Abstract: An optical driving apparatus, including: a fixed member; a driven member that is movable with respect to the fixed member; and a guiding member that restricts the driven member from moving in a predetermined direction with respect to the fixed member, wherein the guiding member has: a first groove in a V-shaped cross-sectional shape, which is formed on any one of the fixed member or the driven member; a first convex portion fitting into the first groove, which is formed on another of the fixed member or the driven member; and a plurality of microspheres interposed in a gap between the first groove and the first convex portion and disposed in a longitudinal direction of the first groove and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to generate rolling friction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel applicable to digital cameras, image pickup devices and cell phones. The lens barrel is small, low-cost and high-performance, and can suppress, by means of a simple mechanism provided in the lens barrel, a variation in the focal position of the lens barrel caused by the change in temperature. The lens barrel comprises a lens group consisting of a plurality of lenses and a lens chamber for holding the lens group. An elastic member is provided between a set of adjacent lenses of the lens group, for urging the set of adjacent lenses in an optical axis direction of the lenses.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel applicable to digital cameras, image pickup devices and cell phones. The lens barrel is small, low-cost and high-performance, and can suppress, by means of a simple mechanism provided in the lens barrel, a variation in the focal position of the lens barrel caused by the change in temperature. The lens barrel comprises a lens group consisting of a plurality of lenses and a lens chamber for holding the lens group. An elastic member is provided between a set of adjacent lenses of the lens group, for urging the set of adjacent lenses in an optical axis direction of the lenses.