Patent ID: 7128480

Claim:
A lens barrel comprising: a first frame including an inward flange having a central opening as a light path for a photographic optical system; a barrier-driving member disposed in the vicinity of the opening of the inward flange, the barrier-driving member being rotatable around an axis parallel with an optical axis of the photographic optical system; a second frame disposed inside the first frame and movable along an optical axis of the photographic optical system relative to the first frame, the second frame having a pressing part capable of pressing the barrier-driving member when the second frame moves relative to the first frame; a first barrier blade movable in cooperation with the rotation of the barrier-driving member between a closed position in which the first barrier blade blocks at least a part of the light path of the photographic optical system and an open position in which the first barrier blade is retracted from the light path of the photographic optical system; an opening-urging member disposed on the barrier-driving member, the opening-urging member being capable of urging the first barrier blade towards the open position and urging the barrier-driving member towards a first direction; a closing-urging member disposed in the vicinity of the opening of the inward flange, the closing-urging member urging the first barrier blade toward the closed position; wherein the barrier-driving member rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the urging force of the opening-urging member as the pressing part presses the barrier-driving member, the first barrier blade moves from the open position to the closed position by the urging force of the closing-urging member when the pressing part presses the barrier-driving member, and, when the pressing part separates from the barrier-driving member, the barrier-driving member rotates in the first direction by the urging force of the opening-urging member and the first barrier blade moves from the closed position to the open position against the urging force of the closing-urging member.