Electronic flash device of automatic light adjusting type

• US 20020171372A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubota, Takeshi, Motomura, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,630,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/200A
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/325 by measuring the incident light

Abstract

An electronic flash device of an automatic light adjusting type includes a main capacitor for storing charge at a high voltage. A flash discharge tube generates flash light upon discharging the main capacitor therewith. A light adjusting circuit adjusts a light amount of the flash light by feedback. The light adjusting circuit includes a reflected light measuring unit for outputting an integration voltage for representing a light amount of reflected light from a photographic field illuminated with the flash light. A thyristor as non-contact switch short-circuits terminals of the main capacitor upon being turned on, to quench emission of the flash light in the flash discharge tube. A turn-on capacitor is charged by a current of discharge in response to the emission of the flash light, and is discharged when the integration voltage comes up to a prescribed level, to turn on the thyristor responsively. A control transistor keeps the reflected light measuring unit disabled while the turn-on capacitor is initially charged, and enables the reflected light measuring unit after the integration voltage comes up to a predetermined level.

Claims

1. An electronic flash device of an automatic light adjusting type, including a main capacitor for storing charge at a high voltage, a flash discharge tube for generating flash light with a current upon discharging said main capacitor, and a light adjusting circuit for adjusting a light amount of said flash light, said flash device comprising:

wherein said light adjusting circuit includes;

a reflected light measuring unit for outputting an integration voltage for representing a light amount of reflected light from a photographic field illuminated with said flash light;

a non-contact switch for short-circuiting terminals of said main capacitor upon being turned on, to quench emission of said flash light in said flash discharge tube;

a turn-on capacitor for being charged in response to said emission of said flash light, and for being discharged when said integration voltage comes up to a prescribed level, to turn on said non-contact switch upon a pulse of discharge; and

a control switching element for keeping said reflected light measuring unit disabled while said turn-on capacitor is initially charged, and for enabling said reflected light measuring unit after voltage across said turn-on capacitor comes up to a predetermined level.

2. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a discharge switching unit for being turned on when said integration voltage from said reflected light measuring unit comes up to said prescribed level, to discharge said turn-on capacitor.

3. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 2, wherein said reflected light measuring unit includes:

a photo transistor, supplied with electric power by said control switching element, for outputting a photoelectric current according to intensity of said reflected light incident thereon; and

an integration capacitor for integration of said photoelectric current to output said integration voltage.

4. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 3, further comprising a bypass switching element for being turned on in response to becoming conductive of said control switching element, and for short-circuiting terminals of said integration capacitor until lapse of a predetermined time, to inhibit charging with said photoelectric current.

5. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 4, wherein said bypass switching element is a bypass transistor, having a collector and emitter connected in parallel with said integration capacitor, and a base connected with said control switching element;

further comprising a capacitor connected between said base of said bypass transistor and said control switching element, and adapted for determining said predetermined time at which on-voltage is applied to said base of said bypass transistor.

6. An electronic flash device as defined in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said reflected light measuring unit includes a near distance compensation resistor, connected in series with said integration capacitor, for constituting a serial circuit, to correct said integration voltage if said integration voltage increases slowly and highly, said serial circuit generating a voltage which is said integration voltage.

7. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 4, further comprising an effective voltage generator for outputting increasing power source voltage when said main capacitor is discharged;

said turn-on capacitor is supplied with said power source voltage, and charged.

8. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 7, wherein said effective voltage generator includes:

a power supply capacitor, connected in parallel with said main capacitor and said flash discharge tube, for being charged and discharged together with said main capacitor, said power supply capacitor outputting an increasing power supply voltage upon being discharged; and

a Zener diode, connected in series with said power supply capacitor, for limiting said power supply voltage from said power supply capacitor to at least a predetermined effective voltage;

when said increasing power supply voltage comes up to said predetermined effective voltage, said control switching element is rendered conductive in response to an output of said Zener diode, for applying said power supply voltage to said reflected light measuring unit.

9. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 8, wherein said non-contact switch is a thyristor having an anode and cathode connected with respectively electrodes of said flash discharge tube, and having a gate connected with said turn-on capacitor.

10. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 8, further comprising a current limiting resistor, connected between said power supply capacitor and said Zener diode, for limiting a current from said power supply capacitor.

11. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 8, wherein one terminal of said power supply capacitor is connected with one terminal of said main capacitor at a first connection point;

said Zener diode is connected in parallel with said turn-on capacitor;

further comprising a choke coil, connected between said main capacitor and said first connection point, for constituting a first serial circuit with said main capacitor, wherein a current flows in said choke coil during said flash emission of said flash discharge tube by discharging said main capacitor, there occurs back electromotive force in said choke coil, for lowering a voltage between terminals of said first serial circuit, and for lowering a voltage between terminals of a second serial circuit including said power supply capacitor and said Zener diode, to discharge said power supply capacitor to charge said turn-on capacitor.

12. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a level changer for setting said prescribed level variable for said integration voltage, to determine said light amount of said flash light to be emitted before quench.

13. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 12, wherein said level changer includes:

an offset voltage generator, including a first resistor and a variable resistor connected in series therewith, for generating an offset voltage by dividing said power supply voltage according to resistance of said variable resistor;

an adjustment transistor, supplied with input voltage, for becoming conductive when said input voltage comes up to a predetermined voltage, said input voltage being lower than said integration voltage by said offset voltage.

14. An electronic flash device as defined in claim 13, wherein said adjustment transistor has a collector and emitter one of which is supplied with said offset voltage;

further comprising;

an effective voltage generator for applying said power supply voltage to said light adjusting circuit;

a capacitor, connected with said one of said collector and emitter in parallel with said effective voltage generator and said first resistor, for absorbing electric noise to prevent said adjustment transistor from erroneously becoming conductive.