Patent ID: 7354206

Claim:
A lens-barrier device for a camera which is equipped with a taking lens protruding from and retracting within a camera body through an aperture formed in a front cover of said camera body and a power switch for powering said camera and disconnecting said camera from power for protecting said taking lens retracted within said camera body, said lens-barrier device comprising: a lens-barrier movable about a fixed axis between a closed position covering said aperture and an open position uncovering said aperture; a first tension spring for urging said lens-barrier toward said open position; a second tension spring having a tensile strength greater than said first tension spring for urging said lens-barrier to said closed position; rotatable urging means for extending said second tension spring so as to urge said lens-barrier to said closed position against said first tension spring when rotating in one of opposite directions and allowing said first and second tension springs to restore so as thereby to urge said lens-barrier to said open position when rotating in another direction; electrically operated drive means for rotating said rotatable urging means in said one direction when said power switch is operated to power said camera and in said other direction when said power switch is operated to disconnect said camera from power; and an arm fixed to said lens-barrier and extending from said axis in a direction away from said lens-barrier, said first and second tension springs being secured to said arm at a distance from said axis.