JPH0734439U - Electronic flash device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Objective] In the case of light emission of one electronic flash unit, a large amount of light is obtained by effectively utilizing the electric charge accumulated in the main capacitor of the electronic flash unit on the non-flashing side. [Structure] In the case of having two electronic flash means and emitting light from one lamp, a trigger signal is input only to the first trigger circuit 6,
The first flash tube 5 is caused to emit light by the charges accumulated in the first main capacitor 4 and the second main capacitor 7, and in the case of two lights, a trigger signal is input to the second trigger circuit 9 and the second trigger circuit 9 is supplied. The flash tube 8 is first made to emit light, a trigger signal is immediately input to the first trigger circuit 6, and the second flash tube 8
Light up.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an electronic flash device having a plurality of electronic flash means.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In recent years, it has become possible to easily take a picture with an electronic flash device by incorporating or increasing a plurality of electronic flash means in one camera. Therefore, for example, in photographing a person as a subject, it is possible to take a photograph without a shadow portion generated due to the light emission of the electronic flash unit, and it is useful as a good illumination unit.

This type of electronic flash device includes a main capacitor that stores electric charge as light emission energy, a light emitting unit that irradiates a subject with light emission, a light emission control unit that controls the light emission amount of the light emitting unit, and a trigger for the light emitting unit. A first electronic flash unit including a trigger unit for applying a voltage and a second electronic flash unit having the same configuration as the first electronic flash unit are connected in parallel to a booster circuit. . An electronic flash device of this type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-46265.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, when shooting with the electronic flash means capable of emitting multiple lights, a large amount of light is required because the energy stored in the main condenser of the electronic flash means on the non-flashing side cannot be used when the light is emitted by one electronic flash means. However, there was a problem that the amount of light could not be obtained.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a main electronic flash device on the side that does not emit light in the case of emission of one electronic flash unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic flash device capable of effectively utilizing the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve such an object, an electronic flash device according to the present invention comprises a first light emitting means for irradiating a subject with light emission, a first condenser for accumulating electric charges for causing the first light emitting means to emit light, and a first condenser. A first electronic flash unit having a first trigger circuit for applying a trigger signal to the first light emitting unit is connected between the power supply line and the ground line via the first unidirectional element, and A second light emitting means for emitting light emission, a second capacitor for accumulating electric charges for causing the second light emitting means to emit light, and a second trigger circuit for applying a trigger signal to the second light emitting means. The second electronic flash means included is connected between the power supply line and the ground line via the second unidirectional element, and the unidirectionality is provided between the positive electrode of the first capacitor and the positive electrode of the second capacitor. Element or charge flow It is provided with a circuit for regulating the direction in one direction.

[0007]

[Action]

 In the present invention, since the unidirectional element or the circuit for restricting the flow direction of the electric charge to one direction is provided between the first electronic flash unit and the second electronic flash unit, the first flash unit is provided. When the trigger signal is applied, the first light emitting means emits light due to the electric charge accumulated in the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

[0008]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic flash device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a diode as a unidirectional element. The diode 1 has its anode connected to the cathode of the diode 3, the positive side of the main capacitor 7 and the connection point of the flash tube 8, and the cathode thereof is the diode. The cathode 2 is connected to the positive side of the main capacitor 4 and the connection point on one end side of the flash tube 5.

Reference numeral 2 is a diode for preventing leakage. In this diode 2, the cathode of the diode 2 is connected to the positive side of the main capacitor 4 so that the electric charge stored in the main capacitor 4 is not discharged. The anode of the diode 2 is connected to the connection points of the cathode of the diode 10, the capacitor 11, the resistor 13 and the anode of the diode 3, respectively.

The cathode 3 of the diode 3 for leakage prevention is connected to the plus side of the main capacitor 7 so that the charge stored in the main capacitor 7 is not discharged. The anode of the diode 3 is connected to the connection point of the cathode of the diode 10, the capacitor 11, the resistor 13 and the anode of the diode 2.

Further, the main capacitor 4 for accumulating electric charges is connected in parallel with the flash tube 5. One end of the flash tube 5 is connected to the plus side of the main condenser 4, and the other end is connected to the ground line.

Further, the flash tube 5 for irradiating the subject with light emission is provided with a trigger electrode to which a trigger signal for causing the flash tube 5 to emit light is applied.

Reference numeral 6 is a trigger circuit for generating a trigger signal for causing the flash tube 5 to emit light. The trigger circuit 6 outputs a trigger signal to a trigger electrode in response to an input of a light emission start signal SBT1 from a CPU (not shown).

Further, the main capacitor 7 for accumulating electric charges is connected in parallel with the flash tube 8. One end of the flash tube 8 is connected to the plus side of the main condenser 7, and the other end is connected to the ground line.

The flash tube 8 for irradiating the subject with light is provided with a trigger electrode to which a trigger signal for causing the flash tube 8 to emit light is applied.

Reference numeral 9 is a trigger circuit for generating a trigger signal for causing the flash tube 8 to emit light. The trigger circuit 9 outputs a trigger signal to a trigger electrode in response to an input of a light emission start signal SBT2 from a CPU (not shown).

The rectifying diode 10 has an anode side connected to the booster circuit 14 and half-wave rectifies the blocking oscillation voltage boosted by the booster circuit 14. The anode of the diode 10 is connected to the output terminal of the booster circuit 14, and the cathode thereof is connected to the connection point of the capacitor 11, the resistor 13, the anode of the diode 2 and the anode of the diode 3, respectively.

Further, one end of the smoothing capacitor 11 is connected to the cathode of the diode 10, and the other end is connected to the ground line.

Reference numeral 12 is a neon tube. One end side of the neon tube 12 is connected to the resistor 13 and the other end side is connected to a CPU (not shown), and the main capacitors 4 and 7 complete charging. Then, it is determined whether or not the battery has been charged to a level at which it can be released, and an NL1 signal is output to the CPU and a lighting display is performed.

The resistor 13 has one end connected to the cathode of the rectifying diode 10 and the other end connected to the neon tube 12.

A DC power supply 15 is connected to the booster circuit 14, which controls boosting by a boosting start signal (SBO signal) output from a CPU (not shown) and charges the main capacitor 4 and the main capacitor 7. Control whether to do or not. The output terminal A of the booster circuit 14 is connected to the anode of the rectifying diode 10, and its cathode is connected to the power supply line.

In such a circuit configuration, the first main condenser 4, the first flash tube 5, and the first trigger circuit 6 constitute a first electronic flash means, and a second main condenser. 7, the second flash tube 8 and the second trigger circuit 9 compose a second electronic flash means, and the structure has two electronic flash means as a whole. ing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a camera using the electronic flash device according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, 100 is a CPU, 101 is the electronic flash device shown in FIG. 1, 102 is exposure control means, 103 is distance measuring means, 104 is photometric means, 105 is release means, and 106 is electronic flash means. Mode setting means for setting light emission or two-light emission, 107 is a display means for displaying the mode-set information, and the CPU 100 controls each of these means.

Next, the operation of the camera system using the electronic flash device configured as described above will be described. First, when the flash tube 5 is caused to emit light by the trigger circuit 6, the main condenser 4 and the main condenser 7 emit light at the brightness corresponding to the energy of the electric charge. In this case, the charge stored in the main capacitor 7 flows into the flash tube 5 through the diode 1.

On the other hand, when the flash tube 8 is caused to emit light from the trigger circuit 9, light is emitted only by the electric charge charged in the main capacitor 7. That is, the charge accumulated in the main capacitor 4 does not flow into the flash tube 8 by the diode 1. Moreover, even if the trigger circuit 6 triggers the flash tube 5 immediately after the flash tube 8 emits light, the voltage of the main capacitor 7 is lowered and does not flow from the main capacitor 7 to the main capacitor 4. .

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart in the embodiment of the present invention, and the embodiment will be described along this flow chart. First, when a release signal is generated by the release means 105 of the camera, the main flow shifts to step 1 of the subroutine (hereinafter referred to as S1). In S1, the exposure control means 102 activates the exposure control to start opening the shutter, and the process proceeds to S2. In S2, the electronic flash mode set by the mode setting means 106 is determined. That is, it is determined whether the single flash of the electronic flash means is emitted. If it is the one-flash emission, the process proceeds to S3. If not, that is, if it is the two-flash emission of the electronic flash unit, the process proceeds to S4.

In S3, the SBT1 signal is output to the trigger circuit 6 at a predetermined light emission timing based on the photographing information from the distance measuring unit 103 and the light measuring unit 104, the flash tube 5 is caused to emit light, and the process proceeds to S7. In S4, the SBT2 signal is output to the trigger circuit 9 at a predetermined timing based on the photographing information from the distance measuring means 103 and the photometric means 104, and the flash tube 8 emits light corresponding to the capacity of the main condenser 7, and the process proceeds to S5. In S5, a predetermined time is waited, and the process proceeds to S6.

In S6, the trigger circuit 6 is caused to output the SBT1 signal to cause the flash tube 5 to emit light corresponding to the capacity of the main capacitor 4, and the process proceeds to S7. In S7, the shutter closing operation is performed at the shutter opening value or the opening time based on the photographing information from the distance measuring means 103 and the light measuring means 104, the exposure is ended, and the process proceeds to the main flow.

As described above, when the photographer wants to erase the shadow of the subject, he / she only operates the mode setting button of the camera (not shown) which operates the mode setting means 106 to set the two flashes of the electronic flash means. You can easily shoot.

In the first embodiment, the flashmatic emission timing of the two flashes is the timing of the flash tube 8 that first emits light. However, the flashmatic emission timing is set to the timing of the flash tube 5. It goes without saying that it is okay.

Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the case where the electronic flash means emits light from two lights has been described. However, as shown in FIG. 4, three lights can be emitted. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the electronic flash device according to the present invention. In the same figure, the timing of making the three lights of the first electronic flash means 210, the second electronic flash means 220 and the third electronic flash means 230 respectively emit light is based on the anode side of the diode connected to each main capacitor. The light is emitted earlier. That is, first, the third electronic flash means 230 is made to emit light, then the second electronic flash means 220 is made to emit light, and finally the electronic flash means 210 is made to emit light.

