Abstract: An operating apparatus 1 of the present invention has a driven element 5 having an imaging element and a contacted element, a frame 4 rotatably supporting the driven element 5, and an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes a vibrating element 6. The vibrating element 6 includes a first piezoelectric element 62 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage, a reinforcing plate 63 having a contact portion 66 and an arm portion 68, and a second piezoelectric element 64 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage. The first piezoelectric element 62, the reinforcing plate 63, and the second piezoelectric element 64 are laminated in this order. The vibrating element 6 is fixedly mounted on the frame 4 in a state where the contact portion 66 abuts on the contacted element 51. Further, in the operating apparatus 1, the driven element 5 is driven by vibration of the vibrating element 6 via the contacted element 51 to rotate with respect to the frame 4.

Abstract: A miniature aircraft 1 has a center axle 22, two rotors 3 and 5 provided substantially axially to the center axle 22 and capable of rotating in opposite directions, rotary wings 34 and 54 provided to the rotors 3 and 5, vibrating members 4 for rotating the rotary wings 34 and 54 via the rotors 3 and 5, and cables 471 and 472 connected to the vibrating members 4. A hollow part 221 is formed in the center axle 22 along the longitudinal direction thereof, and the cables 471 and 472 are easily positioned in the hollow part 221.

Abstract: A rotation/displacement converting actuator has an actuator unit constituted by a displacing body and an actuator in which the displacing body can be linearly displaced. The actuator has a pair of plate-shaped bases, a rotor, a vibrating element that rotates the rotor, and a cam mechanism for converting rotary motion of the rotor to linear motion of the displacing body. The rotor is fixed to a shaft to which the rotor (cam rotor) is fixed. An outer circumferential surface of the rotor constitutes a cam surface of the cam mechanism. A roller is provided at a tip portion of the displacing body. The roller abuts on the outer circumferential surface (cam surface) of the rotor.

Abstract: A rectangular vibrating plate 10 in which a piezoelectric element and a reinforcing plate are stacked is supported on a main plate by a support member 11, and is urged toward the rotor 100 by an elastic force of the support member 11. This brings a projection 36 provided on the vibrating plate 10 into abutment with an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 100. In this construction, when the vibrating plate 10 vibrates in the horizontal direction in the figure by an applied voltage from a driving circuit (not shown), the rotor 100 is rotated in a clockwise direction in accordance with the displacement of the projection 36 due to the vibration.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor of the present invention has a vibrating element 6. The vibrating element 6 includes a first piezoelectric element 62 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage, a reinforcing plate 63 having a contact portion 66 and an arm portion 68, and a second piezoelectric element 64 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage. The first piezoelectric element 62, the reinforcing plate 63, and the second piezoelectric element 64 are laminated in this order. The vibrating element 6 is fixedly mounted through the arm portion 68 so that the contact portion 66 abuts on a driven element (rotor 51). Further, the vibrating element 6 has a body portion and a length L of the body portion in a direction in which the vibrating element 6 extends and contracts by application of the AC voltage is 1 to 20 mm.

Abstract: A present invention provides a drive unit and an operating apparatus each having a simple structure and therefore having an advantage to be miniaturized, which can obtain a large drive torque. A drive unit 1 of the present invention includes a rotor 4 and a plurality of actuators 5A, 5B for driving the rotor 4. Each of the plurality of actuators 5A, 5B includes an electro-mechanical converting element which applies driving force to the rotor 4 when electric power is applied thereto. In this case, the rotor 4 is driven in a cooperation manner in which the plurality of actuators 5A, 5B are cooperatively driven. Further, the electro-mechanical converting element is a vibrating element 50 containing a piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A rectangular vibrating plate 10 in which a piezoelectric element and a reinforcing plate are stacked is supported on a main plate by a support member 11, and is urged toward the rotor 100 by an elastic force of the support member 11. This brings a projection 36 provided on the vibrating plate 10 into abutment with an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 100. In this construction, when the vibrating plate 10 vibrates in the horizontal direction in the figure by an applied voltage from a driving circuit (not shown), the rotor 100 is rotated in a clockwise direction in accordance with the displacement of the projection 36 due to the vibration.

