Abstract: In order to ensure that a starting point of the position detection means is not subjected to the influence of noise, etc in electronic equipment equipped with position detection means for detecting the position of a moving body using an incremental type encoder, in electronic equipment for controlling the deciding of a position of a moving body using an ultrasonic motor comprised of piezoelectric material, an oscillating body, a moving body, pressing means, a pair of electrodes for applying a high-frequency voltage to the piezoelectric material, an oscillator drive circuit for generating the high-frequency voltage, and a control unit, a location detected by the incremental type encoder as a position detection starting point is set to be a position most frequently passed through by the moving body or a position decided upon the most frequently as a starting point, with the incremental type counter being reset to zero by a starting point signal of a starting point signal producing circuit.

Abstract: An electronic watch which can be small-sized even with an additional mechanism such as a calendar mechanism. In the electronic watch, a rectangular piezoelectric oscillator 32 acting as a piezoelectric actuator is forced at its end face to contact with a beam portion 35, which is mounted on a date ring 31 acting as a second indication member, thereby to drive the date ring 31 directly.

Abstract: A control portion always monitors a present-position signal from a position sensor and monitors whether the present position of a moving body is a desired position, or not (Step 101). In the case where the control portion detects that the present position of the moving body reaches the desired position, the control portion generates a stop command signal and gives the stop command signal to an oscillation drive circuit (S102). Then, the control portion checks whether overshooting occurs, or not (S103), and in the case where the control portion judges that overshooting occurs, the control portion retains a stop command signal as it is for a stop command retaining time t (S104). After the stop command retaining time t elapses, the control portion gives a reverse command signal to the oscillation drive circuit to conduct reverse operation (S105). After Step S105, the control is returned to Step S101 and the above operation is repeated.

Abstract: In a moving mechanism, a contact is disposed on a moving body, and the contact is in contact with a positioning member so as to move the moving body by 180 degrees. With this structure, the accurate regulation of the position of the moving body can be realized with only a slight improvement in the conventional moving mechanism, and the object can be inexpensively realized. Also, since the position detecting means, the signal processing means, etc., are not required other than the moving mechanism, necessary and sufficient functions can be realized with the minimum structure without requiring excessive energy and space.

Abstract: An optical functional module collimator block capable of easily adjusting the position and/or direction of collimators opposed to each other and capable of correcting an error in the position or direction. The collimator module has an adjusting device for optical axis alignment between two collimators held by holding members on a base member in a state of being opposed to each other. The adjusting device includes fixing screws for fixing at least one of the holding members on the base member, and adjusting screws for adjusting the position and/or direction of the holding member.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a self-excited oscillation circuit comprised of a vibrating body having a piezoelectric element and an amplifier circuit for amplifying an output signal of the piezoelectric element for oscillating the vibrating body in a predetermined natural mode. A moving body is disposed in contact with the vibrating body and is driven in response to oscillation of the vibrating body. A control signal generating circuit outputs to the self-excited oscillation circuit a drive command signal or a stop command signal to bring the self-excited oscillation circuit into a drive state to drive the moving body or a stop state, respectively. The control signal generating circuit is set so that a length of the drive command signal is a time period required for the self-excited oscillation circuit to start oscillating at a frequency corresponding to a given frequency for driving the moving body.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is offered which has a function of detecting the position of a driven member with high reliability while achieving power saving. The apparatus comprises an electric motor an object that is a member driven by the motor, a gear reducer for transmitting the power of the motor to the object, an optical sensor for detecting the rotational position of the gear reducer and indirectly detecting the rotational position of the object, and an optical sensor control circuit for varying the state of drive of the optical sensor according to the circumstance of operation of the object, i.e., the rotational speed of the motor. The optical sensor is intermittently driven by the optical sensor control circuit. The frequency of the intermittent drive and the duty ratio are varied according to the rotational speed of the motor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor with an increased driving force is provided.

Abstract: To provide an optical switch which is compact and having high productivity. An optical switch including an input section for inputting a light beam, optical parts having an optical path changing characteristic movable to positions of blocking the light beam, output sections provided respectively in correspondence with a case in which an optical path is changed by the optical part and a case in which the optical path is not changed by the optical part, driving means for separately driving the optical parts and driving control means for controlling to arrange the optical parts via the driving means and selecting the output sections constituting output destinations of the light beam.

Abstract: To provide an electronic apparatus having a position detecting apparatus promoting positioning accuracy of a movable object member, an actuator is fixed to an upper face of a support plate by a screw. Two pieces of guide members are fitted to a rotor at locations of an upper face thereof deviated from a center of rotation. An upper face of the rotor is provided with a stepped difference portion lower than a central portion thereof by one step. The stepped difference portion is arranged with a member to be read. Guide holes of the member to be read are fitted to the guide members, further, there is constituted a movable object member fixed to and operated by the rotor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor with increased output power per unit volume is provided by simultaneously driving all of a plurality of polarized segments of a piezoelectric element having a circular disk shape and divided into a multiple of four polarized segments in a circumferential direction. Projections are provided at upper faces of the polarized segments of the piezoelectric element and spaced apart by an odd number of polarized segments. Polarities of adjacent polarized segments are the same and polarities of adjacent pairs are reverse to each other. A first polarized segment group comprises every other polarized segment and a second polarized segment group comprises the remaining polarized segments. By selecting whether phases of alternating voltages supplied to the first and second polarized segment groups are the same or are 180 degrees out of phase, the direction of the motor is determined.

