Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4693582?dq=7181427
Timestamp: 2017-12-14 23:49:44
Document Index: 79647775

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5']

Patent US4693582 - Auxiliary light source for camera having automatic focusing device - Google Patents
An auxiliary light source for a camera having an automatic focusing device as an adapter attachable to a shoe part of the camera and which inhibits light measuring action during an auxiliary light emitting action for always obtaining accurate light measurement. The arrangement solves the following problems....http://www.google.com/patents/US4693582?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4693582 - Auxiliary light source for camera having automatic focusing device
Publication number US4693582 A
Application number US 06/858,544
Publication number 06858544, 858544, US 4693582 A, US 4693582A, US-A-4693582, US4693582 A, US4693582A
Inventors Masaharu Kawamura, Akira Hiramatsu
Patent Citations (13), Referenced by (54), Classifications (5), Legal Events (3)
Auxiliary light source for camera having automatic focusing device
US 4693582 A
An auxiliary light source for a camera having an automatic focusing device as an adapter attachable to a shoe part of the camera and which inhibits light measuring action during an auxiliary light emitting action for always obtaining accurate light measurement. The arrangement solves the following problems. In a camera of this type, the output of an automatic focusing sensor becomes too low for automatic focusing when automatic focusing is to be carried out under low light conditions. Systems contrived by the prior art to solve this problem have an auxiliary light source disposed within the camera for illuminating an object to be photographed during automatic focusing. However, since the auxiliary light source device is included within the camera, the auxiliary light is not effectively utilizable when a large lens such as a telephoto lens is used, since the auxiliary light is eclipsed by the lens barrel. Furthermore, when a light measuring circuit is operated during illumination by an auxiliary light, the light measurement output obtained for control would be affected by the illumination light making accurate light measurement almost unobtainable.
1. A lighting device to be used in combination with a camera having an automatic focusing device for adjusting the focus on an object to be photographed, said automatic focusing device working prior to an exposure control operation of the camera, and said lighting device comprising:
(a) a mount part which is attachable to a shoe part of said camera, wherein said shoe part of the camera is provided at a position above a pentagonal part of the camera and said mount part has a signal terminal which can be connected to a signal pin provided at the shoe part of the camera, further said signal pin is connected to a starting signal forming circuit which produces a starting signal prior to the exposure control operation of the camera; and
(b) an emitting source for projecting light to an object in response to said starting signal received through said signal pin and said signal terminal; and
wherein said automatic focusing device is of the accumulation type in which the operation of accumulating image signals is recycled, and said starting signal forming circuit produces said starting signal in such a way as to be in synchronism with the accumulating operation so that light is emitted from said emitting source at least during the image signal accumulating operation of said focusing device.
2. An auxiliary light adapter to be used in combination with a photographic camera having an automatic focusing device for adjusting a focus on an object to be photographed, said auxiliary light adapter comprising:
(a) a mount part which is attachable to a shoe part of said camera, said mount part being provided with a signal terminal which can be connected to a signal pin provided at the shoe part of the camera;
(b) a light emitting light source which emits a light to illuminate the object in response to an auxiliary light signal received through said signal pin and said signal terminal; and
(c) a mounting shoe part provided on the upper surface of the casing of the adapter for mounting a flash device on top of the adapter.
3. An auxiliary light adapter to be used in combination with a photographic camera having an automatic focusing device for adjusting a focus on an object to be photographed, said auxiliary light adapter comprising:
(a) a mount part which is attachable to a shoe part of said camera, said mount part being provided with a first signal pin and a second signal pin which are arranged to be connected respectively to an auxiliary light signal pin and a synchronizing switch pin which are disposed at the shoe part of the camera;
(b) a light emitting light source which emits a light to illuminate the object in response to an auxiliary light signal received through said auxiliary light signal pin and said first signal pin; and
(c) a mounting shoe part provided on the upper surface of the casing of the adapter for mounting a flash device on top of the adapter, said mounting shoe part being provided with a third signal pin which is connected to said second signal pin, said adapter being arranged such that, when a flash device is mounted on the adapter with the adapter mounted on said camera, a synchronizing switch signal is transmitted to the flash device through the synchronizing switch pin, the second signal pin and the third signal pin.
