Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device that may comprise a housing defining an outer wall. The device may further include a power source and a control component, an exit aerosol path defined through an opening, a tank portion that includes a reservoir configured to contain a liquid composition, and an atomization assembly configured to vaporize the liquid composition to generate an aerosol. The atomization assembly may comprise two or more vibrating assemblies each of which includes a mesh plate. In some implementations, the mesh plates may be substantially coplanar and substantially perpendicular to the exit aerosol path. In other implementations, the mesh plates may be non-coplanar.

Abstract: In order to provide a piezoelectric actuator and a fluid control valve that can vaporize a liquid material more effectively than a conventional arrangement, the piezoelectric actuator comprises a piezoelectric stack wherein a piezoelectric ceramic layer and an electrode layer are alternately laminated, a DC voltage application circuit that displaces the piezoelectric stack by applying a DC voltage to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack, and a vibration voltage application circuit that vibrates the piezoelectric stack by applying a voltage having a predetermined frequency or above to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack.

Abstract: A camera may a plurality of sensors to measure positions of lenses and/or image sensor for control the positions of the lenses and/or image sensor for various image capturing functions. The camera may include a control circuit for configuring the sensors. The control circuit may include a plurality of conductors arranged in different patterns relative to different sensors installed at different locations. The control circuit may use the conductors to generate magnetic field(s) on the sensors, and use the magnetic field to configure the sensors. Once configured, the control circuit may communicate with the sensors based on the sensors' configuration, to obtain position measurements from the sensors to control the actuators.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an ultrasonic actuator formed of a plate having a base, a cover surface which is geometrically similar to the base, and a lateral surface which interconnects the base and the cover surface, wherein the plate includes an electromagnetic material. Electrodes for inciting periodic deformations of the plate are arranged on the base of the plate and on the cover surface of the plate opposite the base. The base includes at least two faces which are arranged in parallel with one another and form contact portions of the lateral surface, and the two faces of the base arranged in parallel with one another, together with connecting lines which interconnect the respective end points of the faces arranged in parallel, form a parallelogram inscribed in the base, in which parallelogram an angle different from 90° is enclosed between adjacent faces. A motor having such an ultrasonic actuator is also disclosed.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a stack of discs mounted on a spindle and a pivot block rotatably mounted around a shaft. The data storage device also includes an arm having first and second ends, with the first end supporting a head and the second end movably attached to the pivot block. The data storage device further includes an ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator that moves the arm along the pivot block to enable the head to interact with data storage surfaces of the discs.

Abstract: There is provided a vibration wave motor that includes a plurality of pressing parts separated by slits and can prevent an intervention member from protruding from the slits. The vibration wave motor includes a vibrator, a driven body configured to be brought into pressure contact with the vibrator and to move relative to the vibrator, a pressing member configured to move together with the driven body and to bring the driven body into pressure contact with the vibrator, and an intervention member intervening between the driven body and the pressing member, and configured to be pressed together with the driven body when the pressing member brings the driven body into pressure contact with the vibrator. The pressing member includes a plurality of pressing parts that is separated by slits and presses the intervention member. The intervention member is firmly fixed to the driven body.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device includes a substrate, a convex portion coupling to the substrate and transmitting drive power to a driven member, first drive piezoelectric elements placed on the substrate and vibrating the substrate in Y directions in which the substrate and the convex portion are arranged, second drive piezoelectric elements placed on the substrate and vibrating the substrate in Z directions orthogonal to the Y directions, a reference piezoelectric element placed on the substrate, receiving the vibration in the Y directions, and outputting a detection signal, and a concave portion placed side by side with the reference piezoelectric element in the Z directions in a plan view from an X direction orthogonal to the Y directions and the Z directions.

Abstract: A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes a display panel, a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and a member attached to at least one of a rear surface of the piezoelectric vibration unit and a portion of the rear surface of the display panel that surrounds the piezoelectric vibration unit. The display apparatus includes a display panel, a damping member attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a rear surface of the damping member.

