JP3135505B2 - Variable illumination angle strobe device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illumination angle variable strobe device which varies an emission angle by changing the position of a light source with respect to a reflector, and more particularly to a flash device which corresponds to a set focal length set in a photographing lens to be used. The present invention relates to an irradiation angle variable strobe device which can realize variable setting of a light emission irradiation angle with high accuracy and at low cost.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electronic flash for a camera described in JP-B-62-51453 has been used as an illumination angle variable strobe device that varies an emission angle by changing the position of a light source with respect to a reflector. Variable optical angle devices are well known.

[0003] Such a light distribution angle varying device is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), a front reflector 1 fixed to a fixing member (not shown) and a light source 3 such as a flash discharge tube which is located on the bottom side of the front reflector 1 are provided. It comprises a rear reflector 2 and a drive device (not shown) which makes the rear reflector 2 reciprocally movable (arrow P).

As shown in FIG. 1A, when the rear reflecting mirror 2 is separated from the front reflecting mirror 1 via a driving device, a desired subject (not shown) is directly transmitted from the light source 3 to a desired subject (not shown). The emitted light beam 3a, the light beam 3b reflected through the rear reflecting mirror 2 toward the center, and the light beam 3c reflected through the front reflecting mirror 1 are respectively distributed and irradiated. The light beam 3 moves as it moves toward the bottom (arrow Q) of the partial reflecting mirror 1.
a, 3b, and 3c are condensed to be in a light distribution irradiation state corresponding to the angle of view of a telephoto lens (not shown). As shown in FIG. As the distance from the bottom of the front reflecting mirror 1 to the open side (arrow R) increases, the light beams 3a, 3b, and 3c are diffused, and a light distribution irradiation state corresponding to the angle of view of a wide-angle lens (not shown) is obtained. Therefore, light source 3
The illumination angle of the light emitted from the light source 3 can be variably set in accordance with the angle of view of the lens used by slightly reciprocating the lens.

Specifically, for example, in order to obtain a light emission irradiation angle corresponding to a shooting angle of view of a shooting lens having a focal length of 24 mm to 85 mm, according to the apparatus having the above-described configuration, the light source is directed to the reflector. Just move about 4mm
It has been confirmed by the present applicant that the emission angle can be controlled with an extremely small amount of movement compared to a movement distance of about 20 mm, which is required in the case of a configuration in which a very common light source and a reflector are integrally moved. And as a result,
The configuration described above can be expected to have the effect of greatly reducing the size of the device.

[0006]

However, since the light distribution angle varying device as described above has a structure in which the light source is moved with respect to the reflector, a slight deviation in the movement amount of the light source causes a large emission angle. This inherently has the difficulty of controlling the movement and stopping of the light source with very high precision.

[0007] That is, when the light emission irradiation angle, which fluctuates when the object to be moved is simply moved by 1 mm, is viewed at the corresponding focal length, the light source and the reflector described above are generally moved integrally. (85-24) / 20
= 3.05 mm, while the configuration for moving the light source is:
(85−24) /4=15.25 mm, and the configuration in which the light source is moved has a much wider focal length range to be accommodated by the 1 mm movement. In other words, the focal length that can be accommodated by a slight movement of the light source is larger. This greatly fluctuates, and as a result, extremely accurate positioning control of the light source is required.

[0008] Further, when looking at the fluctuation of the guide number when the moving object is moved by 1 mm, in the case of a general configuration in which the light source and the reflector are integrally moved, it is about 0.1 EV. On the other hand, in the case of a configuration in which the light source is moved, about 0.5
It becomes an EV, and it is necessary to control the positioning of the light source with high precision also from the viewpoint of the guide number fluctuation characteristics.

According to experiments conducted by the inventors of the present invention, it has been confirmed that, for example, when a flash discharge tube having a total length of up to about 50 mm is moved as a light source, it is necessary to perform positioning with respect to the reflector with an accuracy of ± 0.1 mm. And therefore
In the case of automatically controlling the driving of the light source, it is conceivable to use a stepping motor as a driving source of the driving device, move the light source a predetermined distance very quickly, and stop it.

