding means including shielding portions for shielding the field produced by the mounting magnet in a first undocked position and nonshielding portions for exposing the field produced by the mounting magnet in a second docked position;
• (c) means effective in the undocked position for causing the flash unit to be moveably mounted to the camera and for positioning the shielding means in the first undocked position and effective when the flash unit is moved to the docked position for causing the shielding means to be in the second docked position so that the field produced by the mounting magnet causes the flash unit to be attracted to and fixed to the camera;
• (d) activatable flash trigger means disposed in the flash unit and effective in a disabled condition and a ready condition for activating the flash unit, such flash trigger means being adapted to activate the flash unit in response to an infrared signal when in the ready condition;
• and
• (e) means in the camera for producing the infrared signal simultaneously with initiating image capture.