4. A lighting device which can be used in a camera system in which a shutter release action is carried out by an operation of an operating member and at the same time a focus detecting action is carried out in response to an operation of said operating member prior to said operation of the operating member for the shutter release action, comprising:
(a) a mount part which is attachable to a shoe part of said camera, wherein said shoe part of the camera is provided at a position above a pentagonal part of the camera and said mount part has a signal terminal which can be connected to a signal pin provided at the shoe part of the camera, further a signal from a signal forming circuit, which is produced by an operation of the operating member for performing the focus detecting action, is provided at said signal pin; and
(b) an emitting source for projecting light to an object in response to said signal received through said signal pin and said signal terminal; and
wherein said automatic focusing device is of the accumulation type in which the operation of accumulating image signals is recycled, and said signal forming circuit produces a signal so that light is emitted from an emitting source synchronously to the accumulating operation by said focusing device.
5. A photographic camera system, comprising:
A. a camera including:
(a) an automatic focusing device for adjusting a focal point;
(b) a signal forming circuit which forms an auxiliary light emission signal;
(c) a synchronizing switch; and
(d) a shoe part having a first signal output terminal for sending out said signal from said signal forming circuit and a second output terminal which is connected to said synchronizing switch;
B. an auxiliary light adapter including:
(a) a mount part provided with a first signal input terminal which is arranged to be connected to said first signal output terminal and with a second signal input terminal which is arranged to be connected to said second signal output terminal, said mount part being arranged to be attachable to the shoe part of the camera;
(b) an auxiliary light source connected to said first signal input terminal, said light source being arranged to emit an illumination light to illuminate an object to be photographed in response to said auxiliary light emission signal when the signal is received through said first signal input terminal; and
(c) a shoe part provided on the casing of the adapter, said shoe part being provided with a third signal output terminal which is connected to said second signal input terminal;
C. a flash device including:
(a) a mount part which is attachable either to the shoe part of said camera or to the shoe part of said auxiliary light adapter, said mount part of the flash device being provided with a third signal input terminal which can be connected either to the second signal output terminal of the shoe part of the camera or to the third signal output terminal of the shoe part of said adapter and with a fourth signal input terminal which can be connected to the first signal output terminal of the shoe part of the camera;
(b) a light emission circuit connected to said third signal input terminal; and
(c) a shoe part to which the mount part of said adapter can be attached, said shoe part being provided with a fourth signal output terminal which is connected to said fourth signal input terminal, said fourth signal output terminal being arranged to permit the first signal input terminal of the mount part of said adapter to be connected thereto.
6. A photographic camera system, comprising:
(a) an automatic focusing device for adjusting a focal point on an object to be photographed;
(b) a lens barrel;
(c) a signal forming circuit which forms an auxiliary light signal; and
(d) a shoe part disposed on said lens barrel, said shoe part being provided with a signal pin for sending out said auxiliary light signal.
(a) a mount part to be mounted on said shoe part, said mount part being provided with a terminal which is arranged to be connected to said signal pin; and
(b) an auxiliary light source which emits a light to illuminate the object in response to said auxiliary light signal coming through said signal pin and said terminal.
7. A photographic camera system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said auxiliary light signal is sent out when said automatic focusing device is in operation.
8. A control device for a camera system, said system performing, prior to the start of an exposure control, a focus detection for an object to be photographed by a passive type automatic focus detecting device, wherein said system projects the light from an auxiliary light source onto an object as illuminating light for the purpose of increasing the brightness of the object, thus illuminating the object with said illuminating light, further a light metering operation is performed, prior to the start of an exposure control in this system, for detection of the brightness information used in the exposure control, said system further comprising:
(a) signal forming means for producing, prior to an exposure control start, an actuating signal for actuating said auxiliary light source; and
(b) a prohibiting circuit for prohibiting a light metering circuit from performing a light metering operation during a period of time when said light source is operated.
9. The control device of claim 8, wherein said light metering circuit has a light receiving portion and storing means to which a signal corresponding to the output of said light receiving portion is transferred, whereby the light metering operation is prohibited by prohibiting the signal corresponding to the output of said light receiving portion from transferring to said storing means.