However, even if the light source is accurately moved and stopped using a stepping motor, assembling the positional relationship between the reflector and the light source with an accuracy of ± 0.1 mm at the time of manufacturing requires a consideration of mass productivity. It is very difficult, that is, the irradiation angle at each position moved as well as the reference position on the device easily set to the light distribution angle variable device is deviated from the design value, and the above-described configuration Has inherently had a disadvantage that it is not possible to set an accurate light distribution state corresponding to the angle of view of the lens used.

In order to cope with the above-mentioned inconveniences, for example, a position detecting means for detecting that the light source is located at an appropriate position within the moving range of the light source is provided, and the position detected by this means is provided. It is conceivable to configure a variable light distribution angle device so that the movement of the light source is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor from the reference position by combining the stepping motor with the reference position as the reference position.

With this configuration, the light source can be moved after the light source is once moved to the reference position. In other words, at the time of manufacturing, the light source is assembled so as to be positioned within the movable range. Therefore, the movement of the light source can be controlled to a desired state irrespective of the assembling accuracy. Therefore, for example, the reference position with respect to the reflector is adjusted so that it can be accurately recognized as an absolute position corresponding to an appropriate light distribution state. By setting, the light source moving operation as described above can be used in association with the light distribution angle control variable operation.

As an adjustment / setting method for accurately recognizing the reference position described above, for example, the position detecting means is configured so that the position of the light source that can be detected can be changed within the moving range of the light source, and the arrangement of the light source can be changed. The light characteristics can be measured, the light source is moved to a position where it can be detected at present, the light is emitted, and the light distribution characteristics at that time become the reference light distribution characteristics set in advance as the light distribution characteristics at the reference position. A method of adjusting the position detected by the position detecting means can be considered.

However, the above method requires a complicated position detecting means having a complicated structure capable of changing the position of a light source which can be detected, and requires a large and expensive light distribution measuring device during the manufacturing process, and also requires a long time before the adjustment is completed. Since it requires a certain amount of time, it still has disadvantages in terms of mass productivity and manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned disadvantages, and can control the movement of a light source to an appropriate position including a position recognition with respect to a reflector with a simple configuration. The variable setting of the emission angle corresponding to the focal length set in
It is an object of the present invention to provide an illumination angle variable strobe device which can be realized at low cost.

[0016]

According to the present invention, a light source is provided on a reflector by a driving source .
Move within the movement range defined by the light source movement groove ,
An illumination angle variable strobe device that varies a light emission illumination angle by varying a position of the light source with respect to the reflector, wherein the light source is formed by a light source moving groove provided in the reflector.
The mechanical movement limit position within the specified movement range
That whereas by forcibly moving the end, mechanical movement
The one end, which is the limit position, is set as the origin position, the movement of the light source to the desired control position is controlled based on the origin position, which is the one end, and the light source is mechanically moved.
The forcible movement to the one end, which is the movement limit position ,
The illumination angle variable strobe device is configured to perform at least based on the number of movements of the light source to the desired control position.