Abstract: A two-speed motor is mounted in a housing with an end cap. The end cap has a tubular structure defining an interior space, including an open first end connectable to the motor casing. The second end includes at least one planar surface and at least one air grate configured to permit airflow into and/or out of the interior space. A dual speed pump controller includes a motor controller for operating the dual speed motor. The controller includes an operating speed circuit for operating the motor in one of a first speed or a second speed, the first speed being greater than the second speed; an event circuit for operating the motor at the first speed before a predetermined event and operating the pump at the second speed after the predetermined event.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator, a contact body to be brought into contact with the vibrator, a shaft fixed to the contact body, and a fixing member configured to fix the contact body and the shaft from the shaft side.

Abstract: An electromechanical stator includes an actuator section, a support section and a spring section. A continuous sheet of elastic material constitutes at least a part of each of these sections. The actuator section includes a vibration body and a moved-body interaction portion. The vibration body includes an electromechanical volume. The spring section is elastic, with a spring constant, enabling provision of a normal force in the vibration direction upon displacement of the fixation point. Also an electromechanical motor and a method of operating such an electromechanical motor are disclosed.

Abstract: A rotating piezoelectric motor including a piezoelectric actuator including a resonator having a pair of arms connected at one of their ends in a connection area, the other two ends being referred to as ‘free’, a passive element including a cylindrical part extending orthogonally to the resonator, the cylindrical part being able to be rotated by the friction of the free ends of the arms on the cylindrical part, each free end including a protuberance such that the protuberances extend towards one another and together form a housing for a portion of the cylindrical part, the motor including a device for holding the portion of the cylindrical part inside the housing.

Abstract: A piezo-electric motor 100 includes an actuation portion including an actuation surface 106 and a piezo stack 102 that is operable in response to the application of a voltage to move the actuation surface along an actuation axis 116 between a retracted position and an extended position. A spring strap 112 partially surrounds the actuation portion and is operable to bias the actuation surface toward the retracted position and a movable portion 108,110 is frictionally engaged with the actuation surface. The voltage is selected such that the movable portion sticks to the actuation surface as the actuation surface moves toward one of the retracted position and the extended position and slips on the actuation surface as the actuation surface moves toward the other of the retracted position and the extended position.

Abstract: A vibrating type actuator which hardly causes a failure and can suppress occurrence of abnormal noise while not preventing vibration from being excited in a vibrator. The vibrating type actuator comprises a vibrator in which vibration is excited, and a contact body which is in contact with the vibrator, wherein the vibrator and the contact body move relatively to each other. The vibrating type actuator comprises a holding member which holds the vibrator, a pressurizing member which pressurizes the vibrator against the contact body, a support member which movably supports the holding member in a pressurizing direction, in which the pressurizing member performs pressurization, and an vibration damping member which is in contact with the holding member at a plurality of portions while sandwiching the holding member in a direction orthogonal to the pressurizing direction.

Abstract: A vibration actuator includes a vibrator including a shaft, an output transmission member penetrated by the shaft, and configured to rotate about the axis of the shall, and a fixed member configured not to move relative to the shaft and configured to move relative to the output transmission member. The fixed member includes a base portion and a projection portion protruding from the base portion to the output transmission member side, the vibration actuator includes a pressure reception member between the base portion and the output transmission member in an axial direction of the shaft, and wherein the projection portion and the output transmission member are in contact with each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft, and the projection portion and the output transmission member are not in contact with each other in the axial direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprising: (a) a handpiece for holding by a user; (b) a cutting insert for said handpiece; (c) an ultrasound transducer disposed within the handpiece, the ultrasound transducer capable of providing first and second ultrasound frequency vibrations to the cutting insert in response to an electrical signal; and (d) a switch allowing the user to control the electrical signal and thereby provide either said first or second ultrasound frequency vibrations to the cutting insert. The device is useful in a method of placing an implant into an implant site comprising cutting overlying gingival tissue at a first ultrasound frequency capable of cutting soft tissue, then switching to a second ultrasound frequency capable of cutting the underlying jawbone.

