Patent ID: 7616249

Claim:
An image sensing device comprising: a prism unit which receives a light beam from an object and forms an object image on an imaging plane, the prism unit having at least two reflecting surfaces each having a free-form surface shape, and an incident optical axis of the light beam input from the object and an exit optical axis of the light beam which exits from the prism unit to the imaging plane being arranged substantially in parallel at a predetermined interval; an image sensing element which is arranged on the imaging plane to convert the object image formed by the prism unit into an electrical signal; a guide mechanism which moves the prism unit along a direction perpendicular to a light-receiving surface of the image sensing element while maintaining a posture of the prism unit; a switching mechanism which selectively locates and holds the prism unit at one of a first position and a second position farther from the light-receiving surface of the image sensing element than the first position along the guide mechanism, the switching mechanism which moves between a first setting position and a second setting position along a direction parallel to the light-receiving surface of the image sensing element and has a positioning surface including a first face portion to locate the prism unit at the first position and a second face portion to locate the prism unit at the second position; a switching member guide mechanism to move the switching mechanism straight along the direction parallel to the light-receiving surface; an abutment portion which is arranged on the prism unit and abuts against the positioning surface of the switching mechanism, the abutment portion of the prism unit is formed on part of a prism included in the prism unit; and a press mechanism which presses the abutment portion of the prism unit against the positioning surface of the switching mechanism.