Patent ID: 7940482

Claim:
A lens barrel comprising: a lens holding member that holds a lens, and is movable in an optical axis direction; a coil being of a wound shape when projected on a plate parallel to the optical axis direction, and held on the holding member; a magnet held on the lens barrel and placed to face the coil in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, wherein the magnet is of a flat plate shape including two areas parallel to the optical axis, which are magnetized oppositely and disposed adjacent to each other, wherein areas of the coil parallel to the optical axis are disposed to face side surfaces of the magnet, when a surface of the magnet disposed to face areas of the coil which are located in a fore/aft direction of the optical axis is defined as an upper surface of the magnet, wherein the upper surface and the side surfaces of the magnet are parallel to the optical axis, and wherein the magnet and the coil produce open magnetic fields.