US4914461A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera having variable illumination angle strobe device and zoom lens
Assignee: Pentax Corp
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Filing: 1989-06-19
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Granted: 1990-04-03
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Expires: 2009-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A camera includes a zoom lens which has a group of variable power lenses for changing the focal length thereof, a variable illumination angle strobe device which has an illumination angle varying mechanism having a condenser lens, a light emitting tube and a light reflecting shade which are relatively movable in the optical axis direction to change the illumination angle. The illumination angle varying mechanism includes a device for controlling the illumination angle in association with the focal length of the zoom lens and a device for controlling the illumination angle independently of the first mentioned device.
Inventors
- 👤 Masakatsu Hori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:13
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B15/00; G03B15/02; G03B15/03; G03B15/05; G03B13/00; G03B13/02; G03B13/16; G03B2215/00; G03B2215/05; G03B2215/0503; G03B2215/0507; G03B2215/051
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A camera comprising a zoom lens which has a group of variable power lenses for changing the focal length of said lens, a variable illumination angle strobe device which has an illumination angle varying mechanism having a condenser lens, a light emitting tube and a light reflecting shade, said condenser lens, said light emitting tube and said light reflecting shade being relatively movable in the optical axis direction to change the illumination angle of said strobe device, wherein said illumination angle varying mechanism comprises association means for controlling the illumination angle in association with the focal length of the zoom lens and an independently driven means for controlling the illumination angle independently of the association means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A camera comprising a zoom lens which has a group of variable power lenses for changing the focal length of said lens, a variable illumination angle strobe device which has an illumination angle varying mechanism having a condenser lens, a light emitting tube and a light reflecting shade, said condenser lens, said light emitting tube and said light reflecting shade being relatively movable in the optical axis direction to change the illumination angle of said strobe device, wherein said illumination angle varying mechanism comprises association means for controlling the illumination angle in association with the focal length of the zoom lens and an independently driven means for controlling the illumination angle independently of the association means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a camera body to which said condenser lens is secured and wherein said illumination angle varying mechanism comprises a strobe case in which the light emitting tube and the light reflecting shade are integrally provided.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 2, wherein said association means comprises means for moving the strobe case in association with the focal length of the zoom lens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 3, wherein said independently driven means comprises means for moving the strobe case independently of the focal length of the zoom lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
A camera according to claim 4, wherein said association means comprises a cam plate which moves in association with the focal length of the zoom lens and which has a cam groove, a movable block which moves in the optical axis direction along the cam groove of the cam plate in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens, and means for intergrally connecting the movable block and the strobe case.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
A camera according to claim 5, wherein said means for integrally connecting the movable block and the strobe case comprises a connecting plate which is tiltably supported on the strobe case, an engagement pin which is provided on the end of the connecting plate that is adjacent to the movable block, an engagement hole which is formed in the movable block and in which the engagement pin can be fitted, and biasing means for biasing the connecting plate into an engagement position in which the engagement pin is fitted in the engagement hole.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A camera according to claim 6, wherein said independently driven means comprises disengaging means for inclining the connecting plate against the biasing means to disengage the engagement pin from the engagement hole.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A camera according to claim 6, wherein said disengaging means comprises an operation knob which is provided on the end of the connecting plate opposite to the engagement pin, said knob adapted to be actuated from the exterior of said camera body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A camera according to claim 8, wherein said movable block has a guide groove for the strobe case, wherein the engagement hole of the movable block is formed at one end of the guide groove so as to have a deeper bottom than the guide groove, whereby when the engagement pin is disengaged from the engaging hole, the strobe case is movable relative to the movable block.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A camera according to claim 9, further comprising driving means for independently moving the strobe case when the engagement pin is disengaged from the engagement hole of the movable block.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
A camera according to claim 10, wherein said driving means comprises an operation knob which is provided on the end of the connecting plate distant from the engagement pin and which can be actuated from the exterior of the camera body to slide and be pushed down.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A camera according to claim 11, further comprising means for indicating the guide number depending on the position of the operation knob.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A camera according to claim 12, wherein said indicating means comprises a scale on the camera body for representing the guide number.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A camera according to claim 13, further comprising reading means between the movable block and the strobe case for reading the guide number depending on the position of the strobe case which moves relative to the movable block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A camera according to claim 14, further comprising exposure control means for controlling the exposure in accordance with the guide number detected by the reading means which is connected to the exposure control means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A camera according to claim 9, wherein said guide groove of the movable block is inclined to be moved away from the strobe case in a rearward direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A camera according to claim 16, wherein said biasing means for biasing the connecting plate into the engagement position comprises a spring which biases the connecting plate toward the strobe case.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 5, further comprising abutment means for stopping the strobe case, which is moved by the independently driven means, at a desired position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A camera according to claim 18, wherein said abutment means is provided between the strobe case and the movable block which moves in association with the focal length of the zoom lens.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A camera according to claim 19, wherein said guide groove is provided with a rack which can be engaged by the engagement pin to stop the strobe case at a desired position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A camera according to claim 20, wherein said rack provides a plurality of abutment positions of the strobe case.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
A camera according to claim 21, wherein said movable block has a shallow guide groove which is shallower than the movable block guided groove for the strobe case, so that when the engagement pin is engaged in the shallow guide groove, the strobe case can be returned to its initial position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3798668A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-02 | 1993-10-02 | 1994-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-02 | 1997-10-02 | 1998-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-02 | 2001-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |