CA1159806A - Reflector unit for photoflash array - Google Patents
Reflector unit for photoflash arrayInfo
- Publication number
- CA1159806A CA1159806A CA000364544A CA364544A CA1159806A CA 1159806 A CA1159806 A CA 1159806A CA 000364544 A CA000364544 A CA 000364544A CA 364544 A CA364544 A CA 364544A CA 1159806 A CA1159806 A CA 1159806A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- reflector
- reflector unit
- unit
- depressions
- surface area
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
REFLECTOR UNIT FOR PHOTOFLASH ARRAY
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A reflector unit is shaped from a plastic sheet to provide a plurality of individual reflectors having raised radiation barriers between adjacent reflectors. Ribs are provided in the radiation barriers to prevent stacked reflector units from sticking together during manufacture of flash arrays. Downwardly extending cups are formed in a central area of the reflector unit to aid in the handling of stacked reflector units.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A reflector unit is shaped from a plastic sheet to provide a plurality of individual reflectors having raised radiation barriers between adjacent reflectors. Ribs are provided in the radiation barriers to prevent stacked reflector units from sticking together during manufacture of flash arrays. Downwardly extending cups are formed in a central area of the reflector unit to aid in the handling of stacked reflector units.
Description
11 ~5~3~
REFLECTOR UNIT FOR PHOTOFLASH ARRAY
The invention is in the field of photoflash arrays.
U.S. Patent No. 4,133,023 issued January
REFLECTOR UNIT FOR PHOTOFLASH ARRAY
The invention is in the field of photoflash arrays.
U.S. Patent No. 4,133,023 issued January
2, 1979 to Hanson discloses a photoflash array of the Flip Flash type having a reflector unit configured to provide a plurality of individual reflectors having raised radiation barriers between adjacent reflectors to prevent "sympathetic" flashing of lamps due to heat and/or light from an adjacent flashing lamp. An economical way of manufacturing the reflector units is to pressure-form heated plastic sheet material, such as with a mold and a vacuum and/or air pressure. The reflector unit is generally rectangular, and the individual reflectors and radiation barriers are transversely oriented along the length of the unit.
The radiation barriers have a tapered configuration so that the reflector units can be stacked in a nested manner for compact storage prior to being used in manufacturing flash arrays. Some manufacturing difficulties have been incurred, since the stacked reflector units sometimes stick together so tightly, because of the nested tapered radiation barriers, that it is difficult to remove the top unit, such as by a vacuum lifting arm, for positioning it into a flash array.
1 ~5~$$~6 A principal object of the invention is to proyide improyed reflector units for photoflash arrays, and to facilitate and improYe the manufacturing process.
The inyention comprises, briefly and in a preferred e~bodiment, a reflector unit for a photoflash arxay, shaped from a plastic sheet to provide a pluralit~v of individual reflectors having raised tapered radiation barriers between adjacent reflectors.
DownWardly extendin~ cups axe formed in a flat central area of the reflector unit so as to permit nested stacking of the reflector units and at a same time helping to preyent sticking together of the stacked units. The bottom regions of the cups are given a reduced diameter so that these bottom regions fit into the top regions of the cups in the next lower reflector unit of a nested stack of units, and the flanges of the cup bottom regions are on or near the flat central area of the lower reflector unit, to provide accuxately aligned vertical stacking of the reflector units and facilitate accurate positioning and lifting of each succeeding top reflector unit by a vacuum device applied to the flat central area, which device positions each reflector unit in a flash array.
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a prior art reflector unit.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fi~ure 2.
