Patent ID: 6795251
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A lens drive mechanism comprising:a first sub-lens group frame and a second sub-lens group frame for supporting a first sub-lens group and a second sub-lens group, respectively, said sub-lens groups functioning optically in a mutually close position and in a mutually distant position, with respect to the optical axis thereof; a support frame for supporting said first sub-lens group frame and said second sub-lens group frame; a first linear guide mechanism provided between said first sub-lens group frame and said support frame, said first linear guide mechanism guiding said first sub-lens group frame while permitting movement thereof in the optical axis direction and that prevents rotation thereof about the optical axis; a second linear guide mechanism provided between said second sub-lens group frame and said support frame, said second linear guide mechanism guiding said second sub-lens group frame and that limits rotation of said second sub-lens group frame at two extremities of rotation thereof over a predetermined angle, and that linearly guides said second sub-lens group frame in the optical axis direction at the two extremities of rotation; a lens frame shift mechanism for causing said first sub-lens group frame and said second sub-lens group frame to move between said mutually close position and said mutually distant position, in accordance with rotation of said second sub-lens group frame between said two extremities of rotation; and a linear displacement mechanism which integrally moves said first sub-lens group frame and said second sub-lens group frame in the optical axis direction, in said mutually close position and in said mutually distant position; wherein a guide clearance of said first linear guide mechanism is larger than a guide clearance of said second linear guide mechanism.