Patent ID: 6546201
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A finder drive mechanism comprises:a finder cam assembly which has a rotating shaft and to which a cam is formed so as to drive a lens group in a finder optical system by rotation thereof; a rotation regulating member disposed around the rotating shaft of said finder cam assembly so as to be free to rotate in both directions; a rotation locking member disposed in a locus of rotation of said rotation regulating member for regulating a rotating range of said rotation regulating member to less than one rotation by being abutted against and locking said rotation regulating member; and an abutment section formed to said finder cam assembly and capable of being abutted against said rotation regulating member in a rotating direction thereof, wherein said finder cam assembly is operated in one of the following operating states according to the rotation thereof in both directions: an independently-rotating-state in which said abutment section is separated from said rotation regulating member and said finder cam assembly rotates independently; an integrally-engaged-rotating-state in which said abutment section is abutted against said rotation regulating member and rotates said rotation regulating member integrally with said finder cam assembly; and a locking state in which the rotation of said finder cam assembly is locked by locking the rotation of said rotation regulating member that is rotated in the integrally-engaged-rotating-state by said rotation locking member.