Strobe light emitting apparatus and camera

• US 20050259983A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Terada, Hiroshi, Tsuchida, Keiichi, Mikami, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/205
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0521 movable housing, e.g. bounce-light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/671 in combination with active ranging signals, e.g. using light or sound signals emitted toward objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/32 for single flash operation

Abstract

A strobe apparatus includes a xenon tube, which is a discharge tube, having a discharge light emitting portion and a light emitting portion terminal. Light is emitted from the xenon tube and is reflected in a predetermined direction by a reflection umbrella. A transparent electrode is coated on the external surface of the xenon tube from the discharge light emitting portion to the terminal. When trigger voltage is applied to the xenon tube through the transparent electrode, strobe light is emitted by the discharge light emitting portion. By using the strobe apparatus, the orientation characteristic of the discharge tube can be improved without uneven light distribution and a shortage of a light amount.

Claims

1. A discharge light emitting apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a transformer having an iron core, a primary winding wound about the iron core and connected to the power source, a first secondary winding wound about the iron core, and a second secondary winding wound about the iron core and connected to the first secondary winding in series;

a light emitting discharge tube having a discharging electrode and a trigger electrode, wherein both ends of the first secondary winding are connected to the discharging electrode and one end of the second secondary winding is connected to the trigger electrode;

a switching element provided between the power source and the primary winding; and

a control portion for turning on/off the switching element.

2. A discharge light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary winding has two winding portions in series, and the switching element is provided in each of the two winding portions.

3. A discharge light emitting apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a transformer having a primary winding to which power is supplied from the power source and first and second secondary windings wound in series;

a light emitting discharge tube having a discharging electrode and a trigger electrode, wherein both ends of the first secondary winding are connected to the discharging electrode, one end of the second secondary winding is connected to the trigger electrode;

a switching element provided between the power source and the primary winding; and

a control portion for turning on/off the switching element.

4. A discharge light emitting apparatus, comprising:

an oscillation transformer having two primary windings and two secondary windings;

a first switching element connected to one of the two primary windings;

a second switching element connected to the other of the two primary winding; and

a discharge light emitting tube for emitting light in response to a voltage application,

wherein one of the two secondary windings is connected to an electrode of the discharge light emitting tube and the other of the two secondary winding is connected to an exterior of the discharge light emitting tube so as to apply high voltage.

5. A discharge light emitting apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control portion for alternately turning on/off the first switching element and second switching element.