US3747489A

US3747489A - Flash socket assembly

Info

Publication number: US3747489A
Application number: US00205070A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Brandt; P Costa
Original assignee: Polaroid Corp
Current assignee: Polaroid Corp
Priority date: 1971-12-06
Filing date: 1971-12-06
Publication date: 1973-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-24

Abstract

An extremely shallow flash socket assembly for use in or with a photographic camera is constructed to receive a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps facing in a common direction and a thin, shallow connector blade adapted to be inserted into the socket assembly. The socket assembly includes novel structures for preventing inadvertent dislodgement of the flash assembly from the socket assembly.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Brandt et al.

1111 3,747,489 'July 24, 1973 1 FLASH SOCKET ASSEMBLY 3,131,017 4/1964 Mittler 339/176 MP x 3,598,985 8 1971 H d t l. 95 ll L X [751 Inventors: E4150" nfandbcohasset; Peter 3,583,304 61971 13:36: 9s /11.s R F. Costa, Wmthrop, both of Mass. 3,639,888 2/1972 Pittman et al 339/176 MP X A :Pl 'dC t C mbr'd [73] Sslgnee 2: 2: orpora a l g6 Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews 1 Assistant Examinerl(enneth C. Hutchison Flled! 1971 Attorney-Charles Mikulka, Robert F. Peck et al. [21] App]. No.: 205,070 0 r [57] ABSTRACT An extremely shallow flash socket assembly for use in [52] 339/17 339/176 MP or with a photogra hic camera is constructed to re- 51 1m 01 G03b19/02 P 58 m i L H 5 ceive a multilamp flash assembly having an array of l 1 7 L lamps facing in a common direction and a thin, shallow D I7CF connector blade adapted to be inserted into the socket assembl The socket assembly includes novel strucf y 1 d 1 d f h tures or preventing ma vertent tso gement o t e [56] UNITE!;; :ES :::FENTS flash assembly from the socket assembly. 2,935,723 5/1960 r611 339/176 MP x 11 Chums "F F'gures PATENTEUJULZMGH SHEET 2 U? 5 INVENTORS EDISON R. BRANDT PETER F. COSTA M mm FIG.3

A TTDRNEYS Parcmwm SHEEI 3 BF 5 U u w mg; m

FIG. 7

INVENTORS DISON R. PETER F wSTA GRAN DT 65 M Mm FIG. 8

A T TORNE Y5 PATENTED SHEEI E OF 5 m MW FIG IO A TTOR/VEYS Pmmium INVENTORS EDISON R. BRANDT PETER F. COSTA mcmafm la.

A TTOR/VEYS' FLASH SOCKET ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE A new generation of photographic cameras has been revealed by the assignee of this application in recently issued patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,447,437; 3,543,662; 3,561,339; and 3,587,426. These patents disclose advanced folding cameras having an extremely high degree of compactness when in their folded state.

This invention concerns, in general, certain aspects of a novel flash illumination system intended especially '1 for use in or with such advanced cameras. The system utilizes as its source of luminous energy a disposable multilamp flash assemblyhaving at least one, but preferably two, arrays of lamps of common orientation, as shown and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos.

. 3,598,984 and 3,598,985. In this flash illumination system, the flash assembly is interfaced with a flash selecting system which selects the flash lamp or lamps to be fired when a firing command is received. The flash selecting system is preferably a static electronic flash selecting circuit as shown, forexample, in U.S.. Pat. No.

' 3,618,492, assigned to theassignee, of this invention.

As shown in the referent U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,598,984 and 3,598,985, the multilamp flash assembly includes a support structure from which extends a shallow, thin connector blade-carrying a setof electrical terminals for the lamps. The flash 'assemblyhas two back-to-back arraysof lamps having re'spectivesets' of terminal strips disposed on opposite sides of the connector blade. The

plied force. As briefly discussed above, the socket assembly with which thisinvention isconcerned is extremely'compact, particularly in'adepthwise sense. The shallowne'ss of the socket assemblyaugmentsthe difficulty in retaining the flash assembly inthe socket assembly and in preventing inadvertent dislodgement therefrom. v I M oaJscrs os THE INVENTION h t a It is ageneral objectof this inventionito provide photographic apparatushaving an improved flash socket assembly for use in a photographicflash illumination system which employs as its source of luminous energy a disposable multilamp flash assembly having at least one array of lamps of common orientation including means fo'r maximizing the're'tention of the disposable multilamp flash assembly by the socket assembly.