Abstract: Acoustic transducers can be formed form piezoelectric materials including one or more curved (non-linear) segments. The piezoelectric material can be shear poled such that a poling direction of the piezoelectric material can follow the curvature of the piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material can also have a unidirectional poling direction. In some examples, the piezoelectric material can be a closed ring with a circular or partially circular shape. A shear poling process for a piezoelectric material with curves can include shear poling segments of the piezoelectric material with one or more sets of poling electrodes. The poling electrodes of a respective one of the one or more sets of poling electrodes can be coupled to the same side of the piezoelectric material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator provided with a piezoelectric element and a vibration plate; a frictional member having a frictional contact surface coming into contact with the vibrator; a fixing member having a recess to which the frictional member is fixed; and pressurizing unit that pressurizes the vibrator toward the frictional member, wherein the vibrator and the frictional member make relative movement using vibration generated from the vibrator, a fixing material for fixing the frictional member is provided between the frictional member and the fixing member, and the frictional member is fixed by coming into contact with the fixing member.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose a combined ultrasonic atomizer, an atomization method thereof and electronic cigarette.

Abstract: A vibration-type actuator can downsizes a pressing mechanism for bringing a vibrating body and a driven body into press contact with each other and generates required pressing force. The vibrating body has an elastic body, an electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and at least one projecting portion. The driven body has a driven base material that is brought into press contact with the vibrating body, and a permanent magnet joined to the driven base material. The driven base material and the elastic body face each other across the permanent magnet in a thickness direction of the elastic body. The permanent magnet is magnetized in the thickness direction of the elastic body. A magnetic action of the permanent magnet on the elastic body and the driven base material brings the projecting portion and the driven base material into press contact with each other in the thickness direction of the elastic body.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is configured to couple with the body such that the shaft assembly extends distally relative to the body. The shaft assembly comprises a tubular member, an acoustic waveguide, and a guiding member. The acoustic waveguide is operable to selectively couple with an ultrasonic transducer assembly. The tubular member is configured to insertingly receive the acoustic waveguide. The acoustic waveguide comprises a guide feature. The guiding member is configured to engage the guide feature of the acoustic waveguide and thereby orient the acoustic waveguide in relation to the tubular member.

Abstract: Focused acoustic radiation, referred to as tonebursts, are applied to a volume of liquid to generate a set of droplets. In one embodiment, a first toneburst is applied to temporarily raise a mound or protuberance on a free surface of the fluid. After the mound has reached a certain state, at least two additional toneburst can be applied to the protuberance to sequentially eject multiple bursts of multiple droplets. In one embodiment, the state of the mound can be maintained by a sustained acoustic signal, during which time multiple additional tonebursts can be applied to sequentially eject multiple bursts of multiple droplets from the mound.

Abstract: A washer nozzle for a vehicle is provided. The washer nozzle improves an ejection disorder due to external freezing of a washer ejection port that ejects washer fluid. The washer nozzle, removes ice and foreign substances frozen onto the surface of a washer ejection port by utilizing an ultrasonic vibration generated by an ultrasonic transducer disposed within an interior of the washer nozzle. The washer nozzle includes a nozzle cover with washer ejection ports and a nozzle body with washer fluid passages. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to generate an ultrasonic vibration disposed within the nozzle body. The ultrasonic transducer disposed beneath the lower portion of the washer ejection ports is configured to provide ultrasonic vibration toward the washer ejection ports.

Abstract: A linear vibrator includes a bracket having a plate shape, a casing having a hexahedral shape with an open bottom and coupled to the bracket, a circuit board on the bracket, a coil on the circuit board, a pair of magnets spaced apart from each other and disposed over the coil at an interval from the coil, a plate having a pair of magnet attachment surfaces attached to top surfaces of the pair of magnets and a connection surface downwardly bent with a step difference from the magnet attachment surfaces and connecting the pair of magnet attachment surfaces, a weight on top of the plate, and a spring on top of the connection surface and formed in a strip shape with two ends secured to the casing and a center portion secured to the connection surface. The spring is bilateral symmetric and has at least a pair of inwardly-bent portions.

Abstract: A power conversion device has a buckled wave disk that has an axis and is radially compressed between a hub and a wave ring. The buckled wave disk is buckled in the radial direction to form circumferential waves which are displaced in the axial direction and extending around the buckled wave disk with lines formed of inflection points of the circumferential waves extending between the hub and wave ring. The wave ring is outwardly radially displaced at nodes corresponding to lines formed of inflection points of the circumferential waves. A wave propagation actuator cooperates with the buckled wave disk for driving a wave and the lines formed of inflection points of the circumferential waves around the buckled wave disk. An outer ring surrounds the wave ring, the outer ring being driven by or driving the wave ring at the nodes. A method of making a wave disk is provided.

