# US 11,906,880 B2 · Cam follower and lens barrel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,880 B2 - Document ID: US11906880B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/026,043 - Filed: 2020-09-18 - Published: 2021-01-07 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-23 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: FUJIFILM Corporation - Inventors: Nobuyuki Kondo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906880B2 ## CPC - G03B 17/14: interchangeably - G02B 7/021: {for more than one lens} - G02B 7/10: by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract There are provided a cam follower of which the amount of elastic deformation can be appropriately restricted with simple configuration and which can be easily manufactured and a lens barrel. A cam follower (100) includes a hollow cam follower body (110) of which a distal end is open, a first slit (130) that is cut toward a proximal end from the distal end of the cam follower body (110), and a second slit (140) that is cut toward an inner peripheral portion from an outer peripheral portion of the cam follower body (110) in a direction orthogonal to an axis. Protruding portions (150) are provided on both inner wall surfaces of the first slit (130) at a distal end portion of the first slit. The protruding portions (150) restrict deformation of the cam follower body (110) equal to or larger than a defined amount of deformation in a radial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cam follower that is to be fitted into a straight groove and a cam groove, comprising: a hollow cam follower body of which a distal end is open; a first slit that is cut toward a proximal end from the distal end of the cam follower body; and a protruding portion that is provided on at least one inner wall surface of the first slit and restricts deformation of the cam follower body equal to or larger than a defined amount of deformation in a radial direction, wherein the protruding portion restricts deformation equal to or larger than a sum of a positional tolerance and a width tolerance of the cam groove. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is provided on one inner wall surface of the first slit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portions are provided on both inner wall surfaces of the first slit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cam follower according to claim 3, wherein the protruding portions are provided on both the inner wall surfaces of the first slit so as to face each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein a distal end of the protruding portion has a shape of an arc. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein the first slit has a width equal to the sum of the positional tolerance and the width tolerance of the cam groove at a position of the protruding portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cam follower according to claim 6, wherein the first slit has a width of 0.06 mm or less at the position of the protruding portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein the first slits are provided at a plurality of positions at regular intervals in a circumferential direction of the cam follower body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the cam follower body to be in contact with an inner wall surface of the cam groove and a surface of the cam follower body to be in contact with an inner wall surface of the straight groove have a shape of an arc that is convex outward. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cam follower according to claim 1, wherein the cam follower is an integrated molding made of a resin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A lens barrel comprising: a first barrel that holds a lens; a second barrel that includes a cam groove; a third barrel that includes a straight groove; and the cam follower according to claim 1 that is provided on the first barrel and is to be fitted into the straight groove and the cam groove, wherein the first barrel is moved along an optical axis by relative rotation of the second and third barrels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lens barrel according to claim 11, wherein the cam follower is provided at a position away from a centroid of the first barrel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The lens barrel according to claim 12, wherein the lens is held at one end portion of the first barrel, and the cam follower is provided at the other end portion of the first barrel. ### Claim 14 A cam follower that is to be fitted into a straight groove and a cam groove, comprising: a hollow cam follower body of which a distal end is open; a first slit that is cut toward a proximal end from the distal end of the cam follower body; a protruding portion that is provided on at least one inner wall surface of the first slit and restricts deformation of the cam follower body equal to or larger than a defined amount of deformation in a radial direction; and a second slit that is cut toward an inner peripheral portion from an outer peripheral portion of the cam follower body in a direction orthogonal to an axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cam follower according to claim 14, wherein the cam follower is an integrated molding made of a resin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A lens barrel comprising: a first barrel that holds a lens; a second barrel that includes a cam groove; a third barrel that includes a straight groove; and the cam follower according to claim 11 that is provided on the first barrel and is to be fitted into the straight groove and the cam groove, wherein the first barrel is moved along an optical axis by relative rotation of the second and third barrels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The lens barrel according to claim 16, wherein the cam follower is provided at a position away from a centroid of the first barrel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The lens barrel according to claim 17, wherein the lens is held at one end portion of the first barrel, and the cam follower is provided at the other end portion of the first barrel.