Abstract: A supporting structure for an actuator body, which can prevent reduction of vibration of an actuator body and maintain a contact state of a driver element with an abutment body in a stable manner even when the driver element receives reactive force from the abutment body is realized. An ultrasonic actuator (2) includes an actuator body (4) for generating vibration, driver elements (8), provided on a mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4), for outputting driving force, a pressing rubber (62) for pressing the actuator body (4) to a stage (11), a case (5) to which the actuator body (4) is coupled, and a plate spring (61) for elastically supporting the actuator body (4) relative to the case (5). The plate spring (61) supports the mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4) on which the driver elements 8 are provided.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes: an actuator body using a piezoelectric element and generating a plurality of vibrations of different vibration directions; a driver element provided in the actuator body and operated in accordance with the vibration of the actuator body to output a driving force in a predetermined driving direction; a case containing the actuator body; at least one support rubber provided between the actuator body and the case to elastically support the actuator body along the driving direction with respect to the case; and at least one stopper provided between the actuator body and the case which comes into contact with at least one of the actuator body and the case when the actuator body is displaced in a direction opposite the driving direction such that the displacement of the actuator body in the direction opposite the driving direction is limited.

Abstract: An image stabilizer of the present invention is provided with a lens module 101 that holds a lens and an imaging element, an inner frame that turnably supports the lens module 101, and driving portion that turns the lens module 101 relative to the inner frame 11, with the driving portion including a bimorph 14. An image stabilizer thereby can be provided that allows the overall size and profile of an imaging apparatus to be reduced.

Abstract: A drive unit includes an ultrasonic actuator having an actuator body formed using a piezoelectric element, and a driving element provided on the actuator body and configured to output a driving force by moving according to the vibration of the actuator body, and a control section configured to induce the vibration in the actuator body by applying a first and a second AC voltages having a same frequency and different phases to the piezoelectric element. The control section adjusts the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage so that the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage have different voltage values from each other.

Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a first frame, a second frame, a third frame, a first drive mechanism, and a second drive mechanism. The second frame is supported movably in a first direction with respect to the first frame. The third frame is supported movably in a second direction that intersects the first direction with respect to the second frame. The first drive mechanism is provided between the first frame and the second frame, and configured to move the first frame and the second frame relative to each other. The second drive mechanism is provided between the second frame and the third frame, and configured to move the second frame and the third frame relative to each other. Each of the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism has a drive generator configured to generate drive with a piezoelectric element, and a drive receiver that is pressed relative to the drive generator and receive the drive generated by the drive generator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes: an actuator body (5) including an actuator body (50); a control circuit (150) for setting a driving frequency; power supply sources (191, 192) for applying a driving voltage having the driving frequency to the actuator body; and a memory (170) for storing data related to a difference between antiresonance and resonance frequencies of the actuator body (50). The control circuit (150) determines, based on a reference frequency where a current value of a current fed to the piezoelectric element (50) is local minimum and the data stored in the memory (170), a lower limit of a control range of the driving frequency so that the lower limit is equal to or higher than a frequency where the current value of the current fed to the piezoelectric element (50) is local maximum and determines the driving frequency to be a frequency in the control range.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a control unit for controlling an ultrasonic actuator. The control unit performs switching between a normal operation mode in which the piezoelectric element unit vibrates at a frequency close to a resonance frequency of longitudinal vibration in the lengthwise direction of the piezoelectric element unit and a resonance frequency of bending vibration to let the ultrasonic actuator output a driving force and a heating mode in which the piezoelectric element unit vibrates at a frequency close to a resonance frequency of longitudinal vibration in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element unit to heat the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a vibration actuator for controlling the piezoelectric element. A control section controls the vibration actuator switchably between a normal operation mode in which the piezoelectric element vibrates at a predetermined frequency to let the vibration actuator output a driving force, and a heating mode in which the piezoelectric element vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the driving force at a frequency different from the frequency in the normal operation mode to heat the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a guide, a stage which is movable relative to the guide, an ultrasonic actuator for moving the movable body and a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic actuator. The ultrasonic actuator includes a driver element in contact with the stage and is fixed to the guide. A surface of the stage in contact with the driver element is an undulating surface. The control unit detects the position of the stage based on a change in contact pressure on the driver element due to the undulating surface.

Abstract: A drive unit (1) includes a stage (3), a first ultrasonic actuator (4A) for driving the stage (3) in the X direction, and a second ultrasonic actuator (4B) for driving the stage (3) in the Y direction. In driving the stage (3) in only one of the X and Y directions, one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A, 4B) corresponding to the one of the directions generates a composite vibration of a longitudinal vibration parallel to a contact surface of the stage (3) and a bending vibration orthogonal to the contact surface, while the other ultrasonic actuator generates only a longitudinal vibration parallel to the contact surface of the stage (3).

