Patent ID: 7702238

Claim:
A light shielding structure of an optical apparatus comprising: first and second relatively-movable members, each having an engaging portion, said engaging portions being engaged with each other and relatively movable to each other so as to change an amount of mutually overlapping area therebetween; and a light shielding member which is provided between said engaging portions of said first and second relatively-movable members, wherein said light shielding member is configured to return to a free state in which said light shielding member bends inwardly towards an optical axis of said optical apparatus to protrude from said engaging portions when said mutually overlapping area between said engaging portions decreases, and said light shielding member is elastically deformed into a retracted shape in which a portion of said light shielding member which bends inwardly towards the optical axis is housed between opposing longitudinally extending surfaces of said engaging portions when said mutually overlapping area between said engaging portions increases, in accordance with a relative movement between said engaging portions.