Single-use camera with chemical flash array

A single-use camera including a camera body, and a shutter driver, comprising:

• a) a battery;
• b) a compact photoflash lamp array, including a plurality of electrically activated chemical photoflash lamps, integrally constructed on a flexible circuit, the photoflash lamp array being mounted on the camera body with a hinge to allow the photoflash lamp array to swing between a storage position and a picture taking position;
• c) a commutator in the camera body for providing sequential electrical connection to successive photoflash lamps;
• d) a switch arranged to be closed by the shutter driver to electrically connect the battery through the commutator to a photoflash lamp;
• and
• e) the flexible circuit being connected between the photoflash lamp array, the battery and the commutator, and the flexible circuit being sufficiently flexible to allow the photoflash lamp to hinge through 90.degree..

A compact photoflash lamp array, comprising:

• a) a flexible circuit having an array of flash elements integrally constructed thereon, and a plurality of electrical conductors leading to an igniter link located within each flash element, said flexible circuit further having a common electrical connection to each igniter link, the portion of the flexible circuit having the common electrical connection being sufficiently flexible to fold through a 90.degree. angle;
• b) a combustible mass deposited on each flash element over each igniter link;
• and
• c) containment means having an array of chambers overlying the flash elements, for containing each combustible mass and allowing light to escape therefrom.

A compact photoflash lamp array, comprising:

• a) a flexible circuit having a plurality of electrical conductors leading to an array of igniter links and a common electrical connection to each igniter link;
• b) a combustible mass deposited over each igniter link;
• c) containment means for containing each combustible mass and allowing light to escape therefrom;
• and wherein
• d) said flexible circuit is a thin polyimide.

A compact photoflash lamp array for use with a camera body, comprising:

• a) a flexible circuit having a plurality of electrical conductors, originating from a flexible tongue positioned inside the camera body, leading to an array of igniter links and a common electrical connection to each igniter link, the flexible tongue being sufficiently flexible to fold through a 90.degree. angle;
• b) a combustible mass deposited over each igniter link;
• and
• c) containment means for containing each combustible mass and allowing light to escape therefrom.