Power supply control device for cameras

• US 4,174,165 A
• Filed: 04/19/1978
• Issued: 11/13/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ohta, Yoshiharu, Tominaga, Shinji, Hohda, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perkey, William B.
• Application Number:
  US05/897,841
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 354/32-34, 354/60 R, 354/60 F, 354/105, 354/106, 354/109, 354/129, 354/135, 354/139, 354/149, 354/126-128, 354/145, 346/107 UP, 352/90, 352/93
• US Class Current: 396/155
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/007 Details of energy supply or management
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/243 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/08 Control effected solely on the basis of the response, to the intensity of the light received by the camera, of a built-in light-sensitive device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage

Abstract

In a camera provided with a data or auxiliary information recording device and an electronic flash device for illuminating an object scene to be photographed, another electronic flash device is provided for the illumination of data to be recorded. A single power source is used for both the above two electronic flash devices and an automatic exposure control circuit. To avoid a voltage drop of the power source during the operation of the exposure control circuit due to charging of the main capacitor for the electronic flash for the scene illumination, a power supply switch for the main capacitor charging circuit is manually closed independently of the camera exposure operation. A capacitor for energizing the electronic flash for the data illumination is charged in conjunction with the camera release operation before the camera exposure is commenced.

Claims

1. In a photographic system which includes means for effecting an exposure operation of a camera, means for initiating the exposure operation, a first electronic flash means for illuminating a scene to be photographed and means for recording auxiliary data on a film, the recording means having a second electronic flash means for illuminating the data to be recorded, a power supply control device comprising:

a first capacitor for energizing said first electronic flash means;

a second capacitor for energizing said second electronic flash means;

a voltage converter means for generating a voltage at an output terminal, said first and second capacitors being connected to said output terminal;

a first switch means manually operable independently of the camera exposure initiating means for permitting said first capacitor to be charged with the output voltage of said voltage converter; and

a second switch means operable by said initiating means for permitting said second capacitor to be charged with the output voltage of said voltage converter.

2. A power supply control device as in claim 1 further comprising a power source battery, and wherein said first switch means includes a first switch member disposed between said first capacitor and said voltage converter, and a second switch member disposed between said voltage converter and said power source battery, and said second switch means includes a third switch member connected in parallel with said second switch member.

3. A power supply control circuit as in claim 2 wherein said first and second switch members respectively include first and second mechanical contact switches interlocked with one another to be opened and closed simultaneously.

4. A power supply control device as in claim 2 wherein said first switch member includes a selector switch selectively settable to a first position for connecting only said first capacitor with said voltage converter, to a second position for connecting both said first and second capacitors with said voltage converter and to a third position for connecting only said second capacitor with said voltage converter, said second switch member being interlocked with said selector switch to be opened with said selector switch at said third position.

5. A power supply control device as in claim 1 wherein said second switch means includes a selector switch for selectively connecting either one or both of said first and second capacitors.

6. A power supply control device as in claim 5 further comprising a power source battery and a manual mechanical switch interposed between said power source battery and said voltage converter means and interlocked with said selector switch to be closed with said selector switch selecting said first capacitor.

7. A power supply control device as in claim 1, further comprising a first trigger switch means for triggering said first electronic flash means, a second trigger switch means for triggering said second electronic flash means, and a switch operating means for actuating said first and second trigger switch means in response to the commencement of a shutter closing operation.

8. A power supply control device as in claim 1, further comprising a first trigger switch means for triggering said first electronic flash means and a second trigger switch means for triggering said second electronic flash means, and wherein said camera further includes a shutter closing member and means for actuating said shutter closing member, said first and second trigger switch means being interlocked with said shutter closing member to be operated upon actuation of said shutter closing member.

9. A power supply control device as in claim 1 wherein said camera further includes an electric exposure control circuit, a power source battery connectable with said exposure control circuit and said voltage converter means, and a smoothing circuit member disposed between said power source battery and said exposure control circuit.

10. A power supply control device as in claim 9 wherein said second switch means is disposed between said voltage converter and said power source battery, and said first switch means includes means for selectively connecting said first capacitor with said voltage converter.