Photoflash array construction

• US 4,047,015 A
• Filed: 11/28/1975
• Issued: 09/06/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Blount, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US05/635,848
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 354/126, 354/127, 354/148, 240/1.3, 431/92, 431/93, 431/95 R
• US Class Current: 362/13
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0442 Constructional details of the flash apparatus; Arrangement of lamps, reflectors, or the like G03B15/0484 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means

Abstract

Front and back housing members interlock together and contain between them a circuit board having a plurality of flash lamps attached thereto. A multiple reflector unit is positioned between the lamps and the circuit board to direct light from flashing lamps through the front housing member. The back housing member is transparent, and an indicia sheet is sandwiched between the back of the array and the circuit board and contains colored flash indicator dots, instructions, and/or other indicia visible through the back of the array.

Claims

1. A multiple flash lamp array comprising a housing having a front and a back, a plurality of flash lamps in a planar configuration and disposed within said housing adjacent the front thereof, reflector means positioned within said housing and having portions located behind said lamps to direct light from said lamps toward the front of said housing when said lamps are flashed, a circuit board positioned within said housing behind said lamps and said reflector means and having circuitry thereon for causing flashing of said lamps in response to the transmission of flash actuation signals to said circuitry, openings through the back of said reflector means, leads on said lamps and extending rearwardly through said openings into electrical contact with said circuitry, said front of said housing being transparent at least in front of said lamps to permit passage of light from the lamps when the latter are flashed, and an indicia sheet located within said housing between said circuit board and said back of said housing, said indicia sheet containing flash indicator means thereon facing the back of said housing, said back of said housing being transparent at least in part to permit viewing of said flash indicator means, and means for actuating said flash indicator means in response to the flashing of said flash lamps, said flash indicator means being visible from behind said array for indicating the flashing of lamps which project light from the front of said array.

2. An array as claimed in claim 1, in which said flash indicator means comprises material positioned adjacent to the respective lamps and which changes in appearance in response to radiation from the respective adjacent lamps when flashed.

3. An array as claimed in claim 2, in which said circuit board and said reflector means are provided with window means between said lamps and the respective said adjacent material.

4. An array as claimed in claim 3, in which said window means comprises openings.

5. An array as claimed in claim 3, in which said material comprises heat-sensitive plastic.

6. A multiple flash lamp array comprising a housing having a front and a back, said front and said back each being transparent at least in part, a plurality of flash lamps in a planar configuration and disposed within said housing adjacent the front thereof, reflector means positioned within said housing and having portions located behind said lamps to direct light from said lamps toward the front of said housing when said lamps are flashed, a circuit board positioned within said housing behind said lamps and said reflector means and having circuitry thereon connected to said lamps for causing flashing of said lamps in response to the transmission of flash actuation signals to said circuitry, window means in said reflector means and said circuit board adjacent each of said lamps, an indicia sheet disposed within said housing between said circuit board and said back of said housing, and flash indicators on said indicia sheet adjacent each of said lamps and each changing appearance in response to the transmission of radiation from the adjacent lamp through the adjacent window means in said reflector means and said circuit board when the adjacent lamp is flashed.

7. An array as claimed in claim 6, in which said window means comprises openings.

8. An array as claimed in claim 6, in which said flash indicators comprise heat-sensitive plastic.