Abstract: A rotation/displacement converting actuator has an actuator unit constituted by a displacing body and an actuator in which the displacing body can be linearly displaced. The actuator has a pair of plate-shaped bases, a rotor, a vibrating element that rotates the rotor, and a cam mechanism for converting rotary motion of the rotor to linear motion of the displacing body. The rotor is fixed to a shaft to which the rotor (cam rotor) is fixed. An outer circumferential surface of the rotor constitutes a cam surface of the cam mechanism. A roller is provided at a tip portion of the displacing body. The roller abuts on the outer circumferential surface (cam surface) of the rotor.

Abstract: A rotation/displacement converting actuator has an actuator unit constituted by a displacing body and an actuator in which the displacing body can be linearly displaced. The actuator has a pair of plate-shaped bases, a rotor, a vibrating element that rotates the rotor, and a cam mechanism for converting rotary motion of the rotor to linear motion of the displacing body. The rotor is fixed to a shaft to which the rotor (cam rotor) is fixed. An outer circumferential surface of the rotor constitutes a cam surface of the cam mechanism. A roller is provided at a tip portion of the displacing body. The roller abuts on the outer circumferential surface (cam surface) of the rotor.

Abstract: A tube pump (1A) of the present invention is provided with a main body (2) to which a tube (100) is attached, a rotor (5), an oscillator (6) located so as to touch an outer circumferential face of the rotor (5), and a plurality of rollers (10) mounted to the rotor (5) for pressurizing and thereby squeezing the tube (100). The oscillator (6) is essentially shaped like a rectangular plate, and is formed by laminating an electrode, a piezoelectric element, and a reinforcing plate. When an alternating current voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the oscillator (6) oscillates longitudinally in the direction of the length at minute amplitude as the piezoelectric element expands and contracts. The rotor (5) receives a frictional force and a pressing force from a convex portion (66) when the oscillator (6) expands, and the rotor (5) rotates as it repetitively receives the frictional force and the pressing force.

Abstract: A rotation/displacement converting actuator has an actuator unit constituted by a displacing body and an actuator in which the displacing body can be linearly displaced. The actuator has a pair of plate-shaped bases, a rotor, a vibrating element that rotates the rotor, and a cam mechanism for converting rotary motion of the rotor to linear motion of the displacing body. The rotor is fixed to a shaft to which the rotor (cam rotor) is fixed. An outer circumferential surface of the rotor constitutes a cam surface of the cam mechanism. A roller is provided at a tip portion of the displacing body. The roller abuts on the outer circumferential surface (cam surface) of the rotor.

Abstract: A rectangular vibrating plate 10 in which a piezoelectric element and a reinforcing plate are stacked is supported on a main plate by a support member 11, and is urged toward the rotor 100 by an elastic force of the support member 11. This brings a projection 36 provided on the vibrating plate 10 into abutment with an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 100. In this construction, when the vibrating plate 10 vibrates in the horizontal direction in the figure by an applied voltage from a driving circuit (not shown), the rotor 100 is rotated in a clockwise direction in accordance with the displacement of the projection 36 due to the vibration.

Abstract: An operating apparatus 1 of the present invention has a driven element 5, a frame 4 having a contacted element 51 and rotatably supporting the driven element 5, and an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes a vibrating element 6. The vibrating element 6 includes a first piezoelectric element 62 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage, a reinforcing plate 63 having a contact portion 66 and an arm portion 68, and a second piezoelectric element 64 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage. The first piezoelectric element 62, the reinforcing plate 63, and the second piezoelectric element 64 are laminated in this order. The vibrating element 6 is fixedly mounted on the driven element 5 in a state where the contact portion 66 abuts on the contacted element 51.

