Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~iERA FLASH GUN FLEXA~LE SHQFT EXTENSIO~
The present invention relates generally to photography
apparatus and more particularly a unique flexible extension gun
connecting a camera to a flash gun in a desired position with
respect to a camera during flash photography.
Cameras equiped to use an external flash gun all have a
common generic mount to which any flash gun from any manufacturer
in the world may b~ attached. Directly affixing a flash gun to a
camara limits the operator to the creation of pictures requiring
direct frontal lighting. Photographs requiring indirect lighting
or lighting from an angle can not be obtained from any camera
where the flash yun is limited to or directly mounted to or a
part of the camera.
Our aim is to bounce light off walls, etc., using the
current invention. In prior art, various -forms of current flash
or light gun holders exist, but all with decided drawbacks. For
example, the "portable lamp unit for illuminating photographic
subjects" described and illustrated in Canadian Patent 646507
requires an external power source of AC current, and a tripod to
support it. Although indirect and angled lighting is possible
using this invention, the photographer must continually stop
photographing to walk over to his portable lamp unit to readjust
light directions in between shots, making action shots utilizing
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varied lighting combinations all but impossible.
In another example of prior art photographic systems, the
ZS "universal 'on-camera' sensor ~racket" is described and
illustrated in Canadian Patent 646507. When attached to the
camera, the lighl source becomes rigid "naking indirect lighting
or lighting from an angle impossible. The same device can be
detached -from the camera, but at that point the photographer must
then either be satisfied with trying to operate his camera with a
single hand while holding the flash in his other hand, or the
photographer must mount his camera on a tripod, ther~by limiting
movement while he holds and directs the light source with his
other hand. Detached from the camera, using a flash gun either
~5 becomes a iuggling act or the photography itself becomes limited
and confined to set poses. The "Computer Type Electronic
Photoflash" described and illustrated in United State~ Patent
4~29624 also requires either one-handed camera operation with the
-flash in the other hand or use of a tripod to compensate.
In another e~ample of prior art, the "photographic flash
apparatus" described and illustrated in United States Patent
4242616 is a flash gun although fixed to the camera when mounted,
offers a swival light gun. Unfortunately this swival only moves
vertically, limiting indirect lighting shots for a camera held
squarely to either ~eing bounce off the ceiling or off the floor.
Similiar drawbacks found in a rigid bar can be seen the "Bounced
Flash ~dapter" described and illustrated in Canadlan Patent
616872~
The most radi~al approach of prior art to this problem
can be seen in the "light-diverting attachment for photographic
flash units" as described and illustrated in United States Patent
41Z9898. Essentially this invention is a flexible hollow tube
that can be attached to the front of a flash unit. When light
comes out of the flash unit, it proceeds down the reflective
inner tube, which can be bent in any direction. This invention
does not require one handed photography, tripods, limited set
shots, external power sources, but unfortunately the tube itself
compromises the flash as the flash proceeds down the hollow tupe
to the point that what comes out at the other end is far
diminished from the original light output of the original flash.
More i~mportantly, it does not adapt universaly.
Thus, prior to the present invention, the problem remains
for any photographer of being able to fast indirect lighting
shots, without being limited by a tripod, without external power
requirements, and without losing one of his hands or those of
another human being while taking two-handed action shots. The
present invention solves all of these problems and meets all of
these requirements simply and eloquently. The present invention
consists of a f lexible extension between a photographic camera
and photographic flash gun as a means for the transmission of an
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electrical charge from the photographic camera to the flash gun
so tha-t a flash of light is emited From the flash gun as the
photographic camera exposes its film for a picture. The present
invention lS comprised of a top head assembly which connects to
any photographic flash gun ment for a 35 millimeter SLR camera, a
bottom tail assembly ohich thereby connects to any photographic
camera external flash gun connector, and a center flexible shaft
thereby connecting the above top head assembly to the bottom tail
assembly.
The flexible shaft is composed of a flexible goose neck
metal tubing covered by a flexible corrugated rubber or plastic
tubing to give it extra strenth, protection, and estetics. This
shaft may be bent in any direction before the photogr~pher takes
his photograph, enabling indirect lighting shots in all
directions. Once bent, the shaft of the present invention
remains rigid~ holding whatever flash gun that may be attached to
it in the exact position the photographer placed it, while
allowing the photographer to take his photograph using both his
hands to hold the camera. Tripods, external power sources, extra
individuals to hold flash guns are simply not neaded using the
present invention, and further there is no los5 of flash output
because the flash is directed exactly, not indirectly, in the
direction desired by the photographer~ However, the current
inventions greatest angles of light contrasting is achied by
bouncing the light off walls, ceilinys, etc.
When the photographer takes his picture, an electrical
charge i~ released to the external flash mount on the outside of
the camera. If a flash gun is directly affixed to th1s mount,
then the current passes through the flash gun's compatible mount
100 into the ~lash gun itself causing the flash gun to emite a -Flash
of light. Using the present invention the electronic result o-f
producing a flash through the flash gun is the same, but it i5
achieved indirectly through contacts and a wire running through
the length of the present invention. That is to say that in the
105 mount of the present invention there is an electrical contact
similiar to that found on the flash gun itself. When a
photograph is taken and an electrical charge is emited out of the
camera's flash mount, that electrical charge is received by
contact in the present lnvention's camera top head assembly.
110 Internal within the present invention is a conductive insulated
wire conected to present invention's camera top head assembly.
This conductive insulated wire runs from this top head assembly
contact, through the invention's flexible goose neck metal
tubing, and into the present invention's bottom tail assembly
115 where this wire is also connected to a bottom tail assembly
contact. The bottom tail assembly is directly fastened to the
flash gun so that its connector contacts with the electrical
connector residing in the flash gun connector. The result i5
that the electrical charge then passes through the present
120 invention into the flash gun, which then produces the flash.
In summary, the present invention is a device for
performing a flexible extension thereby between a photographic
camera and photographic flash gun as a means for the transmission
of an electrical charge fromt he photographic camera to the flahs
125 gun so that a flash of light is emited fromt he flash bas the the
photographic camera exposes its film for a picture~
~ ccording to one aspect, the invention consists of a top
head assembly which connects to any photographic flash gun
thereby otherwise provided for the direct attachemtn to a
130 photographic camera.
~ ccording to a second aspect, a bottom tail assembly
connects to any 35 millimeter single lens reflex photographic
camera in the camera's connector otherwise provided for a
photographic flash gun.
135 ~ccording to a third aspect 7 a center flexible shaft
therefy connects the top head assembly of the present invention
to the bottom tail assembly.
~ccoroing to a fourth aspect, the top head assembly of
the invention i5 composed of a conductive metal mount~ which
140 itself i~ mounted in a hard plastic casing as a Means to both
support the cuductive metal connector of the invention and the
weight of the photographic flash gun which will be mounted upon
that connector.
AccorJing to a fourth aspeet~ the bot-tom tail assembly oF
145 the present invention i5 composed of a conductive metal mount,
(or alternatively a plastic mount with two conductive contact
pinsj which itself is mounted ina hard plastic casing as a means
to both support the conductive metat connector being mounted to
the photographic camera, and the weight of the center flexible
15C shaft1 the invention's top head assembly, and whatever
photographic flash gun which will be mounted upon that top head
assemoly of the presen-t invention.
~ ccording to fi-Fth aspect, the center flexibLe shaft of
the present invention is composed of a flexible goose neck metal
155 tubing as a means ot both support the top head assebly of the
present invention and whatever photographic flash gun which will
be mounted upon the top head assembly of the present invention.
~ ccording to a sixth aspect, within the center flexible
shaft of the present invention is a conductive insulated wire
160 extending from the head assembly conductive metal mount to the
bottom tail assembly conductive metal mount so that an electrical
current may pass between these two conductive metal mounts.
~ccording to the seventh and last aspect of the present
invention, over the center flexible goose neck metal tubing is a
165 -flexiole corrugated rubber or plastic tubing as a means to add
further strenght to whatever position this centre flexible shaft
is bent to by an individual using the present invention.
Various other advantages o~f the present invention will be
readily apparent from the following de-tailed description when
170 considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a
part thereo-f and in which:
Figure l i5 a view shown in side elevation of the entire
present invention, cut away at various points to show details of
its inner workings.
175 Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of ~just the bottom
head assembly, and differs only in that it is not cut away to
show details of its inner workings as the same bottom head
assembly is so cut away in Figure 1.
Fiyure 3 is a bottom view of the present invention
180 looking down upon the bottom head assembly earlier depicted from
a side elevation in Figures l and Z.
Figure 4 is a top view of the present invention looking
at the top head assembly mount earlier depicted from a side
elevation in Figure 1.
185 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the entire present
invention bent at a random angle as it might appear between any
type of photographic camera with a flash gun attachment, and any
~3 --
type Q f photographic flash gun.
Within Figure 1, there are a number of numerical
190 references for the present inventiDn which will be subsequently
discussed. Reference 1 i 5 a anchor pin which helps to secure the
tube of reference 7 to either the top or bottom head assembly
depicted in cut away in Figure 1 or in total in Figure 2~
Re-ference 2 is a spring allowing a metal contact of
195 reference 3 to move in and out, allowing for the head assembly
mount to snap onto a photographic camera's flash gun mount.
Reference 3 is the metal contact which serves as one of
two contact points for the transmital of electrical current 4rom
a photographic camera into the pre6ent invention.
200 Reference 4 1S the second metal contact in the bottom
head assembly necessary for the transmital of electrical current
from a photographic camera into the present invention.
Reference 5 is a cutaway view of the bottom head as~embly
showing for the locations within it for the (a) tube of reference
205 1, the ~b) spring of reference Z, the ~c) first metal contact of
reference 3, ~d) the second metal contact of reference 4.
Reference ~ is a initial contact point or pin to which
the spring of reference 2 passes current on from the first metal
contact of reference 3 to one of the two wires of re-ference 8.
21Q Reference 7 i5 a clamped portion of the steel tube which
connects the cutaway head asse~bly of reference 5 by means of the
pin of reference 1 to the goose neck metal tubing of reference g.
Reference 8 is a two wire cable connected to the initial
contact point of reference l, the second metal contact of
215 reference 4, running through the tube of re-Ference 7 and the
goose neck metal tubing of reference 9, to similiar contact
points within the top head assembly of reference 11.
ReFerence 9 is the goose neck metal tubing which can be
bent as desired and is connected to the tubing of reference 7 to
ZZ0 a similiar tube found and clamped to in the top head assembly of
reference 11.
Reference 10 i5 a flexible corrigated rubber or plastic
tubing otherwise covering and protecting the entire goose neck
metal tubing of reference 9.
225 Reference 11 is the top head assembly composed of the
same material and similiar components as the bottom head
assembly except without moving parts such as springs or moveable
contacts, but instead is used to clip onto and hold any camera
Flash gun attached to it.
230 Re-ference lZ is a small spring between the outside
- 10 -
contact of referenre 4 ~nd one of the two wires of reference 8
comlng through the head assembly of referenoe 5.
Qlthough only a single embodiment oF the present
invention has been descrlbed and lllustrated, the present
235 invention is not limited to the features of this embodiment, but
includes all variations and modifications within the scope of the
claims.
