Patent ID: 7689109

Claim:
An optical image stabilizer comprising: a base member; a lens-holding member holding a lens and is movable in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens with respect to the base member; a first actuator providing the lens-holding member with a driving force in a first direction; a second actuator providing the lens-holding member with a driving force in a second direction, the first and second directions being orthogonal to the optical axis; a first guide member placed between the base member and the lens-holding member in a direction of the optical axis and positioned with respect to the base member in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis; a second guide member placed between the first guide member and the lens-holding member in the direction of the optical axis and movable in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis with respect to the base member; a first ball placed between the base member and the lens-holding member in the direction of the optical axis and rolling in association with movement of the lens-holding member in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis with respect to the base member; a second ball placed between the first guide member and the second guide member in the direction of the optical axis; and a third ball placed between the second guide member and the lens-holding member in the direction of the optical axis, wherein each of the first guide member and the second guide member includes a first limit portion that contacts the second ball such that relative movement of the first and second guide members in a third direction orthogonal to the optical axis accompanied by rolling of the second ball is allowed and that relative movement thereof in a direction different from the third direction is limited by the second ball, and wherein each of the second guide member and the lens-holding member includes a second limit portion that contacts the third ball such that relative movement of the second guide member and the lens-holding member in a fourth direction orthogonal to the optical axis accompanied by rolling of the third ball is allowed and that relative movement thereof in a direction different from the fourth direction is limited by the third ball.