Lens barrel

A lens barrel having a first lens group and a second lens group which are movable in a direction of an optical axis relative to each other, said lens barrel comprising:

• a first lens support ring which supports said first lens group;
• a rotating ring which is supported by said first lens support ring to be rotatable about said optical axis, wherein said rotating ring is rotated about said optical axis;
• a second lens support ring which holds said second lens group, and is positioned between an inner peripheral surface of said rotating ring and an outer peripheral surface of said first lens support ring;
• a linear guide bottomed groove formed on one of an outer peripheral surface of said first lens support ring and an inner peripheral surface of said second lens support ring to extend parallel to said optical axis;
• a linear guide projection formed on the other of said outer peripheral surface of said first lens support ring and said inner peripheral surface of said second lens support ring to be slidably engaged in said linear guide bottomed groove;
• a extending guide protrusion formed on one of an inner peripheral surface of said rotating ring and an outer peripheral surface of said second lens support ring;
• and
• a follower pin formed on the other of said inner peripheral surface of said rotating ring and said outer peripheral surface of said second lens support ring, said follower pin engaging with said extending guide protrusion;
• wherein each of said first lens support ring, said second lens support ring, and said rotating ring is formed as a solid annular member having no radial through holes.

A lens barrel having a first lens group and a second lens group which are relatively movable in a direction of the optical axis thereof, said lens barrel comprising:

• a stationary barrel;
• a drive ring which is supported by said stationary barrel to move in said optical axis direction while rotating about said optical axis relative to said stationary barrel upon being rotated;
• a first movable ring which supports said first lens group and is guided along said optical axis, said first movable ring being supported by said drive ring so that said drive ring is rotatable about said optical axis and integrally movable with said first movable ring in said optical axis direction;
• and
• a second movable ring which supports said second lens group and is guided in said optical axis direction without rotating about said optical axis, a rotation of said drive ring relative to said second movable ring causing said second movable ring to move in said optical axis direction relative to said drive ring;
• wherein said first movable ring moves together with said drive ring in said optical axis direction, and at the same time, said second movable ring concurrently moves in said optical axis direction relative to said drive ring when said drive ring moves in said optical axis direction while rotating about said optical axis.

A lens barrel comprising:

• a stationary barrel;
• a drive ring which is supported by said stationary barrel to move in a direction of the optical axis of a lens of said lens barrel, while rotating about said optical axis relative to said stationary barrel when rotated;
• and
• a first movable ring which supports a first lens group and is guided along said optical axis, said first movable ring being supported by said drive ring so that said drive ring is rotatable about said optical axis relative to said first movable ring and integrally movable with said first movable ring in said optical axis direction;
• wherein said drive ring and said first movable ring move together in said optical axis direction while rotating about said optical axis relative to each other when said drive ring is rotated about said optical axis;
• said first movable ring comprising:
• a linear moving ring which is guided in said optical axis direction without rotating about said optical axis, said linear moving ring being supported by said drive ring so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to said drive ring about said optical axis, and to be integrally movable with said drive ring in said optical axis direction;
• and
• a lens support ring which supports said first lens group, and is positioned in said linear moving ring to be supported thereby so that said lens support ring can be moved in the optical axis direction with respect to said linear moving ring while rotating about said optical axis relative to said linear moving ring;
• wherein when said linear moving ring is moved forward and rearward in the optical axis direction, said lens support ring integrally moves forward and rearward together with said linear moving ring in said optical axis direction;
• and
• wherein when said lens support ring is individually rotated, said lens support ring moves forward and rearward in said optical axis direction relative to said linear moving ring.

A lens barrel comprising:

• a stationary barrel;
• a drive ring which is supported by said stationary barrel to move in a direction of an optical axis while rotating about said optical axis relative to said stationary barrel when said drive ring is rotated;
• and
• a first movable ring which supports a first lens group and is guided in said optical axis direction without rotating about said optical axis, a rotation of said drive ring relative to said first movable ring causing said first movable ring to move in said optical axis direction relative to said drive ring;
• wherein said first movable ring moves in said optical axis direction relative to said drive ring when said drive ring moves in said optical axis direction while being rotated about said optical axis.

A lens barrel comprising:

• a stationary barrel;
• a hand-operated ring supported by said stationary barrel to be manually rotated;
• a lens group which is movable in a direction of the optical axis thereof;
• a lever which is fixed, at one end thereof, to an inner peripheral surface of said hand-operated ring, and wherein the other end of said lever is associated with said lens group, wherein a rotation of said hand-operated ring causes said lens group to move in said optical axis direction via said lever;
• a driving gear;
• and
• an annular gear, provided independently of said hand-operated ring, which meshes with said driving gear, the center of said annular gear being positioned on said optical axis;
• wherein said annular gear is supported by said stationary barrel to be rotatable about said optical axis relative to said stationary barrel;
• and
• wherein said annular gear and said hand-operated ring are engaged with each other so as to move integrally in a circumferential direction of said lens barrel via said lever.