Camera flash array and holder receptacle

A flash illumination system for photographic cameras including a foldable flash holder having a receptacle well formed to complement the base of a disposable flash array. The flash array base extends across the length of the array and is established by a rigid printed circuit board. Detent apertures in the board become aligned with detent projections when the flash array is inserted into the well. A retention bias is established exclusively by electrical contact blades in engagement with one face of the printed circuit board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to photographic equipment and more particularly, it 
concerns a flash illumination system for cameras. 
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,146 of B. K. Johnson and U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,231,645 of C. W. Davis, et al., disclose camera and foldable flash 
unit arrangements in which the flash unit is movable as part of the camera 
between an operative erect position and a folded storage position. In the 
erect position, working exterior components of both the camera (e.g., the 
objective lens, view finder, range finder and photometer) and the flash 
unit (e.g., the source of illumination) are conditioned in the 
conventional forwardly facing orientation for exposure of film carried in 
the camera. In the folded position, the flash unit fits into a 
complementing formation of the camera housing in a manner such that the 
same working components are completely enclosed by exterior casing 
portions of the camera and of the flash unit. As a result, not only is the 
use of flash illumination facilitated by simple movement of the flash unit 
to the erect position, but also the need for auxiliary casings and the 
like to protect sensitive camera components during storage and handling is 
completely avoided. 
The arrangements disclosed in the aforementioned copending applications are 
particularly suited for electronic flash units in which the source of 
illumination is permanently contained in the flash unit housing and 
presented at a window in a unit housing face which moves against the 
camera housing when the unit is moved to the folded position. As compared 
with cameras equipped with disposable flash bulbs or plural flash bulb 
arrays, cameras equipped with a folding or otherwise "built-in" electronic 
flash unit entail manufacturing costs which are reflected in a higher 
overall camera price. In order to make available a variably priced family 
of cameras related in terms of structural geometry and capable of using 
the same film, therefore, there is a need for low-cost cameras in which a 
source of flash illumination is accommodated simply by a receptacle in the 
camera and into which a disposable flash bulb or flash bulb unit may be 
inserted. Although such receptacles or flash holders traditionally have 
been incorporated in the camera housing, the folding flash unit geometry 
of the aforementioned copending applications has many advantages such as 
providing a protective enclosure for delicate camera components as 
mentioned. 
In contrast to electronic flash units, however, the adaptation of a pivotal 
flash holder for disposable bulbs for multi-bulb arrays presents several 
problems peculiar to the mechanical retention, electrical connection and 
general handling requirements of disposable flash bulb arrays. For 
example, the mechanical retention of the flash bulb array by the holder 
must be strong enough to allow pivotal movement of the holder by one who 
might grasp only the flash bulb array rather than the body of the holder. 
Damage to either the bulb array or to the holder as a result of such 
improper manipulation of the assembly must be avoided. Also, the 
mechanical or physical retention of the flash bulb array by the holder 
must be of sufficient structural integrity to maintain good electrical 
contact between bulb array terminals and contact terminals supported 
within the holder. Yet, in keeping manufacturing costs of the holder to a 
minimum these physical requirements must be attainable without complex 
structural components or component organizations which pose problems to 
manufacturing assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a highly effective flash 
illumination system is provided in which a folding holder and multi-bulb 
flash array structure are combined in an unique manner. The holder serves 
both as an electric receptacle and camera mounting for the flash array and 
as a cover or closure for protecting delicate components of a camera 
fitted with the holder. The flash array includes a plurality of individual 
flash bulbs enclosed by a preformed and folded envelope secured to an 
elongated, rigid supporting board having a linear bottom edge to be 
received in a complementing slot forming part of a receptacle well in the 
holder. Retention of the array in the holder is through a detent 
arrangement under a biasing force supplied exclusively by electrical 
contact blades in the holder. The supporting board, coupled with the shape 
of the base portion of the array and the receptacle configuration provides 
rigidity against bending and also excludes insertion of an improper flash 
array into the holder. 
Among the objects of the present invention are, therefore: the provision of 
an improved flash illumination system for cameras; the provision of such a 
system having a holder which serves both to protect camera components and 
also to locate a disposable flash bulb array in a desirable position with 
respect to the camera; and the provision of a foldable flash holder and 
flash array assembly which is easily handled, ruggedly assembled and 
mutually exclusive from the standpoint of preventing the insertion of 
improper flash bulb arrays. 
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention 
will become apparent from the detailed description to follow taken in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are 
designated by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the accompanying drawings, the flash holder of the present invention is 
generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and in FIGS. 1 and 2, is 
shown assembled with a camera 12. Although many features of the flash 
holder 10 to be described are adaptable to cameras other than the camera 
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a brief description of the camera 12 to 
which the holder 10 is particularly suited for use will facilitate an 
appreciation of certain structural and functional characteristics of the 
present invention. 
The camera 12 is of a well known general class of instant or 
self-developing cameras and, as such, includes a base section 14 having a 
latched pivotal door housing 15 through which a pack of film units may be 
loaded into the base section. Also as is well known, individual film units 
are discharged through an opening 16 in the door housing after exposure. 
