Patent ID: 6631042
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A lens barrel comprising:a lens; a movable member that holds said lens, said movable member being movable in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens barrel; a fixed member that regulates movement of said movable member in a direction of the optical axis of the lens; at least three balls placed between said movable member and said fixed member, said at least three balls being held in respective holding portions formed in one of said movable member and said fixed member so as to roll and to allow relative movement between said movable member and said fixed member; an urging member that urges said movable member toward said fixed member; a driving device that moves said movable member in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens; and a position detecting device that detects positions of said movable member in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens, wherein each of the holding portions has a size and shape sufficient to permit the respective ball to roll without abutting limiting ends of the holding portion during normal operation.