The present invention relates to cameras.
In particular, the present invention relates to that type of camera which is capable of having an electronic flash device attached thereto, this flash device having for its charging circuit a spring-loaded switch which is normally open.
With certain known cameras of this type, the arrangement is such that when the electronic flash is not attached to the camera discharge of the flash device is prevented. For this purpose the flash device has a switch which assumes an open position when the flash device is not attached to the camera. However, an important disadvantage of this type of known device resides in the fact that special manipulations are required when the flash device is attached to the camera while an exposure is to be made without utilizing the flash device. For this purpose it is necessary on the one hand to adjust the camera to provide proper exposure settings while on the other hand it is required to open a second switch connected into the circuit of the flash device so as to prevent undesired operation of the flash device.
Thus, such a construction requires a pair of switches to be connected in series, and the result is that known flash devices of this type are subject to improper operation.
Other types of known cameras, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,479, have a flash device permanently connected to the camera and capable of receiving a flash lamp. With this type of camera the problem solved by the present invention does not arise. With this particular type of camera, the flash housing is opened by swinging the reflector upwardly with respect to the camera housing, and the camera is by this operation adjusted so as to assume the required flash setting instead of the previous exposure settings. Adjustment of the flash device according to given exposure settings is not possible.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds