| US 7,388,722 B2 | ||
| Lens barrel incorporating a rotatable optical element | ||
| Hiroshi Nomura, Saitama (Japan); and Kiyoshi Kawano, Saitama (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to HOYA Corporation, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on May 31, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/421,223. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. P2005-161915 (JP), filed on Jun. 01, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0274435 A1, Dec. 07, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G02B 7/02 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 359—819 [359/821; 359/822; 359/811] | 12 Claims |
| 1. A lens barrel comprising:
an imaging optical system including a plurality of lens groups located on an optical axis;
an insertable/rotatable optical element which produces a specific photographic effect when rotated on said optical axis; and
a drive mechanism including a motor which moves said insertable/rotatable optical element between an inserted position, in
which said insertable/rotatable optical element is positioned on said optical axis, and a removed position, in which said
insertable/rotatable optical element is removed from said optical axis by forward and reverse rotations of said motor, respectively,
wherein said drive mechanism rotates said insertable/rotatable optical element on said optical axis by said forward rotation
of said motor when said insertable/rotatable optical element is in said inserted position.
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