Patent ID: 7583315

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup element; a lens for focusing an image of an object onto the image pickup element; a lens moving member for moving the lens; a lens covering member for covering the lens; a covering-member moving member for moving the lens covering member; a driver; a transmission member provided between the lens and the driver for engaging one of the lens moving member and the covering-member moving member to transmit power from the driver to the lens moving member or the covering-member moving member; and a switching unit for controlling the transmission member to selectively engage one of the lens moving member and the covering-member moving member, wherein the lens moving member comprises a first gear provided around a periphery thereof; wherein the covering-member moving member comprises a second gear that is rotatable around an axis parallel to a rotational shaft of the first gear; wherein the transmission member comprises a third gear for engaging one of the first gear and the second gear; and wherein the switching unit controls the third gear to selectively engage one of the first gear and the second gear.