(a) a light metering circuit for starting, prior to an exposure control start, a light metering operation for detection of brightness information to be used in the exposure control;
(b) a passive type focus detecting device for performing, prior to the exposure control start, a focus detecting operation;
(c) an auxiliary light source for projecting light onto an object to be photographed, said light source illuminating the object by said light for the purpose of increasing the brightness of the object;
(d) a signal forming circuit for producing, prior to the start of an exposure control, an output signal for actuating said auxiliary light source; and
(e) a prohibiting circuit for prohibiting said light metering circuit from performing a light metering operation during a period of time when said light source is operated.
11. The camera system of claim 10, wherein said auxiliary light source is constructed so as to be isolated from said camera.
13. A camera system comprising an auxiliary light device, said device having an auxiliary light source for projecting the light onto an object prior to an exposure control start, wherein said light device projecting the light onto the object for the purpose of increasing the brightness of said object, said system comprising:
(a) a light metering circuit for starting, prior to an exposure control start, a light metering operation for detecting brightness information;
(b) passive type automatic focus detecting means for performing a focus operation, whereby when the light source emits light, said detecting means performs a focus detecting operation on the bases of light from the object illuminated with the light from said light source; and
(c) a control circuit for prohibiting the light metering operation when light from said light source is projected to the object.
14. The control circuit for a camera of claim 13, wherein said focus detecting means performs the focus detecting operation intermittently in the light metering step and said signal forming circuit produces the signal intermittently in synchronism with the focus detecting operation.
16. A camera of the type including a passive type automatic detecting device in which, when light from an auxiliary light emitting means is projected to an object to be photographed, a focus detecting operation is carried out in response to detection of light from the object in the illuminated state, and said auxiliary light emitting means projects light to the object for the purpose of increasing the brightness of the object, including:
(a) a light metering circuit for performing a light metering operation to detect the brightness for use in exposure control; and
(b) a control circuit for prohibiting said light metering circuit from detecting brightness when said auxiliary light emitting means is in operation.
17. The control device of claim 16, wherein said light metering circuit has a light receiving portion and storing means to which a signal corresponding to the output of said light receiving portion is transferred, whereby the light metering operation is prohibited by prohibiting the signal corresponding to the output of said light receiving portion from transferring to said storing means.
20. An automatic focusing system for a camera, comprising:
(a) focus detecting means for automatically carrying out a focus detection;
(b) an auxiliary light source for projecting auxiliary light onto an object;
(c) a light measuring circuit for measuring brightness level, the output of the measuring circuit being used for exposure control; and
(d) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary light source at the time of said detecting action by said focus detecting means, said circuit being rendered operative when the measured light value of said light measuring circuit represents the low brightness level.
21. In a camera system consisting of a camera and an auxiliary lighting device which can be attached to said camera and projects auxiliary light onto an object at the time of a focus detection, the improvement comprising:
(b) a light measuring circuit for measuring brightness level, the outut of the measuring circuit being used for exposure control; and
(c) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary light source at the time of said detecting action by said focus detecting means, said circuit being rendered operative when the measured light value of said light measuring circuit represents the low brightness level.
22. A control device for a camera system which has focus detecting means and an auxiliary light source for projecting auxiliary light onto an object and automatically carries out a focus detection by said focus detecting means, a light measuring circuit for measuring an object brightness, and an exposure control circuit for controlling an exposure on the basis of an output of the light measuring circuit, comprising:
(a) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary light source at the time of said focus detecting action by said focus detecting means; and
(b) control means for allowing said control circuit to operate when the output of said light measuring circuit represents the low brightness level.
(A) an auxiliary lighting device for projecting auxiliary light onto an object; and
(B) a camera including:
(a) a light measuring circuit for detecting a brightness of an object;
(b) focus detecting means for automatically carrying out a focus detection;
(c) an exposure control circuit for controlling the exposure on the bases of an output of said light measuring circuit; and
(d) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary lighting device when said focus detecting means operates at the time of a low level of brightness is detected by said light measuring circuit.
24. A control device according to claim 22, wherein said auxiliary light source is provided as an auxiliary lighting device which can be mounted onto a camera.
