GB2106261A

GB2106261A - Camera having integral flash

Info

Publication number: GB2106261A
Application number: GB08224632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hen Long Tseng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-02
Filing date: 1982-08-27
Publication date: 1983-04-07

Abstract

A camera having a viewfinder 4 and lens 7 has an integral flash unit 2 which pivots about legs 20 into a stored position in a recess 22 above the lens, without obscuring the lens or viewfinder. The flash unit is releasably latched in stored and operative positions by engagement of plate spring catch 24 into respective V- shaped notches 20a and 20b. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved camera This invention relates to a camera incorporating a flashlight unit.

Cameras have become popular nowadays, but at night or indoors a flashlight must usually be used, and in this respect the camera and the flashlight must inevitably be used together.

However, the traditional camera body and the flashlight are often separate from each other and in this case the flashlight has to be inserted when in use, and detached when not in use; consequently, it takes time to insert and this frequently causes the missing of important scene to be shot. Moreover, it is inconvenient for carrying the two articles separately.

Recent new types of cameras have their bodies and the flashlights combined together, but due to the difficulty in design, the flashlight is usually situated at the left-hand side of the camera, and as a result the light is not evenly spread out; in case where the flashlight is disposed at the center, it would cover up the lens and cause much inconvenience during the taking of photographs by exposing the flashlight unit.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of such camera in which the flashlight unit may be placed in an erect condition of use, and in a rest position for non-use without covering the lens or viewfinder, such that the normal use of the camera is not impeded in either condition of the flashlight unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved camera equipped with a flashlight which can be turned and hidden into the camera body in a simple way, so that it can be kept away from inadvertent blows, and further the insertion of the flashlight unit into an L-type groove by a push-up control makes the camera body very easy and convenient for storing and carrying.

According to the present invention in one aspect a camera, having a body with a lens directed forwardly therefrom, includes pivot means by which a flashlight element carried on leg means can be moved into a rest condition in which the flashlight unit as a whole lies within a recess of the body substantially without protrusion from the general contour of the body, and into an erected condition in which the flashlight element stands on its pivoted legs above the camera body, the flashlight unit being above, and clear of, the lens in both positions.

Preferably, the camera body includes a viewfinder disposed between the pivoted legs of the flashlight unit, the latter being arranged so that the flashlight element is not positioned in front of the viewfinder in either its erected condition or its rest condition.

The flashlight unit may be releasably located in its erect and rest conditions by a catch means, e.g. a resiliently loaded catch engaging in respective notches of an arcuate portion of the leg means.

In accordance with one aspect, the invention relates to a camera characterised in its flashlight unit, pinned to the camera body, being able to stand erect on top of the camera when in use and turned down to rest in a L-type groove on top of the camera face down when not in use. The flashlight unit has two legs each is pinned to the camera body at the foot so that the said unit may be turned up and down. While the flashlight unit is in use it is turned up to the working position and while it is not in use it is turned down to the folding position above the camera lens without covering it (lens) up. Therefcre, the camera may function no matter what position the flashlight unit is in.

According to a still further aspect there is provided a camera with a flashlight unit, which mainly comprises an opaque shell, a lightreceiving element including a lens, and a shutter button; the said light-receiving element is positioned at the front surface of the shell and the shutter button is positioned at the right-hand side on top of the camera; a flashlight unit is connected to a flashlight base by two legs which are pinned to the camera body at the foot and further provides a block to occupy and fill an Ltype groove so that the whole flashlight unit becomes a rectangular integration after it is turnedto the rest position.

In order that the nature of the invention may be readily ascertained, an embodiment of a camera in accordance with the invention is hereinafter particularly described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective front elevation of the camera, with a flashlight unit in erected condition; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the camera, with the flashlight unit in erected condition; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the camera, with the flashlight in erected condition, to show the manner in which the flashlight unit may be turned down to a rest condition; Figure 4 is a partial side elevation to show a detail of a catch mechanism for locating the flashlight unit in its respective erected and rest conditions; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the camera with the flashlight unit turned down and in the rest condition;; Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the camera, with the flashlight unit turned down in the rest condition; Figure 7 is a plan view of the camera, with the flashlight unit in erected condition; Figure 8 is a plan view of the camera with the flashlight unit in rest condition.

