US 7,580,623 B2
Lens barrel, camera, and mobile information terminal
Katsuhiko Nuno, Yokosuka (Japan); Koichi Sugiura, Yokohama (Japan); and Kazuyasu Ohashi, Funabashi (Japan)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/188,864.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-217539 (JP), filed on Jul. 26, 2004; application No. 2005-044909 (JP), filed on Feb. 22, 2005; and application No. 2005-127226 (JP), filed on Apr. 25, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2006/0017836 A1, Jan. 26, 2006
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03B 17/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 396—73  [359/672] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lens barrel, comprising:
a telescopic cylinder configured to be accommodated within a fixed cylinder;
a plurality of lenses configured to be retained in the telescopic cylinder;
a lens driving device configured to drive the plurality of lenses along a longitudinal axis of the telescopic cylinder between a collapsed position in which at least one portion of the plurality of lenses is stored in the fixed cylinder and an extended position in which the at least one portion of the plurality of lenses is extended out of the fixed cylinder; and
at least one retractable lens configured to be retracted from a position outside of the telescopic cylinder into the fixed cylinder through an opening provided in a wall of the fixed cylinder when the telescopic cylinder is in the extended position.