Patent ID: 7898745

Claim:
A lens unit for focusing light from an object on an image sensor, the lens unit comprising: a first lens group which is provided in a direction of a first optical axis, receives the light from the object, and moves in the direction of the first optical axis in conjunction with a zooming operation; a first support member which supports the first lens group to be movable in the direction of the first optical axis; a first zooming movement member which moves the first support member in the direction of the first optical axis in conjunction with the zooming operation; a first moving member which moves the first support member to a usage position in which the first support member is projected from a chassis, and to a storage position in which the support member is stored in the chassis, wherein the first moving member includes: a fixed cylinder which is fixed on the chassis; and a rotary cylinder which is rotatably mounted on the fixed cylinder, a bending member which bends the first optical axis in a direction of a second optical axis which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the first optical axis; a bending member supporting member which supports the bending member to be movable between a bending position in which the bending member bends the first optical axis in the direction of the second optical axis and an evacuation position in which a storage space for storing the support member is provided; and a bending member moving member which moves the bending member supporting member to the bending position and the evacuation position, wherein when collapsing, after a space is created, which space is defined by an overlapping portion of a notch portion formed in the fixed cylinder and a notch portion formed in the rotary cylinder, and through which space the bending member supporting member can be moved, the bending member moving member moves the bending member supporting member through the space, and then the first moving member moves the first support member.