Lens barrel with vibration wave motor

Claim 2

A lens barrel comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary ring being rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel; a moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring, said moving member being movable in response to rotation of said rotary ring; and a vibration wave motor comprising a rotary member and disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary member of said motor being substantially secured to said rotary ring, and said rotary ring being rotated by said motor.

Claim 3

A lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said fixed cylinder is an outermostly exposed outer cylinder.

Claim 4

A lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said moving member is formed by a cylindrical member.

Claim 5

A lens barrel according to claim 3, wherein said rotary ring and said cylindrical moving member are helicoid-coupled, and said moving member is movable in the direction of the optical axis in response to rotation of said rotary ring.

Claim 6

A lens barrel according to claim 4, further comprising a lens holding frame member secured to said moving member.

Claim 7

A lens barrel according to claim 4, further comprising a diaphragm unit disposed within the hollow of said moving member, and an electromagnetic motor for controlling the diaphragm.

Claim 8

A lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said vibration wave motor further comprises: a piezo-electric element performing an electro-strictive action in response to receiving a voltage; a vibratory member receiving the electro-strictive action of said piezo-electric element; and said rotary member rotatable in response to the vibration of said vibratory member.

Claim 9

A lens barrel according to claim 7, wherein said vibration wave motor is an ultrasonic wave motor.

Claim 10

A lens barrel according to claim 7 wherein said vibration wave motor further comprises a stator portion and said lens barrel further comprises a spring member, wherein the stator portion of said vibration wave motor including said piezo-electric element and said vibratory member is urged against and held on said fixed cylinder by said spring member.

Claim 11

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel and disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means interposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring; a moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring, said moving member being movable in response to rotation of said rotary ring; and a vibration wave motor comprising a rotary member, wherein said vibration wave motor is disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary member of said vibration wave motor being substantially secured to said rotary ring, said rotary ring being rotated by said motor, wherein said bearing means is disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring at a distance from said vibration wave motor in the direction of the optical axis.

Claim 12

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel and disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means interposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring; a moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring, said moving member being movable in response to rotation of said rotary ring; and a vibration wave motor comprising a rotary member, wherein said vibration wave motor is disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary member of said vibration wave motor being substantially secured to said rotary ring, said rotary ring being rotated by said motor, wherein said bearing means is disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring at a distance from said vibration wave motor in the direction of the optical axis.

Claim 13

A lens barrel according to claim 10, wherein said bearing means comprises a ball bearing, and wherein said lens barrel further comprises a ball race provided on said rotary ring to receive said ball bearing.

Claim 14

A lens barrel according to claim 10, further comprising helicoids formed on the inner periphery of said rotary ring and the outer periphery of said moving member, wherein said rotary ring and said moving member are helicoid-coupled to each other by the helicoids formed on the inner periphery of said rotary ring and the outer periphery of said moving member.

Claim 15

A lens barrel according to claim 10, further comprising a diaphragm unit disposed within the hollow of said moving member, and an electromagnetic motor for controlling the diaphragm.

Claim 16

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel and disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring; a moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring, said moving member being movable in response to rotation of said rotary ring; and a vibration wave motor radially disposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, comprising: a piezo-electric element performing an electro-strictive action in response to the application of a voltage thereto; a vibratory member receiving the electro-strictive action of said piezo-electric element; and a rotary member rotatable in response to the vibration of said vibratory member, wherein said vibration wave motor is a hollow ring-link block wherein said rotary member has a ring-link configuration, and wherein said rotary ring and said rotary member are substantially secured to each other along almost the entire peripheral surfaces thereof.

Claim 17

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel and disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring; a moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring, said moving member being movable in response to rotation of said rotary ring; and a vibration wave motor radially disposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, comprising: a piezo-electric element performing an electro-strictive action in response to the application of a voltage thereto; a vibratory member receiving the electro-strictive action of said piezo-electric element; and a rotary member rotatable in response to the vibration of said vibratory member, wherein said vibration wave motor is a hollow ring-link block wherein said rotary member has a ring-link configuration, and wherein said rotary ring and said rotary member are substantially secured to each other along almost the entire peripheral surfaces thereof.

Claim 18

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary ring being rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel; a cylindrical moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring and helicoid-coupled with said rotary ring, said cylindrical moving member being movable in response to the rotation of said rotary ring; a vibration wave motor comprising a rotary member, wherein said vibration wave motor is radially disposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said vibration wave motor being disposed on the outer peripheral side of said cylindrical moving member so that said cylindrical moving member and said vibration wave motor overlap each other in the radial direction, wherein said rotary member is substantially secured to said rotary ring, and said rotary ring is rotated by said motor; and a lens holding frame member secured to said cylindrical moving member.

Claim 19

A lens barrel, comprising: a hollow fixed cylinder; a hollow rotary ring disposed within the hollow of said fixed cylinder; bearing means disposed radially between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said rotary ring being rotatable around the optical axis of the lens barrel; a cylindrical moving member disposed within the hollow of said rotary ring and helicoid-coupled with said rotary ring, said cylindrical moving member being movable in response to the rotation of said rotary ring; a vibration wave motor comprising a rotary member, wherein said vibration wave motor is radially disposed between said fixed cylinder and said rotary ring, said vibration wave motor being disposed on the outer peripheral side of said cylindrical moving member so that said cylindrical moving member and said vibration wave motor overlap each other in the radial direction, wherein said rotary member is substantially secured to said rotary ring, and said rotary ring is rotated by said motor; and a lens holding frame member secured to said cylindrical moving member.