Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor, a frame configured to support the image sensor, and one or more driving members configured to move the frame in a direction parallel with an imaging plane of the image sensor. The driving members include a vibration unit that generates vibration. The vibration unit of at least one of the driving members overlaps a center of the imaging plane of the image sensor, when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the imaging plane of the image sensor.

Abstract: To improve both of the mechanical reliability and electrical reliability of an electronic apparatus including a piezoelectric body, a vibrator, and a vibration wave motor. The piezoelectric body is configured by bonding a piezoelectric element and a flexible printed circuit substrate FPC, a coverlay has an end N made up of a first outline part and a second outline part that intersect with wiring layers, the first outline part coming in contact with an electrode F1 of electrodes F, and the second outline part coming in contact with another electrode of the electrodes F. Length L1 from an outer-shape line M of the piezoelectric element that intersects with the FPC to the first outline part is shorter than length L2 from the outer-shape line M to the second outline part, and the electrode F1 is located closer to the outer-shape line than the other electrode of the electrodes F.

Abstract: In a linear driving apparatus including a vibration wave motor, a driving target body movable in a moving direction, a transmission member which is held by the driving target body and abuts against an abutment part of a moving member to synchronously move the vibration wave motor and the driving target body, and a biasing member which gives a biasing force between the transmission member and the abutment part, the direction of a pressure contact force which a vibrator receives from a friction member and the direction of a biasing contact force which the abutment part receives from the biasing member are parallel and opposite to each other, and the load center of the distribution load of the biasing contact force falls within the range of the vibrator.

Abstract: The dimension in a moving direction of a vibration wave motor is shortened without impairing the thrust force, and the size of a driver is reduced. The vibration wave motor includes a vibrating plate having a substantially rectangular outline, a piezoelectric element bonded to the vibrating plate and configured to vibrate, and a protrusion provided to the vibrating plate or the piezoelectric element. The vibrating plate has a section not covered with the piezoelectric element inside a rectangular region encompassing the piezoelectric element within a plane where the piezoelectric element is bonded, and also has a notched portion along a straight line which passes through the section and is parallel to one side of the outline of the vibrating plate.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a vibrating plate having a rectangular surface; a piezoelectric device bonded to the vibrating plate, and configured to vibrate at high frequency; and a projection provided on the vibrating plate or the piezoelectric device. In the vibration wave motor, a natural vibration mode, which has a resonant frequency equal to or adjacent to a resonant frequency of torsional vibration in a natural vibration mode under a state in which the vibrating plate, the piezoelectric device, and the projection are integrated, is a natural vibration mode of bending vibration in a direction parallel to or orthogonal to a torsion center axis of the torsional vibration in the natural vibration mode. The projection is provided at a position closer to an antinode than to a node, which are in the direction orthogonal to the torsion center axis of the torsional vibration in the natural vibration mode.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor, a frame configured to support the image sensor, and one or more driving members configured to move the frame in a direction parallel with an imaging plane of the image sensor. The driving members include a vibration unit that generates vibration. The vibration unit of at least one of the driving members overlaps a center of the imaging plane of the image sensor, when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the imaging plane of the image sensor.

Abstract: This invention prevents an adhesive portion between a piezoelectric element and a conducting member of a small vibrator from peeling off. In a vibrator, a conducting member includes at least one first adhesive portion adhered to an electrode, at least one second adhesive portion adhered to an elastic member, and a feed portion electrically connected to means for applying an external voltage. In the conducting member, a path length from the feed portion to the first adhesive portion is longer than a path length from the feed portion to the second adhesive portion.

Abstract: A driving apparatus has a vibration plate, a vibrator having a piezoelectric element that excites vibration of the vibration plate, and first and second contact parts, and a friction member being in contact with the contact parts. The vibrator and the friction member relatively move with respect to each other, and the contact parts are provided at positions with and interpose an odd number of antinodal lines of vibration generated in a first direction of the vibrator along with excitation, and provided at positions with and interpose an odd number of nodal lines of vibration generated in a second direction of the vibrator along with excitation.

Abstract: In a linear driving apparatus including a vibration wave motor, a driving target body movable in a moving direction, a transmission member which is held by the driving target body and abuts against an abutment part of a moving member to synchronously move the vibration wave motor and the driving target body, and a biasing member which gives a biasing force between the transmission member and the abutment part, the direction of a pressure contact force which a vibrator receives from a friction member and the direction of a biasing contact force which the abutment part receives from the biasing member are parallel and opposite to each other, and the load center of the distribution load of the biasing contact force falls within the range of the vibrator.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a base barrel holding a first guide portion, a movable barrel protrudable/retractable with respect to the base barrel and holding a second guide portion such that when the movable barrel is protruded the second guide portion protrudes with respect to the first guide portion a lens holding member including first and second held portions being respectively held by the first and second guide portions, a lock portion to set a positional relationship between the first and second guide portions, an initial position detector to detect an initial position of the lens holding member, and a controller. The controller controls movements of the movable barrel and the lens holding member so that a movement of the lens holding member toward the initial position detector is started before start of setting of the positional relationship by the lock portion.