The upper front portion of the camera housing overlying the door housing 
is defined on its exterior by an apron 18 which extends rearwardly to a 
forwardly facing lens mount wall 20 which as shown in FIG. 2, is in the 
nature of a vertical front face on the exterior housing of the camera 12. 
The wall 20 joins with a pair of sidewalls 22 and a top wall 24, the 
latter joining with an inclined rear wall 26 to form an interior exposure 
chamber. Also, the top wall 24 extends rearwardly to a view finder 
eyepiece 28 as shown in FIG. 1. 
Presented in the front face 20 are various exterior optical components of 
the camera including an objective lens 30 and a view finder lens 32. In 
addition, a photocell window 34 may be provided in the front face 20 
assuming the camera to be equipped with an automatic exposure control 
system. In the disclosed camera, an actuating button 36 is shown displaced 
laterally of the lens mount wall 20 at the juncture of the sidewall 22 
with the base section 14. 
As implied by the alternative positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the 
flash holder 10 is pivotally supported from the camera 12, specifically 
the sidewalls 22 thereof, for movement between a folded or closed position 
as shown in FIG. 1 to an unfolded or erect position as shown in FIG. 2. 
Inasmuch as the primary function of the holder 10 is to receive and 
support a disposable flash bulb unit or flash array 38, the holder 10 is 
provided with an elongated receptacle well 40 which generally complements 
the array 38 to mechanically retain and also to electrically connect the 
flash array 38 with a power supply and switching components (not shown) 
within the housing of the camera 12 all in a manner to be described in 
more detail below. 
As may be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, wherein the 
flash holder 10 is in its erect condition, the overall geometric 
configuration of the holder may be related to a pair of mutually 
orthogonal reference planes, that is, a first reference plane A and a 
second reference plane B. Thus, a pair of sidewalls 41 and 42 which are 
perpendicular to both reference planes A and B, extend in one direction 
from the reference plane B and carry inwardly projecting pintle formations 
44 to establish a pivotal axis in the plane A spaced from and parallel to 
the reference plane B. A cover portion 46 projects forwardly of the first 
reference plane A on the side of the plane B opposite to the side thereof 
from which the sidewalls extend. A receptacle well 40 is located in a rail 
or rail-like formation 45 between the reference plane A and the cover 
portion 46. Finally, the rail formation 45 extends around the well 40 to a 
rear wall portion 48 which is spaced slightly to the rear of the reference 
plane A. 
In a copending application Ser. No. 175,422, filed concurrently herewith by 
the inventors F. Finnemore and J. Morse and entitled "Foldable Flash 
Holder Assembly," now abandoned and replaced by application Ser. No. 
270,144, filed June 3, 1981, the holder 10 is described and illustrated in 
detail to be comprised of a snap fit assembly of three molded plastic 
parts. Since the assembly of these parts involves a separate invention, 
the parts are not completely shown in the drawings appended hereto. On the 
other hand, the parts appear in the cross-section of FIG. 3 and include a 
hood component 50, a contact retainer 52 and an underhousing component 54. 
Also it will be noted from FIG. 3 that the hood component 50 is an 
integral molding of a suitable synthetic resinous material shaped to 
provide the previously described sidewalls 41 and 42, rail formation 45, 
cover portion 46 and the rear wall 48. The hood 50, moreover, provides a 
basic supporting structure for all other components of the holder 10. 
As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the receptacle well 40 is defined by 
the hood component 50 and the contact retainer 52 to establish an 
elongated rectangular mouth circumscribed by front, back and side edges 
56, 58 and 60, respectively, in the hood component 50. As shown in detail 
in FIG. 3, an inwardly and downwardly inclined wall 61 extends from the 
front edge 56 to a relatively narrow, elongated receptacle slot 62 having 
a front surface 64, a rear surface 66 which is generally flush with the 
back edge 56 of the mouth of the receptacle well 40, and end surfaces 68 
(FIG. 5) which are flush with the side edges of the receptacle mouth. In 
FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom, or floor 70, of the well 40 is shown to include 
a pair of laterally spaced fore/aft ribs 72. Thus, it will be seen that 
the major portion of the well 40 is defined by structure included in the 
contact retainer 54 whereas little more than the mouth of the well is 
defined by structure incorporated in the hood 50. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of resilient metal contact blades 74 
are supported by the contact retainer 52. The blades 74 are positioned 
centrally of the well 40 and each is of a configuration to provide a 
connecting end 76 and contact end 78. The connecting ends 76 of the 
several contact blades are confined by a slot 80 in the contact retainer 
52 so that struck out tangs 82 on the blades make electrical contact with 
individual conductive strips on a flexible, ribbon-like cable 84. The 
cable extends to control circuitry (not shown) contained within the camera 
12. 