Abstract: A piezoelectric driving device includes a vibrating plate, and a piezoelectric vibrating body including a substrate, and piezoelectric elements provided on the substrate. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric body, and the first electrode, the piezoelectric body, and the second electrode are laminated in this order on the substrate. The piezoelectric vibrating body is installed on the vibrating plate so that the piezoelectric element is interposed between the substrate and the vibrating plate. A wiring pattern including a first wiring corresponding to the first electrode and a second wiring corresponding to the second electrode is formed on the vibrating plate, the first electrode and the first wiring are connected to each other through a first laminated conducting portion, and the second electrode and the second wiring are connected to each other through a second laminated conducting portion.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave motor includes a piezoelectric element, an elastic member that includes a projecting portion, a friction member that moves relative to the elastic member and includes a contact surface in contact with the projecting portion, and pressing unit that brings the projecting portion into contact under pressure with the contact surface in a pressing direction that is a direction of a perpendicular line of the contact surface. The projecting portion includes a spherical portion formed in a center of the projecting portion, a contact portion formed on or near a center of the spherical portion, a flat portion formed around the spherical portion, and a corner portion formed around the flat portion. The spherical portion, the flat portion and the corner portion are configured to have a uniform thickness and to have flexibility in the pressing direction with the contact portion as a center.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric driving device, a load due to flection deformation of a flexible substrate can be prevented from being applied to a piezoelectric element and decrease in driving efficiency of the driving device can be prevented. The flexible substrate of the driving device includes a first fixing portion fixed to the piezoelectric element, a second fixing portion fixed to a holding member, and a bending portion in which the flection deformation is formed with movement of a vibrating plate. The second fixing portion is provided between the first fixing portion and the bending portion along the flexible substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micro-electromechanical device used as a force sensor, comprising a mobile mass connected to at least one securing zone by means of springs or deformable elements, and means for detecting the movement of the mobile mass, the mobile mass having an outer frame and an inner body, the outer frame and the inner body being connected by at least two flexible portions forming integral decoupling springs on two separate sides of the outer frame.

Abstract: A vibration type actuator including a vibrator having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic member fixed to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element; a base unit configured to fix the vibrator; a moving body configured to come into press contact with the vibrator and capable of being moved by the vibration; a press member configured to bring the vibrator and the moving body into press contact with each other and transmit a drive force of the moving body to an output unit; and a bearing unit configured to rotatably support the output unit with respect to the base unit, wherein the bearing unit is arranged on an outer peripheral side of the vibrator and the moving body in a direction orthogonal to a direction of rotation axis of the output unit.

Abstract: A TL/T tip is made by scaling down the dimensions of an L/T tip by the ratio of the TL/T frequency to the L/T frequency so that the TL/T tip can operate by excitement from a transducer at the same frequency that would have produced L/T motion in the L/T tip. A reductive resonator may be included between the transducer and the TL/T tip.

Abstract: A camera module is provided, the camera module including a mover mounted with a lens, a stator movably supporting the mover to an optical axis direction of the lens, and a ball interposed between the mover and the stator, wherein a first rail is provided on the mover to allow a relative movement of the ball to the mover to the optical axis direction, and a second rail is provided on the stator opposite to the first rail to allow a relative movement of the ball to the stator to the optical axis direction, and wherein the ball linearly travels along the optical axis direction when the mover and the stator relatively move.

Abstract: The present invention provides a piezoelectric element that includes a piezoelectric material having first and second surfaces; a common electrode disposed on the first surface; and a plurality of drive phase electrodes, a detection phase electrode, and a non-drive phase electrode disposed on the second surface, the piezoelectric material being sandwiched between the common electrode and the electrodes on the second surface. An absolute value d(1) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (1) in portions sandwiched between the drive phase electrodes and the common electrode, an absolute value d(2) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (2) in a portion sandwiched between the detection phase electrode and the common electrode, and an absolute value d(3) of the piezoelectric material (3) in a portion sandwiched between the non-drive phase electrode and the common electrode satisfy d(2)<0.95d(1), d(3)<0.95d(1), and 0.9?d(3)/d(2)?1.1.