Thus, the position of the light source with respect to the reflector is at least the mechanical movement limit position determined by the forcible movement of the light source performed at least in response to the number of movements of the light source to the desired control position. To be able to control based on the origin position which is an end , for example, to be able to recognize and control based on information indicating a moving distance from the origin position to the other end required for moving the light source to a desired control position, and the like. Therefore, the movement control operation of the light source including the recognition of the origin position can be performed in a short time with a configuration mainly based on an electrical configuration without using a complicated mechanism. It is possible to provide an irradiation angle variable strobe device which can realize a variable setting of a light emission irradiation angle corresponding to a focal length set in a lens with a simple configuration and which can be realized with high accuracy and at low cost. It becomes door.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the first aspect of the present invention, a light source is provided in which a light source is provided on a reflector by a driving source.
An irradiation angle variable strobe device that moves in a movement range defined by a groove and changes a light emission irradiation angle by changing a position of the light source with respect to the reflector , wherein the light source is provided on the reflector. Specified by the light source movement groove
By forcibly moving to one end which is the mechanical movement limit position within the above-mentioned movement range , the mechanical movement limit position
The one end is set as the origin position is, the moving operation to a desired control position of the light source to control based on the home position is the above one end, mechanical movement limit position of the light source
Wherein the forcible movement of the light source to the one end is performed based on at least the number of times of movement of the light source to the desired control position. The position with respect to the umbrella can be recognized and controlled based on, for example, information indicating a movement distance from the origin position required for moving the light source to the desired control position toward the other end, and a confirmation operation of the origin position can be performed. At least based on the number of times of movement of the light source to the desired control position, the movement of the light source including the recognition of the origin position can be controlled mainly without using a complicated mechanism. With such a simple configuration, the operation can be performed within a short time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light source machine in the illumination angle variable strobe device according to the first aspect.
The forcible movement to one end which is the
This is done even when the power is turned on.
As in the first aspect of the invention, the operation of controlling the movement of the light source can be performed with a simple configuration mainly including an electrical configuration, and the operation of confirming the origin position can be performed by turning on the power. Will have in state.

[0020] The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention, according to claim 1 to the machine in the irradiation angle varying flash device according to 2
One end is械的movement limit position, which has a bottom end portion of the reflector in the light source moving groove provided in the reflector, the same operation as the invention described in claim 1 or 2 Have.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram including a partial cross section showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of a variable irradiation angle strobe device according to the present invention.

The present embodiment is an example in which the forcible movement operation of the light source can be performed not only by the number of operations but also by turning on the power or an appropriate command operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment has a substantially semi-elliptical cross section and a light source 9 described later on its side.
A reflector 4 provided with a light source moving groove 5 for defining a moving range of the light source, a driving source 7 fixed to a fixed base 6, for example, a stepping motor, and fixed to an output shaft of the driving source 7 for forward / reverse rotation By being provided so as to reciprocate by screwing with the rotating worm gear 8, the light source 9, for example, a flash discharge tube, located in the reflector 4 can reciprocate in the light source moving groove 5 of the reflector 4. Light source holding member 1 for holding
0, a drive circuit 11 for driving the drive source 7 in accordance with the supplied drive signal, and various drive signals for controlling the drive operation of the drive source 7 are generated and output to the drive circuit 11 And a supply control means 12.

The control means 12 in the present embodiment, as will be described later, as shown in FIG.
3, a current position storage unit 14, a first comparison unit 15, a movement information generation unit 16, an operation information storage unit 17, a reset operation information storage unit 18, and a second comparison unit 19.

When the focal length information corresponding to the set focal length set in the photographing lens of the camera is input from the input terminal 13a, the control movement information generating means 13 outputs one end of the moving range of the light source 9 to the other end. That is, the reflecting umbrella 4
It is necessary to move the light source 9 from the origin position, which is one end of the light source moving groove 5, which is the moving range defined by the above, to the desired control position where the emission angle of illumination corresponding to the set focal length can be set. This is a means for setting and outputting a movement amount as control movement information.

The current position storage means 14 detects the current position of the light source 9 as an amount of movement from the above-mentioned origin position based on, for example, a drive signal for moving the light source 9 output by a movement information generating means 16 to be described later. This is a means for storing as current position information and supplying the stored contents to a first comparing means described later from an output terminal 14b, and further stores the stored contents to a second comparing means 19 and the like described later to a reset terminal 14a. When the reset information is input, this means operates to reset the content indicating the origin position with the highest priority.

The first comparing means 15 stores the current position storing means 1
4 compares the current position information stored in step 4 with the control movement information set and output by the control movement information generating means 13 to obtain a difference between the two information, and outputs sign information and absolute value information of the difference. is there.

The movement information generating means 16 includes the first comparing means 1
The light source 9 receives the code information and the absolute value information output from the light source 9.
Is generated from the current position to the desired control position, and the movement information is used as a drive signal by the drive circuit 1.
1 as well as a current position storage unit 14 and an operation information storage unit 17 which will be described later.

