Olympus Imaging Corporation

Olympus Corporation

Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Satoru Yasutomi

Keita Takahashi

Tetsuya Takagi

Kunio Yamamiya

Moriya Katagiri

Naoki Fujii

Masato Miyata

Naoki Matsumoto

Hidenobu Mochinushi

Yasunari Shimazaki

Manabu Yoshii

Masaaki Sunaga

Nobuyuki Tanaka

Kosaku Nishio

Provided is a lens barrel having, in order from an object side to an image side, a first to a third group lens, the lens barrel including: a fixed frame; a cam frame supported by the fixed frame so as to be rotationally movable in a optical axis direction between a forward and a backward movement ends; and a shutter frame which moves in the optical axis direction in a rotation restricted state, through the rotation of the cam frame, in which: a third group frame is fixed to the shutter frame so that the object side of the third group lens is arranged on an inner peripheral side of the shutter frame; and the second frame is configured so that the image side of the frame is stored on the inner peripheral side of the shutter frame when the cam frame is positioned at the backward movement end.

Lens barrel and image pickup device

A camera having a barrier according to the present invention includes a barrier unit in a space between a front main body and a front metal cover serving as an exterior member. Rotation of a barrier driving motor is transmitted to a rotary shaft member passing through the front main body, thereby allowing opening/closing actions of the lens barrier between a protection position for a photographing lens and a lens-barrier retracted position. The front main body is sealed waterproof by an O-ring provided to the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft member. With the lens barrel of the camera, rotation of a rotary moving frame is effectively transmitted to a cam frame through a cam follower fit to a linear-action groove, using a circumferential groove and the linear-action groove of a bayonet mechanism.

Camera having barrier

The lens barrel includes a second group frame forwardly/backwardly movable, which is provided with plural pairs of cam followers, a first cam unit as a rotatable frame member that allows switching of engagement with the cam follower, and includes plural pairs of cam grooves and loose fit grooves, and a cam frame that allows switching of engagement with the cam follower, and includes a second cam unit formed of plural pairs of cam grooves and loose fit grooves. The cam frame rotational phase where the first cam unit switches engagement with the cam follower is different from the cam frame rotational phase where the second cam unit switches engagement with the cam follower. This makes it possible to increase a forward/backward movement of the second group frame and reduces fluctuation of resistance against the drive load, thus preventing the image blur.

Lens barrel

A camera with a lens barrel is provided which includes a first frame member having on an inner surface thereof a female helicoid, and a cam groove which has substantially a same lead angle as a lead angle of the female helicoid and which is deeper than the female helicoid. A second frame member is placed inside the first frame member. The second frame member includes a male helicoid engaged with the female helicoid, and a cam follower engaged with the cam groove. The first frame member is rotatable relative to the second frame member, so as to cause forward or backward movement of the second frame member.

Camera

A lens barrel comprises a first frame and a second frame. A first female helicoid is formed in a first region on the inner circumference face of the first frame, and a second female helicoid is formed in a second region on the inner circumference face thereof with the same lead and a different groove depth from that of the first female helicoid. The second frame is disposed inside of the first frame, and a first male helicoid for spirally meshing with the first female helicoid, and a second male helicoid for spirally meshing with the second female helicoid, are formed on the outer circumference thereof. The second frame is linearly moved when rotated relative to the first frame.

A lens barrel includes a first frame member supporting a first lens group, a second frame member supporting a second lens group and being capable of movable relative to the first frame member along an optical axis, a cam follower in the first frame member, a cam frame member having a cam groove engaged with the cam follower to permit the first frame member to be movable along the optical axis, a contact portion which is provided for the second frame member and can come into contact with the cam follower, and a pushing member pushing the second frame member in the direction the cam follower comes into contact with the contact portion. The pushing member pushes the second frame member and the contact portion comes into contact with the cam follower. Thus, the position of the second lens group with respect to the first lens group can be restricted.

Lens barrel capable of positioning lens frames with high precision

A lens barrel is provided which includes a first frame member having on an inner surface thereof a female helicoid, and a cam groove which has substantially a same lead angle as a lead angle of the female helicoid and which is deeper than the female helicoid. A second frame member is placed inside the first frame member. The second frame member includes a male helicoid engaged with the female helicoid, and a cam follower engaged with the cam groove. The first frame member is rotatable relative to the second frame member, so as to cause forward or backward movement of the second frame member.

Growing community of inventors

Hachioji, Japan

Satoru Yasutomi