The xeflector unit 11 is generally the same, and fox the same purpose, as the xeflector unit 41 in the aboye-referenced Hanson patent. The reflector unit 11 is generally rectangular and is made from a thin sheet of plastic shaped to provide a plurality of transversely positioned individual reflectors 12a, 12b, 12c, etc., and transverseIy positioned raised radiation barriers 13a, 13b, 13c, etc. are respectively provided between adjacent individual reflectors. The reflector unit 11 is made by a pressure-forming technique in which a sheet of heated plastic is placed over a mold and air pressure is applied oyer the plastic and~or vacuum is applied between the plastic and the mold, so as to pull down portions of the plastic sheet into mold cavities to form the individual reflectors 12a etc., and at the same time formin~ the radiation barriers 13a, etc. The radiation barriers 13a, etc. are shaped so as to taper divergently from their ~ront apexes 14, as shown. This facilitates the pressure formIng of the reflector unit, and also facilitates removal of the shaped reflector unit from the mold. The tapered shapes of the radiation barriers also function as part of the individual reflectors, and help in the forward reflecting of light ~rom lamps when flashed, there being a flash lamp in each individual reflector in a completed unit, as disclosed in the above-referenced Hanson patent.
Preferably the reflector unit is made from white plastic material.
As is disclosed and claimed in the above-referenced patent application, ribs 16 or webs are formed in the concave back sides of at least some of the radiation barriers near their apexes 14, so that ~hen a plurality o~ reflector units 11 are stacked in nested manner, as shown in Fi~ure 3, the ribs 16 of each reflector unit rests on ape~es 14 of radiation barriers of the reflector unit beneath. This prevents the above-described undesirable wed~ing to~ether and sticking together of adjacent reflector units, and thus facilitates stacking and nesting of reflector units for stora~e and for their placement into flash assemblie~, and permits automatic e~uipment, such as vacuum arms, to readily lift reflector units from the top of the stack and place them in flash assemblies. The vacuum liftin~
may be applied to a flat area 17 of the unit.
1 15~36 ~D 7896 The ribs 16 are readily formed during pressure for,ming of the reflector units, by providin~
notches in the forming mold; the press,ure forming of the re~lector unit also ,foxms the ribs 16, and in so doing forms correspond.ing grooves 18 on the sides of the apexes 1~ of the radiation barriers 13a, etc. In a preferred embodiment, t~o ribs 16 axe provided in each of th.e end barriexs. 19, 2Q and one rib 16 is provided in each remaining barrier.
The webs 16 are formed, during the pressure-~orming step, b~ forcing together small areas of plastic on opposite sides of the radiation barrier near its apex,,thus forming webs transyerse to the apexes. The webs 16 should preferably be sufficiently narrow, such as 0.08 inches wide, so that the plastic material does not break a~ay to form cracks or holes at the web edges.
In accordance ~ith the present invention, the ~ront flat central area 17 of the reflector unit is provided with one or more cup-like depressions 26, 27 extending toward the rear of the unit. The bottom regions 28 of the depressions. 26, 27 have a reduced diameter so as to fi,t ~ithin the top regions o$ the cups in the next lo~er reflector o a nested stack of reflectors, as shown in Figure 3. The outex diameter of the bottom regions 28 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the` cups 26, 27. This nesting of the cups insures accurate vertical alignment of the stacked reflectors and thus impxoyes the accuracy of pos~tioning the reflector units into flash arra~s by a vacuum lifting mechanism Which. may comprise a pair of rubber suction cups on a hinged lifting arm; the suction cups are applied to the flat top center area 17 of the top reflector unit of the stack, around th.e respectiye alignment cups 26, 27. Preferably the ali~nment cups 26,,27 are dimensioned so that the flanges 29 at the reduced-diameter bottom xegions 28 rest on or are near the flat center area 17 of the next ~ ~5~8~
lower reflector unit, so that the center area 17 will not be appreciably distorted by the slight downuard pressure of the vacuum li~ter when it makes initial contact uith the reflector unit.
While pre~erred embodiments of the invention have been shown and des.crihed, various other embodiments and modifications thereof ~ill become apparent to persons skilled in the art, and uill fall within the scope of the inVention as de~ined in the following claims.