Abstract: A piezoelectric element is formed by stacking piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers. The internal electrode layers are positive and negative electrode layers. The positive electrode layers are first and second positive electrode layers. The negative electrode layers are first and second negative electrode layers. Each of the first positive and negative electrode layers includes four divided electrodes and a connecting electrode for connecting a pair of the four divided electrodes formed on diagonally opposite two areas along a first diagonal direction on a principle surface of the associated one of the piezoelectric layers. Each of the second positive and negative electrode layers includes four divided electrodes and a connecting electrode for connecting a pair of the four divided electrodes formed on diagonally opposite two areas along a second diagonal direction on a principle surface of the associated one of the piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes an actuator body, a case and a support rubber. The support rubber is made of conductive rubber having alternately stacked insulating layers and conductive layers and arranged between the case and the actuator body such that an external electrode and an electrode is brought into conduction and applies in advance a compressive force in the direction of longitudinal vibration to the actuator body at a non-node part of the vibration of the actuator body. The support rubber is arranged such that the stacking direction of the conductive rubber intersects with a plane including the direction of longitudinal vibration and the direction of bending vibration of the actuator body.

Abstract: A drive unit (1) includes a stage (3), a first ultrasonic actuator (4A) for driving the stage (3) in the X direction, and a second ultrasonic actuator (4B) for driving the stage (3) in the Y direction. In driving the stage (3) in only one of the X and Y directions, one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A, 4B) corresponding to the one of the directions generates a composite vibration of a longitudinal vibration parallel to a contact surface of the stage (3) and a bending vibration orthogonal to the contact surface, while the other ultrasonic actuator generates only a longitudinal vibration parallel to the contact surface of the stage (3).

Abstract: In driving a target body only by one of actuators, the target body is smoothly driven. A drive unit (1) includes a stage (3), a first ultrasonic actuator (4A) for driving the stage (3) in an X direction and a second ultrasonic actuator (4B) for driving the stage (3) in a Y direction. When the stage (3) is driven only in one of the X direction and the Y direction, one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A and 4B) which corresponds to the direction generates composite vibration of longitudinal direction parallel to a contact surface of the stage (3) and bending vibration perpendicular to the contact surface of the stage (3). On the other hand, the other one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A and 4B) generates only longitudinal vibration parallel to the contact surface of the stage (3).

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes: an actuator body (5) including an actuator body (50); a control circuit (150) for setting a driving frequency; power supply sources (191, 192) for applying a driving voltage having the driving frequency to the actuator body; and a memory (170) for storing data related to a difference between antiresonance and resonance frequencies of the actuator body (50). The control circuit (150) determines, based on a reference frequency where a current value of a current fed to the piezoelectric element (50) is local minimum and the data stored in the memory (170), a lower limit of a control range of the driving frequency so that the lower limit is equal to or higher than a frequency where the current value of the current fed to the piezoelectric element (50) is local maximum and determines the driving frequency to be a frequency in the control range.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator (2) includes an actuator body (3) generating a driving force, a case (4) containing the actuator body (3), and support rubbers (51) placed between the actuator body (3) and the case (4) to elastically support the actuator body (3) at both sides of the actuator body in a supporting direction. The case (4) includes a first case (8) having an opening at a position where one of the support members (51) is placed and a second case (9) coupled to the first case (8) to cover the opening in the first case (8). The support rubbers (51) are compressed as the second case (9) is coupled to the first case (8) and elastically support the actuator body (3) in the compressed state.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes an actuator body, a case and a support rubber. The support rubber is made of conductive rubber having alternately stacked insulating layers and conductive layers and arranged between the case and the actuator body such that an external electrode and an electrode is brought into conduction and applies in advance a compressive force in the direction of longitudinal vibration to the actuator body at a non-node part of the vibration of the actuator body. The support rubber is arranged such that the stacking direction of the conductive rubber intersects with a plane including the direction of longitudinal vibration and the direction of bending vibration of the actuator body.

Abstract: An image stabilizer of the present invention is provided with a lens module 101 that holds a lens and an imaging element, an inner frame that turnably supports the lens module 101, and driving portion that turns the lens module 101 relative to the inner frame 11, with the driving portion including a bimorph 14. An image stabilizer thereby can be provided that allows the overall size and profile of an imaging apparatus to be reduced.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes: an actuator body using a piezoelectric element and generating a plurality of vibrations of different vibration directions; a driver element provided in the actuator body and operated in accordance with the vibration of the actuator body to output a driving force in a predetermined driving direction; a case containing the actuator body; at least one support rubber provided between the actuator body and the case to elastically support the actuator body along the driving direction with respect to the case; and at least one stopper provided between the actuator body and the case which comes into contact with at least one of the actuator body and the case when the actuator body is displaced in a direction opposite the driving direction such that the displacement of the actuator body in the direction opposite the driving direction is limited.

Abstract: A vibratory actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a driver element provided on the piezoelectric element and a movable body supported by the driver element. A control unit supplies a first voltage and a second voltage at the same frequency to the piezoelectric element. By supplying the first voltage and the second voltage having a difference phase from a phase of the first voltage by 90°, the piezoelectric element is lead to composite vibration of stretching and bending, thereby causing the driver to make an elliptical motion by the vibration and move the movable body. The control unit switches, during a fine mode, a phase difference between the first voltage and the second voltage between 90° and 0°.