Abstract: There is provided a vibration generating device including: a housing having an internal space; a base member installed in the housing to be disposed in a central portion of the housing; a first plate installed on the base member; a first piezoelectric element installed on an upper surface of the first plate; a second piezoelectric element disposed to face the first piezoelectric element through a connection member; a second plate installed on the second piezoelectric element; and a vibration amplifying part installed on an upper surface of the second plate.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ultrasonic motor having a vibrator that vibrates by a high frequency drive voltage applied thereto, a sliding member that comes in contact frictionally with the vibrator, pressurizing means for pressurizing the vibrator to the sliding member, a base to which the vibrator is fixed, a vibrator support member holding the base, and coupling means for coupling the vibrator with the vibrator support member, the vibrator and the sliding member being relatively moved by the vibration, wherein the coupling means includes the base, the rolling member that freely moves the base to the vibrator support member in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing means, and an urging member that urges the rolling member in a direction perpendicular to the pressurizing direction of the pressurizing means.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a driver of a vibrator including: a control section; and an alternating current signal generation section configured to generate an alternating current signal based on an output from the control section, and to apply the alternating current signal to the vibrator, wherein the control section is configured to lower a frequency of the alternating current signal, and to change, after the frequency change, at least one of a voltage ratio and a phase difference of the alternating current signal such that the ellipse ratio of the elliptical motion changes from a first ellipse ratio to a second ellipse ratio, the second ellipse ratio has a larger ratio of a component in a moving direction in the elliptical motion to a component in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction in the elliptical motion than the first ellipse ratio.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: A vibration type driving device includes an electro-mechanical energy conversion element; a vibrator fixed to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element and configured to be vibrated by application of voltage to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element; a first driven member and a second driven member frictionally driven by press-contact with the vibrator and configured to transmit rotational forces by frictional driving to an output shaft; and at least one pressing portion configured to bring the first driven member and the second driven member into press contact with the vibrator, wherein the pressing portion, the first driven member, the second driven member, and the vibrator are arranged to allow an air flow generated by an airflow generation unit to flow through an air-ventilation path of the pressing portion, between the first driven member and the second driven member, and an air-ventilation path of the vibrator.

Abstract: A vibration wave actuator includes a vibrator, a driven element, and a magnet. The vibrator has at least an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body to which the electro-mechanical energy conversion element is joined, the elastic body including a contact portion. The driven element is in pressure contact with the contact portion of the vibrator, and includes a magnetic substance. The magnet is arranged such that the vibrator is placed between the driven element and the magnet.

Abstract: A piezoelectric pump includes a leaf spring including a disc portion defining an actuator, an outer frame portion defining a housing, and an elastic support portion. The actuator flexurally vibrates from a center portion of a principal surface thereof to an outer periphery thereof. The elastic support portion includes a beam portion and connection portions and elastically supports the disc portion on the outer frame portion. The beam portion extends in a gap between the disc portion and the outer frame portion in a direction along an outer periphery of the disc portion. A first of the connection portions connects the beam portion to the disc portion. Second and third connection portions are offset from the first connection portion and connect the beam portion to the outer frame portion.

Abstract: A developer container configured to contain developer to be used for image formation, includes a first electrode provided in the developer container, a second electrode provided opposing to the first electrode configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, to detect a quantity of the developer, a conveyance member provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and on a bottom surface side inside the developer container, and configured to convey the developer contained in the developer container, and a vibration imparting member configured to impart vibration to the conveyance member, wherein the developer on a developer conveyance surface of the conveyance member contacting the developer is conveyed by the vibration of the conveyance member.

Abstract: An actuator using an electro-active polymer is provided. The actuator includes a vibration plate fixed to an electronic device; at least one electro-active polymer attached to the vibration plate, and activated when electric voltage is applied thereto; and at least one mass joined to at least one a combination member disposed on the vibration plate.

Abstract: A novel oscillator comprises a curved sheet structure. The curved sheet structure comprises a curved sheet and a tensioner. The curved sheet structure oscillates when the tensioner of the curved sheet structure is extended between two rigidly or semi rigidly fixed points and the curved sheet structure is exposed to a fluid flow. The oscillation results in oscillating tension in the tensioner and oscillating motion of the tensioner in directions perpendicular and parallel to the direction of fluid flow. Energy conversion devices to couple the energy out of the oscillator include a coupling in line with the tensioner and a coupling generally perpendicular to the extension of the tensioner.

