Device For Igniting Percussion-ignitable Flash Lamps

Abstract

A device is provided for igniting a percussion-ignitable flashlamp in use with photographic apparatus such as a camera, the device comprising a socket to receive a flash unit including a percussion-ignitable lamp, an actuating member movable into contact with such a unit received in the socket to ignite the lamp, and electromagnetic means, such as a solenoid, for effecting movement of the actuating member into contact with the unit, so that the lamp is ignited in response to energization of the electromagnetic means. The device may be connected to the photographic apparatus or it may be located remotely from the apparatus and used as a slave flash device. The electromagnetic means may be energized by electrical energy received through electrical conductors connected to the apparatus or by signal energy, such as light, radio frequency energy, or a sonic signal, transmitted from the apparatus. The electromagnetic means may move the actuating member directly into contact with the flash unit or it may release the actuating member for movement by a spring or other biasing means into contact with the unit. The actuating member may percussively contact the lamp itself or it may contact a striking member on the received flash unit to move the striking member into percussive contact with the lamp. The socket of the device may be adapted to receive a multilamp flash unit having a plurality of percussion-ignitable flash lamps, and means may be provided in the device for rotating such a socket in response to energization of the electromagnetic means. The socket may conveniently be adapted to receive alternatively a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit and an electrically ignitable flashlamp unit, in which case a pair of electrical contacts connected electrically in parallel with the electromagnetic means and connectable to an electrically ignitable flashlamp of a unit received in the socket may be provided to effect ignition of an electrically ignitable lamp in response to energization of the electromagnetic means.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to the following commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. applications:

Ser. No. 765,930, entitled MULTILAMP FLASH UNIT, filed Oct. 8, 1968 in the name of David E. Beach;

Ser. No. 765,931, entitled SOCKET FOR MULTILAMP FLASH UNIT, filed Oct. 8, 1968 in the name of David E. Beach; and Ser. No. 766,739, entitled APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING FIRING OF PERCUSSION-IGNITABLE FLASH LAMPS AND OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR, filed Oct. 11, 1968 in the name of William T. Hochreiter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to photographic apparatus, and particularly to a device for igniting a percussion-ignitable flashlamp in use with photographic apparatus such as a camera.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It has long been known in the prior art to ignite a photoflash device by percussive means, as illustrated, for example, in U.s. Pat. No. 942,941, issued in 1909 to J. A. Smith, relating to the firing of photographic flash powders.

Of more recent vintage is a self-contained, percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit having a lamp envelope enclosing a combustible material and a combustion-supporting gas, with a metal tube extending from the bottom of the lamp envelope and containing a primer charge that is ignitable in response to percussive contact with the tube by a mechanically actuated striking member or hammer built into photographic apparatus adapted to receive such a unit. A flashlamp unit of this kind is described in commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 765,930, entitled MULTILAMP FLASH UNIT, filed Oct. 8, 1968 in the name of David E. Beach.

Also known in the art is a slave-type of flash device, located remotely from an associated photographic apparatus, utilizing an electrically ignitable flashlamp that is energizable by energy received from the associated apparatus. Such a unit may receive its energy in the form of electrical energy received through electricity conducting wires connecting the unit to the associated apparatus, as is well known, or in the form of radio frequency energy received from a transmitter on the associated apparatus, as illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,056, issued in 1965 to N. Gold et al., or in the form of light energy received from a master flash unit on the associated apparatus, as illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,086, issued in 1967 to O. T. Casebeer et al.

None of the prior art, however, teaches or suggests a way of effecting ignition of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit of the kind described other than by direct mechanical actuation of the striking member or hammer so as to permit ready use of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit in a slave-type of device that may be located remotely from the associated apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention was to provide a device for readily igniting a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit that may be located remotely from and/or unconnected to photographic apparatus with which such a device may be used.

Another object was to provide such a device that is suitable for receiving and igniting a multilamp flash unit having a plurality of percussion-ignitable flashlamps therein.

A further object of this invention was to provide such a device that is equally suitable for receiving and igniting either a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit or an electrically ignitable flashlamp unit.

To meet these and other objects, the present invention provides a device for effecting ignition of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp being used with photographic apparatus such as a camera, the device comprising a socket adapted to receive a flash unit including one or more percussion-ignitable flash lamps, an actuating member movable into contact with a flash unit received in the socket to ignite a percussion-ignitable lamp of the received unit, and electromagnetic means, such as a solenoid, that is operatively associated with the actuating member to effect movement of the actuating member into contact with the received unit in response to energization of the electromagnetic means.