The movement information generating means 16 receives information in response to power-on or an appropriate command signal via a forced input terminal 16a, or supplies control information from a second comparing means 19 to be described later. As a result, forced movement information for forcibly moving the light source 9 to the origin position, which is one end of the light source movement groove 5, which is the above-described movement range, is generated prior to the generation of the movement information. This is a unit that operates to supply the movement information to the drive circuit 11 as a drive signal.

Further, when the movement information generating means 16 supplies the forced movement information to the drive circuit 11, at the same time, the storage contents are set to the contents indicating the origin position with the highest priority in the resetting terminal 14a of the current position storage means 14. Outputs the forced setting information to instruct to restart.

The operation information storage means 17 receives the movement information output by the movement information generation means 16 and detects and stores the number of times of operation of the movement information generation means 16 as operation information, and further stores the stored operation information. The reset operation information storage means 18 is a means for supplying to a second comparing means 19, which will be described later. The reset operation information storage means 18 is a preset reset information for detecting that the movement information generating means 16 has been operated a predetermined number of times. This is a unit that stores the setting operation information and supplies the stored reset operation information to a second comparing unit 19 described later.

The second comparing means 19 stores the operation information storing means 1
Operation information and reset operation information storage means 1
When the operation state of the movement information generating means 16 reaches a predetermined operation state set in advance by comparing the movement information generation means 16 with the reset operation information supplied from When it is detected that the number of operations of No. 16 has reached a predetermined number set in advance, the light source 9
Information for forcibly moving the current position to the origin position, which is one end of the movement range defined by the reflector 4, and resetting the contents stored in the current position storage means 14 to the contents indicating the origin position. For example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the next start of supply of focal length information to the control movement information generating means 13 and the subsequent start of operation of the control movement information generating means 13 In response to the control information, the control information is supplied to the movement information generating means 16 and the resetting information is supplied to the current position storage means 14.

Next, a description will be given of a light emission irradiation angle control operation in the irradiation angle variable strobe device of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration.

For convenience of explanation, the present embodiment employs a stepping motor as the drive source 7, and further controls the driving operation of the stepping motor by setting the focal length of the photographic lens which can be supported from a specific origin position in advance. It is assumed that the control is performed by obtaining a drive pulse necessary for moving the light source to correspond to the specific focal length with reference to a control table stored as the number of pulses.

First, assuming that the irradiation angle variable strobe device of the present embodiment is in a state as shown in FIG. 1 and power is turned on in such a state, the present embodiment first employs a forced input terminal. Since the information responding to the turning on of the power supply is input to the movement information generating means 16 via the reference numeral 16a, the movement information generating means 16 moves the light source 9 to the position within the movement range defined by the reflector 4 which is the origin position. The forcible movement information for forcibly moving to one end is generated and supplied to the drive circuit 11 from the output terminal 16b.

Accordingly, the driving circuit 11 drives the stepping motor which is the driving source 7, whereby the worm gear 8 is driven to hold the light source 9.
However, the light source 9 is forcibly moved in the direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 1 so that the light source 9 is located at, for example, the bottom end 5a in the light source moving groove 5 of the reflector 4 and finally, FIG. The light source 9 is forced to the mechanical movement limit position where the light source 9 and the bottom end portion 5a abut as shown by the dashed line in FIG. It will be located in.

In the above-described moving operation, the stepping motor is driven by more driving pulses than necessary to move the light source 9, for example, from one end to the other end of the moving range defined by the reflector 4. It can be implemented by driving with a pulse.

At the same time, the movement information generating means 16 outputs, from the output terminal 16c, forced setting information for instructing the resetting terminal 14a of the current position storing means 14 to reset the stored contents to the contents indicating the origin position with the highest priority. Thus, the current position storage means 14 operates to reset the stored contents to the contents indicating the origin position with the highest priority.

