Flash tube reflector

Details Flash tube reflector Flash tube reflector

2002-06-13

2004-05-25

O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)

Illumination

Light modifier

Reflector

C362S346000, C362S350000, C362S298000, C362S297000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06739739

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a flash tube reflector, and more particularly to a flash tube reflector with minimized size and optimized illumination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Illumination is one of the major requirements to produce a high quality photograph. Illumination in different environments and weather could be various. To keep the illumination up to an ideal level for taking a photograph, a flashlight is always used associated with a camera. Apart from the flash tube, the reflector is also a key compartment of the flashlight.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional reflector, which is associated with a flash tube (not shown).
FIG. 2
is a cross-section of the reflector along the dot line
2
—
2
in FIG.
1
. The reflector
100
is an arc-shaped light-reflection material. A flash tube
200
is positioned in the concave of the reflector
100
. The flash tube
200
is typically positioned around the central axis
210
. The shape of the flash tube
200
, the feature of the reflector
100
, and the relative position between the flash tube and the reflector could determine the quality of light flashing.
However, the curve of the conventional reflector
100
is not properly designed so that the illumination is not optimized. Also, while an optimized distribution of the light is needed, the size of the whole reflector
100
could increase, which is not ideal for a small sized camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a flash tube reflector for a flash tube to distribute light of the flash tube evenly. The reflector is a vertical portion of an elliptic cylinder extending along a Y-axis, and a cross section of the reflector along the XY plane is a portion of an ellipse. The zenith E at the reflector intersects the X-axis, and the flash tube contacts the reflector at E. The point A is a center of the flash tube and c is a distance between E and A, the point F
1
is a first focus of the ellipse and f
1
is a distance between E and F
1
, the point F
2
is a second focus of the ellipse and f
2
is a distance between E and F
2
. The relations of c, f
1
, and f
2
include 0.20≦c/f
1
≦0.45 and 0.14≦f
1
/f
2
≦1.0.
It is therefore a further object of the invention to provide a flash tube reflector of a flash tube with an enhanced brightness. The reflector is a vertical portion of an elliptic cylinder extending along a Y-axis, a cross section of the reflector along the XY plane is a portion of an ellipse, and a zenith E at the reflector intersects the X-axis. The flash tube contacts the reflector at E, and a point A is a center of the flash tube and c is a distance between E and A. The point F
1
is a first focus of the ellipse and f
1
is a distance between E and F
1
. The point F
2
is a second focus of the ellipse and f
2
is a distance between E and F
2
. The relations of c, f
1
, and f
2
are 0.24≦c/f
1
≦0.55 and 0.07≦f
1
/f
2
.
It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a flash tube reflector of a flash tube with an enhanced brightness. The reflector is a vertical portion of an elliptic cylinder extending along a Z-axis and a cross section of the reflector in the XY plane is a portion of an ellipse. A zenith E of the reflector intersects the X-axis, and the flash tube contacts the reflector at E. A point A is a center of the flash tube and c is a distance between E and A, a point F
1
is a first focus of the ellipse and f
1
is a distance between E and F
1
, a point F
2
is a second focus of the ellipse and f
2
is a distance between E and F
2
and the relation of c and f
1
is 0.35≦c/f
1
≦0.40. The reflector further includes a first extension coupled to a first terminal of the reflector and extending substantially parallel to the X-axis, and a second extension coupled to a second terminal of the reflector and extending substantially parallel to the X-axis.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4218727 (1980-08-01), Shemitz et al.
patent: 5136491 (1992-08-01), Kano
patent: 5619737 (1997-04-01), Horning et al.
patent: 430068 (2001-04-01), None

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