Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving an ultrasonic motor to reduce the rise response time. The ultrasonic motor is drivable at different frequencies and has a desired target speed, each frequency corresponding to a respective speed and a respective torque. The ultrasonic motor enters a specific mode after being started and driven. When the ultrasonic motor is started, a drive control unit drives the ultrasonic motor at a frequency corresponding to approximately a maximum torque. When the ultrasonic motor enters the specific mode, the drive control unit drives the ultrasonic motor at a frequency corresponding to approximately the target speed. Alternatively, the ultrasonic motor can be driven at different drive voltages, each drive voltage having corresponding frequencies, with each frequency of each drive voltage corresponding to a respective speed and a respective torque. The ultrasonic motor enters a specific mode after being started and driven.

Abstract: A driving device is equipped with a vibration actuator. The vibration actuator includes a roller element, an elastic member and electro-mechanical converting elements, which contact the elastic member. The electro-mechanical converting elements generate a vibration to drive the elastic member. Additionally, the roller element transfers relative movement to at least one element to be moved by contacting a driving part of the vibration actuator and by rotating. The roller element comprising a first part contacting the at least one driving section of the elastic member and a second part, separate from the first part, contacting the at least one element. In operation, the at least one electro-mechanical converting element vibrates the at least one driving section of the elastic member. The at least one driving section transfers the vibration to the first part of the roller element to rotate the roller element and the least one element is moved by rotation of the second part of the roller element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a stator having a piezoelectric member vibrated by a drive signal, and an elastic member for generating traveling vibration wave in a drive surface thereof upon vibration of the piezoelectric member, a rotor which is urged against the drive surface of the elastic member and is driven by the generated traveling vibration wave, a support member integrally molded on the elastic member, and a fixing member for holding the support member. In the ultrasonic motor, one end face of the support member is formed at the same level as the drive surface or the junction surface of the elastic member, an electrode of the piezoelectric member is grounded through the support member, a plurality of holes are regularly formed in the circumferential direction of the support member, or the support member is fixed to the fixing member by an adhesive, thereby improving drive efficiency.

Abstract: A vibration actuator is provided having a vibration element having an elastic member that generates driving force and a relative moving member pressed in contact with the driving force members. The sliding member is composed of a polyethernitrile matrix resin and is interposed in the contact areas of the elastic member and the relative moving member.

Abstract: A vibration actuator for use with a relative moving element includes a plate shaped elastic member. An electro-mechanical conversion element is attached to an upper surface of the elastic member. The electro-mechanical conversion element generates longitudinal and bending vibrations in the elastic member such that a side surface of the elastic member constitutes a neutral surface of the vibrations. A driving force output member is disposed at a bottom surface of the elastic member, and contacts the relative moving element. An extension member is disposed at the side surface of the extension member. A pressing force is applied by the extension member to the driving force output member to press the driving force output member toward the relative moving element.

Abstract: A control device for a motor having a stator that generates traveling vibration waves in an elastic member by the excitation of a piezoelectric member, a rotor pressed to contact with the stator and driven by the traveling vibration waves, and a power supply circuit that generates at least one pair of input alternating voltages which are out of phase for exciting the piezoelectric member, and being driven by the vibration waves, comprises a judgment circuit for judging whether the rotor is in an abnormal operating condition, and an amplifying circuit for increasing the voltage magnitude of a pair of alternating voltages from the power supply circuit to a value greater than a predetermined value exceeding the rated voltage of the motor, in response to the fact that the judgment circuit judges that an abnormal operating condition of the motor is in effect.

