Lens barrier mechanism of a lens barrel

A lens barrier mechanism of a lens barrel movable between a ready-to-photograph state and an accommodated state in which no pictures can be taken, said lens barrier mechanism comprising:

• a cam ring which rotates when said lens barrel moves between said ready-to-photograph state and said accommodated state, wherein said cam ring includes a cylindrical portion on which at least one cam groove is formed, and at least one forward-projecting portion which projects forward in an optical axis direction from said cylindrical portion;
• a linearly movable barrel provided outside said cam ring, said linearly movable barrel being moved linearly in said optical axis direction by rotation of said cam ring while being guided by said cam groove;
• at least one barrier blade supported by said linearly movable barrel to be movable in an operating plane orthogonal to said optical axis so as to open and close an opening formed at the front of said linearly movable barrel;
• and
• a barrier drive mechanism which opens said barrier blade when said lens barrel moves from said accommodated state to said ready-to-photograph state and shuts said barrier blade when said lens barrel moves from said ready-to-photograph state to said accommodated state,
• wherein a range of opening/shutting operation of said barrier blade extends radially outside a position of an inner periphery of said forward-projecting portion in a radial direction of said lens barrel with respect to said optical axis, and
• wherein, when said lens barrel is in said accommodated state, said forward-projecting portion intersects said operating plane of said barrier blade, and said forward-projecting portion is positioned outside said range of opening/shutting operation of said barrier blade in said operating plane.