25. An automatic focusing system for a camera, comprising:
(b) an auxiliary light source for projecting auxiliary light onto an object; and
(c) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary light source at the time of said detecting action by said focus detecting means, said circuit operating at the time when there is a low brightness level, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detecting operation.
26. In a camera system consisting of a camera and an auxiliary lighting device which can be attached to said camera and projects auxiliary light onto an object at the time of a focus detection, the improvement comprising:
(a) focus detecting means for automatically carrying out a focus detection; and
(b) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary lighting device at the time of said detection by said focus detecting means, said circuit working at the time of a low brightness level, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detecting operation.
27. A control device for a camera system which has focus detecting means and an auxiliary light source for projecting auxiliary light onto an object and automatically carrying out a focus detection by said focus detecting means, comprising:
(b) control means for allowing an operation of said control circuit at the time of a low brightness level, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detecting operation.
(b) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary lighting device when said focus detecting means operates at the time of a low level of brightness, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detection operation.
29. A camera using a focus detecting system which projects light from an auxiliary light source onto an object by a focus detecting means for carrying out a focus detection comprising:
(a) control means for actuating said auxiliary light source at the time when the focus detecting means is put into operation; and
(b) a control circuit for driving said control means at the time when the brightness level is low, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detecting operation.
30. An automatic focusing system for a camera comprising:
(c) a control circuit for actuating said auxiliary light source when said detection action by said focus detection means is performed, said control circuit placing the light source in an inactive state automatically upon completion of the automatic focus detecting operations.
31. The system as in claim 30 wherein said focus detecting means is of the type in which focus detection is performed by accumulating image signals, and said light source enters an inactive state when the accumulating operation ends.
It is an object of this invention to provide a compact and lightweight auxiliary illumination device which is discretely arranged as an attachment or an accessory to be attachable to and detachable from the camera. With the auxiliary illumination device attachable to the camera as an accessory thereof, the device can be easily positioned away from the photo-taking optical axis, so that the above problem of having the auxiliary light flux eclipsed by a lens barrel, when a telephoto lens of a large aperture is mounted on the camera, can be effectively solved.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing by way of example a conventional method for mounting an auxiliary illumination device.
Referring to FIG. 1 which is an oblique view showing an auxiliary illumination device as an embodiment of the invention, reference numeral 1 indicates a camera body. A photo-taking lens 2 is mounted on a mount 9 of the camera body 1 by a known method. On the fore end of a lens barrel of the photo-taking lens 2 is provided an accessory shoe 5e for mounting an auxiliary illumination device 4. The auxiliary illumination device 47 in accordance with the invention serves as auxiliary light adapter and is provided with a mount part 5b attached to an accessory shoe 5a of the camera body 1 and another mount part 5c which permits other accessories such as a flash device, a remote control relese device, etc., to be mounted on the auxiliary illumination device 4. In this embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 4, the mount part 5a also serves as the conventional accessory shoe. However, the mount part 5a may be separate from the conventional accessory shoe. The auxiliary illumination device or auxiliary light adapter 4 is provided with an auxiliary light emitting part 6, which has an auxiliary light beam emitted in the direction of an optical axis by means of a light emitting element or a flash device toward an object to be photographed. The mount part 5a of the camera body 1 is provided with a signal pin 7a for controlling the light emission of the auxiliary light adapter 4 or for controlling other accessories. The signal pin 7a conductively connects with a contact which is not shown but is provided on the mount part 5b of the auxiliary light adapter 4 in such a way as to effect signal exchange therewith. The mount part 5c of the auxiliary light adapter 4 is provided with a signal pin 7b which effects signal exchange with other accessories for controlling them, when they are mounted on the adapter 4. Another signal pin 7d, which performs a similar function, is provided on the accessory shoe 5e disposed at the fore end part of the photo-taking lens. Meanwhile, a mount 9 of the camera body 1 is provided with signal pins 7c which effect control signal exchange with signals pins of the lens barrel through contacts provided on the lens 2 side. A reference numeral 8 indicates a known flash device which is attachable either to the accessory shoe 5a of the camera body 1 or to the mount part 5c of the auxiliary light adapter 4.
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U.S. Classification 396/104, 396/106