Universal mount for electronic flash unit

Claim 2

A universal electronic flash unit having mounted thereon an integral longitudinally and rotatably moveable post with a crosssection which fits into a percussive flash cube socket built in a camera, said moveable post making a mechanical connection between said flash unit and said camera, means for completing an electrical circuit between said flash unit and a shutter synchronized operator on the camera, and means for mechanically stabilizing said mechanical connection, said stabilizing means comprising a loNgitudinally adjustable bracket for fixedly attaching said flash unit on the camera.

Claim 3

The flash unit of claim 1 and means for reducing ''''red eye'''' by displacing said flash unit on said camera by a distance fixed by said moveable post and said bracket.

Claim 4

The flash unit of claim 1 and means for attaching said flash unit on said camera at a position displaced far enough away from the camera lens so that the image reflected by the subject''s eye will not normally directly strike the camera lens.

Claim 5

The flash unit of claim 1 wherein the moving post is a plastic plug for making said mechanical connection.

Claim 6

The flash unit of claim 1 wherein said bracket is slidingly attached to said camera by a thumb screw turned into a tripod socket on said camera.

Claim 7

The flash unit of claim 5 wherein said bracket has a resilient tip for providing a second point of attachment for cooperating with said thumb screw to reduce wobble between said bracket and camera.

Claim 8

The flash unit of claim 1 wherein said mechanical connection is free to rotate as a flash cube rotates on said camera.

Claim 9

A universal flash unit for mounting on a pocket type camera, the camera having a rotating socket for receiving a flash cube and a contact for completing an electrical circuit for causing the flash to go off in synchronism with the shutter, said flash unit comprising a housing including an electronic flash gun, a bracket for mounting the gun on the camera, and a freely rotatable post mounted to slide back and forth in a slot in said housing, said post being shaped to fit down into a socket in said camera which is normally adapted to receive a flash cube, the socket being further adapted to rotate after each exposure in order to present a new side of the flash cube, whereby the post is also able to rotate freely within said socket without effect on the flash unit.

Claim 10

A universal flash unit for mounting on a pocket type camera, the camera having a rotating socket for receiving a flash cube and a contact for completing an electrical circuit for causing the flash to go off in synchronism with the shutter, said flash unit comprising a housing including an electronic flash gun, a bracket for mounting the gun on the camera, and a freely rotatable post mounted to slide back and forth in a slot in said housing, said post being shaped to fit down into a socket in said camera which is normally adapted to receive a flash cube, the socket being further adapted to rotate after each exposure in order to present a new side of the flash cube, whereby the post is also able to rotate freely within said socket without effect on the flash unit.

Claim 11

The flash unit of claim 8 and electronical contact means which is operated responsive to the shutter operation of the camera for completing an electrical circuit to a contact area formed on the bottom of the flash unit, said area completing said electrical circuit regardless of the position where the flash unit is slid, whereby the electronic flash unit may be slipped back on the camera.

Claim 12

The flash unit of claim 9 wherein the flash unit may be positioned in an extended position with a sufficient distance between the flash and lens to reduce ''''red eye.''''

Claim 13

The flash unit of claim 10 and means for mechanically stabilizing the flash unit in the selected position, said stabilizing means comprising an ''''L-shaped'''' metal bracket attached at the end of one arm to the flash unit, the other end of the bracket having a slot formed therein for selectively enabling a longitudinal positioning of the flash unit in longitudinal position with respect to the camera.