By the way, in the illumination angle variable strobe device of the type in which the emission angle is controlled by the positional relationship of the light source with respect to the reflector, the absolute position of the light source with respect to the reflector,
For example, it is clear that the distance from one end of the movement range of the light source directly corresponds to the light emission irradiation angle, and that the relationship between the distance and the light emission irradiation angle is a relation that is set when the apparatus is designed. Therefore, the forcible movement position of the light source 9 set by performing the above-described operation in the present embodiment can function as the origin position information when the focal length or the emission angle is set as it is. Become.

In other words, one end where the light source 9 is forcibly moved is connected to the light source 9 of the strobe device at the time of performing the setting operation of the light emission irradiation angle irrespective of the assembling position accuracy of the reflector 4. It can be recognized and used as the origin position of the movement control operation.

Thus, in the present embodiment, even if the reflector 4 is provided at a position different from the design due to problems such as assembly accuracy, the above-described forced movement of the light source 9 is performed. The stepping motor can be driven in accordance with the absolute positional relationship between the reflector 4 and the light source 9 of the flash device that can function as a specific origin position, thereby moving the light source 9 regardless of the assembly position accuracy of the reflector 4. It can be accurately moved to a desired appropriate position.

In the state where the light source 9 is forcibly moved to one end within the movement range defined by the reflector 4 as described above, the control movement information generating means 13
It is assumed that appropriate set focal length information corresponding to the set focal length W set in the photographing lens of the camera is input to the input terminal 13a.

For convenience of explanation, the origin position is assumed to be "0", the direction in which the origin can be moved therefrom is the + direction, and the opposite direction is the-direction.
And the emission angle corresponding to the shooting angle of view at the set focal length W can be set by driving the light source 9 from the origin position in the + direction by 20 steps of the number of driving steps of the stepping motor. It is assumed that “+20” is stored corresponding to the set focal length W.

Accordingly, the control movement information generating means 13 determines the number of driving steps of the stepping motor necessary to move the light source 9 from the origin position to a desired control position at which a light emission irradiation angle corresponding to the set focal length W can be set. +20 "
Is extracted from the control table, and is output to the first comparing means 15 from the output terminal 13b as control movement information.

The first comparing means 15 stores the current position storing means 1
4, and compares the information "0" indicating the origin position, which is the current position information supplied from the output terminal 14b, with the above-mentioned control movement information "+20", that is, the newly supplied control. In order to detect which direction the current position is with respect to the movement information in the direction described above with "+" or "-", and how far the stepping motor is driven, the current position is determined from the control movement information. The information is subtracted to obtain the difference between the two information, and the sign information “+” and the absolute value information “20” of the difference are output from the output terminal 15 a and output to the movement information generating means 16.

The movement information generating means 16 includes the first comparing means 1
Sign information “+” and absolute value information “20” output by 5
Then, on the basis of the two pieces of information, movement information for moving the light source 9 from the origin position, which is the current position, to the desired control position is generated, and the movement information is used as a drive signal as an output terminal 1.
6d to the drive circuit 11.

Accordingly, the drive circuit 11 drives the stepping motor based on the sign information "+" and the absolute value information "20", whereby the light source 9 is driven by 20 steps in the + direction from the origin position in the number of driving steps of the stepping motor. It is driven and moved to a desired control position for setting a light emission irradiation angle corresponding to a shooting angle of view with a set focal length W.

At the same time, the drive signal is used as control information for setting a new current position in the current position storage means 14 and as movement information generating means 16 in the operation information storage means 17.
Is supplied as operation information for detecting and storing the number of times of operation.

More specifically, the current position storage means 14 stores the current position of the light source 9 on the basis of the supplied drive signal in a drive step for driving a stepping motor which is the amount of movement from the above-mentioned origin position "0". The number is detected as “+20”, and the detection result “+20” is stored as new current position information.

The operation information storage means 17 detects and stores the number of times the movement information generation means 16 has operated in response to the supplied movement information as operation information, and further stores this operation information in the second comparison means 19. From the output terminal 17a.

