Patent ID: 6959148

Claim:
A retractable lens comprising: a plurality of optical components including a first optical element, a second optical element and a third optical element which are positioned on an optical axis in a ready state of said lens, at least said first optical element and said second optical element being movable independently in said optical axis direction; and a support frame which supports said second optical element, and has a generally ring-shaped portion and at least one radial arm portion, wherein said ring-shaped portion substantially surrounds said optical axis, and wherein said radial arm portion projects radially outwards from a rear end of said ring-shaped portion such that an outer end of said radial arm portion is guided in said optical axis direction, said second optical element supported in a front end portion of said ring-shaped portion, wherein, when said retractable lens moves from said ready state to a retracted state, said third optical element is positioned in said ring-shaped portion while said first optical element is retracted from an on-axis position on said optical axis into an off-axis space radially outside said ring-shaped portion such that said first optical element is positioned radially outside said second optical element and said third optical element.