Abstract: A long-life ultrasonic motor is provided which increases the output and efficiency and reduces the wear on a moving body. By mounting such an ultrasonic motor on an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus is improved in performances including the size-reduction, thickness-reduction, power saving, etc. By configuring a stable self-excited oscillation circuit between first and third electrodes of a piezoelectric element and applying a drive signal to a second electrode through a phase selection circuit for changing the phase of a self-excited oscillation signal, two signals different in phase are supplied to the ultrasonic motor while using the self-excited oscillation circuit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a vibrating body polarized in a given direction. The vibrating body comprises a first piezoelectric body and a second piezoelectric body laminated to the first piezoelectric body in a preselected direction generally parallel to the polarized direction. Each of the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body has a first polarized portion and a second polarized portion. The first polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body is aligned in the preselected direction with the second polarized portion of the second piezoelectric body. The second polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body is aligned in the preselected direction with the first polarized portion of the second piezoelectric body.

Abstract: To provide a medical module apparatus for moving a moving body such as an ultrasonic vibrator with excellent characteristics of the response and making a sectional area in an inserting direction of the moving member smaller than that of a conventional product, the medical module apparatus includes a piezoelectric vibrator substantially in a rectangular shape for producing ultrasonic vibration, a rotating body rotated with ultrasonic vibration produced at an end portion of the piezoelectric vibrator as power, a guide wire for supporting the piezoelectric vibrator and the rotating body such that an end portion of the piezoelectric vibrator is directed in a direction of inserting the medical module apparatus and moving the medical module apparatus to an aimed portion and a skin for protecting the piezoelectric vibrator and the rotating body against outside.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes an oscillation drive circuit for generating an oscillation wave by self-excited oscillation of an oscillator bonded with a piezoelectric element, and a start/stop signal generating circuit for generating a signal for controlling the starting and stopping of the ultrasonic motor by bringing the oscillation drive circuit into an active state and a stop state, respectively. The oscillation drive circuit includes a power amplifier for amplifying an excitation signal, a capacitive circuit for adjusting a frequency of the excitation signal, and a switching circuit connected to a capacitive element of the capacitive circuit for short-circuiting terminals of the capacitive element based on an output signal of the start/stop signal generating circuit.

Abstract: Variable optical attenuator and system are offered that permit fine adjustment of the amount of shielding, eliminate variations in the amount of shielding, and facilitate positioning. The variable optical attenuator is mounted in a region of a collimated beam formed between a pair of opposite optical systems. The attenuator continuously attenuates the collimated beam. The attenuator comprises a shielding plate and a pushing means for pushing against one face of the shielding plate, placing it in position, and producing flexural deformation. The shielding plate has a fixed base-end portion and a front-end portion that is so held as to be a free end. At least the base-end portion consists of a leaf spring. The amount by which the collimated beam is shielded by the front end is varied according to the amount of flexural deformation of the shielding plate.

Abstract: A compact ultrasonic motor is made easy to assemble and replace in an electronic apparatus by providing various electronic circuit components on a connector formed integrally with the ultrasonic motor. In one embodiment, a piezoelectric element is in contact with a vibrating body for undergoing vibration along with expansion-and-contraction movement of the piezoelectric element. A moving member is in contact with the vibrating body for undergoing movement in a desired direction in response to vibration of the vibrating body. A support member supports the piezoelectric element, the vibrating body, the moving member, along with a driving circuit for driving the ultrasonic motor and a connector for connecting the piezoelectric element to the driving circuit. The driving circuit is an AC signal generating circuit for supplying an AC signal to the piezoelectric element and a phase adjusting device for adjusting phase characteristics of the AC signal generating circuit.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic motor whose vibration loss is suppressed, whose structure is miniaturized, whose production process is simplified and which is capable of utilizing electrical energy very efficiently. The inventive ultrasonic motor comprises a first piezoelectric body having a first polarized portion excited when voltage is applied and a second piezoelectric body that is laminated with the first piezoelectric body in a body in the longitudinal direction parallel to the polarizing direction and having a first polarized portion at position separated from the first polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body in the transverse direction vertical to the polarizing direction and moves a moving body by vibration obtained by combining stretching vibration and bending vibration caused by distortion in the polarizing direction of the first polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body and the first polarized portion of the second piezoelectric body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor is provided that is improved in reliability of a self-oscillator circuit constituted by the ultrasonic motor itself and high in efficiency. In a case of driving with one standing wave, the resonant point of a vibration mode used for driving is made lower than a resonant point of another vibration mode that is same in form as this vibration mode but different in node position. Furthermore, oscillation is caused between two resonant points. Where using two standing waves, oscillation is caused at a higher frequency than any of the two resonant points.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for moving an optical functioning element at sufficient accuracy over a long period of use or in a case where the temperature changes, in which a voltage is applied only when moving an optical functioning element, wherein a moving member 4, which moves forward and rearward in one direction by a guiding member 5, and one end of an optical filter main body 41, which is fixed at the moving member 4, are brought into contact with the circumferential surface of a disk-shaped eccentric cam 3 that rotates by an ultrasonic motor 2, and a coil spring 6 is brought into contact with the other end of the optical filter main body 41, whereby pressing the moving member 4 to the eccentric cam 3 side.