Cylindrical member holding apparatus capable of stably holding cylindrical member

A cylindrical member holding apparatus comprising:

• a base portion;
• a holder portion configured to hold a cylindrical member;
• and
• a plurality of elastically-deformable supporting portions configured to be disposed respective opposite sides of the cylindrical member, which is held by said holder portion, in a direction of an axis of the cylindrical member and connect said base portion and said holder portion together,
• wherein:
• said plurality of supporting portions have such a shape as to be more easily elastically deformed in a first direction than in a second direction and a third direction, where the first direction is the direction of the axis of the cylindrical member held by said holder portion, the second direction is a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and connects said holder portion and said base portion together, and the third direction is a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and also perpendicular to the second direction,
• one of said holder portion and said base portion is provided with a convex portion, and the other one of said holder portion and said base portion is provided with a concave portion into which the convex portion is inserted with a clearance left and in a noncontact state, and
• the clearance is configured to have such dimensions as to limit an amount of change in position of said holder portion relative to said base portion to a predetermined amount or smaller.