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US4354750A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flash unit having a flash output control device

Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1981-01-19
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Granted: 1982-10-19
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Expires: 2001-01-19
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Abstract

Abstract In a flash unit including a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source; a flash discharge tube adapted to produce flashlight by the current from the power source portion; flash output control means for metering the reflected flashlight from an object and stopping light emission of the flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of light is reached, thereby effecting flash output control operation; and means using the battery as a power source and indicating performance or non-performance of the flash output control operation, there is provided control means for limiting the operation of the heavy current consuming source of the power source portion for a predetermined period during the indication.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • 👤 Osamu Maida

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 10:49
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/30; H05B41/32; H05B41/325; G; G03; G03B; G03B15/00; G03B15/02; G03B15/03; G03B15/05; G03B2215/00; G03B2215/05

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 111 words
A flash apparatus comprising: a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source; means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation; a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of reflected light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation; and control means responsive to said trigger signal for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said metering.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 111 words
A flash apparatus comprising: a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source; means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation; a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of reflected light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation; and control means responsive to said trigger signal for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said metering.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
A flash apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heavy current consuming source includes a DC-DC converter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 142 words
In a flash apparatus comprising a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source, means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation, a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation, and indicating means, using said battery as a power source, for indicating performance or non-performance of said flash output control operation, the improvement comprising: control means responsive to said trigger signal for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said metering and during said indicating by said indicating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 142 words
In a flash apparatus comprising a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source, means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation, a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation, and indicating means, using said battery as a power source, for indicating performance or non-performance of said flash output control operation, the improvement comprising: control means responsive to said trigger signal for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said metering and during said indicating by said indicating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
A flash apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said indicating means indicates non-performance of a flash output control operation, and said control means is responsive to said flash output control means for enabling the operation of said heavy current consuming source upon the occurrence of said flash ouput control operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 134 words
A flash apparatus comprising: a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source; means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation; a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of reflected light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation; indicating means, using said battery as a power source, for indicating the performance or nonperformance of said flash output control operation; and control means responsive to said flash output control means for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said indicating.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 134 words
A flash apparatus comprising: a power source portion including a battery and a heavy current consuming source; means for generating a trigger signal for initiating a flash operation; a flash discharge tube responsive to said trigger signal and using current from said power source portion for producing light to illuminate an object; flash output control means for metering the light reflected from the object and for terminating light emission from said flash discharge tube when a predetermined quantity of reflected light is received, thereby effecting a flash output control operation; indicating means, using said battery as a power source, for indicating the performance or nonperformance of said flash output control operation; and control means responsive to said flash output control means for inhibiting the operation of said heavy current consuming source during said indicating.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4122465A Cited
US4201463A Cited
US4162836A Cited
US4220407A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-10-18 1986-04-19 1986-10-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-10-18 1990-04-19 1990-10-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-10-18 1994-04-19 1994-10-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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