It is another object to provide for'use in a photographic flashilluminati'onsystern employing a multi- Ia'mp'flash assembly, an improvedflash socket assembly having means for preventing inadvertent dislodgement of the flash assembly from the socket assembly, as by an unintended blow or other applied force.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide means forpreventing dislodgement of such a flash assembly which meansdo not occupy, significant space; and which add but nominally to the cost of manufacture of such a socket assembly.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part become apparent as the following description proceeds. The features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front portion of a photographic camera embodying a flash illumination system including a flash socket assembly implementing the teachings of this invention; a multilamp flash assembly adapted for connection into the socket assembly is shown exploded from the socket assembly for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a flash illumination system with which this invention is concerned;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration useful in understanding the principles of this invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically the principles of this invention; y v FIG. 5 is a perspectiveviewof a flash socket assembly incorporating the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective sectional view of the socket assembly shown in FIG. 5 as it would appear with the connector blade of a flash assembly inserted into the socket assembly; j

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along lines 7-.7 in FIG. 5 as it would appear empty and with the contact members cut away;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken gener; ally along lines 8--8 in FIG. 5;

f FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along lines 9-9 in FIG. 5 showing the socket assembly as it would appear when empty;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 butv showing the contact members as they would appear when a flash assembly is connected in the socket assembly; and 8 FIGS. I l-.14 are views illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 11, l 3, and 14 are views corresponding to FIGS. 6, 9, and 10; FIG. 12 is a fragmentary top view of the socket assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This invention is in general concerned with an imv proved flash illumination system employing as the source of luminous energy a disposable multilamp flash assembly. FIG. 1 illustrates a flash assembly 10 of a type andconstruction as shown and described in the above-noted U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,598,984 and 3,598,985. The flash assembly 10 is shown as comprising a first linear array of lamps l2 and a second oppositely facing linear array of lamps 14. A support structure 16 sup- I ports the arrays of lamps l2, l4 and a relatively thin and extremely shallow connector blade 18 which ex- .tends downwardly therefrom and carries on opposite The FIG. 2 schematic diagram illustrates the flash assembly 10 as being electrically interfaced with a flash selecting system 22 through a plurality of leads 24 which terminate in contact members 26 making engagement with the terminal strips 20. As shown clearly in FIG. 2, six terminal strips are provided for the five lamps in each array. The sixth terminal strip, designated 20a in FIG. 2, is a ground terminal connected to a common ground wire for the lamps.

The flash selecting system 22, shown in black box form in FIG. 2, may take any of a variety of forms but preferably comprises a static electronic flash sequenc-.

ing or programming circuit, as shown for example in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,492. A flash selecting system such as the system shown and described in the referent patent is capable of selecting a lamp or lamps in an operatively connected flash lamp assembly according to a predetermined sequencing or other selection program. A flash illumination system of the nature described has no moving parts, may be programmed with a wide range of flash selection programs, is capable of automatically avoiding defective lamps, and has many other advantageous characteristics, as pointed out in detail in the said patent.

As suggested above, flash illumination systems with which this invention is concerned have general utility in cameras of many types and constructions; however, apparatus according to this invention is perhaps most useful when embodied in compact cameras in which available space is at a premium. FIG. 1 shows a front portion of a folding camera 29 of a form disclosed in the above-noted U.S. Pat. of the present assignee, Nos. 3,447,437; 3,543,662; 3,561,339; and 3,587,426. The FIG. 1 camera 29 is illustrated as comprising a front assembly 30 mounted to pivot into a face-down position on a back housing plate 32 when the camera is folded for storage.

, The front assembly is shown as including an objective lens 34 having a picture-taking axis 35, a focus wheel 36 for focusing the lens 34, and a shutter actuator 38. The front assembly 30 includes a flash socket assembly 40 embodying the teachings of this invention; the socket assembly 40 is shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and -10.

This invention is directed to a flash socket assembly of the nature described above having means for preventing dislodgement of a flash assembly from the socket assembly as a result of an inadvertent impulsive or other applied force acting to rotate the flash assembly out of the socket assembly. Before engaging in a discussion of structure which may be employed to implement this invention, the principles exploited to achieve dislodgement prevention according to this invention will be first described.