The central portions of the blades 74 are bent as shown in FIG. 3 to be 
supported by a rail portion 86 of the contact retainer 52. In light of the 
connecting ends 76 being anchored in the slot 80, therefore, the contact 
ends of the several blades 74 project rearwardly in cantilever fashion 
past the front surface 64 of the receptacle slot 62 against the rear 
surface of the slot. In this latter respect, it will be noted by reference 
to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, for example, that the rear surface 66 of 
the receptacle slot 62 is provided with a centrally disposed planar boss 
formation 88, the front surface of which is displaced forwardly of the 
rear surface 66 of the receptacle slot 62. Thus normally, the contact ends 
78 of the blades 74 will be biased against the surface of the planar boss 
8. Also, it will be observed that on opposite ends of the boss 88 a pair 
of lugs 90 project forwardly beyond the planar surface of the boss 88 for 
reasons which will be described in more detail below. 
The physical construction of the flash array 38 may be appreciated from the 
illustrations in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings. A plurality of, 
specifically ten, individual flash bulbs 92 are positioned in a 
corresponding number of reflector cells 94 defined by an integral, 
prestamped and folded sheet or envelope of transparent plastic material 
having a back panel 96 and a front panel 98 (FIGS. 3 and 6). The back 
panel is shaped to provide the cells 94 and is interiorally coated with a 
polished reflective material such that each cell 94 provides a reflector 
for the respective flash lamp 92 positioned therein. The front panel 98 is 
transparent and extends from a top edge or fold 100 downwardly to an 
inclined bottom section 102 (FIG. 3) which terminates in a vertical bottom 
skirt 104. The front and back panels 96 and 98 are sealed to each other 
along side edges 105 and 106 (FIG. 5). 
Primary structural support for the flash array 38 is provided by a printed 
circuit board 108 formed, for example, of phenolic resins or of glass 
reinforced epoxy resin in accordance with conventional practice in the 
circuit board art. The circuit board 108 is provided with upstanding 
fingers 110 which extend within the cells 94 behind the lamps 92. Also, it 
will be noted that at least the bottom edge 112 of the board 108 is linear 
and extends throughout the length of the entire flash array 38. The 
envelope of transparent plastic material including the panels 96 and 98 
are secured to opposite sides of the board 108 by suitable means such as 
staples 114. Printed circuit terminals 116 extend below the skirt 104 of 
the front panel in a position to be engaged by the contact ends 78 of the 
blades 74. 
A pair of apertures 118 are punched through the lower edge of the board 108 
so as to register with the lugs 90 on opposite sides of the planar 
embossment 88 in the back surface 66 of the receptacle well 40. Also, and 
as shown in FIG. 6, a lower central portion of the back panel 96 is cut 
out at 120 so that the back surface of the circuit board 108 may lie 
directly against the front face of the planar embossment 88. 
To insert the flash array 38 into the receptacle well 40, the flash array 
is pressed downwardly into the well until the bottom edge 112 of the 
printed circuit board 108 engages the fore/aft ribs 72. When the flash 
array has reached this position, the apertures 118 will have registered 
with the lugs 90 and the contact ends 78 of the blades 74 will be in firm 
engagement with the printed circuit terminals 116 on the board 108. The 
contact blades 74 serve also to retain the board 108 firmly against the 
planar front surface of the embossment 88 so that the lugs 90 will be 
retained in the apertures 118. Removal of the array from the receptacle is 
the reverse of insertion but will require a sharp pull for the apertures 
118 to clear the lugs 90. 
As may be observed in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the tapered bottom wall 102 
on the flash array 38 complements the inclined wall 61 of the receptacle 
well 40 in a manner such that any force applied to the flash array 30 
after its insertion into the well 40 in a direction tending to pivot the 
holder 10 between its closed and erect positions as shown, respectively, 
in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be transmitted from the flash array 30 to the holder 
primarily by the relatively strong circuit board 102 but in addition, by a 
moment arm extending between the lugs 90 against the inclined wall 61. 
Moreover, the extension of the board 102 completely throughout the length 
of the flash array and of the receptacle well further strengthens the 
assembly of the array in the well. 
Also it will be noted that insertion of the flash array 38 into the well 40 
is guided by numerous cooperating control surfaces. For example, lateral 
positioning of the lamp array is controlled by opposite ends of the board 
102 engaging the end walls 68 of the well. The enlarged mouth of the well 
together with the inclined wall 61 assures that the board will be directed 
easily into the slot 62. The fore/aft ribs 72 at the bottom of the well 
limit the extent to which the board may be inserted. Also, the 
complementing tapered conformation at the base of the envelope front panel 
98 and of the wall 61 prevent improper insertion of the array into the 
well. Finally, the configuration of the well and of the flash array base 
is unique in camera flash illumination systems and, therefore, will 
prevent insertion of a flash array which is not designed for use with the 
holder 10 and the camera 12. 
Thus it will be appreciated that as a result of the present invention, a 
highly effective flash illumination system is provided. It will be 
apparent to those skilled in the art from the preceding description, and 
it is further contemplated, that changes and/or modifications may be made 
in the embodiment described and illustrated herein without departure from 
the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that the 
foregoing description is illustrative of a preferred embodiment only, not 
limiting, and that the true spirit and scope of the present invention will 
be determined by reference to the appended claims.