Abstract: A control device for a motor having a stator that generates traveling vibration waves in an elastic member by the excitation of a piezoelectric member, a rotor pressed to contact with the stator and driven by the traveling vibration waves, and a power supply circuit that generates at least one pair of input alternating voltages which are out of phase for exciting the piezoelectric member, and being driven by the vibration waves, comprises a judgment circuit for judging whether the rotor is in an abnormal operating condition, and an amplifying circuit for increasing the voltage magnitude of a pair of alternating voltages from the power supply circuit to a value greater than a predetermined value exceeding the rated voltage of the motor, in response to the fact that the judgment circuit judges that an abnormal operating condition of the motor is in effect.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a stator having a piezoelectric member vibrated by a drive signal, and an elastic member for generating traveling vibration wave in a drive surface thereof upon vibration of the piezoelectric member, a rotor which is urged against the drive surface of the elastic member and is driven by the generated traveling vibration wave, a support member integrally molded on the elastic member, and a fixing member for holding the support member. In the ultrasonic motor, one end face of the support member is formed at the same level as the drive surface or the junction surface of the elastic member, an electrode of the piezoelectric member is grounded through the support member, a plurality of holes are regularly formed in the circumferential direction of the support member, or the support member is fixed to the fixing member by an adhesive, thereby improving drive efficiency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a stator having a piezoelectric member vibrated by a drive signal, and an elastic member for generating traveling vibration wave in a drive surface thereof upon vibration of the piezoelectric member, a rotor which is urged against the drive surface of the elastic member and is driven by the generated traveling vibration wave, a support member integrally molded on the elastic member, and a fixing member for holding the support member. In the ultrasonic motor, one end face of the support member is formed at the same level as the drive surface or the junction surface of the elastic member, an electrode of the piezoelectric member is grounded through the support member, a plurality of holes are regularly formed in the circumferential direction of the support member, or the support member is fixed to the fixing member by an adhesive, thereby improving drive efficiency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor having an electromechanical element and an elastic body joined by an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is chosen for having either a specific thermal expansion coefficient, a specific shrinkage volume, a high Vickers hardness, a high longitudinal elastic modulus, or a high Vickers hardness and a high longitudinal elastic modulus. By proper selection of an adhesive for use in the adhesive layer, the motor drive efficiency, starting torque and power consumption can be improved by reducing the deformation of the elastic body and maintaining a larger contact area with a contact member or movable element. Proper selection of an adhesive also allows the motor's performance level to be maintained when the temperature changes.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave motor comprises a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave, a movable body to be driven by the vibration member, and a pressing mechanism having spring member which abuts against at least one of the vibration member and the movable body and presses the vibration member and the movable body toward each other. The spring member is formed by a resilient plate member.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor having a stator and a mobile element made of improved materials. The ultrasonic motor includes an electro-mechanical conversion element, a stator and a mobile element. The electro-mechanical conversion element creates oscillations when an electrical signal is applied to the electro-mechanical conversion element. The stator is joined to the electro-mechanical conversion element and includes a stator contact part. The mobile element includes a mobile element contact part in contact with the stator contact part. When an electrical signal is applied to the electro-mechanical conversion element, the electro-mechanical conversion element creates oscillations in the stator contact part to drive the mobile element. Either the stator contact part and/or the mobile element contact part is made of a plastic material which has a polyacetol resin as a major component. The plastic material can include a polyolefin resin.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave motor comprises a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave, a movable body to be driven by the vibration member, and a pressing mechanism having a spring member which abuts against at least one of the vibration member and the movable body and presses the vibration member and the movable body toward each other. The spring member is formed by a resilient plate member.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor unit comprises a stator having a piezoelectric member and an elastic member which is excited by the piezoelectric member to generate a travelling vibration wave, and a rotor which is press-contacted to the stator and driven by the travelling vibration wave. At least two sets of input electrodes each having two input electrodes are circumferentially arranged on the piezoelectric member. A drive voltage is applied to only the selected ones of the input electrodes in accordance with a drive power requirement.

Abstract: A camera includes a photo-taking lens, an automatic focus adjusting device for effecting the automatic focus adjustment of the photo-taking lens, an eye-gaze detecting device for detecting the photographer's eye-gaze position in a finder field corresponding to a photographing picture plane, and producing an eye-gaze detection signal corresponding to the eye-gaze position, a focus adjustment signal producing device for outputting a plurality of focus adjustment signals corresponding to a plurality of detection areas in the photographing picture plane, and a control signal producing device for producing a control signal for controlling the automatic focus adjusting means, on the basis of the eye-gaze detection signal and the focus adjustment signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor incomprises a stator including a piezoelectric element and an elastic body capable of producing progressive vibration waves on its drive surface by excitation of the piezoelectric element, and a rotor which is driven by the progressive vibration waves produced and which includes a rotor base member and a slider member bonded to the rotor base member and brought into contact with the drive surface of the elastic body by being pressed against the same. The area of the contact portion of the slider member brought into contact with the elastic body is reduced in comparison with the area of the bonding portion of the slider member bonded to the rotor base member, thereby improving the driving efficiency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a stator having a piezoelectric member vibrated by a drive signal, and an elastic member for generating traveling vibration wave in a drive surface thereof upon vibration of the piezoelectric member, a rotor which is urged against the drive surface of the elastic member and is driven by the generated traveling vibration wave, a support member integrally molded on the elastic member, and a fixing member for holding the support member. In the ultrsonic motor, one end face of the support member is formed at the same level as the drive surface or the junction surface of the elastic member, an electrode of the piezoelectric member is grounded through the support member, a plurality of holes are regularly formed in the circumferential direction of the support member, or the support member is fixed to the fixing member by an adhesive, thereby improving drive efficiency.