FIG. 3 illustrates in highly schematic form a socket assembly 120 having therein a blade-receiving space 122. Reference numeral 123 designates a top surface of socket assembly 120, or alternatively, surface 123 may be taken to represent the outer surface of steamera casing which houses the socket assembly 120. A flash assembly 124 is illustrated as including a support structure 126 and a connector blade 128 adapted for insertion into the blade receiving space 122. The FIG. 3 diagram does not illustrate the principles of this invention.

If a force should be applied to the flash assembly 124 in the direction indicated by arrow 125, particularly a sharp blow as might be administered by a hand of a user or by engagement of the flash assembly with a fixed object, the lower edge 130 of the support structure 126 of the flash assembly 124 will engage surface 123, causing the flash assembly 124 to pivot about its edge 130 which acts as a fulcrum axis. The broken line illustration 134 shows the flash assembly 124 as it might appear shortly after experiencing such a force.

As the flash assembly 124 rotates, the tip 136 of the connector blade 128 is caused to move on an arcuate locus of radius R originating at the edge 130 of the support structure 126 of the flash assembly 124. R, is thus a relatively long radius originating from a point quite remote from the blade receiving space 122, with the result that the connector blade 128 experiences relatively little interference with the walls of the socket assembly which define the blade receiving space 122. Consequently, the flash assembly 124, as a result of an applied force moment, is able to pivot quite easily from the blade receiving space 122 and thus to be dislodged from the socket assembly 120.

FIG. 4 illustrates the principles of this invention. In FIG. 4 primed reference numerals refer to like structure illustrated in FIG. 3. According to this invention fulcrum means are provided for establishing a fulcrum axis parallel to an entrance slot for receiving the connector blade 128' of a flash assembly 124' (andthus to the blade-receiving space 122'). The fulcrum axis is located above an adjacent surface of an associated camera housing or other structure and being located as close to the entrance slot as is practicable, such that upon receiving an inadvertent blow or applied force in a direction toward the fulcrum axis, the flash assembly will pivot about the said fulcrum axis, thereby minim izing the dislodging effect of the blow.

In accordance with a preferred implementation of this invention, illustrated schematically in FIG. 4, a socket assembly establishes thesaid fulcrum axis by means of a boss 138 having a top surface140 which is raised above an adjacent surface 142, here shown as representing the surface 142 of the housing of an associated photographic camera, the boss 138 defining forward and

rear edges

144, 146 which establish forward and rear fulcrum axes.

It can be seen in FIG. 4 that upon experiencing a force in the direction indicated by arrow the flash assembly 124' will pivot about the forward edge 144 on the boss 138, rather than about its own forward edge The tip 136 of connector blade 128' is thus caused to move on an arcuate locus of radius R, originating at the forward edge 144 of the boss 138. The radius R, is manifestly much shorter than radius R in FIG. 3 and originates closer to the blade-occupying space 122', with the consequence that the connector blade 128' will experience a very substantial interference with the walls of the socket assembly 120' which define the blade-receiving space 122' whenever the flash assembly 124' experiences a force moment acting to rotate it out of the socket assembly. Thus, in accordance with this invention, by moving the effective fulcrum axis for the flash assembly substantially closer to the blade-occupying space within the socket assembly than would be the case if the flash assembly were free to rotate about the leading edge of its base structure, the force required to dislodge the flash assembly is caused to be very substantially increased, or restated, the likelihood that the blade will be dislodged by impulsive or other applied forces encountered in normal handheld photographic conditions is very substantially reduced.

For purposes of this discussion, the support structure 126' of the flash assembly 124' is shown to have a front-to-back dimension (width) B between its lower edges. The distance between the blade-receiving space and either of

edges

144 or 146 is designated F. Viewing the invention from another angle, and in terms of the designated dimensions, the distance F between each of the

edges

144, 146 of the boss 138 and the slot 148 is caused to be less than one-half the width B of the support sructure 126 such that upon receiving an applied 'force in a direction toward either

axis

144, 146 the contactwith terminals on the blade, here shown as a set of terminal strips 20. .The contact means-comprise a stationary set of rearwardlyfacing resilientcontact members 46 arranged to engagethe forwardly facing terminal strips 20 on a connectorblade with a lengthwise wiping action. when aconnector blade 18 is inserted into the socketassembly 40. As explained in more detail below, the contact'members 46 exert a predetermined loading on the blade 18 producing frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assembly 10 securely inthe socket assembly 40.

