Flash apparatus and camera using the same

• US 6,381,415 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Terada, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US09/619,687
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 396/62, 396/155, 396/175, 396/176, 396/200, 362/16, 362/17, 362/18
• US Class Current: 396/176
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0507 Pop-up mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0578 Flashtube mounting
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0582 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0592 installed in front of light emitter

Abstract

A flash apparatus is provided with a flash tube of the point light source type, a reflector, and a diffuser panel. The reflector reflects light flux from the flash tube forward. The diffuser panel is placed in a light flux passing position in front of the flash tube and the reflector and diffuses the light flux from the flash tube. The diffuser panel is so formed that diffusion angles of the light flux can vary with positions between a center corresponding to a light-emitting axis of the flash tube to a periphery concerning an area where the light flux from the flash tube passes.

Claims

1. A flash apparatus comprising:

a flash tube having a point light source;

a reflector which reflects light flux from said flash tube forward and whose shape is symmetrical with respect to a central axis of the point light source; and

a diffuser panel which is fixed and placed in a light flux passing position in front of said flash tube and said reflector for diffusing the light flux from said flash tube,

wherein said diffuser panel comprises a sheet having a flat surface and a flat undersurface that are parallel to each other, and said light flux from said flash tube is incident on the undersurface and emitted from the surface, and

wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that a diffusion angle indicating an extent of a diffusion range of said light flux passing through said diffuser panel varies with positions between;

(i) a center of said diffuser panel corresponding to said central axis of said point light source, and (ii) a periphery of said diffuser panel.

2. The flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that the diffusion angle indicating the extent of the diffusion range of said light flux passing through said diffuser panel increases toward said center of said diffuser panel as compared to said periphery of said diffuser panel.

3. The flash apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that the diffusion angle indicating the extent of the diffusion range of said light flux passing through said diffuser panel continuously increases from said periphery of said diffuser panel to said center of said diffuser panel.

4. The flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that said light flux passing through said periphery of said diffuser panel passes through said diffuser panel substantially without diffusion.

5. The flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffusion angle with respect to light flux from said flash tube that is perpendicularly incident on the undersurface of said diffuser panel is identical on respective different concentric circles around said central axis of said point light source.

6. The flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said identical diffusion angles on said respective different concentric circles vary in a radial direction with respect to said central axis of said point light source.

7. The flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reflector has a circular opening through which said light flux from said flash tube is emitted, and said diffuser panel is circular.

8. A flash apparatus for a camera, said flash apparatus comprising:

a flash tube having a point light source;

a reflector which reflects light flux from said flash tube forward and whose shape is symmetrical with respect to a central axis of the point light source; and

a diffuser panel which is formed of a sheet and which is fixed and placed in a light flux passing position in front of said flash tube and said reflector for diffusing the light flux from said flash tube,

wherein said diffuser panel is so formed that a diffusion degree of said light flux varies with positions between;

(i) a center of said diffuser panel corresponding to said central axis of said point light source and, (ii) a periphery of said diffuser panel, and

wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that the diffusion degree is varied between a vertical direction and a horizontal direction according to an aspect ratio of a rectangular photographic picture plane of said camera, thereby changing a circular region irradiated by light flux from said flash tube to a substantially rectangular region whose aspect ratio is substantially equal to the aspect ratio of said rectangular photographic picture plane.

9. The flash apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said diffuser panel is formed so that the diffusion angle indicating the extent of the diffusion range of said light flux passing through said diffuser panel increases toward said center of said diffuser panel as compared to said periphery of said diffuser panel.

10. The flash apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said diffusion angle with respect to light flux from said flash tube that is perpendicularly incident on the undersurface of said diffuser panel is identical on respective different ovals formed around said central axis of said point light source.

11. A flash apparatus for a camera, said flash apparatus comprising:

a flash tube having a point light source; and

a reflector which reflects light flux from said flash tube forward,

wherein an opening of said reflector from which said light flux is emitted is approximately rectangular, with mid-sections of short sides and long sides of the opening are bent inwardly towards said flash tube with respect to corners of said reflector, and

wherein an inner surface of said reflector which is a reflection surface comprises a reflecting surface having a first curved-face portion for determining a vertical irradiating light distribution and a second curved-face portion for determining a horizontal irradiating light distribution so that irradiating light distribution characteristics of said flash apparatus can approximately correspond to a size of a rectangular photographic picture plane having vertical and horizontal sides.

12. The flash apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first and second curved-face portions of said reflector comprise a curved portion whose shape changes continuously and smoothly in a diagonal direction of said rectangular photographic picture plane.