# US 2010/0165488 A1 · Lens barrel and imaging apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2010/0165488 A1
- Document ID: US20100165488A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/643,516
- Filed: 2009-12-21
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-27
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Toru Ishimasa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165488A1

## CPC

- G02B 7/08: adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

When the lens barrel is in the storage state, a part of a lens group and a group cylinder are inserted into an aperture of a diaphragm unit and a shutter blade of a shutter unit is closed for light shielding. With this arrangement, the cylinder length in the storage state is shortened, and the performance degradation of an image sensor and optical components provided on a front side of an image sensor can be prevented as well.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lens barrel comprising:
a lens that moves in a direction along its optical axis between an image-taking state and a storage state;
a diaphragm unit configured to restrict an opening diameter of a light passing through the lens in the image-taking state; and
a shutter unit configured to be opened so as not to shield the light passing through the lens in the image-taking state,
wherein one among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit is disposed relatively movably in a direction along the optical axis with respect to the lens and opens in the storage state so as to arrange at least a part of the lens within an aperture, and the other one closes an aperture so as to shield the light passing through the lens in the storage state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit, the one, which opens in the storage state so as to arrange at least a part of the lens within the aperture, opens in the storage state to an opening diameter larger than the maximum opening diameter in the image-taking state.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit perform an opening and closing drive independently regardless of a state of the lens barrel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit, the one that closes the aperture so as to shield light passing through the lens in the storage state is held so as to move integrally with a movement of the lens in the direction along the optical axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An imaging apparatus comprising:
the lens barrel according to claim 1; and
an imaging unit configured to image an object image obtained by the lens barrel.

### Claim 6

A method comprising:
moving a lens in a direction along its optical axis between an image-taking state and a storage state;
restricting an opening diameter of a light passing through the lens in the image-taking state by a diaphragm unit; and
opening a shutter unit so as not to shield the light passing through the lens in the image-taking state,
wherein one among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit is disposed relatively movably in a direction along the optical axis with respect to the lens and opens in the storage state so as to arrange at least a part of the lens within an aperture, and the other one closes an aperture so as to shield the light passing through the lens in the storage state.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit, the one, which opens in the storage state so as to arrange at least a part of the lens within the aperture, opens in the storage state to an opening diameter larger than the maximum opening diameter in the image-taking state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit perform an opening and closing drive independently regardless of a state of the lens barrel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein among the diaphragm unit and the shutter unit, the one that closes the aperture so as to shield light passing through the lens in the storage state is held so as to move integrally with a movement of the lens in the direction along the optical axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

A method comprising:
the method according to claim 6; and
imaging an object image obtained by the lens barrel by an imaging unit.

### Claim 11

A lens barrel comprising:
a lens that moves in a direction along its optical axis between an image-taking state and a storage state;
a diaphragm unit configured to restrict an opening diameter of a light passing through the lens in the image-taking state; and
a shutter unit configured to be opened so as not to shield the light passing through the lens in the image-taking state,
wherein the diaphragm unit is disposed relatively movably in a direction along the optical axis with respect to the lens and opens in the storage state so as to arrange at least a part of the lens within an aperture, and the shutter unit closes an aperture so as to shield the light passing through the lens in the storage state.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

An imaging apparatus comprising:
the lens barrel according to claim 11; and
an imaging unit configured to image an object image obtained through the lens barrel.