LENS BARREL AND IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20110019290A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Konishi, Akio, Hirabayashi, Koichiro, Shinano, Fumio, Uno, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/700
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/10 by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14

Abstract

A lens barrel includes a first support frame and a second support frame. The first support frame has a cam groove. The second support frame has an annular main body with a cam follower that extends outwardly in a radial direction. The cam follower is slidably disposed in the cam groove and has a first cam portion, a second cam portion and a connecting portion. The second cam portion is aligned with the first cam portion along the circumferential direction of the main body. The connecting portion connects the first cam portion and the second cam portion to create a space between the connecting portion and the cam groove.

Claims

1. A lens barrel comprising:

a first support frame having a cam groove; and

a second support frame having an annular main body with a cam follower extending outwardly from the main body in a radial direction and slidably disposed in the cam groove, the cam follower having

a first cam portion,

a second cam portion in alignment with the first cam portion along the circumferential direction of the main body, and

a connecting portion disposed between and formed continuously with the first cam portion and the second cam portion to create a space between the connecting portion and the cam groove.

2. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein

the cam groove has a first guide face, the first cam portion and the second cam portion are slidably disposed along the first guide face to create a first space between the connecting portion and the first guide face.

3. The lens barrel according to claim 2, wherein

the cam groove has a second guide face disposed substantially opposite to and facing the first guide face, the first cam portion and the second cam portion are slidably disposed along the second guide face to create a second space between the connecting portion and the second guide face.

4. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein

the first cam portion has a first contact portion that is in contact with the cam groove, and the second cam portion has a second contact portion that is in contact with the cam groove.

5. The lens barrel according to claim 4, wherein

the first cam portion has a first root portion disposed between the first contact portion and the main body, the first cam portion is positioned to create a first gap between the first root portion and the cam groove,

the second cam portion has a second root portion disposed between the second contact portion and the main body, the second cam portion is positioned to create a second gap between the second root portion and the cam groove.

6. The lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein

the first root portion has a first base portion extending outwardly from the main body in the radial direction and a first intermediate portion connecting the first base portion and the first contact portion along the radial direction.

7. The lens barrel according to claim 6, wherein

the first base portion has a first inclined surface forming an angle with respect to the radial direction so that the first gap is formed between the cam groove and the first base portion.

8. The lens barrel according to claim 6, wherein

an external dimension of the first base portion gradually increases closer to the main body.

9. The lens barrel according to claim 6, wherein

an external dimension of the first intermediate portion is substantially constant in the radial direction.

10. The lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein

the second root portion has a second base portion extending outwardly from the main body in the radial direction, and a second intermediate portion connecting the second base portion and the second contact portion along the radial direction.

11. The lens barrel according to claim 10, wherein

the second base portion has a second inclined surface forming an angle with respect to the radial direction so that the second gap is formed between the cam groove and the second base portion.

12. The lens barrel according to claim 10, wherein

an external dimension of the second base portion gradually increases closer to the main body.

13. The lens barrel according to claim 10, wherein

an external dimension of the second intermediate portion is substantially constant in the radial direction.

14. The lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein

the connecting portion connects the first root portion and the second root portion.

15. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein

the first cam portion is substantially circular when viewed from the radial direction of the main body, and the second cam portion is substantially circular when viewed from the radial direction of the main body.

16. An imaging device equipped with the lens barrel according to claim 1.

17. A lens barrel comprising:

a first support frame having a cam guide groove; and

a second support frame having an annular main body with a cam member extending outwardly from the main body in a radial direction and slidably disposed in the cam guide groove, the cam member having

a stepped portion disposed along the radial direction, and

a sliding portion disposed outwardly from the stepped portion in the radial direction to create a gap between the stepped portion and the cam guide groove.

18. The lens barrel according to claim 17, wherein

the stepped portion has a base portion that extends from the main body in the radial direction and an intermediate portion that connects the base portion and the sliding portion along the radial direction.

19. The lens barrel according to claim 18, wherein

the base portion has an inclined surface forming an angle with respect to the radial direction so that the gap is formed between the cam guide groove and the base portion.

20. The lens barrel according to claim 18, wherein

an external dimension of the base portion gradually increases closer to the main body.

21. The lens barrel according to claim 18, wherein

an external dimension of the intermediate portion is substantially constant in the radial direction.