Patent ID: 7738196
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical unit comprising: at least one optical component; a holder that is a cylindrical holder housing the optical component, in which a holding section for holding the optical component from one side in the direction of the optical axis direction is formed on an inner circumferential surface of a holder main body such as to project towards an inner side in a radial direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction; and a pressing component disposed at a position opposing the holding section in the optical axis direction with the optical component therebetween and formed such as to press the optical component housed within the holder from another side in the direction of the optical axis, wherein a first contacting section allowing the holding section and the optical component adjacent to the holding section to come into contact with each other is formed in the holding section at a position opposing, in the optical axis direction the optical component adjacent to the holding section, a second contacting section allowing the holding section and the optical component adjacent to the holding section to come into contact with each other is formed on the optical component adjacent to the holding section at a position opposing the holding section in the optical axis direction; one contacting section of the first and second contacting sections is formed angled in relation to the optical axis direction, and the other contacting section of the first and second contacting sections is formed such as to come into contact with the one contacting section of the first and second contacting sections through point contact, linear contact, or surface contact; a third contacting section allowing the pressing component and the optical component adjacent to the pressing component to come into contact with each other is formed on the pressing component at a position opposing, in the optical axis direction, the optical component adjacent to the pressing component; a fourth contacting section allowing the pressing component and the optical component adjacent to the pressing component to come into contact with each other is formed on the optical component adjacent to the pressing component at a position opposing the pressing component in the optical axis direction; one contacting section of the third and fourth contacting sections is formed angled in relation to the optical axis direction, and the other contacting section of the third and fourth contacting sections is formed such as to come into contact with the one contacting section of the third and fourth contacting sections through point contact, linear contact, or surface contact; a gap section in the radial direction preventing the optical component from being affected by external stress from the holder when the optical component and the holder thermally expand is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the optical component and the inner circumferential surface of the holder; and a gap section in the optical axis direction preventing the optical component disposed between the pressing component and the holding section from being affected by external stress such as that pressing the optical component in the optical axis direction when the optical component, the pressing component, and the holder thermally expand is formed on at least one of a section between predetermined surfaces of the pressing component and the optical component adjacent to the pressing component opposing each other in the optical axis direction, and a section between predetermined surfaces of the holding section and the optical component adjacent to the holding section opposing each other in the optical axis direction.