Patent ID: 8483556

Claim:
An imaging unit comprising: an incident-side reflecting surface which is provided in a casing and reflects light, emanating from an object and entering said casing from the outside thereof in a direction of thickness of said casing, so that said light reflected by said incident-side reflecting surface travels along a lengthwise direction of said casing that is orthogonal to said direction of thickness of said casing; a movable lens group which is provided in said casing as a power-varying lens group and allows said light, which is reflected by said incident-side reflecting surface, to pass through said movable lens group, said movable lens group being movable along said lengthwise direction of said casing; an exit-side reflecting surface which is provided in said casing and reflects said light, which is incident on said exit-side reflecting surface after passing through said movable lens group, so that said light travels from said exit-side reflecting surface and in said direction of thickness of said casing; an image sensor which is provided in said casing and receives said light that has traveled from said exit-side reflecting surface; a light shield frame provided in said casing between said movable lens group and said exit-side reflecting surface; and a light-shield-frame position adjustment mechanism which is provided in said casing, maintains a constant distance between said movable lens group an said light shield frame when said movable lens group moves in a first moving range, and varies the distance between said movable lens group and said light shield frame when said movable lens group moves in a second moving range, said light-shield-frame position adjustment mechanism comprising a rod which is fixed to said casing and positioned therein, extends in said lengthwise direction of said casing; a movable lens frame which supports said movable lens group and is supported by said rod to be slidable thereon; and a guide bar which is fixed to said movable lens frame to extend parallel to said rod and supports said light shield frame in a manner to allow said ht shield frame to move on said guide bar in a direction of an axis of said guide bar.