Flash socket assembly

Claim 2

A photographic camera comprising: an electronic flash selecting circuit; and a discrete socket assembly for interfacing with said flash selecting circuit a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said discrete socket assembly comprising: means defining an entrance slot for the connector blade of a flash assembly, blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position, circuit support means for providing structural support for said flash selecting circuit, and electrical interfacing means for connecting said flash selecting circuit with the lamps of a flash assembly connected in said socket assembly, including contact means within said socket body for making electrical contact with the terminals on the connector blade of the flash assembly.

Claim 3

A photographic camera comprising: an electronic flash selecting circuit; and a discrete socket assembly for interfacing with said flash selectinG circuit a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said discrete socket assembly comprising: a socket body including means defining an entrance slot for the connector blade of a flash assembly, and blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position, circuit support means extending from said socket body for providing structural support for said flash selecting circuit, and electrical interfacing means for parallel connecting said flash selecting circuit with the lamps of a flash assembly connected in said socket assembly, including contact means within said socket body for making electrical contact with the terminals on the connector blade of the flash assembly.

Claim 4

A photographic camera comprising: an electronic flash selecting circuit; and a discrete socket assembly for interfacing with said flash selectinG circuit a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said discrete socket assembly comprising: a socket body including means defining an entrance slot for the connector blade of a flash assembly, and blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position, circuit support means extending from said socket body for providing structural support for said flash selecting circuit, and electrical interfacing means for parallel connecting said flash selecting circuit with the lamps of a flash assembly connected in said socket assembly, including contact means within said socket body for making electrical contact with the terminals on the connector blade of the flash assembly.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined by claim 2 wherein said flash selecting circuit includes an integrated circuit chip and wherein said circuit support means includes a support surface having therein a recess for receiving and protecting the integrated circuit chip.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined by claim 2 wherein said contact means comprise a set of resilient contact members arranged to engage the terminals when the connector blade of a flash assembly is inserted into said socket assembly.

Claim 7

A photographic camera comprising: a discrete socket assembly for use with a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying on a face thereof a set of electrical terminal strips for the lamps arranged in parallel along the direction of insertion of the flash assembly into the camera flash apparatus, comprising: blade support means for receiving the connector blade of a flash assembly and for guiding the blade into a predetermined operative position within said socket assembly, and contact means for making electrical contact with the terminal strips on the blade of a flash assembly comprising a stationary set of resilient contact members arranged to engage the terminal strips when the connector blade of a flash assembly is inserted into said socket assembly, said contact members exerting a predetermined loading on the blade producting frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly; an electronic flash selecting circuit and printed circuit means for electrically connecting said flash selecting circuit to said contact members for controlling the firing of the lamps of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly; and circuit support means comprising an extension of said assembly means for providing structural support for said flash selecting circuit.

Claim 8

A photographic camera comprising: a discrete socket assembly for use with a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying on a face thereof a set of electrical terminal strips for the lamps arranged in parallel along the direction of insertion of the flash assembly into the camera flash apparatus, comprising: blade support means for receiving the connector blade of a flash assembly and for guiding the blade into a predetermined operative position within said socket assembly, and contact means for making electrical contact with the terminal strips on the blade of a flash assembly comprising a stationary set of resilient contact members arranged to engage the terminal strips when the connector blade of a flash assembly is inserted into said socket assembly, said contact members exerting a predetermined loading on the blade producting frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly; an electronic flash selecting circuit and printed circuit means for electrically connecting said flash selecting circuit to said contact members for controlling the firing of the lamps of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly; and circuit support means comprising an extension of said assembly means for providing structural support for said flash selecting circuit.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined by claim 5 wherein said flash selecting circuit includes an integrated circuit chip and wherein said circuit support means includes a support surface having therein a recess for receiving and protecting the integrated circuit chip.

Claim 10

A photographic camera having a picture-taking axis, comprising: means on said camera for supporting a discrete socket assembly; a discrete socket assembly for use with a multilamp flash assembly having first and second like but oppositely facing linear arrays of lamps of common orientation and a lamp support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying on opposite faces of the blade corresponding in orientation to the orientation of the first and second arrays of lamps, first and second electrically isolated sets of electrical terminal strips for the lamps in the first and second arrays of lamps, respectively, the strips in each set being arranged in parallel along the direction of insertion of the flash assembly into the camera, said discrete socket assembly comprising: means defining an entrance slot for the connector blade of a flash Assembly, electrically insulative blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position, said blade support means including rear support surface means, and contact means for making electrical contact exclusively with the forwardly facing set of terminal strips on the connector blade of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly, comprising a stationary set of parallel and rearwardly facing resilient contact members arranged to register with and to engage the forwardly facing set of terminal strips with a lengthwise wiping action when the connector blade of a flash assembly is inserted into said socket assembly, said contact members exerting a predetermined loading of the blade against said rear support means which is such that the frictional forces exerted on the blade by said contact members and by said rear support surface means are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly; an integrated circuit electronic flash selecting circuit and printed circuit means for electrically connecting said flash selecting circuit and said contact members for controlling the firing of the forwardly facing lamps of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly; and circuit support means comprising an integral extension of said discrete socket assembly for providing structural support and protection for said flash selecting circuit and said printed circuit means.

Claim 11

A photographic camera having a picture-taking axis, comprising: means on said camera for supporting a discrete socket assembly; a discrete socket assembly for use with a multilamp flash assembly having first and second like but oppositely facing linear arrays of lamps of common orientation and a lamp support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying on opposite faces of the blade corresponding in orientation to the orientation of the first and second arrays of lamps, first and second electrically isolated sets of electrical terminal strips for the lamps in the first and second arrays of lamps, respectively, the strips in each set being arranged in parallel along the direction of insertion of the flash assembly into the camera, said discrete socket assembly comprising: means defining an entrance slot for the connector blade of a flash Assembly, electrically insulative blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position, said blade support means including rear support surface means, and contact means for making electrical contact exclusively with the forwardly facing set of terminal strips on the connector blade of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly, comprising a stationary set of parallel and rearwardly facing resilient contact members arranged to register with and to engage the forwardly facing set of terminal strips with a lengthwise wiping action when the connector blade of a flash assembly is inserted into said socket assembly, said contact members exerting a predetermined loading of the blade against said rear support means which is such that the frictional forces exerted on the blade by said contact members and by said rear support surface means are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly; an integrated circuit electronic flash selecting circuit and printed circuit means for electrically connecting said flash selecting circuit and said contact members for controlling the firing of the forwardly facing lamps of a flash assembly operatively connected in said socket assembly; and circuit support means comprising an integral extension of said discrete socket assembly for providing structural support and protection for said flash selecting circuit and said printed circuit means.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined by claim 7 wherein said flash selecting circuit includes an integrated circuit chip and wherein said circuit support means includes a support surface having therein a recess for receiving and protecting the integrated circuit chip.