Lens drive device, and lens barrel and camera equipped with same

A lens drive device, comprising:

• an electromagnetic drive mechanism that has a magnet and an electromagnetic coil that is disposed in a state of being capable of moving relative to the magnet;
• a lens drive frame that holds a lens, that has the electromagnetic coil mounted thereto, and that is configured to be driven back and forth along an optical axis direction of the lens by the electromagnetic drive mechanism;
• a first guide shaft that is disposed along the optical axis direction of the lens and is configured to guide the lens drive frame in its movement in the optical axis direction;
• a first shaft support portion that is provided to the lens drive frame and into which the first guide shaft is inserted;
• and
• a flexible printed circuit board that is configured to supply electric power to the electromagnetic coil, is disposed on an opposite side of the electromagnetic drive mechanism so as to sandwich the first guide shaft, and is configured to exert a force that biases the lens drive frame inward in a radial direction centered an optical axis of the lens,
• wherein, upon receiving a biasing force, the lens drive frame is biased downward in a vertical direction in a tangential direction of a circle centered on the first guide shaft, substantially parallel to the vertical direction.