Further, in order to obtain the maximum guide number of only one lamp, only the first electronic flash means 210 should be made to emit light, and the main capacitor of the second electronic flash means 220 and the third electronic flash means 220. The accumulated charge with the main capacitor of the electronic flash means 230 can be used together.

Further, in the case of two-lamp light emission, if the second electronic flash means 220 is made to emit light, the accumulated charge of the capacitor of the third electronic flash means 230 can be used together. Then, the first electronic flash means 210 may be made to emit light. Needless to say, if the electronic flash means within the dotted line is further connected, any number of four or more can be controlled.

However, in the case of emitting three lights in FIG. 4, when only one light is emitted, a diode 201 is provided between the main capacitor of the third electronic flash unit 230 and the main capacitor of the first electronic flash unit 210. Since the diode 202 and the diode 202 are connected in series, the charge stored in the main capacitor of the third electronic flash unit 230 is not efficiently contributed to the first electronic flash unit 210.

(Embodiment 3) As a countermeasure against this, as shown in FIG. 5 which is a block diagram showing the configuration of still another embodiment of the electronic flash device according to the present invention, a diode 206 is used, and its anode is a third electronic flash means. 230 is connected to the plus side of the main capacitor, and its cathode is connected to the plus side of the main capacitor of the first electronic flash means 210.

In such a configuration, the operation contents of the two-light emission and the three-light emission are the same as those in the second embodiment. In the case of one-lamp light emission, the main capacitor of the second electronic flash means 220 is supplied with accumulated charge to the first electronic flash means 210 via the diode 201, and the main capacitor of the third electronic flash means 230 is a diode. The accumulated charge is supplied to the first electronic flash unit 210 via 206.

Fourth Embodiment In FIG. 5, the number of diodes 206 is increased by one as compared with FIG. 4, so that there is a demerit that the cost is increased. As a countermeasure, an embodiment in which the diode 202 is removed as shown in FIG. 6 will be described. In the case of three-light emission, the third electronic flash means 230 and the second electronic flash means 220 are made to emit light simultaneously or sequentially, and then the first electronic flash means 210 is made to emit light. In the case of two-flash emission, one of the second electronic flash unit 220 and the third electronic flash unit 230 is made to emit light, and then the first electronic flash unit 210 is made to emit light. That is, when the first electronic flash means 210 emits light, the accumulated charge of the main capacitor of the second electronic flash means 220 or the third electronic flash means 230, which is not emitting light, is transferred to the first electronic flash means 210. Supplied.

In the above-described embodiment, the size of the capacity of each main condenser of the electronic flash means is not particularly described, but the size of the main condenser corresponding to the guide number required for each electronic flash means is described. It goes without saying that the most suitable circuit may be selected by making an appropriate selection.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the case where the diode is used as the unidirectional element has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a direction in which a charge flows instead of the diode is described. Even if a circuit that regulates unidirectionally is used, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the electronic flash means capable of emitting a plurality of lights emits one light, the guide charges can be used because the accumulated charge up to the capacitor that does not emit light can be used. It is possible to obtain an extremely excellent effect that it can be raised. Moreover, since only one booster circuit is required, it is possible to obtain an effect that it can be realized compactly and inexpensively.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an electronic flash device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera system using an electronic flash device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a camera system using the electronic flash device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the electronic flash device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the electronic flash device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the electronic flash device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Diode 2 Leakage Prevention Diode 3 Leakage Prevention Diode 4 Main Capacitor 5 Flash Tube 6 Trigger Circuit 7 Main Capacitor 8 Flash Tube 9 Trigger Circuit 10 Rectifying Diode 11 Capacitor 12 Neon Tube 13 Resistor 14 Booster Circuit 15 DC Power Supply

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first light emitting means for irradiating a subject with light emission, a first capacitor for storing an electric charge for causing the first light emitting means to emit light, and a first signal applying a trigger signal to the first light emitting means. A first electronic flash unit having a first trigger circuit is connected between a power line and a ground line via a first unidirectional element, and a second light emitting unit for irradiating a subject with light emission; A second electronic flash means having a second capacitor for accumulating electric charges for causing the second light emitting means to emit light and a second trigger circuit for applying a trigger signal to the second light emitting means is a second one direction. Connected between the power supply line and the ground line via the directional element, and regulates the unidirectional element or the direction in which the charge flows in one direction between the positive electrode of the first capacitor and the positive electrode of the second capacitor. Having a circuit An electronic flash device characterized by. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first trigger circuit applies a trigger signal to the first light emitting means,
An electronic flash device, characterized in that the first light emitting means is caused to emit light by electric charges accumulated in the first capacitor and the second capacitor. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second trigger circuit applies a trigger signal to the second light emitting means,
An electronic flash device, wherein a trigger signal is applied to the first light emitting means after the second light emitting means is caused to emit light, and the second light emitting means is caused to emit light.