Photoflash lamp-reflector module and miniature multiflash units for photographic cameras

Claim 2

A photoflash device comprising the combination of; a photoflash lamp that has a tubular envelope which contains hafnium fuel and an oxygen fill and is of such diameter and length that the envelope volume is less than 0.6 cc., and a reflector having an arcuate rear wall portion, that is in nested relationship with the lamp envelope and has substantially flat outwardly-diverging side wall segments that define an opening in the front of the reflector the maximum width dimension whereof is from about 1.2 to 2 times as large as the diameter of the lamp envelope, the amounts of hafnium fuel and oxygen within said envelope being so correlated that the device produces a zonal light output of at least 460 lumen-seconds when the lamp is flashed.

Claim 3

The photoflash device of claim 1 wherein; said reflector is of spherical configuration, and the front opening of said reflector is circular.

Claim 4

The photoflash device of claim 1 wherein; said oxygen has a fill pressure of at least six atmospheres, and said hafnium fuel is in the form of metal shreds.

Claim 5

The photoflash device of claim 3 wherein the contained amounts of hafnium fuel and oxygen are such that the oxygen stoichiometry is approximately 90 percent.

Claim 6

The photoflash device of claim 1 wherein; the arcuate rear wall portion of the reflector is of circular cross-sectional configuration, and said reflector includes a top wall that encloses the top of the lamp envelope.

Claim 7

The photoflash device of claim 5 wherein; said lamp envelope is terminated at one end by a protruding tip, and the top wall of said reflector has a recess therein that accommodates the envelope tip.

Claim 8

The photoflash device of claim 5 wherein; said envelope has a volume between about 0.4 and 0.6 cubic centimeter, and the top and side wall segments of the reflector are so disposed that the front opening of said reflector is substantially rectangular.

Claim 9

The photoflash device of claim 7 wherein the diameter of said lamp envelope is approximately 9 mm.

Claim 10

The photoflash device of claim 7 wherein the envelope and the circular rear wall portion of the reflector have substantially the same radius of curvature.

Claim 11

The photoflash device of claim 7 wherein the radius of curvature of the circular rear wall portion of the reflector is greater than that of said envelope.

Claim 12

The photoflash device of claim 7 wherein; said envelope has a diameter of approximately 9 mm. and a length of about 16 mm., and said reflector has an overall height of approximately 17 mm.

Claim 13

The photoflash device of claim 7 wherein; said envelope has a diameter of approximately 9 mm. and a length of about 22.5 mm., and said reflector has an overall height of approximately 23.5 mm.

Claim 14

A miniature multiflash unit for a photographic camera comprising; a plurality of photoflash lamp-reflector modules disposed in predetermined array with the lamp envelopes disposed within the respective reflectors, said modules being of the same shape and size and having an overall height leSs than about 25 mm. and a width less than about 15 mm., said reflectors having an arcuate rear wall portion and substantially flat outwardly diverging side wall portions that define a front opening the maximum width dimension whereof is from about 1.2 to 2 times as large as the maximum width dimension of the associated lamp envelope, and said photoflash lamps being disposed in nested relationship with the arcuate rear wall portions of the associated reflectors and containing hafnium fuel and an oxygen fill in amounts that are so correlated that the lamps each produce a zonal light output of at least 460 lumen-seconds when flashed, a base member holding said lamp-reflector modules in arrayed position, a cover of light-transmitting material enclosing said arrayed lamp-reflector modules and fastened to said base member, and contact means on said base member electrically connected to selected lamps of the respective modules.

Claim 15

A miniature multiflash unit for a photographic camera comprising; a plurality of photoflash lamp-reflector modules disposed in predetermined array with the lamp envelopes disposed within the respective reflectors, said modules being of the same shape and size and having an overall height leSs than about 25 mm. and a width less than about 15 mm., said reflectors having an arcuate rear wall portion and substantially flat outwardly diverging side wall portions that define a front opening the maximum width dimension whereof is from about 1.2 to 2 times as large as the maximum width dimension of the associated lamp envelope, and said photoflash lamps being disposed in nested relationship with the arcuate rear wall portions of the associated reflectors and containing hafnium fuel and an oxygen fill in amounts that are so correlated that the lamps each produce a zonal light output of at least 460 lumen-seconds when flashed, a base member holding said lamp-reflector modules in arrayed position, a cover of light-transmitting material enclosing said arrayed lamp-reflector modules and fastened to said base member, and contact means on said base member electrically connected to selected lamps of the respective modules.

Claim 16

The miniature multiflash unit of claim 13 wherein; said cover is of generally cubical configuration and encloses four lamp-reflector modules arranged in back-to-back relationship, and said base member is of rectangular configuration and has a depending post and said unit thus comprises a miniature flashcube.

Claim 17

The miniature flashcube of claim 14 wherein; each of said photoflash lamps have a tubular envelope that has a predetermined diameter, the hafnium fuel in said lamps comprises metal shreds, and the overall height of said miniature flashcube is less than 36 mm.

Claim 18

The miniature multiflash unit of claim 13 wherein; said lamp-reflector modules are disposed in planar array in two rows with the modules in one row positioned in staggered back-to-back relationship with the modules of the other row, and said multiflash unit is of generally rectangular shape and has a length less than 105 mm. and an overall height less than 43 mm.

Claim 19

The miniature rectangular-shaped multiflash unit of claim 16 wherein; each of said lamps have a diameter of about 9 mm. and a volume between about 0.4 and 0.6 cc., and said unit has an overall height of approximately 37 mm. and a length of approximately 72 mm.

Claim 20

The miniature multiflash unit of claim 13 wherein said lamp-reflector modules are disposed in side-by-side circular array and said unit is thus of flat cylindrical configuration.

Claim 21

The miniature cylindrical-shaped multiflash unit of claim 18 wherein; said unit contains twelve lamp-reflector modules, each of the lamps are closed at one end by a press seal, and said base member has a series of spaced openings therein that accommodate only the press seal portions of the respective lamps and said lamps are thus each partly recessed in said base member.

Claim 22

The miniature cylindrical-shaped 12-lamp flash unit of claim 19 wherein a quantity of heat-sensitive colored material is disposed on said cover in heat-receptive proximity with each of the respective lamps and thus serves as a means for visually indicating the condition of the lamps.