In more detail, the blade support means is illustrated as including" rear support surface means, shown for example in FIG. 7 as a planar rear support surface 48, and opposed end support surfaces 50,52.

The illustrated FIGS. 5-10 embodiment is shown as including a socket body preferably composed of an electrically insulative plastic materialwhich has a boss 42 corresponding to the boss 138 shown schematically in FIG. 4. The boss 42 is formed integrally with the socket body 54 and hastherein entrance slot 44. The boss 42 defines forward and

rear edges

45, 47, respectively, corresponding to the forward and

rear edges

144, 146 shown schematically in FIG. 4 which establish the said fulcrum axes for the flash assembly 10. Dimension F in FIG. 9 corresponds to dimension F in F IG. 4.

In order to facilitate connection of a flash assembly 10 into the socket assembly 40, the socket body 54 has formed therein an outwardly beveled mouth 56 surrounding the entrance slot 44.

' The contact members 46 will now'be described in more detail. The contact members 46 perform a numduce frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assemblyflt) securely in the socket assembly 40.

The contact members 46 are preferably composed of a spring material having high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength such as beryllium copper. A nickel-silver coating is preferably applied to minimize contact resistance to resist tarnishing. In the illustrated FIGS. 1-8 embodiment, the contact members are illustrated as each including a terminal section 58, a curved section 60 adapted to be anchored in an opening in the socket body 54, a spine 62 extending upwardly from the curved section 60, and a reverse-bent section 64 extending from the spine-62 downwardly along the direction of blade insertion for making operative electrical and mechanical engagement with a terminal strip 20 on a connector blade 18 inserted into the socket assembly 40.

FIG. 9 illustrates a contact member 46 as it might appear in its unstressed state. FIG. 10 illustrates the same contact member 46 as it might appear if deflected and stressed by a connector blade 18 inserted into the socket assembly 40.

FIG. 8 illustrates the rearwardly facing interior surface of the socket enclosure. In order to electrically isolate the contact members 46 from each other and in order to accurately position the contact members 46 in the socket assembly to insure registration withthe terminal strips 20 on connector blade 18, the socket body 40 preferably has formed integrally therein a plurality of separated recesses 65, one for receiving each contact member 46. By this expedient the contact members are self-aligned in the socket assembly and the possibility of electrical shorting between the contact members 46 is minimized. i

In the FIGS. 5-10 embodiment the leads (shown schematically at 24 in FIG. 2) for connecting the flash selecting system 22 with the contact members 46 preferably take the form of conductors (not shown) printed on a flexible sheet'substrate 66such as Mylar (TM). The printed circuit conductors may be flow soldered to the terminal section 58 of the contact members 46. The flashselecting system 22 contains solid state circuitry fabricated in the form of an integrated circuit chip (not shown), the terminals of which are connected to the conductors on printed circuit substrate 66. The printed circuit substrate 66 and the chip carried thereby are preferably supported on and protected by an extension 68 of the socket body 54. The extension 68 also serves as a convenient means for handling the socket assembly 40 during fabrication thereof and during assembly into the associated photographic camera.

FIGS. 11-14 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 11-13 and 14 are figures corresponding to FIGS. 6, 9, and 10. The FIGS. ll-l4 embodiment includes a socket assembly 69 having a boss 71 which is similar to the boss 42 in the FIGS. 5-10 embodiment. The boss defines forward and rear edges 71a, 71b corresponding to the forward and

rear edges

144, 146 in FIG. 4'and edges 45, 47 in the FIGS. 5-10 embodiment. As above-described, the forward and rear edges 71a, 71b establish fulcrum axes acting to prevent the dislodgement of a flash assembly 10 from the socket assembly 69 upon receiving a blow or other applied force acting to rotate the flash assembly 10 out of the socket assembly 69. Dimension F in FIG. 13 corresponds to dimension F in FIG. 9 and F in FIG. 4.

It has been discovered that in order to maximize the ability of the FIGS. 11-14 and FIGS. 5-10 socket assemblies to resist inadvertent dislodgement of a flash assembly therefrom, that the distance F in FIG. 4 (F, in the FIGS. 5-10 embodiment and F in the FIGS. 12-14 embodiment) should be substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of a flash assembly penetrates the socket assembly. By this expedient, the interference of the connector blade with the walls of the blade-receiving space within the socket assembly is maximized, with consequent maximization of resistance to flash assembly dislodgement.

