Patent ID: 7058293

Claim:
A retractable lens barrel comprising: a rear holder configured to hold a first optical element along an axis, the rear holder being movable along said axis between an operational position and a retracted position; an annular member movable along the axis towards and away from said rear holder without rotation; a retractable holder, at least partially accommodated within the annular member, configured to hold a second optical element, the retractable holder being movable between an aligned position where the second optical element is aligned with said axis and a displaced position where the second optical element is displaced relative to the axis; a position control device configured to control said annular member and retractable holder to move between an operational position spaced from said rear holder with said retractable holder at said aligned position to a retracted position where said first optical element is accommodated within an inner peripheral surface of the annular member with said retractable holder at said displaced position and where a portion of said rear holder and a portion of said retractable holder are at substantially the same position on said annular member axis; said rear holder and said retractable holder comprising respective contact surfaces configured to contact each other only if movement of said annular member and retractable holder to said retracted position occurs and the rear holder has not fully moved to the retracted position thereof.