Abstract: An electromechanical rotating actuator arrangement (10) includes a stator (20), a rotor (30), a guide arrangement (50) and an object (40) to be moved. The stator (20) has electromechanically active actuators (22), exhibiting shape changes upon excitation, rigidly attached to a common stator block (24). The rotor (30) has a planar drive surface (32). The electromechanically active actuators (22) have a respective driving surface (26), situated in a common plane (27) parallel to the drive surface (32), for mechanical interaction with the drive surface (32) of the rotor (30). The object (40) to be moved is attached to the rotor (30), giving a rigid mechanical connection between the object (40) and the drive surface (32). The guide arrangement (50) is arranged for restricting translational motions of the rotor (30) perpendicular to the rotation axis (12). A method for driving an electromechanical rotating actuator arrangement (10) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving unit includes a vibrator including an electro-mechanical transducer; a moving body provided with the vibrator; a contact member in contact with the vibrator provided on the moving body; a support member configured to support the contact member; and a moving mechanism configured to move the moving body relative to the support member. The vibrator and the contact member are disposed so that the vibrator moves in a first direction relative to the contact member. The moving mechanism is configured to move the moving body relative to the support member in a second direction intersecting the first direction in a plane parallel to a plane in which the vibrator and the contact member are in contact with each other.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a plurality of first piezoelectric elements; a first member that is interposed between the plurality of first piezoelectric elements and that is driven in a first direction by the plurality of first piezoelectric elements; a second piezoelectric element that is disposed on the first member; and a second member that is disposed in contact with the second piezoelectric element and that is driven in a second direction intersecting the first direction by the second piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An electromechanical motor assembly includes a stator, a body to be moved and a stator support. The stator has a plurality of electromechanical actuators for moving the body by repetition of steps ensuring that at least one of the electromechanical actuators is in non-sliding contact with the body at every time. The assembly further includes a force applying arrangement for supplying a normal force (N) between the stator and the stator support by at least one spring arrangement. The spring arrangement has a spring constant in the direction (Z) normal to the surface of the body that is lower than 5% of the ratio between the normal force and the average height uncertainty of the surface of the body. The force applying arrangement includes a lateral fixing plate attached between the stator and the support parallel to the main motion direction (X) and juxtaposed to the surface of the body.

Abstract: Described is a proximity sensor used by an operation robot that may measure a proximity distance to an object using an ultrasonic wave in a device such as an operation robot, an endoscope, and the like, and a method of operating the proximity sensor which may be used by an operation robot. The proximity sensor used by the operation robot may include an inner wall provided in a circular structure to secure a cavity within the circular structure, a piezoelectric polymer film disposed outside the inner wall to generate an ultrasonic signal, and to sense the ultrasonic signal, and an outer wall disposed outside the piezoelectric polymer film to propagate the ultrasonic signal via an open window, thereby preventing a collision between devices or an unnecessary contact, and providing a more stable operation environment.

Abstract: A device able to generate electrical power through relative rotational motion of first (370, 380) and second (200, 230) principal components around an axis of rotation (220); wherein: the first and second principal components comprise an arrangement of piezoelectric elements (380) and permanent magnets (230, 370) such that the interaction between these magnets and piezoelectric elements, in use, makes it possible to generate electricity; and wherein: the second principal component (200, 230) comprises a centre of mass offset from the axis of relative rotation (220) such that the response of the second principal component (200, 230) to either gravitational or inertial forces is a relative rotation of the second principal component (200, 230) in relation to the first principal component (370, 380); the first principal component (370, 380) being fixedly attached to the moving host structure (100).

Abstract: A vibration type actuator providing a satisfactory actuator performance even when an increase in speed is achieved and having a contact spring. The actuator includes a vibrator equipped with an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element, an elastic member to which the electrical-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed, and a protrusion provided on the elastic member. The vibrator can generate an elliptic movement in the protrusion. A driven body is configured to come into contact with the protrusion and to make a relative movement with respect to the vibrator. The protrusion includes a contact portion having a contact surface contacting the driven body, a continuous side wall portion protruding with respect to one end surface of the elastic member and forming a hollow structure, and a connection portion connecting the contact portion and the side wall portion and exhibiting flexibility in a direction normal to the contact surface.