Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vibration type driving apparatus comprising an elastic member which, in use, is excited with a vibration that sets a moving member into motion relative to the vibrating elastic member. The method includes providing a friction member on at least one of the elastic member and the moving member, and pressing the friction member between a mold and the at least one of the elastic member and the moving member forming a smooth contacting surface on the friction member.

Abstract: In a vibration type driving apparatus comprising a vibration member of which the vibration is excited, and a contacting member contacting with the vibration member, the contacting member and the vibration member being moved relative to each other by the vibration of the vibration member, a friction member is provided on the contacting portion of at least one of the vibration member and the contacting member, and the friction member is formed with a contacting surface smoothed by the pressing of a mold.

Abstract: A convex sliding portion (30) is provided on the driving surface of a vibrating member (1) formed with a frictional layer (31) on its surface. Inner and outer ridges (2c, 2b) of a contact portion (21) of a rotor (2) formed with a frictional layer (2a) on its surface are located at the inner and outer sides of the inner and outer edges of the sliding portion (30), respectively, so that the ridges (2b, 2c) of the contact portion (21) do not contact an effective contact portion (B) of the sliding portion (30).

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing device for printing photorealistic color images with dye-sublimation inks of different colors and two-gradation images such as character and bar code patterns with a monochrome thermal wax-transfer ink respectively in separated printing sections. The bar code pattern is printed in the widthwise direction of the code bars with heating energy smaller than that for printing the bar code pattern in the lengthwise direction of the bars, thus increasing the reproductivity in producing the bar code pattern. Deviations in specific resistance among heating elements of a thermal print head can be compensated by multiplying image data energy to be supplied to the heating elements by ratios of the specific resistance of the respective heating elements to the maximum resistance in the heating elements, thus producing high-quality images on the recording medium.

Abstract: In an angular velocity detection arrangement, a vibration member excites and detects vibration in different directions and the angular velocity is detected by detecting a vibration in directions other than the direction of a vibration excited by the vibration member.

Abstract: A vibration driven motor including a vibrating member made of a metallic material which is treated so that the elastic modulus is the same or substantially the same in respective vibration directions of the vibrations generated therein, and a rotor brought into contact with the vibrating member to be driven thereby.

Abstract: A vibration actuator includes a substantially rod-shape vibration member, and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element for vibrating the vibration member. The vibration member is vibrated by mechanical energy from the conversion element, thereby moving a member contacting the vibration member, and the vibration member relative to each other. A first notch which is notched in the radial direction and a second notch which is notched in the axial direction to be contiguous with the first notch are formed in the vibration member.

Abstract: In a vibration wave driven motor wherein an AC electric field is applied to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element secured to an elastic member to thereby excite a plurality of standing waves differing in phase from each other in the elastic member and a travelling wave is formed in the elastic member by the combination of the standing waves, whereby a member which is in pressure contact with the elastic member and the elastic member are moved relative to each other by a frictional force, provision is made of means for making the contact pressure on the surface of contact between the elastic member and the member which is in pressure contact with the elastic member non-uniform, and means for making the dynamic rigidity of a vibration member non-uniform in an unnecessary vibration mode created by the means for making the contact pressure non-uniform, whereby the occurrence of noise is prevented by simple and inexpensive means.