The electromagnetic means may be energized by electrical energy received through electrical conductors connecting the device to the photographic apparatus. Or the electromagnetic means may be energized by one form or another of signal energy that is transmitted from the photographic apparatus, received by a sensor in the device, and then communicated through appropriate circuit means in the device to the electromagnetic means. With the latter type of energization, the signal energy may be, for example, in the form of light emitted by a master flash unit on the photographic apparatus and received by a photoelectric cell included in the device, or it may be in the form of radio frequency energy emitted by a transmitter on the apparatus and received by an antenna included in the device, or it may be in the form of a sonic signal emitted by a sonic emitter on the apparatus and received by a sonic pickup included in the device. Thus, the present invention may be embodied in a flash device that is connectable to the photographic apparatus with which it is being used, or the invention may be embodied in a slave flash device that is locatable remotely from, without physical connection to, the associated photographic apparatus.

The socket in either type of device may be adapted to receive, alternatively, a percussion-ignitable flashlamp unit and an electrically ignitable flashlamp unit, in which case a pair of electrical contacts connected electrically in parallel with the electromagnetic means and connectable to an electrically ignitable flashlamp of a unit received in the socket are provided to effect ignition of the connected lamp in response to energization of the electromagnetic means. The socket in either type of device may also be adapted to receive a multilamp flash unit having a plurality of percussion-ignitable flashlamps, in which case means may be provided in the device for rotating the socket from one lamp-firing position to another in response to energization of the electromagnetic means.

The electromagnetic means in either type of device may effect movement of the actuating member into contact with a flash unit received in the socket either by directly moving the actuating member itself or by releasing the actuating member for movement by a spring or other biasing means. Similarly, the actuating member in either type of device may ignite a percussion-ignitable lamp of a received flash unit either by directly moving into percussive contact with the lamp or by moving into contact with a striking member on the received flash unit, or with another part of the unit holding the striking member, so as to cause the striking member to move into percussive contact with the lamp.

The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the illustrated embodiments presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the detailed description of the illustrated embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adapter that could incorporate either of the forms of the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1a and 1 b, the adapter having a socket for receiving a multilamp flash unit and a foot insertable into a shoe atop a photographic apparatus;

FIG. 1 a is a schematic view of one form of the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the electromagnetic means is connected electrically to synchronizing contacts in a photographic camera and wherein the electromagnetic means moves the actuating member directly;

FIG. 1b is a schematic view of another form of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 a wherein the electromagnetic means releases a spring-loaded actuating member;

FIG. 1 c is a fragmentary view of the form of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1b, showing schematically the actuating member in operative relationship to a multilamp flash unit;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slave flash device that could incorporate any of the forms of an alternative embodiment of the present invention illustrated schematically in FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c, the device having a socket for receiving a multilamp flash unit and a sensor to receive signal energy transmitted from a photographic apparatus;

FIG. 2 a a schematic view of one form of the alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein a slave flash device includes a photoelectric cell to receive signal energy in the form o light transmitted from a master flashlamp on the photographic camera;

FIG. 2 b is a schematic view of another form of alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein a save flash device includes an antenna to receive signal energy in the form of radio frequency energy transmitted from a transmitter on a photographic camera; and

FIG. 2 c is a schematic view of still another form of the alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein a slave flash device includes a sonic pickup to receive signal energy in the form of a sonic signal transmitted from a sonic emitter on a photographic camera.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Because certain parts of photographic and related apparatus are well known, the following description is directed in particular to those elements forming, or cooperating directly with, the present invention, elements that are not specifically shown or described herein being understood to be selectable from those known in the art.

FIG. 1 a of the drawings illustrates, schematically, one form of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which electromagnetic means such as a solenoid 10 is connected by a pair of wires 11 to synchronizing contacts 12 in a photographic camera 13. Included in the circuit 14 containing the coil 15 of the solenoid and the synchronizing contacts is a source of electrical potential such as a battery 16, as shown. The solenoid 10 is disposed in an electromagnetically attracting relationship to a movable actuating member such as hammer 17, the actuating member being attracted to the solenoid coil upon energization of the coil by the closing of the synchronizing contacts. The actuating member, or hammer 17, is shown schematically in the form of a simple, spring-biased lever pivotally mounted in the device and having, at the opposite end thereof, a wedge-shaped portion 18 that moves into percussive contact with the primer element or ignition tube 19 of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp 20 seated in a suitable socket (not shown). In operation, the preferred embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 a effects ignition of the percussion-ignitable lamp 20 in response to the camera's movement of a shutter-release member 21 on the camera, such movement of the shutter-release member causing simultaneous release of the camera shutter (not shown) and closing of synchronizing contacts 12, whereupon solenoid 10 becomes energized and thereby moves the actuating member or hammer 17 into percussive contact with the primer element or ignition tube 19 of the percussion-ignitable flash lamp 20.