The socket assembly 69 further includes a socket body 70 having blade support means having forward support surface means and rear support surface means. The forward and rear support surface means have facing end

marginal portions

72, 73 and 74, 75, respectively, near the ends of entrance slot 76 separated by a distance which is slightly greater than the thickness of a connector blade 18 for firmly engaging and supporting marginal end portions of the connector blade 18, designated 78, 80 in FIG. 7.

Centrally disposed forward and rear

support surface portions

82, 84 are separated by a second distance which is greater thanthe said first distance whereby the blade is effectively supported by the facing

end portions

72, 73, 74, 75 of theforward and rear support surface means, respectively.

The FIGS. 11-14 embodiment varies from the FIGS. 5

5-10 embodiment in that the rear support surface is recessed such that connector blade 18 is loaded against therear side

marginal portions

74, 75 thereby greatly relieving the tolerance requirements which otherise necessarily have to be maintained across the full width of the rear support surface.

The necked end portions of the entranceslot 76 (shown with particular clarity in FIG. 12) defined by

end portions

72, 73, 74, 75 have a number of other important functions. Because the socket assembly is so extremely shallow, the working length of the contact members is necessarily extremely short. But, inorder to obtain the requisite blade loading forces, the contact members 100 must have a relatively high effective spring rate. A high spring rate and a short working length, however, implies a relatively limited deflection tolerance to prevent overstressing of the contact. The necked end portions of the slot 76 act to limit pitching movement of the flash assembly 10 and thus control the stressing of the contact members 100 by connector blade 18 As will be explained in detail below, the configuration of the contact members 100 is such as to produce a relatively high blade loading without a correspondingly high actual spring rate in the contact members 100. I

In order that the tolerance requirements may also be minimized in regard to the end-to-end dimensions of the blade-receiving space within the socket assembly, the FIGS.- 9-12 socket assembly includes end support surfaces 88, 90 formed on lip portions 92, 94 below which are formed

undercut surfaces

96, 98. By this expedient a connector blade is confined in its side-to-side movement by theen'd support surfaces 88, 90 only. The socket end-to-end tolerances in the FIGS. 11-14 embodiment must be held, then, only on the end support surfaces 88, 90.

The contact members 100 in the FIGS. 11-14 embodiment have a convolute configuration. The generally convolute configuration of the contact members acts to maximize the effective working length of the contact members 100 and the tolerable deflection of the contact members before overstressing occurs. The contact members 100 each comprise an end section 102, a base section 104 for connection to leads on a printed circuit substrate 106, a spine 108, and a reverse-bent section 110. The reverse-bent section 110 is illustrated as having an entrance ramp portion 112, a curved portion 114, and an exit ramp portion 116.

The entrance and

exit ramp portions

112, 116 assure a smooth, aesthetically pleasing insertion and withdrawal of the connector blade. The central portion 114 applies a loading force to the contiguous surface of a connector blade in a direction normal to the connector blade so as not to introduce any lifting force component which might tend to raise the connector blade from the socket assembly. 1.

It is desirable that the force required to insert the connector blade of a flash assembly into the socket assembly is less than the force required to withdraw the connector blade. To this end, contact members are each configured such that upon insertion of a connector blade, the reverse bent portion 110 of the contact member offers a predetermined resistance to deflection and introduces a known frictional force against the blade. The net blade insertion force is caused to fall at a predetermined level or range of levels by an appropriate selection of the loading force applied by the contact members, the effective entry angle and configuration of the entrance ramp portion 112, and the coefficients of friction between the connector blade and the various surfaces which it engages during insertion into the socket assembly.

The withdrawal force is caused to be greater than this insertion force by virtue of a wedging action which is developed as the connector blade iswithdrawn. Itcan be seen from a study of FIG. 14, for example, that as the connector blade 18 is withdrawn, as a result of frictional forces developed between the connector blade 18 and the reverse bent section 110 of each contact member 100, the reverse-bent section 110 will be drawn along with the connector blade, thus causing the contact member 100 to unroll slightly. As the contact member unrolls, its diameter expands, causing a wedging or pinching action of the reverse bent section 110 against the end marginal portions 74, of the rear support surface. By this expedient, the flash assembly 10, in spite'of the extreme shallowness of the connector blade 18, is held securely against gravitational, centrifugal, impulsive, and other forces tending to dislodge, the flash assembly from the socket assembly. i

The contact portion 114 of each contact member is caused to be as high as possible consonant with a reasonably shallow entry angle of the entrance ramp portion 112 in order that contact will be made with the terminal strips 20 on the connector blade 18 even in a situation wherein a flash assembly 10 is not fully inserted into the socket assembly.