In this state, for example, in order to take the next photograph, the input terminal 1 of the control movement information generating means 13 is newly added.
It is assumed that appropriate set focal length information corresponding to the set focal length Y set in the photographing lens of the camera is input to 3a.

The emission angle corresponding to the photographing angle of view at the set focal length Y can be set by driving the light source 9 from the origin position in the + direction by the number of driving steps of the stepping motor by 5 steps, that is, in the control table. It is assumed that “+5” is stored corresponding to the set focal length Y.

In this case, similarly to the above case, the control movement information generating means 13 moves the light source 9 from the origin position to the set focal length Y
The number of driving steps of the stepping motor "+5" necessary for moving to the desired control position at which the light emission irradiation angle can be set is taken out from the control table and output to the first comparing means 15 from the output terminal 13b as control movement information. In addition, the first comparing means 15 stores the current position storing means 14
Will be compared with the current position information stored in the control movement information.

However, in such a case, since the current position information stored in the current position storage means 14 is “+20”, unlike the information “0” indicating the origin position, the “+20” is the above-mentioned value. Control movement information "+5"
, And the difference is calculated, that is, the difference “+5-(+ 20)” between the two information is obtained.
The sign information “−” and the absolute value information “15” of the difference are output to the movement information generating unit 16 from the output terminal 15a.

Thereafter, as in the previous case, the movement information generating means 1
6 generates movement information for moving the light source 9 based on the sign information “−” and the absolute value information “15” supplied thereto, and uses the movement information as a drive signal as a drive signal.
The driving circuit 11 drives the stepping motor based on the sign information “−” and the absolute value information “15”, and drives the light source 9 in the negative direction from the current position indicated by “+20”. The number of driving steps is 15 and the lens is moved to a desired control position at which a light emission irradiation angle corresponding to the shooting angle of view at the set focal length Y can be set.

At the same time, the current position storage means 14 sets the current position of the light source 9 on the basis of the supplied drive signal to the number of drive steps “−20” for driving the stepping motor which is the amount of movement from the above-mentioned position “+20”. 15 "
The detection result “+5” is stored as new current position information.

Further, the operation information storage means 17 also detects and stores, as operation information, the number of times the movement information generation means 16 has operated in response to the supplied movement information. Detect and memorize "2",
Further, this operation information is supplied to the second comparing means 19.

In the variable illumination angle strobe device according to the present embodiment, the drive circuit 11 and the control movement information each time the focal length of the photographing lens of the camera is appropriately set and the appropriate focal length information corresponding thereto is supplied. The generating means 13, the movement information generating means 16 and the like perform the above-described operations, and the light source 9 is moved / positioned to a desired control position according to the focal length of the photographing lens by such operations.

Further, in the irradiation angle variable strobe device according to the present embodiment, when the moving operation of the light source 9 as described above is performed a predetermined number of times, the phenomenon is caused, for example, by the movement information stored in the operation information storage means 17. Operation information indicating the number of operations of the generating means 16;
The second comparison unit 19 detects the comparison with the reset operation information corresponding to the predetermined number of times set and stored in step 8.

As a result of the comparison by the second comparing means 19, the number of operations of the movement information generating means 16 has reached a predetermined number set in advance.
When it is detected that the operation state of the light source 6 has reached the predetermined operation state set in advance, the second comparing means 19 moves the light source 9 to one end within the movement range defined by the reflector 4. Control information for forcibly moving to the certain origin position and resetting information for resetting the stored contents of the current position storage means 14 to the contents indicating the origin position are generated, and as described above, each of them is stored in the next control movement. In response to the start of the operation of the information generating means 13, the movement information is supplied to the movement information generating means 16 and the current position storage means 14.

Therefore, when the focal length of the photographing lens of the camera is newly set appropriately and the appropriate set focal length information corresponding thereto is supplied, the present embodiment will be described in the state where the light source 9 is at the origin position. Then, the light source 9 is moved / positioned to the desired control position according to the focal length of the new photographing lens by the operations of the drive circuit 11, the control movement information generation means 13, the movement information generation means 16 and the like again.