Abstract: An operating apparatus 1 of the present invention has a driven element 5 having an imaging element and a contacted element, a frame 4 rotatably supporting the driven element 5, and an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes a vibrating element 6. The vibrating element 6 includes a first piezoelectric element 62 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage, a reinforcing plate 63 having a contact portion 66 and an arm portion 68, and a second piezoelectric element 64 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage. The first piezoelectric element 62, the reinforcing plate 63, and the second piezoelectric element 64 are laminated in this order. The vibrating element 6 is fixedly mounted on the frame 4 in a state where the contact portion 66 abuts on the contacted element 51. Further, in the operating apparatus 1, the driven element 5 is driven by vibration of the vibrating element 6 via the contacted element 51 to rotate with respect to the frame 4.

Abstract: A linear actuator is an actuator for directly driving (moving) a slider. The linear actuator has an actuator unit constituted by the slider and an actuator body on which the slider is movably provided for linear movement. The actuator body has a base, a vibrating element for moving the slider, two rollers to movably support the slider, pushing means for pushing the vibrating element into contact with the slider, and a conducting circuit for conducting each of electrodes of the vibrating element by selecting a conducting pattern to each of the electrodes. Grooves are respectively formed in outer circumferential surfaces of the rollers, and the slider is arranged inside each of the grooves.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor of the present invention has a vibrating element 6. The vibrating element 6 includes a first piezoelectric element 62 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage, a reinforcing plate 63 having a contact portion 66 and an arm portion 68, and a second piezoelectric element 64 that undergoes extension and contraction by application of an AC voltage. The first piezoelectric element 62, the reinforcing plate 63, and the second piezoelectric element 64 are laminated in this order. The vibrating element 6 is fixedly mounted through the arm portion 68 so that the contact portion 66 abuts on a driven element (rotor 51). Further, the vibrating element 6 has a body portion and a length L of the body portion in a direction in which the vibrating element 6 extends and contracts by application of the AC voltage is 1 to 20 mm.

Abstract: A present invention provides a drive unit and an operating apparatus each having a simple structure and therefore having an advantage to be miniaturized, which can obtain a large drive torque. A drive unit 1 of the present invention includes a rotor 4 and a plurality of actuators 5A, 5B for driving the rotor 4. Each of the plurality of actuators 5A, 5B includes an electro-mechanical converting element which applies driving force to the rotor 4 when electric power is applied thereto. In this case, the rotor 4 is driven in a cooperation manner in which the plurality of actuators 5A, 5B are cooperatively driven. Further, the electromechanical converting element is a vibrating element 50 containing a piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A rectangular vibrating plate 10 in which a piezoelectric element and a reinforcing plate are stacked is supported on a main plate by a support member 11, and is urged toward the rotor 100 by an elastic force of the support member 11. This brings a projection 36 provided on the vibrating plate 10 into abutment with an outer peripheral surface of the rotor 100. In this construction, when the vibrating plate 10 vibrates in the horizontal direction in the figure by an applied voltage from a driving circuit (not shown), the rotor 100 is rotated in a clockwise direction in accordance with the displacement of the projection 36 due to the vibration.

Abstract: A linear actuator is an actuator for directly driving (moving) a slider. The linear actuator has an actuator unit constituted by the slider and an actuator body on which the slider is movably provided for linear movement. The actuator body has a base, a vibrating element for moving the slider, two rollers to movably support the slider, pushing means for pushing the vibrating element into contact with the slider, and a conducting circuit for conducting each of electrodes of the vibrating element by selecting a conducting pattern to each of the electrodes. Grooves are respectively formed in outer circumferential surfaces of the rollers, and the slider is arranged inside each of the grooves.

Abstract: A rotation/displacement converting actuator has an actuator unit constituted by a displacing body and an actuator in which the displacing body can be linearly displaced. The actuator has a pair of plate-shaped bases, a rotor, a vibrating element that rotates the rotor, and a cam mechanism for converting rotary motion of the rotor to linear motion of the displacing body. The rotor is fixed to a shaft to which the rotor (cam rotor) is fixed. An outer circumferential surface of the rotor constitutes a cam surface of the cam mechanism. A roller is provided at a tip portion of the displacing body. The roller abuts on the outer circumferential surface (cam surface) of the rotor.