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:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 06, 1997
Toshiyuki Toyofuku, Hachioji, JP;
Hiroki Onda, Hachioji, JP;
Kaoru Kaneko, Kunitachi, JP;
Takashi Inoue, Hachioji, JP;
Yu Sato, Hino, JP;
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A pair of guide grooves are formed to extend parallel with each other on an outer surface of a housing of an electronic image pickup apparatus with a lens opening interposed therebetween. A lens barrier has both end portions engaged with the paired guide grooves and is movable between a close position for closing the lens opening and an open position for opening the lens opening while both end portions are guided by the guide grooves. One of the guide grooves opens in a cross direction crossing a front direction to which a front surface area, in which the lens opening is formed, on the outer surface of the housing, is directed, and the other of the guide grooves opens in the front direction on the outer surface of the housing. One of the end portions of the lens barrier corresponding to the one guide groove is inserted into and engaged with the one guide groove to be slidable along the one guide groove, and the other of the end portions of the lens barrier corresponding to the other guide groove is inserted into and engaged with the other guide groove to be slidable along the other guide groove. A separation protection member is fixed on the outer surface of the housing to cover at least part of the opening of the other guide groove after the other end portion of the lens barrier has been inserted into the other guide groove, and engages with the other end portion of the lens barrier in the front direction to prevent the other end portion of the lens barrier from separating from the opening of the other guide groove.