Patent ID: 8259211

Claim:
A lens driver comprising: a lens unit including a lens holding frame having a plurality of pressed portions at an outer peripheral surface of the lens unit, a lens being held by the lens holding frame, the lens unit being movable in an optical-axis direction of the lens; a plurality of polymer actuators arranged outside the outer peripheral surface of the lens unit and having electrodes to which a voltage is applied, the plurality of polymer actuators configured to be successively bent in a direction orthogonal to the optical-axis direction and press the plurality of pressed portions of the lens holding frame in sequence in the direction orthogonal to the optical-axis direction when the voltage is applied to the electrodes; and an orthogonal transformation mechanism configured to convert a force in a pressing direction into a moving force in the optical-axis direction and continuously move the lens unit in the optical-axis direction when the plurality of pressed portions of the lens holding frame are respectively pressed by the plurality of bent polymer actuators.