That is, by the above operations of the operation information storage unit 17, the reset operation information storage unit 18, the second comparison unit 19, etc., the forcible return operation of the light source 9 to the origin position at an appropriate time, In other words, since the operation of confirming the origin position is performed, the above-described movement control operation of the light source 9 to the desired control position can be performed with high precision and accuracy.

For example, when a stepping motor is used as the drive source 7, the stepping motor may cause a so-called step-out in which the stepping is not performed correctly in response to the drive pulse. Although it is conceivable that an inconvenience that accurate movement operation to the position cannot be performed may occur, the resetting operation information corresponding to the predetermined number of times set and stored in the resetting operation information storage unit 18 described above is replaced with the occurrence frequency of the inconvenience. By appropriately setting in consideration of the above, it is possible to almost eliminate the possibility that the above-described inconvenience occurs, that is, the movement control operation of the light source 9 to a desired control position can be performed with high precision and accuracy by a stepping motor. .

As described above, in the illumination angle variable strobe device according to the present invention, the light source 9 is forcibly moved to one end within the movement range defined by the reflector 4 so that the light source 9 is moved to the one end. The light source 9 functions as an origin position, controls the control operation of the drive source 7 that moves the light source 9 by the control means 12, and performs the operation of moving the light source 9 to one end, that is, the operation of confirming the origin position. , For example, based on the number of times the light source 9 is moved to a desired control position.

[0065]

The illumination angle variable strobe device according to the present invention performs an operation of setting the one end as the origin position by forcibly moving the light source to one end within the movement range defined by the reflector. The control means performs a series of control operations in which the operation of moving the light source to the desired control position in each of the strobe devices is controlled by controlling the operation of the drive source based on the origin position at one end while performing the operation at an appropriate time. Since it is performed using an electrical processing configuration such as a drive circuit, the desired control position of the light source can be instantly and accurately obtained with a simple configuration and without the need for a specific manual adjustment operation. As a result, it is possible to provide an illumination angle variable strobe device which can realize a variable setting of the emission angle corresponding to the focal length set in the photographing lens to be used with a simple configuration, and which can be realized with high accuracy and at low cost. Have a possible effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a main part including a partial cross section showing an embodiment of a variable irradiation angle strobe device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 (a) is a diagram illustrating the operation of a light distribution angle varying device of an electronic flash for a camera described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-51453. FIG. 2 (b) is a diagram illustrating the operation of the light distribution angle varying device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 reflector 5 light source moving groove 6 fixing base 7 drive source 8 worm gear 9 light source 10 light source holding member 11 drive circuit 12 control means 13 control movement information generation means 14 current position storage means 15 first comparison means 16 movement information generation means 17 operation Information storage means 18 Reset operation information storage means 19 Second comparison means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Katsumi Horinishi 2-9-95 Nagara Higashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka West Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-176636 (JP, A) JP-A-1-265214 (JP, A) JP-A-4-238310 (JP, A) JP-A-4-256913 (JP, A) JP-A-3-98034 (JP, A) (58) Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 15/05

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light source is provided on a reflector by a driving source .
Move within the movement range defined by the light source movement groove ,
An illumination angle variable strobe device that varies a light emission illumination angle by varying a position of the light source with respect to the reflector, wherein the light source is a light source moving groove provided in the reflector.
Mechanical movement limit position within the specified movement range
That whereas by forcibly moving the end, mechanical movement
The one end, which is the limit position, is set as the origin position, and the movement of the light source to the desired control position is controlled based on the origin position, which is the one end, and the mechanical movement of the light source is performed.
The forcible movement to the one end, which is the movement limit position ,
An illumination angle variable strobe device adapted to perform at least based on the number of movements of the light source to the desired control position. 2. The illumination angle variable strobe device according to claim 1, wherein the forcible movement of the light source to the one end, which is the mechanical movement limit position, is performed even in response to turning on of a power supply. 3. The illumination angle variable strobe device according to claim 1, wherein one end of the mechanical movement limit position is a bottom end of the reflector in a light source movement groove provided in the reflector.