Multiple taking lenses, equal number flash bulbs, camera with flash-lens sequencing to reduce red-eye

• US 5,678,073 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Fiscella, Marcello David, Stephenson, Stanley Ward III
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAHONEY, CHRISTOPHER E
• Application Number:
  US08/655,045
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 354/120, 354/126, 354/132, 354/149.11, 354/114, 396/155, 396/162, 396/166, 396/168, 396/175, 396/176, 396/180, 362/11, 362/13
• US Class Current: 396/155
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0426 Mounting means comprising longitudinal slide and incorporated contacts (for multiple lamps)
• 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: G03B 15/0457 Ignition mechanisms for sequential ignition of flash lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/023 Multi-image cameras

Abstract

A camera has a plurality of taking lenses and an equal number of flash sources which are used in a 1:1 relationship that attempts to maximize the flash-to-lens distance in order to reduce red-eye.

Claims

1. A camera intended to be used with a plurality of flash sources arranged as a group in a successive order of the flash sources, comprising:

a plurality of taking lenses equal in number to the group of flash sources, and arranged as a group in a successive order of said taking lenses separate from the group of flash sources; and

control means for using only one of said group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the one used group and, simultaneously, for using the other one of said group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in a predetermined non-successive order different than the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the other used group, to attempt to maximize the flash-to-lens distance to reduce red-eye, with said taking lenses and the flash sources each being used only one at a time.

2. A camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said control means includes shutter means for uncovering and recovering respective ones of said taking lenses in their successive order and conductive means for igniting respective ones of the flash sources in the predetermined non-successive order.

3. A camera comprising:

a plurality of taking lenses arranged as a group in a successive order of said taking lenses;

an equal number of flash sources arranged as a group in a successive order of said flash sources separate from said group of taking lenses; and

control means for using only one of said group of taking lenses and said group of flash sources in the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the one used group and, simultaneously, for using the other one of the group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in a predetermined non-successive order different than the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the other used group to attempt to maximize the flash-to-lens distance to reduce red-eye eye, with said taking lenses and said flash sources each being used only one at a time.

4. A camera as recited in claim 3, wherein said control means includes triggering means centrally supported substantially within said group of taking lenses for rotation successive increments to use only one of the group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the one used group and, simultaneously, to use the other one of the group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in the predetermined non-successive order.

5. A camera as recited in claim 4, further comprising spring means biasing said triggering means for rotation successive increments, wherein said triggering means includes a plurality of stop means and a plurality of retention means each of which is equal in number to the equal number of said taking lenses and flash sources, and further comprising release means manually operable to disengage respective ones of said retention means and engage respective ones of said stop means to permit said spring means to rotate said triggering means successive increments.

6. A method of reducing red-eye for a camera of the type having a plurality of taking lenses arranged as a group in a successive order of the taking lenses, an equal number of flash sources arranged as a group in a successive order of the flash sources separate from the group of taking lenses, and operable means for using the respective taking lenses and the respective flash sources one at a time, comprises the steps:

using only one of the group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the one used group and, simultaneously, using the other one of the group of taking lenses and the group of flash sources in a predetermined non-successive order different than the successive order of whichever of the taking lenses or the flash sources is in the other used group to attempt to maximize the flash-to-lens distance to reduce red-eye with each one of the taking lenses and the flash sources being used only once.

7. A camera intended to be used with a plurality of flash sources arranged as a group in a successive order of the flash sources, comprising:

a plurality of taking lenses equal to the group of flash sources, and arranged as a group in a successive order of said taking lenses;

control means for using said group of taking lenses in the successive order of said taking lenses and, simultaneously, for using said group of flash sources in a predetermined non-successive order different than the successive order of the flash sources to attempt to maximize the flash-to-lens distance to reduce red-eye, with said taking lenses and the flash sources each being used only one at a time, and including a plurality of separate shutter blades movable unidirectionally independent of each other for uncovering and recovering the respective taking lenses one at a time in their successive order.