Lens barrel having facility for maintaining meshed relation between movable lens drive means and movable lens means

An optical apparatus having a lens comprising:

• an image pickup device picking up an image formed by a lens;
• a shaft member extending in an optical axis direction, said shaft member having a screw part formed thereon and said shaft member being arranged to be driven by a motor to rotate on an axis thereof;
• a moving member having a screw-engaging part engaging the screw part of said shaft member, said moving member being arranged to move in the optical axis direction;
• a holding member holding said lens, said holding member and said moving member being moved together in the optical axis direction by rotation of said shaft member and also being movable relative to one another in the optical axis direction;
• an urging member arranged to urge said holding member and said moving member to move together in the optical axis direction and to permit relative movement therebetween upon the application of an external force to said holding member;
• and
• a stopper arranged to have said holding member to abut thereon when said holding member moves relative to said moving member against an urging force of said urging member.