Patent ID: 6351608
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A one-time-use camera and detachable flash system comprising:(a) a one-time-use camera having: a housing with a first mounting structure accessible on an outer surface of the housing; a taking lens, a built-in flash unit, the built-in flash unit having a charging circuit, a main flash capacitor, a first flash emission device fixedly mounted in the camera, and a flash trigger circuit including a trigger switch, and first and second externally accessible electrical terminals connected, respectively, to said main flash capacitor and to said flash trigger circuit; and (b) an external flash unit being devoid of a charging circuit and battery power supply and having: a housing with a second mounting structure thereon configured to mate with said first mounting structure, an electronically actuated flash trigger circuit, a second flash emission device, a first external electrical connection terminal connected to said second flash emission device, a second external electrical connection terminal connected to said electronically actuated flash trigger circuit, said first and second external electrical connection terminals being positioned on said external flash unit housing such that, when said external flash unit is mounted on said one-time-use camera, said second flash emission device is connected to said camera main flash capacitor and said electronically actuated flash trigger circuit is connected to said camera flash trigger circuit, and circuit means connected to said second external electrical connection terminal, said circuit means being operative during a photographing operation to disable said camera trigger circuit from initiating flash emission by said first flash emission device; whereby said electronically actuated flash trigger circuit is responsive to a pulse signal generated in said camera flash trigger circuit upon closure of said trigger switch to initiate flash emission by said second flash emission device and whereby said farther away spacing of said second flash emission device and disabling of said first flash emission device substantially eliminates red-eye effect from a subject being photographed.