FIG. 1 b illustrates, schematically, another form of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which the actuating member 30, instead of being moved directly by the solenoid, is moved by a spring 31 or other biasing means into percussive contact with the primer element or ignition tube 32 of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp 33, the solenoid 34 operating, when energized, to move a retaining member 35 and thereby release the actuating member 30 for movement by the spring 31 into percussive contact with the lamp.

FIG. 1 c illustrates, schematically, a portion of the form of the embodiment of FIG. 1b with the actuating member 30 shown cocked by retaining member 35 for movement by spring 31 into contact with a multilamp flash unit 40 containing a plurality of percussion-ignitable flashlamps such as the type disclosed, for example, in commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 765,930, filed Oct. 8, 1968 in the name of David E. Beach.

The forms of the preferred embodiment illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c may be incorporated in an adapter connectable to a photographic camera, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1, or in a remotely located device connectable to a photographic camera by means of electrical conductors such as flexible wires. The adapter 50 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a body portion 51, a socket 52 for receiving a percussion-ignitable multilamp flash unit 56, and a foot 53 insertable into a shoe 54 atop a photographic camera 55. Sockets of the type suitable for receiving a percussion-ignitable multilamp flash unit are described, for example, in commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application ser. No. 765,931, filed Oct. 11, 1968 in the name of David E. Beach. Insertion of the foot into the shoe effects an electrical connection, by suitable contacts in both members, between a solenoid (not shown) in body portion 51 and a synchroflash circuit (not shown) in camera 55, as is well-known in the art. The adapter of FIG. 1 thus provides a convenient means of adapting a photographic camera having a synchroflash circuit intended for the ignition of an electrically ignitable flashlamp to effect the ignition of a percussion-ignitable flashlamp.

As a possible modification of the adapter illustrated in FIG. 1, the foot 53 could be replaced by a base similar to the base of a multilamp flash unit for insertion into a multilamp flash unit socket on the photographic camera. With such an arrangement, some means would have to be provided for preventing rotation of the adapter by the socket rotating mechanism usually preset in such a camera. Such a means is shown, for example, in commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 563,904, filed July 8, 1966 in the name of Manfred Radtke. In addition to serving as an adapter, such a device as that illustrated in FIG. 1 may serve as an extender for the purpose of extending the distance between the picture taking axis of the camera and the photoflash lamp being used, thereby aiding in preventing the condition known in the photographic art as "red eye". For an illustration of a flash extender, reference is made to commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 467,278, filed June 28, 1965 in the name of Lawrence M. Wood.

FIG. 2 illustrates a slave type of flash device incorporating an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Such a unit may be responsive to photoflash illumination received from a master flash unit on an associated photographic camera, as is known for the purpose of igniting an electrically energizable flashlamp unit received in the slave device socket, as shown, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,086, issued Apr. 4, 1967 in the name of O. T. Casebeer et al. The slave flash device illustrated in FIG. 2, however, has been adapted, by incorporation of the present invention, to receive signal energy, in one form or another, from a remotely located photographic apparatus to ignite a percussion-ignitable lamp of a multilamp flash unit on the device. The slave flash device 60 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a housing 61, a rotatable socket 62 for receiving a multilamp flash unit 63 of the percussion-ignitable type and a sensor 64, which can be conveniently oriented by rotating the sensor until the arrow 65 thereon points toward a signal emitter on the associated photographic apparatus.

FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2 c illustrate, schematically, three forms of the alternative embodiment of the present invention which may be incorporated in a slave flash device of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 a shows, in the left-hand portion thereof, a photographic camera 70 having a flash unit 71 thereon aimed to emit flash light L in direction parallel with the picture taking axis O of the camera. In the right-hand portion of FIG. 2 a is shown, schematically, a form of the alternative embodiment that is suitable for use with camera 70. In this form of the embodiment is a photoelectric cell 72 connected by suitable circuit means 73 to an electromagnetic means such as solenoid 74. Included circuit means 73 are electronic means 75 for filtering and amplifying signal energy received by cell 72 in order to render such signal energy suitable for energizing solenoid 74. Also included in circuit means 73 is a source of electrical potential such as battery 76 connected to the electronic means 75 as shown. The solenoid 74 includes an electromagnet 77 and a spring-biased movable member 78 which is electromagnetically attracted to the electromagnet upon energization of the electromagnet. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a, the movable member 78 is pivotally mounted, as at 79, on a fixed portion of the device for pivotal movement toward and away from the electromagnet 77.

Schematically pictured above the electromagnet is a multilamp flash unit 80 having a plurality of percussion-ignitable flashlamps 81, each of which lamps has a primer element or ignition tube 82 depending therefrom as shown, the ignition tube of the lamp that is in a lamp-firing position being located in the path of movement of end portion 83 of movable member 78. With this arrangement, energization of solenoid 74 causes movement of movable member 78 into contact with the ignition tube 82 of a lamp 81 in the unit 80, thereby effecting percussion ignition of the lamp.

Percussion ignition may result from movement by the movable member of the solenoid in either of two ways. First, the movable member, hereinafter referred to as the actuating member, may directly strike the ignition tube in a percussive fashion, thereby causing percussion ignition of the lamp. Second, the multilamp flash unit may have a spring-biased striking member mounted thereon in a cocked position adjacent to but spaced from each ignition tube, the striking member, or another part of such a unit holding the striking member in its cocked position, being in the path of movement of the actuating member, the actuating member then contacting either the striking member or the other part of the unit holding it, as the case may be, to thereby release the striking member for movement into percussive contact with the ignition tube. A multilamp flash unit of the type just referred to, having a biased striking member adjacent to each ignition tube, is disclosed in commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 766,739, filed Oct. 11, 1968 in the name of William T. Hochreiter.

Also, as shown schematically in FIG. 2a, the movable actuating member 78 may be associated with means 84 for rotating the multilamp flash unit socket (not shown). The socket rotating means 84 includes a shaft portion 85 coupled to the socket, biasing means such as spring 86 for rotating the shaft portion, and a plurality of ratchet teeth 87, corresponding in number to the number of lamps 81 in the multilamp flash unit 80, for stopping socket rotation at each lamp-firing position of a unit in the socket. For each lamp-firing position, one of the ratchet teeth 87 is engaged by a portion 88 of the solenoid actuating member 78, as apparent in FIG. 2a. Movement of the actuating member 78 into contact with the flash unit 80 simultaneously disengages portion 88 of the actuating member from the ratchet tooth 87 with which it has been engaged, thereby permitting spring 86 to rotate the shaft portion 85, and hence the socket and multilamp flash unit in the socket, to a succeeding lamp-firing position.

Also shown in FIG. 2a is another feature of the present invention whereby the device of either embodiment can be used to ignite, alternatively, a percussion-ignitable flash unit received in the socket and an electrically ignitable flash unit received in the socket. Means for igniting a percussion-ignitable flash unit so received have already been described. The means for igniting an electrically ignitable flash unit so received (not shown) comprises a pair of electrical contacts 89 connected electrically in parallel with the solenoid 74 and connectable to suitable flashlamp contacts on the received flash unit. With such an arrangement, energization of the solenoid 74 also effects energization of the electrical contacts 89, thereby igniting the connected electrically ignitable flashlamp. Thus the device illustrated in FIG. 2a is operable, upon receipt of flash illumination from the photoflash camera 70, to ignite either a percussion-ignitable flash lamp or an electrically ignitable flashlamp, and may also effect rotation of the flash-unit socket to a succeeding lamp-firing position. FIG. 2b illustrates, schematically, another form of the alternative embodiment of the invention which may be incorporated in a slave flash device of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. In the left-hand portion of FIG. 2b is shown a photographic camera 90 having radio-frequency-energy transmitting means 91 therein. In the right-hand portion of FIG. 2b is shown, schematically, a form of the alternative embodiment that is suitable for igniting a percussion-ignitable flashlamp in response to radio frequency energy R transmitted by camera 90. Included in this form of the embodiment is an antenna 92 for receiving the transmitted radio frequency energy. The antenna is connected to a suitable circuit means 93, similar to circuit means 73 shown in FIG. 2a, for filtering and amplifying the received signal energy and then communicating the filtered and amplified energy to an electromagnetic means such as solenoid 94. As in the FIG. 2a embodiment, the solenoid 94 includes a spring-biased, movable, actuating member 95 pivotally mounted, as at 96, on a fixed portion of the device for pivotal movement, upon energization of electromagnet 97, into contact with a percussion-ignitable flash unit 98 received in an appropriate socket (not shown). With this arrangement, transmission of radio frequency energy from camera 90 is effective to ignite a percussion-ignitable flash lamp received in the device. Although not shown, socket rotating means and electrical igniting means such as those illustrated in FIG. 2a may also be incorporated in the device illustrated in FIG. 2b.

