Lens Barrel Guide Bar and Contact Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lens barrel designs face issues with lens tilts and potential collisions between adjacent lenses during assembly and impact, which can lead to damage, and existing solutions either fail to adequately address these problems or introduce material damage risks due to contact between optical and contact members.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a first and second holder with specific fit portions and grooves for guide bars, along with engagement and contact portions that prevent lens contact and enhance impact resistance by using a common guide bar system, allowing for reduced tilts and improved assembly efficiency without increasing the barrel's length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the same guide bar is inserted into fit portions of two lens moving frames that overlap during assembly, then lens tilts are reduced, but adjacent lenses may contact and damage each other

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens tilt reductionVSAvoidlens collision and damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A contact member is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second lens moving frames. This contact member prevents direct contact between adjacent lenses while allowing the guide bar to pass through fit portions of both frames, thus maintaining tilt reduction without causing lens collision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a contact member moves integrally with one optical member to prevent collision, then impact resistance is improved, but the optical member may get damaged depending on contact member material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidoptical member durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The contact member is designed as a separate component that moves independently from the optical members. It serves as a mediator that absorbs impact forces and prevents direct contact between optical members, thereby protecting the optical members from damage while maintaining impact resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Length of stationary object

If lens moving frames are positioned close to each other to reduce barrel length, then compactness is improved, but adjacent lenses are more prone to contact during impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebarrel lengthVSAvoidlens collision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The contact member is positioned between the first and second lens moving frames, allowing the frames to be placed close together for compactness while the contact member prevents direct lens-to-lens contact during impact, thus maintaining both compactness and impact resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250004239A1Lens barrel

Publication Date: 2025.01.02 CANON KK

AI summary

A lens barrel is provided in which two fit portions of a first holder for holding a first lens and two fit portions of a second holder for holding a second lens are alternated. The first holder includes a first engagement portion and a first contact portion. The second holder includes a second engagement portion and a second contact portion. The first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are engaged with each other with a gap formed in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction. The first contact portion and the second contact portion contact each other in the optical axis direction so that the first lens and the second lens do not contact each other while the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion of the second holder are engaged with each other.