It is also desirable that the contact members 100 have a relatively low spring rate in order to minimize the likelihood of overstressing, and yet it is also desirable that the contact members 100 develop a relatively high blade loading force. To this end, contact members 100 include a tip section 117 extending from the reverse bent section into engagement with the spine 108 to increase the effective spring rate of the contact members 100. By this expedient, a relatively great blade loading force can be developed in a contact'member having a relatively low spring rate, thus minimizing the chance that overstressing of the contact members 100 might occur. Minimization of the spring rate of the contact members 100 is also advantageous in that the wear rate of the contact members 100 and thus the change in the spring rate thereof due to wear, are correspondingly minimized.

In order to allow prestressing of the contact members so as to increase the blade loading forces developed thereby while assuring mutual alignment of the contact members even if unequally prestressed, the socket assemblies include limiter means for abutting the coritact members to define a rearward limit position thereof. The limiter means takes the form ofa wedge-shaped projection 130 formed integrally with the socket body which engages the entrance ramp portions of the contact members. Other structures for accomplishing the described limiting and aligning features are contemplated.

The invention is not limited to the particular details of construction of the embodiments depicted, and it is contemplated that various and other modifications and applications will occur to those skilled in the art.

Therefore, because certain changes may be made in the above-described apparatus without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that the subject matter of the i above depiction shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A photographic camera including a flash socket assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from-which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said camera comprising:

means defining an entrance slot in said socket assembly for receiving the connector blade of a flash assembly;

fulcrum meansestablishing a fulcrum axis oriented parallel to said entrance slot and adapted to engage the support structure of the flash assembly intermediate an edge thereof and the connector blade, said fulcrum axis located sufficiently close to said entrance slot such that upon receiving an applied force in a direction toward said fulcrum axis, the flash assembly and its connector blade will pivot about said fulcrum axis to minimize the dislodging effect of the blow upon the connector blade;

blade support means for guiding the blade of a flash assembly from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position; and

contact means for making electrical contact with the terminals on a connector blade inserted into said socket assembly. 7

2. The apparatusdefined by claim 1 wherein said distance is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.

3. A photographic camera having housing means including a predetermined surface portion, a flash socket assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having anzarray of lamps of common orientation and support structure of width B from which extends a centrally located connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said camera comprising:

means defining an entrance slot in said socket assem;- bly adjacent said surface portion of said housing for receiving the connector blade of the flash assemy; fulcrum means establishing a fulcrum axis parallel to said entrance slot and located between said entrance slot and said surface portion and adapted to engage the support structure of the flash assembly intermediate an edge thereof and the connector blade, said fulcrum axis being above said surface portion and spaced from said entrance slot a distance F which is less than one-half the width B of the support structure of the flash assembly such that upon receiving an applied force in a direction toward said fulcrum axis, the flash assembly and its connector blade will pivot about said fulcrum axis rather than about the edge of the support structure of the flash assembly, thereby minimizing the dislodging effect of the blow upon the connector blade; blade support means for guiding the blade of the flash assembly from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position; and

contact means for making electrical contact with the terminals on the connector blade received in said socket assembly.

4. The apparatus defined by claim 3 wherein said distance F is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 3 including a boss having a top surface which is raised above said surface portion of said housing and which has said entrance slot formed therein, said boss defining an edge located said distance F from said entrance slot which establishes said fulcrum axis.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 5 wherein said socket assembly includes a molded body composed of an electrically insulative plastic material and having formed integrally therein said boss and said blade support means, said body defining an outwardly beveled mouth surrounding said entrance slot for guiding the connector blade of a flash assembly into said entrance slot.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 6 wherein said contact means comprises a plurality of resilient contact members which exert a predetermined loading on the blade producing frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly.

