Multi-lamp flash wheel and camera

• US 5,649,242 A
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Bryant, Robert Cooper, O'Brien, Michael Joseph, Colleluori, Richard Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/642,138
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 354/142, 354/143, 354/144, 354/148, 362/11, 362/13, 362/14, 362/16, 431/359, 431/360, 431/362, 431/365, 396/191, 396/192, 396/193, 396/197, 396/200
• US Class Current: 396/191
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 5/02 ignited in a non-disrupting container, e.g. photo-flash bulb
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0405 Non-electronic flash apparatus incorporated in photographic apparatus

Abstract

In a camera, a circular array of flash lamps is arranged radially with respective ignition ends of the lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps. Each one of the lamps has respective ignition stems projecting from the ignition ends of the lamps to be struck to ignite the lamps. A one-piece reflector ring is located behind the circular array of lamps with respective disk portions of the reflector disk extending radially over each one of the lamps between the ignitions ends and opposite ends of the lamps to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially. A one-piece striker ring is located behind the reflector ring and has respective striker fingers extending radially over the lamps for striking the ignition stems of the lamps. The circular array of flash lamps, the reflector disk and the striker ring are supported for simultaneous rotation to position respective trios of the lamps, the disk portions and the striker fingers successively behind a flash emission window.

Claims

1. A multi-lamp flash wheel comprising:

a circular array of flash lamps arranged radially with respective ignition ends of said lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps, and each one of said lamps having an ignition stem projecting from said ignition end of the lamp to be struck to ignite the lamp; and

a one-piece striker ring located behind said circular array of flash lamps, and having respective striker fingers extending radially over said lamps for striking said ignition stems of the lamps.

2. A multi-lamp flash wheel as recited in claim 1, wherein said circular array of flash lamps surround a center opening which is radially inward of said ignition stems, said striker ring has a center opening radially inward of said striker fingers which is coaxially aligned with said center opening of said circular array of flash lamps.

3. A multi-lamp flash wheel as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a one-piece support ring located between said circular array of flash lamps and said striker ring, and having an annular array of ignition holes that house said ignition stems of the lamps and an annular ledge supporting said striker fingers for movement off said ledge into said ignition holes to strike the ignition stems.

4. A multi-lamp flash wheel as recited in claim 3, wherein said circular array of flash lamps surround a center opening which is radially inward of said ignition stems, said striker ring has a center opening radially inward of said striker fingers which is coaxially aligned with said center opening of said circular array of flash lamps, and said support ring has a center opening radially inward of said annular ledge which is concentric with said center opening of said circular array of flash lamps.

5. A multi-lamp flash wheel as recited in claim 4, wherein said ignition ends of the lamps face said center opening of the support ring and said opposite ends of the lamps face a circumference of the support ring.

6. A multi-lamp flash wheel comprising:

a circular array of flash lamps arranged radially with respective ignition ends of said lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps, and each one of said lamps having respective ignition stems projecting from said ignition ends of the lamps to be struck to ignite the lamps;

a one-piece reflector ring located behind said circular array of lamps with respective disk portions of said reflector ring extending radially over each one of said lamps between said ignitions ends and opposite ends of the lamps to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially; and

a one-piece striker ring located behind said reflector ring, and having respective striker fingers extending radially over said lamps for striking said ignition stems of the lamps.

7. A camera comprising:

a circular array of flash lamps arranged radially with respective ignition ends of said lamps relatively close to one another and respective opposite ends of the lamps relatively far from one another;

a one-piece reflector disk located behind said circular array of flash lamps with respective disk portions of said reflector disk extending radially over each one of said lamps between said ignitions ends and opposite ends of the lamps to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially;

a flash emission window; and

means supporting said circular array of flash lamps and said reflector disk for simultaneous rotation to position respective pairs of said lamps and said disk portions successively behind said window to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially through the window.

8. A camera comprising:

a circular array of flash lamps arranged radially with respective ignition ends of said lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps, and each one of said lamps having respective ignition stems projecting from said ignition ends of the lamps to be struck to ignite the lamps;

a one-piece striker ring located behind said circular array of lamps, and having respective striker fingers extending radially over said lamps for striking said ignition stems of the lamps;

a flash emission window; and

means supporting said circular array of flash lamps and said striker ring for simultaneous rotation to position respective pairs of said lamps and said striker fingers successively behind said window to emit flash illumination radially from the lamps through the window.

9. A camera comprising:

a circular array of flash lamps arranged radially with respective ignition ends of said lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps, and each one of said lamps having respective ignition stems projecting from said ignition ends of the lamps to be struck to ignite the lamps;

a one-piece reflector ring located behind said circular array of lamps with respective disk portions of said reflector disk extending radially over each one of said lamps between said ignitions ends and opposite ends of the lamps to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially;

a one-piece striker ring located behind said reflector ring, and having respective striker fingers extending radially over said lamps for striking said ignition stems of the lamps;

a flash emission window; and

means supporting said circular array of flash lamps, said reflector disk and said striker ring for simultaneous rotation to position respective trios of said lamps, said disk portions and said striker fingers successively behind said window to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially through the window.