Sliding cover movement rstricting device

A device for restricting a movement of a sliding cover of a camera, comprising:

• a photographing lens being movable between a photographing position and a retracted position;
• a sliding cover having a locking section, said sliding cover being movable between a fully-closed position at which said sliding cover covers said photographing lens when said photographing lens is at said retracted position, and a fully-opened position at which said sliding cover does not cover said photographing lens when said photographing lens is at said photographing position;
• a locking lever pivotally supported to a body of said camera, said locking lever being engageable with said locking section of said sliding cover;
• a spring device which biases said locking lever toward a locking position;
• a lock releasing member which is rotated when said photographing lens is moved to said retracted position;
• an intermediate lever which is pivoted coaxially with said locking lever, said intermediate lever receiving a rotative force of said lock releasing member;
• and
• a clutch mechanism provided between said locking lever and said intermediate lever,
• wherein said clutch mechanism rotatively moves said locking lever together with said intermediate lever to a lock releasing position when a force applied to said locking lever is less than a predetermined value, and said clutch mechanism makes said intermediate lever to run idle relative to said locking lever when said force exceeds said predetermined value.