Photoflash lamp array having support structure on base

Claim 2

Support structure in a multilamp flash unit; said unit including a printed circuit board having a depending contact tab for insertion into an edge connector assembly, a plurality of flashlamps connected to said printed circuit board, and a base having an upper surface supporting said printed circuit board and a through-slot therein through which said contact tab extends and projects from the other side thereof; said support structure comprising: a pair of flexible bifurcated posts projecting from the upper surface of said base and located on opposite sides of said thrOugh-slot, each of said posts having a longitudinally extending slot aligned with said through-slot and within which said printed circuit board is received and seated, and each post having means toward the outer end thereof projecting from both sides of the slot therein which resiliently engage opposite sides of the printed circuit board seated in said slot, each projecting means having a flat surface bearing against a side of the printed circuit board, whereby said printed circuit board is fixedly located on said base and the position of said contact tab projecting through said throughslot is maintained in a predetermined dimensional relationsnip with respect to said base.

Claim 3

The support structure of claim 1 wherein said base and posts are formed from a plastic material, the slot in each post extends at least to the upper surface of said base, said projecting means comprises a protruding portion defined on each of the two plastic side walls of said post slot, the pair of protruding portions in each slot being disposed opposite one another toward the outer end of said slot, and the unflexed clearance between the protruding portions in each post slot, prior to assembly with said printed circuit board, is narrower than the thickness of said printed circuit board, while the remainder of said slot is wider than the thickness of said printed circuit board.

Claim 4

The support structure of claim 2 wherein each of said protruding portions has a flat surface parallel to the slot side wall from which it projects and bearing against a side of the printed circuit board seated in said slot, and each protruding portion has an inclined surface toward the outer end of the slot in which it is located to facilitate insertion of said printed circuit board into the slot during assembly of said unit.

Claim 5

A base for a multilamp flash unit, said unit including a printed circuit board having a depending contact tab for insertion into an edge connector assembly, and a plurality of flashlamps connected to said printed circuit board; said base comprising: means defining first and second spaced surfaces; means defining a through-slot in said base for receiving the depending contact tab of said printed circuit board whereby said tab may extend through and project from the other side of said base; a pair of flexible bifurcated posts projecting from the first surface of said base and disposed normal thereto, said posts being located on opposite sides of said through-slot, and each post having a slot disposed normal to said first surface and aligned with said through-slot for receiving said printed circuit board to provide support therefor; and means defining oppositely disposed protruding portions in each post slot toward the outer end thereof, the extremity of each of said protruding portions having a flat surface parallel to the post slot.

Claim 6

A base for a multilamp flash unit, said unit including a printed circuit board having a depending contact tab for insertion into an edge connector assembly, and a plurality of flashlamps connected to said printed circuit board; said base comprising: means defining first and second spaced surfaces; means defining a through-slot in said base for receiving the depending contact tab of said printed circuit board whereby said tab may extend through and project from the other side of said base; a pair of flexible bifurcated posts projecting from the first surface of said base and disposed normal thereto, said posts being located on opposite sides of said through-slot, and each post having a slot disposed normal to said first surface and aligned with said through-slot for receiving said printed circuit board to provide support therefor; and means defining oppositely disposed protruding portions in each post slot toward the outer end thereof, the extremity of each of said protruding portions having a flat surface parallel to the post slot.

Claim 7

The base of claim 4 wherein said base is formed from a plastic material, the slot in each post extends at least to the first surface of said base, and the clearance between the protruding portions in each post slot is narrower than the thickness of said printed circuit board, while the remainder of said slot is wider than the thickness of said printed circuit board.

Claim 8

The base of claim 5 wherein each protruding portion has an inclined surface toward the outer end of the slot which leads into and meets said flat surface.

Claim 9

The base of claim 6 further including means defining slot-shaped recess portions in said first surface which are longitudinally aligned with and located on opposite sides of said through-slot and within which said printed circuit board is seated, and wherein said post slots extend into said recess portions.

Claim 10

A multilamp flash unit comprising, in combination: a trough-shaped base member having a bottom wall defined by upper and lower spaced surfaces and a centrally located longitudinal through-slot in said bottom wall; a printed circuit board supported on the upper surface of said base member and hAving a depending contact tab extending through said through-slot and projecting from the lower surface of said base bottom wall for insertion into an edge connector assembly; a plurality of flashlamps connected to said printed circuit board; a plurality of reflectors respectfully disposed about said flashlamps and arranged to provide a linear array of lamp-reflectors; a transparent cover supported on said trough-shaped base and enclosing said flashlamps, reflectors, and printed circuit board; a pair of flexible bifurcated posts projecting upwardly from the upper surface of said base and located on opposite sides of said through-slot, each of said posts having a slot disposed normal to said first surface, aligned with said through-slot, and within which said printed circuit board is seated; and means projecting from both sides of each of said post slots which resiliently engage opposite sides of the printed circuit seated in said slot, each projecting means having a flat surface bearing against a side of the printed circuit board, whereby said printed circuit board is fixedly located on said base, and the position of said contact tab projecting through said through-slot is maintained in a predetermined dimensional relationship with respect to said base and cover assembly.

Claim 11

A multilamp flash unit comprising, in combination: a trough-shaped base member having a bottom wall defined by upper and lower spaced surfaces and a centrally located longitudinal through-slot in said bottom wall; a printed circuit board supported on the upper surface of said base member and hAving a depending contact tab extending through said through-slot and projecting from the lower surface of said base bottom wall for insertion into an edge connector assembly; a plurality of flashlamps connected to said printed circuit board; a plurality of reflectors respectfully disposed about said flashlamps and arranged to provide a linear array of lamp-reflectors; a transparent cover supported on said trough-shaped base and enclosing said flashlamps, reflectors, and printed circuit board; a pair of flexible bifurcated posts projecting upwardly from the upper surface of said base and located on opposite sides of said through-slot, each of said posts having a slot disposed normal to said first surface, aligned with said through-slot, and within which said printed circuit board is seated; and means projecting from both sides of each of said post slots which resiliently engage opposite sides of the printed circuit seated in said slot, each projecting means having a flat surface bearing against a side of the printed circuit board, whereby said printed circuit board is fixedly located on said base, and the position of said contact tab projecting through said through-slot is maintained in a predetermined dimensional relationship with respect to said base and cover assembly.

Claim 12

The unit of claim 8 wherein said base and posts are formed of a plastic material, the slot in each post extends at least to the upper surface of said base, said projecting means comprises a protruding portion defined on each of the two plastic side walls of said post slot with said flat surface being at the extremity of each protruding portion, the pair of protruding portions in each slot being disposed opposite one another toward the upper end of said slot, and the unflexed clearance between the protruding portions in each post slot, prior to assembly with said printed circuit board, is narrower than the thickness of said printed circuit board, while the remainder to said slot is wider than the thickness of said printed circuit board.

Claim 13

The unit of claim 9 wherein said flat surface of each of said protruding portions is parallel to the slot side wall from which it projects and bearing against a side of the printed circuit board seated in said slot, and each protruding portion has an inclined surface toward the end of the slot which leads into and meets said flat surface, said inclined surface facilitating insertion of said printed circuit board into the slot during assembly of said unit.

Claim 14

The unit of claim 10 wherein the upper surface of said base has slot-shaped recess portions which are longitudinally aligned with and located on opposite sides of said through-slot and within which said printed circuit board is seated, and said post slots extend into said recess portions.