The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 09, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 17, 1997
Kiyosada Machida, Urawa, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A drive mechanism for adjusting the spacing between first and second lens groups spaced apart from each other along the optical axis of a lens barrel of an optical device. The lens barrel is movable between a collapsed position inside the body of the optical device, a wide angle position and a telephoto angle position. The drive mechanism includes a member having a cam groove, and a guide member fit into the cam groove and connected to the second lens group for adjusting the spacing between the first and second lens groups. The guide member (a) moves in a first direction along the cam groove to adjust the spacing as the lens barrel is moved to the telephoto angle position, (b) moves in a second direction, opposite the first direction, along the cam groove to adjust the spacing as the lens barrel is moved from the telephoto angle position to the wide angle position, and (c) moves in the first direction along the cam groove to adjust the spacing as the lens barrel is moved from the wide angle position to the collapsed position.