FIG. 2c illustrates, schematically, still another form of the alternative embodiment of the present invention which may be incorporated in a slave flash device of the type illustrated in FIG. 2. In the left-hand portion of FIG. 2c is shown a photographic camera 100 having means 101 for emitting a sonic signal S, and in the right-hand portion of FIG. 2 c is shown, schematically, a form of the alternative embodiment that is suitable for receiving, filtering, amplifying, and communicating the sonic signal to thereby energize a solenoid 102 to effect ignition of a percussion-ignitable flash unit 103 received in an appropriate socket (not shown). The sensor in this instance, which receives the signal energy emitted by camera 100, is a sonic pickup 104 that is connected by suitable circuit means 105, similar to circuit means 73 in FIG. 2a, to solenoid 102. The circuit means here, as in the forms illustrated in FIGS. 2 a and 2b, includes means for filtering and amplifying the received signal. The solenoid and alternative ways of effecting percussive contact with an ignition tube of a received flashlamp unit also are similar to those previously described with reference to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the different forms of the two embodiments shown and described herein are not illustrations of ways in which the present invention may be utilized to effect ignition of percussion-ignitable flashlamps, particularly such lamps that are located remotely from photographic apparatus with which the lamps are to be used.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the illustrated preferred and alternative embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. An adapter to enable the use of a first type of flash unit having at lest one lamp ignitable by the application of mechanical force to the unit with a photographic apparatus having a socket and electrical circuit for receiving and actuating a second type of flashlamp unit having at least one lamp ignitable electrically, said adapter including:

means for receiving a flash unit of the first type;

means movable from a first position to a second position for applying a mechanical force to a unit of the first type received by said receiving means;

support means receivable by said socket of said photographic apparatus for removably attaching said adapter to said photographic apparatus;

electromagnetic means energizeable to move said force applying means from said first position to said second position; and

circuit means for connecting said electromagnetic means into the electrical circuit of said photographic apparatus when said support means is received by said socket.

2. The adapter according to claim 1 wherein said receiving means is a rotatable socket adapted to receive a multilamp flash unit having a plurality of lamps ignitable by striking, and further comprising means responsive to said electromagnetic means for rotating said socket to sequentially position said lamps at a lamp firing position in response to energization of said electromagnetic means.

3. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotating means includes:

a. biasing means for urging said socket rotatively from a lamp-firing position to a succeeding lamp-firing position; and

b. retaining means for releasably retaining said socket in a lamp-firing position in opposition to said biasing means, said retaining means being movable by said electromagnetic means, in response to energization of said electromagnetic means, to release said socket and thereby permit said socket to be rotated by said biasing means to a succeeding lamp-firing position.

4. For use with flashlamp units of a first type having at least one lamp actuatable by the application of a mechanical force to the unit, and with flashlamp units of a second type having at least one lamp actuatable by the application of electrical energy to the unit, a photographic apparatus comprising;

means for interchangeably receiving both types of such flashlamp units;

actuating means movable from a first position to a second position to contact and apply an actuating mechanical force to a received unit;

a pair of electrical contacts positioned with respect to said receiving means to contact electrically a received unit having a lamp ignitable electrically;

electrical circuit means including electromagnetic means energizeable for moving said actuating means from its first position to its second position; and

means connecting said electrical contacts in parallel with said electromagnetic means whereby energization of said circuit is effective to fire either an electrical flashlamp or a flashlamp ignitable by the application of force depending upon which type of unit is received in said receiving means.

5. Photographic apparatus comprising:

means for interchangeably receiving a flashlamp unit of the type having lamps ignitable electrically and a flashlamp unit ignitable by the application of mechanical force; and

an electrically energizeable circuit including:

means for applying an actuating mechanical force to a unit of said second type received in said receiving means in response to energization of said circuit; and

means for applying actuating electrical energy to a unit of said first type received in said receiving means in response to energization of said circuit.