Lens barrel

• US 7,652,831 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/605,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 359/811, 359/819, 359/822, 359/830
• US Class Current: 359/811
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/026 using retaining rings or springs G02B7/027 takes precedence

Abstract

A lens barrel for holding a lens system including at least a plastic lens disposed between two glass lenses separated from each other by a spacer ring comprises a cylindrical lens holding barrel fixedly holding the two glass and the plastic lenses, a cylindrical spacer ring fitted in the cylindrical lens holding barrel for elastically supporting the plastic lens therein and positioning the two glass lenses at a predetermined axial distance on opposite sides of the plastic lens.

Claims

1. A lens barrel in which a lens system including at least front, intermediate and rear lens components arranged separately from one another in an axial direction is installed, said lens barrel comprising:

a cylindrical lens holding barrel forming a part of said lens barrel for fixedly holding said front, intermediate and rear lens components; and

spacer means fitted in said cylindrical lens holding barrel for positioning said front and rear lens components at a predetermined axial distance from each other,

wherein said spacer means comprises a cylindrical spacer ring for receiving said intermediate lens component therein and a retaining member for retaining said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring, and

wherein said cylindrical spacer ring has an external wall fitted in said cylindrical lens holding barrel, and front and rear abutment ends at which said cylindrical spacer ring abuts on said front and said rear lens component, respectively.

2. The lens barrel as defined in claim 1, wherein said front and said rear lens component comprises glass lenses, respectively, and said intermediate lens component comprises a plastic lens.

3. The lens barrel as defined in claim 1, wherein said retaining member comprises an internal flange formed integrally with said cylindrical spacer ring on which said intermediate lens component is supported in one of opposite axial directions and an elastic securing member for elastically forcing said intermediate lens component against said internal flange so as thereby to secure said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring.

4. The lens barrel as defined in claim 3, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic ring fitted in said cylindrical spacer ring.

5. The lens barrel as defined in claim 3, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic adhesive.

6. A lens barrel in which a lens system including at least front, intermediate and rear lens components arranged separately from one another in an axial direction is installed, said lens barrel comprising:

a cylindrical lens holding barrel forming a part of said lens barrel for fixedly holding said front, intermediate and rear lens components; and

spacer means fitted in said cylindrical lens holding barrel for positioning said front and rear lens components at a predetermined axial distance from each other,

wherein said spacer means comprises a cylindrical spacer ring for receiving said intermediate lens component therein and a retaining member for retaining said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring,

wherein said front and said rear lens component comprises glass lenses, respectively, and said intermediate lens component comprises a plastic lens,

wherein said retaining member comprises an internal flange formed integrally with said cylindrical spacer ring on which said intermediate lens component is supported in one of opposite axial directions and an elastic securing member for elastically forcing said intermediate lens component against said internal flange so as thereby to secure said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring, and

wherein said cylindrical spacer ring has an external wall fitted in said cylindrical lens holding barrel, and front and rear abutment ends at which said cylindrical spacer ring abuts on said front and said rear lens component, respectively.

7. The lens barrel as defined in claim 6, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic ring fitted in said cylindrical spacer ring.

8. The lens barrel as defined in claim 6, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic adhesive.

9. A lens barrel in which a lens system including at least front, intermediate and rear lens components arranged separately from one another in an axial direction is installed, said lens barrel comprising:

a cylindrical lens holding barrel forming a part of said lens barrel for fixedly holding said front, intermediate and rear lens components, each of said lens components being spaced from each other by an air space; and

spacer means fitted in said cylindrical lens holding barrel for positioning said front and rear lens components at a predetermined axial distance from each other,

wherein said spacer means comprises a cylindrical spacer ring for receiving said intermediate lens component therein and a retaining member for retaining said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring,

wherein said front and said rear lens component comprises glass lenses, respectively, and said intermediate lens component comprises a plastic lens,

wherein said intermediate lens component is cylindrical,

wherein said retaining member is ring-shaped, and

wherein a diameter of an outermost circumference of the retaining member is equal to a diameter of the outermost circumference of the intermediate lens component.

10. The lens barrel as defined in claim 9, wherein said retaining member comprises an internal flange formed integrally with said cylindrical spacer ring on which said intermediate lens component is supported in one of opposite axial directions and an elastic securing member for elastically forcing said intermediate lens component against said internal flange so as thereby to secure said intermediate lens component in said cylindrical spacer ring.

11. The lens barrel as defined in claim 10, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic ring fitted in said cylindrical spacer ring.

12. The lens barrel as defined in claim 10, wherein said elastic securing member comprises an elastic adhesive.