Patent ID: 6850701
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
1. A camera comprising: a lens support frame which supports a photographing lens group; an outer lens barrel which is provided on the front end thereof with a photographing aperture through which said lens support frame is moved, said outer lens barrel configured to move along an optical axis during a zooming operation of the camera; a lens barrier mechanism which opens and closes said photographing aperture of said outer lens barrel, said lens barrier mechanism affixed to said outer lens barrel and configured to move together alone the optical axis with said outer lens barrel during the zooming operation; a lens drive mechanism comprising an actuator which moves said lens support frame in said outer lens barrel between a forward movement extremity in which the front end of said lens support frame is located in front of said photographing aperture in the optical axis direction, and a rearward movement extremity in which the front end of said lens support frame is located behind said photographing aperture, said lens drive mechanism affixed to said outer lens barrel and configured to move together along the optical axis with said outer lens barrel during the zooming operation; and a barrier detection device for detecting the opening state of said lens barrier mechanism, based on an amount movement of said lens support frame in the optical axis direction via said lens drive mechanism.