Flash device

• US 20050135078A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Akira, Hamada, Takashi, Kobayashi, Takanaru, Ishibashi, Satsuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0557 Multiple units, e.g. slave-unit

Abstract

A flash device includes at least one light emitting unit. At least one light emitting unit is attachable to a plurality of connection portions. A shielding portion shields the connection portion to which the light emitting unit is not attached. A capacitor accumulates an electric charges. A charging circuit charges the capacitor. A control circuit includes a first judgment section to judge whether or not all the plurality of connection portions are shielded and a second judgment section to judge whether or not the light emitting unit is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection portions, and permits an electric charges accumulation operation into the capacitor in a case where the first judgment section judges that all the connection portions are shielded and the second judgment section judges that the light emitting unit is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection portions.

Claims

1. A flash device comprising:

at least one light emitting unit;

a plurality of connection portions constituted so that at least one light emitting unit is attachable thereto;

a plurality of shielding portions to shield the connection portion to each of which the light emitting unit is not attached;

a capacitor which accumulates electric charges to allow the light emitting unit to emit light;

a charging circuit which charges the capacitor; and

a control circuit including a first judgment section to judge whether or not all the plurality of connection portions are shielded and a second judgment section to judge whether or not the light emitting unit is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection portions, the control circuit permitting electric charges accumulation operation into the capacitor by the charging circuit in a case where the first judgment section judges that all the connection portions are shielded and the second judgment section judges that the light emitting unit is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection portions.

2. The flash device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a discharging circuit which discharges the electric charges accumulated in the capacitor,

wherein the control circuit allows the discharging circuit to discharge the electric charges accumulated in the capacitor in a case where the first judgment section judges that at least one of the plurality of connection portions is not shielded.

3. The flash device according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit prohibits the electric charges accumulation operation into the capacitor by the charging circuit in a case where the first judgment section judges that at least one of the plurality of connection portions is not shielded in a state in which the electric charges accumulation operation into the capacitor by the charging circuit is permitted.

4. A flash device comprising:

a plurality of light emitting means for emitting light;

a plurality of connection means for being attached the plurality of light emitting means;

a plurality of shielding means for shielding the connection means to which any light emitting means is not attached;

an electric charges accumulation means for accumulating an electric charges to allow the light emitting means to emit the light;

a charging means for charging the electric charges accumulation means;

a first judgment means for judging whether or not all the plurality of connection means are shielded by the plurality of shielding means;

a second judgment means for judging whether or not the light emitting means is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection means; and

a control means for controlling a charging operation by the charging means and an operative state of the flash device based on judgment results of the first and second judgment means.

5. The flash device according to claim 4, wherein the first judgment means judges whether or not the light emitting means or the shielding means is attached to all the plurality of connection means.

6. The flash device according to claim 4, wherein the control means allows an electric charges accumulation operation into the electric charges accumulation means by the charging means in a case where the first judgment means judges that all the connection means are shielded by the plurality of shielding means and the second judgment means judges that the light emitting means is attached to at least one of the plurality of connection means.

7. The flash device according to claim 4, further comprising:

discharging means for discharging the electric charges accumulated in the electric charges accumulation means,

wherein the control means allows the discharging means to discharge the electric charges accumulated in the electric charges accumulation means in a case where the first judgment means judges that at least one of the plurality of connection means is not shielded.

8. The flash device according to claim 4, wherein the control means brings the flash device into an inoperative state in a case where the first judgment means judges that at least one of the plurality of connection means is not shielded.

9. A flash device having a plurality of connection portions to which a plurality of light emitting units are to be attached, the flash device prohibiting a charging operation to operate the light emitting unit in a case where even one of the plurality of connection portions is opened.

10. A flash device comprising:

a plurality of light emitting units;

a plurality of connection portions constituted so that the plurality of light emitting units are attachable thereto;

a plurality of caps to shield connection portions to which the light emitting units are not attached;

a capacitor which accumulates an electric charges to allow the light emitting unit to emit light;

a charging circuit which charges the capacitor;

a plurality of detection members which are disposed in the plurality of connection portions and which are displaced in cooperation with attachment of the light emitting unit or the cap;

a plurality of detection switches which are disposed in the plurality of detection members and whose states change in accordance with the displacements of the detection members;

detection terminals which are disposed in the plurality of connection portions and whose potential levels change in accordance with attached states of the light emitting units; and

a control circuit which controls the charging by the charging circuit and an operative state of the flash device based on the states of the detection switches and the potential levels of the detection terminals.

11. The flash device according to claim 10, wherein the detection terminal is connected to a ground line in a case where each of the plurality of light emitting units is attached to one of the plurality of connection portions.

12. A flash device comprising:

a plurality of light emitting units;

a plurality of connection portions constituted so that the plurality of light emitting units are attachable thereto;

a capacitor which accumulates an electric charges to allow the light emitting unit to emit light;

a charging circuit which charges the capacitor; and

a control circuit which controls the charging circuit in such a manner as to prohibit the charging of the capacitor in a case where at least one of the plurality of connection portions is opened.

13. The flash device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a discharging circuit which discharges the electric charges of the capacitor in a case where one of the plurality of connection portions is opened in a state in which the electric charges is accumulated in the capacitor.