Abstract A flash device for a photographic camera either inhibits a flashing action or shifts the control mode of the camera from flash photography to daylight photography in cases where the object to be photographed is located outside of an adequately operable distance range. A pre-flashing action detects a distance to the object when a main capacitor is charged to a given level before the capacitor is fully charged for flash photography. Then flash photography is performed at an aperture value determined on the basis of the detected distance when the distance is within the adequately operable distance range. When the detected distance is outside of the adequately operable distance range, the main capacitor is further charged for an increased flashing power. Then the distance to the object is again detected by a second preflashing action before flash photography is carried out at an aperture value determined on the basis of the distance detected by the second pre-flashing action. The flash photography arrangement thus permits seizing a shutter chance for flash photographing an object located at a relatively short distance without waiting until the main capacitor is fully charged.
Inventors
👤 Hiroyuki Kataoka
👤 Masanori Yamada
👤 Nobuyuki Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-03 20:08
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B7/00; G03B7/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A flash device, comprising: (a) a power source battery; (b) a booster circuit for boosting the output of said power source battery; (c) a capacitor arranged to be charged with the output of said booster circuit; (d) a flash discharge tube connected in parallel to said capacitor; (e) a light measurement circuit arranged to measure a relfection light resulting from flashing by said flash discharge tube and coming from an object to be photographed; and (f) a processing circuit arranged to perform exposure control on the basis of the output of said light measurement circuit, said processing circuit including a voltage source, said voltage source being arranged to be charged with the output of said power source battery and being connected to said capacitor to supply a charging current of the capacitor to said voltage source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A flash device, comprising: (a) a power source battery; (b) a booster circuit for boosting the output of said power source battery; (c) a capacitor arranged to be charged with the output of said booster circuit; (d) a flash discharge tube connected in parallel to said capacitor; (e) a light measurement circuit arranged to measure a relfection light resulting from flashing by said flash discharge tube and coming from an object to be photographed; and (f) a processing circuit arranged to perform exposure control on the basis of the output of said light measurement circuit, said processing circuit including a voltage source, said voltage source being arranged to be charged with the output of said power source battery and being connected to said capacitor to supply a charging current of the capacitor to said voltage source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A flash device according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a second capacitor which is series connected to the parallel circuit of said flash discharge tube and said capacitor; and a connection point between the second capacitor and said parallel circuit is connected to said voltage source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A flash device, comprising: (a) a power source circuit; (b) a booster circuit for boosting the output of said power source circuit; (c) a capacitor arranged to be charged with the output of said booster circuit; (d) a flash discharge tube connected in parallel to said capacitor; and (e) a processing circuit for controlling a flash photography exposure, said circuit being connected to said power source circuit and said capacitor to be supplied with an output of said power source circuit, and also supplied with the charging current passing to the capacitor during the charging to said capacitor by said booster circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
A flash device, comprising: (a) a power source circuit; (b) a booster circuit for boosting the output of said power source circuit; (c) a capacitor arranged to be charged with the output of said booster circuit; (d) a flash discharge tube connected in parallel to said capacitor; and (e) a processing circuit for controlling a flash photography exposure, said circuit being connected to said power source circuit and said capacitor to be supplied with an output of said power source circuit, and also supplied with the charging current passing to the capacitor during the charging to said capacitor by said booster circuit.