8. The apparatus defined by claim 5 wherein said dis-- tance F is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.

9. A photographic camera having a front assembly, a socket assembly in said front assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from the center of which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminal strips for the lamps in the flash assembly, comprising:

a molded socket body comprising:

means defining a boss having a top surface which is raised above and generally parallel with a predetermined surface portion of a housing for said within said socket assembly and for supporting front assembly, said top surface having formed the blade in said operative position; and centrally therein an entrance slot for receiving contact means for making electrical contact with the connector blade of the flash assembly and said terminal strips ofaconnector blade received forward and rear edges which are substantially 5 in said socket assembly.

parallel with said entrance slot, said top surface 10. The apparatus defined by claim 9 wherein said being substantially less in its front edge-to-rear contact means comprises a plurality of resilient, rear edge dimension than the corresponding dimenwardly facing contact members which exert a predetersion of the base of the flash assembly, such that mined loading on the blade producing frictional forces upon receiving an inadvertent forward or rear- 0 which are effective to retain the flash assembly securely ward impulse or force, the flash assembly and its in said socket assembly.

connector blade will pivot about the forward or 11. The apparatus defined by claim 10 wherein the rear edge of said top surface rather than about a distance from said entrance slot to at least one of said forward or rear edge of the base of the flash asforward and rear edges of said top surface of said boss sembly, thereby minimizing the dislodging effect is substantially less than the depth to which the connecof such impulse or force on the connector blade; tor blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket blade support means for guiding the blade from assembly when fully inserted.

said entrance slot into an operative position v

Claims

1. A photographic camera including a flash socket assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said camera comprising: means defining an entrance slot in said socket assembly for receiving the connector blade of a flash assembly; fulcrum means establishing a fulcrum axis oriented parallel to said entrance slot and adapted to engage the support structure of the flash assembly intermediate an edge thereof and the connector blade, said fulcrum axis located sufficiently close to said entrance slot such that upon receiving an applied force in a direction toward said fulcrum axis, the flash assembly and its connector blade will pivot about said fulcrum axis to minimize the dislodging effect of the blow upon the connector blade; blade support means for guiding the blade of a flash assembly from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position; and contact means for making electrical contact with the terminals on a connector blade inserted into said socket assembly.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said distance is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.

3. A photographic camera having housing means including a predetermined surface portion, a flash socket assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and support structure of width B from which extends a centrally located connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminals for the lamps, said camera comprising: means defining an entrance slot in said socket assembly adjacent said surface portion of said housing for receiving the connector blade of the flash assembly; fulcrum means establishing a fulcrum axis parallel to said entrance slot and located between said entrance slot and said surface portion and adapted to engage the support structure of the flash assembly intermediate an edge thereof and the connector blade, said fulcrum axis being above said surface portion and spaced from said entrance slot a distance F which is less than one-half the width B of the support structure of the flash assembly such that upon receiving an applied force in a direction toward said fulcrum axis, the flash assembly and its connector blade will pivot about said fulcrum axis rather than about the edge of the support structure of the flash assembly, thereby minimizing the dislodging effect of the blow upon the connector blade; blade support means for guiding the blade of the flash assembly from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operative position; and contact means for making electrical contact with the terminals on the connector blade received in said socket assembly.

8. The apparatus defined by claim 5 wherein said distance F is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.

9. A photographic camera having a front assembly, a socket assembly in said front assembly for receiving a multilamp flash assembly having an array of lamps of common orientation and a support structure from the center of which extends a connector blade carrying a set of electrical terminal strips for the lamps in the flash assembly, comprising: a molded socket body comprising: means defining a boss having a top surface which is raised above and generally parallel with a predetermined surface portion of a housing for said front assembly, said top surface having formed centrally therein an entrance slot for receiving the connector blade of the flash assembly and forward and rear edges which are substantially parallel with said entrance slot, said top surface being substantially less in its front edge-to-rear edge dimension than the corresponding dimension of the base of the flash assembly, such that upon receiving an inadvertent forward or rearward impulse or force, the flash assembly and its connector blade will pivot about the forward or rear edge of said top surface rather than about a forward or rear edge of the base of the flash assembly, thereby minimizing the dislodging effect of such impulse or force on the connector blade; blade support means for guiding the blade from said entrance slot into an operative position within said socket assembly and for supporting the blade in said operativE position; and contact means for making electrical contact with said terminal strips of a connector blade received in said socket assembly.

10. The apparatus defined by claim 9 wherein said contact means comprises a plurality of resilient, rearwardly facing contact members which exert a predetermined loading on the blade producing frictional forces which are effective to retain the flash assembly securely in said socket assembly.

11. The apparatus defined by claim 10 wherein the distance from said entrance slot to at least one of said forward and rear edges of said top surface of said boss is substantially less than the depth to which the connector blade of the flash assembly penetrates said socket assembly when fully inserted.