The camera 1 carries a foldable flashlight unit 2 which is movable onto the top of the opaque camera body shell 3 of the camera into the erect condition of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7, and into the rest condition of Figures 5, 6 and 8.

Inside the front wall of the body shell, the camera has a viewfinder 4 above a light-receiving assembly having a front portion 5 with a mount 6 for a lens 7. Other lenses are situated internally. A push plate 8 is for light-sensing serves for control of the exposure index. A push plate 9 is for control of aperture setting, and a push plate control 10 is for distance setting. The front of the camera body shell 3 has at the centre a U-type chassis structure 11 to form inclined planes at right and left sides to allow insertion of the lens assembly and the light-receiving push-plate 8. On the top plate 1 3 of the body are a shutter release 14, a film winding pin 15, and a film winding reel 16 is located at the end portion of the back plate 1 7 of the shell.The shutter release button 14 on the top plate 1 3 can operate the shutter mechanism located in the camera shell 3 to help the aperture opening set the quantity of light projected by reflection from the object to be shot, and when pressing the shutter release button 14, the shutter will be activated to open and allow an adequate quantity of light to enter. A portion 1 8 of the body bounds a recess into which extend pivot pins 1 9 serving to support in freely rotatable manner two legs 20 carrying the flashlight element 21. Further, its special shape forms an integration when it is entering the L-type grooves 22. The flashlight unit as a whole can be moved downwardly through 900 about the axis of the pin 19 from the erected position until the element 21 rests against the upper surface of the front portion 5.

As seen in Figure 4, the flashlight unit is releasably latched in its two positions by the mechanism 23 having the plate spring catch 24 which can engage into V-type notches 20a and 20b formed in circular flanges of the legs 20.

The legs 20 include the latching mechanism 23. As shown in Fig. 4, the latching mechanism 23 includes the pins 1 9 fixed to the legs 20 and serving rotatably to couple the body shells 1 and the portion 18 of the top plate 13, the legs 20 with V-type notches 20a 20b at one end and the plate spring catch 24 of the pivot means at the center of the top plate 13 of the shell 1.

The connection between the camera body and the flashlight unit 2 is an engaged connection which is at the engaged position of the flashlight 21, and this position can be changed by application of force, for instance, it can be turned in several stages by the hand.

The advantages of the present invention are that, when the flashlight unit 2 is in the folded position, the flashlight element 21 can be kept in the L-type groove 22 to shield it from knocks. In the meantime, the normal use of the camera is not impeded when the flashlight element 21 is in rest position, so that it can be readily used without erecting the flashlight. Further, the fact that the lens 7 is deeply embedded in the front portion 5 prevent it from dirt, staining and knocks.

Claims

1. A camera, having a body with a lens directed forwardly therefrom, includes pivot means by which a flashlight element carried on legs means can be moved into a rest condition in which the flashlight unit lies within a recess of the body substantially without protrusion from the general contour of the body, and into an erected condition in which the flashlight element stands on its pivoted legs above the camera body, the flashlight unit being above, and clear of, the lens in both positions.

2. A camera, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body includes a viewfinder disposed between the pivoted legs of the flashlight unit, said unit being arranged so that a flashlight element thereof is not positioned in front of the viewfinder in either its erected condition or its rest condition.

3. A camera, as claimed in either of Claim 1 and 2, wherein the flashlight unit is releasably located in its erect and rest conditions by a catch means.

4. A camera, as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said catch means is a resiliently loaded catch engaging in respective notches of an arcuate portion of the leg means.

5. A camera having a body shell, a flashlight unit including a flashlight element, a pair of legs connecting the flashlight element to the body shell, pivot pins connecting the legs to the body shell, and catch means acting between the body snell and said legs to hold the legs releasably at predetermined positions of pivoting.

6. A camera as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said catch means comprises V-shaped grooves at the ends of the two legs, and a crown plate spring secured in the camera shell.

7. A camera, as claimed in either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein said flashlight unit is arranged so as not to cover the camera lens when not in use.

8. A camera substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.