The radiation barriers have a tapered configuration so that the reflector units can be stacked in a nested manner for compact storage prior to being used in manufacturing flash arrays. Some manufacturing difficulties have been incurred, since the stacked reflector units sometimes stick together so tightly, because of the nested tapered radiation barriers, that it is difficult to remove the top unit, such as by a vacuum lifting arm, for positioning it into a flash array.
1 ~5~$$~6 A principal object of the invention is to proyide improyed reflector units for photoflash arrays, and to facilitate and improYe the manufacturing process.
The inyention comprises, briefly and in a preferred e~bodiment, a reflector unit for a photoflash arxay, shaped from a plastic sheet to provide a pluralit~v of individual reflectors having raised tapered radiation barriers between adjacent reflectors.
DownWardly extendin~ cups axe formed in a flat central area of the reflector unit so as to permit nested stacking of the reflector units and at a same time helping to preyent sticking together of the stacked units. The bottom regions of the cups are given a reduced diameter so that these bottom regions fit into the top regions of the cups in the next lower reflector unit of a nested stack of units, and the flanges of the cup bottom regions are on or near the flat central area of the lower reflector unit, to provide accuxately aligned vertical stacking of the reflector units and facilitate accurate positioning and lifting of each succeeding top reflector unit by a vacuum device applied to the flat central area, which device positions each reflector unit in a flash array.
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a prior art reflector unit.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fi~ure 2.
The xeflector unit 11 is generally the same, and fox the same purpose, as the xeflector unit 41 in the aboye-referenced Hanson patent. The reflector unit 11 is generally rectangular and is made from a thin sheet of plastic shaped to provide a plurality of transversely positioned individual reflectors 12a, 12b, 12c, etc., and transverseIy positioned raised radiation barriers 13a, 13b, 13c, etc. are respectively provided between adjacent individual reflectors. The reflector unit 11 is made by a pressure-forming technique in which a sheet of heated plastic is placed over a mold and air pressure is applied oyer the plastic and~or vacuum is applied between the plastic and the mold, so as to pull down portions of the plastic sheet into mold cavities to form the individual reflectors 12a etc., and at the same time formin~ the radiation barriers 13a, etc. The radiation barriers 13a, etc. are shaped so as to taper divergently from their ~ront apexes 14, as shown. This facilitates the pressure formIng of the reflector unit, and also facilitates removal of the shaped reflector unit from the mold. The tapered shapes of the radiation barriers also function as part of the individual reflectors, and help in the forward reflecting of light ~rom lamps when flashed, there being a flash lamp in each individual reflector in a completed unit, as disclosed in the above-referenced Hanson patent.
Preferably the reflector unit is made from white plastic material.
As is disclosed and claimed in the above-referenced patent application, ribs 16 or webs are formed in the concave back sides of at least some of the radiation barriers near their apexes 14, so that ~hen a plurality o~ reflector units 11 are stacked in nested manner, as shown in Fi~ure 3, the ribs 16 of each reflector unit rests on ape~es 14 of radiation barriers of the reflector unit beneath. This prevents the above-described undesirable wed~ing to~ether and sticking together of adjacent reflector units, and thus facilitates stacking and nesting of reflector units for stora~e and for their placement into flash assemblie~, and permits automatic e~uipment, such as vacuum arms, to readily lift reflector units from the top of the stack and place them in flash assemblies. The vacuum liftin~
may be applied to a flat area 17 of the unit.
1 15~36 ~D 7896 The ribs 16 are readily formed during pressure for,ming of the reflector units, by providin~
notches in the forming mold; the press,ure forming of the re~lector unit also ,foxms the ribs 16, and in so doing forms correspond.ing grooves 18 on the sides of the apexes 1~ of the radiation barriers 13a, etc. In a preferred embodiment, t~o ribs 16 axe provided in each of th.e end barriexs. 19, 2Q and one rib 16 is provided in each remaining barrier.
The webs 16 are formed, during the pressure-~orming step, b~ forcing together small areas of plastic on opposite sides of the radiation barrier near its apex,,thus forming webs transyerse to the apexes. The webs 16 should preferably be sufficiently narrow, such as 0.08 inches wide, so that the plastic material does not break a~ay to form cracks or holes at the web edges.
In accordance ~ith the present invention, the ~ront flat central area 17 of the reflector unit is provided with one or more cup-like depressions 26, 27 extending toward the rear of the unit. The bottom regions 28 of the depressions. 26, 27 have a reduced diameter so as to fi,t ~ithin the top regions o$ the cups in the next lo~er reflector o a nested stack of reflectors, as shown in Figure 3. The outex diameter of the bottom regions 28 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the` cups 26, 27. This nesting of the cups insures accurate vertical alignment of the stacked reflectors and thus impxoyes the accuracy of pos~tioning the reflector units into flash arra~s by a vacuum lifting mechanism Which. may comprise a pair of rubber suction cups on a hinged lifting arm; the suction cups are applied to the flat top center area 17 of the top reflector unit of the stack, around th.e respectiye alignment cups 26, 27. Preferably the ali~nment cups 26,,27 are dimensioned so that the flanges 29 at the reduced-diameter bottom xegions 28 rest on or are near the flat center area 17 of the next ~ ~5~8~
lower reflector unit, so that the center area 17 will not be appreciably distorted by the slight downuard pressure of the vacuum li~ter when it makes initial contact uith the reflector unit.
While pre~erred embodiments of the invention have been shown and des.crihed, various other embodiments and modifications thereof ~ill become apparent to persons skilled in the art, and uill fall within the scope of the inVention as de~ined in the following claims.
Claims (6)
1. A reflector unit for assembly into a photoflash array, comprising a sheet-like member shaped to provide a plurality of individual reflectors and having a substantially flat front surface area between two of said individual reflectors, said reflector units being contoured so that a plurality thereof can be stacked in nested manner, said flat surface area being intended to function as an area to which a vacuum device is applied for successively lifting the uppermost reflector units from the stack thereof, wherein the improvement comprises one or more cup-like depressions formed in said front surface area and extending rearwardly, said cup-like depressions being shaped to have an end region of reduced diameter and a flange connecting said end region to the next of the depression, and dimensioned so that when a plurality of said reflector units are stacked the reduced diameter end regions will fit into the cup-like depressions of an adjacent reflector unit and the flanges will be near or against the flat front surface area of said adjacent reflector unit, thereby improving the stacking alignment and also preventing said flat surface area from being appreciably distorted when said vacuum lifting device is applied thereto.
2. A reflector unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said cup-like depressions are cylindrical and the outer diameters of said end regions are approximately the same as the inner diameters of the depressions.
3. A reflector unit as claimed in claim 2, having a generally rectangular shape, said flat front surface area being at the center of the front side of the unit.
4. A reflector unit as claimed in claim 3, having a pair of said cup-like depressions aligned transversely to the length of the unit.
5. A reflector unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 4, shaped to have a plurality of tapered radiation barriers respectively between adjacent individual reflectors, and one or more ribs formed in the concavity and near the apex of one or more of said radiation barriers so as to permit nested stacking of a plurality of said reflector units and prevent adjacent reflector units from wedging together.
6. A reflector unit as claimed in claim 1 in which said sheet-like member is a white plastic material.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000364544A CA1159806A (en) | 1980-11-13 | 1980-11-13 | Reflector unit for photoflash array |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000364544A CA1159806A (en) | 1980-11-13 | 1980-11-13 | Reflector unit for photoflash array |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1159806A true CA1159806A (en) | 1984-01-03 |
Family
ID=4118432
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000364544A Expired CA1159806A (en) | 1980-11-13 | 1980-11-13 | Reflector unit for photoflash array |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1159806A (en) |
-
1980
- 1980-11-13 CA CA000364544A patent/CA1159806A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |