Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Yuichiro Kimoto

Fumio Shinano

Tetsuya Morita

A zoom ring drive device () comprises a guide unit (), a guide unit (), a drive gear (), and a DC motor (). The guide unit () slides in the optical axis direction of a lens (L) included in the lens barrel (). The guide unit () is provided to the guide unit () and slides in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction. The drive gear () is provided in the guide unit () at a position where the drive gear comes into contact with a ring gear () wound around a zoom ring (), and rotates in a state of being in contact with the ring gear () to rotate the zoom ring (). The DC motor () is provided to the guide unit () and rotationally drives the drive gear ().

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Yuichiro Kimoto