Abstract: In a linear driving apparatus including a vibration wave motor, when a sliding guide method is used as a guiding method for a moving member, a driving target body movable in a moving direction, a transmission member configured to engage with the driving target body, abut against the abutment part of the moving member, and transmit the driving force of the vibration wave motor to the driving target body, and a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force between the transmission member and the abutment part, the direction of a frictional contact force that the vibrator receives from the friction member and the direction of a biasing contact force that the abutment part receives from the biasing member are parallel and opposite, and the load center of the distribution load of the biasing contact force exists in the range of the outside shape of the vibrator.

Abstract: The dimension in a moving direction of a vibration wave motor is shortened without impairing the thrust force, and the size of a driver is reduced. The vibration wave motor includes a vibrating plate having a substantially rectangular outline, a piezoelectric element bonded to the vibrating plate and configured to vibrate, and a protrusion provided to the vibrating plate or the piezoelectric element. The vibrating plate has a section not covered with the piezoelectric element inside a rectangular region encompassing the piezoelectric element within a plane where the piezoelectric element is bonded, and also has a notched portion along a straight line which passes through the section and is parallel to one side of the outline of the vibrating plate.

Abstract: To improve both of the mechanical reliability and electrical reliability of an electronic apparatus including a piezoelectric body, a vibrator, and a vibration wave motor. The piezoelectric body is configured by bonding a piezoelectric element and a flexible printed circuit substrate FPC, a coverlay has an end N made up of a first outline part and a second outline part that intersect with wiring layers, the first outline part coming in contact with an electrode F1 of electrodes F, and the second outline part coming in contact with another electrode of the electrodes F. Length L1 from an outer-shape line M of the piezoelectric element that intersects with the FPC to the first outline part is shorter than length L2 from the outer-shape line M to the second outline part, and the electrode F1 is located closer to the outer-shape line than the other electrode of the electrodes F.

Abstract: A driving apparatus has a vibration plate, a vibrator having a piezoelectric element that excites vibration of the vibration plate, and first and second contact parts, and a friction member being in contact with the contact parts. The vibrator and the friction member relatively move with respect to each other, and the contact parts are provided at positions with and interpose an odd number of antinodal lines of vibration generated in a first direction of the vibrator along with excitation, and provided at positions with and interpose an odd number of nodal lines of vibration generated in a second direction of the vibrator along with excitation.

Abstract: This invention prevents an adhesive portion between a piezoelectric element and a conducting member of a small vibrator from peeling off. In a vibrator, a conducting member includes at least one first adhesive portion adhered to an electrode, at least one second adhesive portion adhered to an elastic member, and a feed portion electrically connected to means for applying an external voltage. In the conducting member, a path length from the feed portion to the first adhesive portion is longer than a path length from the feed portion to the second adhesive portion.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes: a vibrating plate having a rectangular surface; a piezoelectric device bonded to the vibrating plate, and configured to vibrate at high frequency; and a projection provided to the vibrating plate or the piezoelectric device. In the vibration wave motor, a natural vibration mode, which has a resonant frequency equal to or adjacent to a resonant frequency of torsional vibration in a natural vibration mode under a state in which the vibrating plate, the piezoelectric device, and the projection are integrated, is a natural vibration mode of bending vibration in a direction parallel to or orthogonal to a torsion center axis of the torsional vibration in the natural vibration mode. The projection is provided at a position closer to an antinode than to a node, which are in the direction orthogonal to the torsion center axis of the torsional vibration in the natural vibration mode.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a base barrel holding a first guide portion, a movable barrel protrudable/retractable with respect to the base barrel and holding a second guide portion such that when the movable barrel is protruded the second guide portion protrudes with respect to the first guide portion a lens holding member including first and second held portions being respectively held by the first and second guide portions, a lock portion to set a positional relationship between the first and second guide portions, an initial position detector to detect an initial position of the lens holding member, and a controller. The controller controls movements of the movable barrel and the lens holding member so that a movement of the lens holding member toward the initial position detector is started before start of setting of the positional relationship by the lock portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet accommodating unit for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating unit being detachably mountable to the apparatus; a feeding unit for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating unit; a press-contact device for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating unit to the feeding unit; a guiding member provided in the sheet feeding apparatus for guiding the sheet accommodating unit such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating unit is not contacted to the feeding unit when the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus; a moving device for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding unit after the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus.

Abstract: A driving apparatus has a correction value output unit for outputting correction values ?Ta and ?Tb to correct differences between signals which are output from an A sensor a B sensor when an A-phase coil and a B-phase coil are not energized and signals which are output from the A sensor and the B sensor when the A-phase coil and the B-phase coil are energized. An energization direction of the A-phase coil is switched on the basis of a time A which is measured by a time measurement unit and the correction value ?Ta which is output from the correction value output unit. An energization direction of the B-phase coil is switched on the basis of a time B which is measured by the time measurement unit and the correction value ?Tb which is output from the correction value output unit.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette is inserted into and removed from a thermal transfer printer in the longitudinal direction of the thermal head. The thermal head is provided with a lifting member, while the ink ribbon cassette is provided with a contact element. The lifting member and the contact element of the ink ribbon cassette are configured to be in contact with each other during insertion and removal of the ink ribbon cassette, and thereby lift the thermal head to widen the space for the ink sheet to pass through.