IP Library Granted Patent US 9,063,279
Granted Patent B2
US 9,063,279 · App. 14/162,134 · Granted Jun 23, 2015

Lens barrel

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,063,279
App. No.
14/162,134
Granted
Jun 23, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lens barrel has a rotary frame, lens group frame, and shutter frame. The rotary frame has first and second cam grooves respectively on inner and outer peripheries as viewed in a radial direction. A first cam follower of the lens group frame and a second cam follower of the shutter frame are respectively engaged with the first and second grooves. A radial direction size the rotary frame is smaller than a sum of depths of the first and second grooves. The rotary frame includes a first region W 1 only with the first groove, a region W 0 with first and second grooves, and a region W 2 only with the second groove. Positions of the first and second followers differ in a circumferential direction. At least one of the first and second followers has a non-contact portion not contacting with a groove wall of the corresponding groove in the region W 0.

Claims (22)

1. A lens barrel comprising:

a cam cylinder frame having a first cam groove formed on an inner periphery thereof and a second cam groove formed on an outer periphery thereof so as to intersect with the first cam groove as viewed in a radial direction;

a first movable frame arranged on an inner peripheral side of the cam cylinder frame and having a first cam follower which is engaged with the first cam groove; and

a second movable frame arranged on an outer peripheral side of the cam cylinder frame and having a second cam follower which is engaged with the second cam groove,

wherein a size in the radial direction of the cam cylinder frame is set smaller than a sum of a depth of the first cam groove and a depth of the second cam groove so that the cam cylinder frame includes a first region where only the first cam groove is formed, an overlapping region where the first cam groove and the second cam groove are formed, and a second region where only the second groove is formed, the regions being arranged in this sequence in a thickness direction from the inner peripheral side, and

wherein a position of the first cam follower and a position of the second cam follower are different from each other in a circumferential direction.

2. The lens barrel according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first cam follower and the second cam follower has a non-contact portion which is not brought into contact with a groove wall of the corresponding cam groove in the overlapping region.

3. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein the first cam follower includes the non-contact portion.

4. The lens barrel according to claim 3 , wherein the second cam follower includes a contact portion which is brought into contact with the groove wall of the second cam groove in a boundary between the second region and the overlapping region.

5. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein the first cam follower includes in the following sequence in a radial direction from the first movable frame side:

a projecting portion which projects toward the first cam groove;

a contact portion which is brought into contact with the groove wall of the first cam groove in the first region; and

the non-contact portion.

6. The lens barrel according to claim 5 , wherein the non-contact portion includes in the following sequence in the radial direction from the first movable frame side:

a connection portion which extends so as to be away from the groove wall of the first cam groove in a boundary between the first region and the overlapping region; and

an clearance portion arranged at a position away from the groove wall of the first cam groove.

7. The lens barrel according to claim 6 , wherein descending order of an inclination with respect to the radial direction is the connection portion, the contact portion, and the clearance portion.

8. The lens barrel according to claim 6 , wherein the connection portion is inclined with reference to the radial direction.

9. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein descending order of a width of the region is the second region, the first region, and the overlapping region.

10. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein a phase of movement of the first cam follower in the first cam groove and a phase of movement of the second cam follower in the second cam groove are displaced from each other so that when one of the first and second cam followers is positioned at an intersecting portion where the first cam groove and the second cam groove intersect with each other as viewed in the radial direction the other of the first and second cam followers is positioned at a place other than the intersecting portion.

11. The lens barrel according to claim 10 , wherein a through hole which penetrates from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the cam cylinder frame is formed at the intersecting portion.

12. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein the first movable frame is a shutter frame, and the second movable frame is a lens group frame having a lens group positioned on a side closest to an object to be imaged.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2014
From: UNO, TETSUYA
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032854/0550 →