Patent ID: 8358477

Claim:
A barrel unit comprising: a barrel; a holding member configured to hold an optical element; a coil fixed onto the holding member and arranged between a yoke and a magnet; a cylindrical member configured to support the barrel and the holding member; and a driving unit configured to generate a thrust by electrifying the coil and to drive the holding member in an optical axis direction of the optical element by using the thrust, wherein the yoke, the magnet, and the coil are located outside of a part of the cylindrical member which supports the barrel, wherein the cylindrical member has a notch portion, wherein the holding member includes a body configured to hold the optical element, a sleeve portion configured to hold the coil, and an arm portion configured to connect the sleeve portion to the body and to extend in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and wherein the arm portion pass the notch portion of the cylindrical member, and has a length such that the coil can be located outside of the part of the cylindrical member.