Abstract: A lens barrel includes first and second holding members configured to hold first and second lens units movable in an optical axis direction, a transmission member configured to move the second holding member in the optical axis direction, a driving unit configured to move the transmission member in the optical axis direction, a processor configured to control the driving unit, and a first output unit configured to output information about a position of the first holding member. Moving ranges of the first and second lens units overlap each other in the optical axis direction by a predetermined amount. The second holding member includes a biasing member. The lens barrel has a first state for restricting driving of the driving unit, and a second state for permitting driving of the driving unit. The processor determines whether the lens barrel is in the first or second state, using an output result from the first output unit.

Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens holder held by a first cam follower and movable in an optical axis direction, a second lens holder held by a second cam follower and movable in the optical axis direction, and a biasing member provided between the first lens holder and the second lens holder. The biasing member is disposed at the same phase as that of at least one of the first cam follower and the second cam follower and closer to an optical axis than the at least one when viewed from the optical axis direction, and overlaps the at least one in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate; a friction member, which includes a friction-contact surface to be brought into contact with the vibrator, and is configured to perform relative movement with respect to the vibrator by vibration generated by the vibrator; and a guide mechanism, which includes a first guide member, a second guide member, and a rolling member arranged between the first guide member and the second guide member, and is configured to guide the relative movement, wherein the first guide member includes a groove portion formed of a first surface and a second surface to be brought into contact with the rolling member, and wherein the first surface is longer than the second surface in a direction of the relative movement.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibrator; a friction member, which is in friction contact with the vibrator; a pressurizing unit, which is configured to pressurize the vibrator against the friction member; and a guiding unit, which is configured to guide relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member, wherein the relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member is caused by vibration generated by the vibrator, and wherein the guiding unit holds the friction member and has fixing portions, and the fixing portions are formed in the guiding unit in vicinities of both ends of the guiding unit sandwiching the friction member.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator, a friction member having a sliding surface, a guide member, a flexible substrate, and a fixing member configured to fix the friction member, the guide member, and the flexible substrate. The vibrator and the friction member move relative to each other in a predetermined direction. The fixing member includes a substrate-fixing portion configured to fix the flexible substrate, which includes a joint portion, an extending portion extending along the predetermined direction, a bent portion configured to reverse and turn back the extending portion, and a fixed portion to be fixed to the substrate-fixing portion. The flexible substrate is fixed on a surface of the substrate-fixing portion provided in a direction opposite to a direction in which the vibrator is brought into pressure-contact with the friction member.

Abstract: An upper bracket of a steering column apparatus includes a vehicle body-side bracket including side plates, a tube-side bracket including side plates, and a support shaft. The vehicle body-side bracket has first coupling holes in the side plates. The tube-side bracket has second coupling holes in the side plates. The first coupling holes and the second coupling holes are configured such that the vehicle body-side bracket and the tube-side bracket are coupled together by inserting the support shaft through the first coupling holes and the second coupling holes. Each of the second coupling holes is open rearward and is configured such that, when an axial load equal to or greater than a predetermined load is applied to an upper tube, fitting between the second coupling hole and the support shaft is terminated and the tube-side bracket moves forward.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a first holding member; a second holding member; a first regulating region; and a second regulating region, wherein a position of a first contact region of the first holding member, which comes into contact with the first regulating region, is different from a position of a second contact region of the second holding member, which comes into contact with the second regulating region, and wherein a position of the first regulating region is different from a position of the second regulating region in the relative movement direction so that, in the relative movement direction, a difference between a distance from the first contact region to the first regulating region and a distance from the second contact region to the second regulating region is shorter than a difference between the position of the first contact region and the position of the second contact region.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member that comes into frictional contact with the vibrator; a press member that pressurizes the vibrator and the friction member into frictional contact with each other; a first guide member and a second guide member that guide the vibrator and the friction member so as to allow relative movement of the vibrator and the friction member; a hold member that holds the friction member and the first guide member; and a fixing member. The friction member and the first guide member are fixed to the hold member with the fixing member.

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: A lens apparatus includes a first lens holder held by a first cam follower and movable in an optical axis direction, a second lens holder held by a second cam follower and movable in the optical axis direction, and a biasing member provided between the first lens holder and the second lens holder. The biasing member is disposed at the same phase as that of at least one of the first cam follower and the second cam follower and closer to an optical axis than the at least one when viewed from the optical axis direction, and overlaps the at least one in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: An upper bracket of a steering column apparatus includes a vehicle body-side bracket including side plates, a tube-side bracket including side plates, and a support shaft. The vehicle body-side bracket has first coupling holes in the side plates. The tube-side bracket has second coupling holes in the side plates. The first coupling holes and the second coupling holes are configured such that the vehicle body-side bracket and the tube-side bracket are coupled together by inserting the support shaft through the first coupling holes and the second coupling holes. Each of the second coupling holes is open rearward and is configured such that, when an axial load equal to or greater than a predetermined load is applied to an upper tube, fitting between the second coupling hole and the support shaft is terminated and the tube-side bracket moves forward.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member having a sliding surface; a guide member; a flexible substrate; and a fixing member configured to fix the friction member, the guide member, and the flexible substrate, wherein the vibrator and the friction member move relative to each other in a second direction, wherein the fixing member includes a substrate-fixing portion configured to fix the flexible substrate, wherein the flexible substrate includes: a joint portion; a first extending portion extending along the second direction; a bent portion configured to reverse and turn back the first extending portion; and a fixed portion to be fixed to the substrate-fixing portion, and wherein the flexible substrate is fixed on a surface of the substrate-fixing portion provided in a direction opposite to a direction in which the vibrator is brought into pressure-contact with the friction member.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate; a friction member, which includes a friction-contact surface to be brought into contact with the vibrator, and is configured to perform relative movement with respect to the vibrator by vibration generated by the vibrator; and a guide mechanism, which includes a first guide member, a second guide member, and a rolling member arranged between the first guide member and the second guide member, and is configured to guide the relative movement, wherein the first guide member includes a groove portion formed of a first surface and a second surface to be brought into contact with the rolling member, and wherein the first surface is longer than the second surface in a direction of the relative movement.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a first holding member; a second holding member; a first regulating region; and a second regulating region, wherein a position of a first contact region of the first holding member, which comes into contact with the first regulating region, is different from a position of a second contact region of the second holding member, which comes into contact with the second regulating region, and wherein a position of the first regulating region is different from a position of the second regulating region in the relative movement direction so that, in the relative movement direction, a difference between a distance from the first contact region to the first regulating region and a distance from the second contact region to the second regulating region is smaller than a difference between the position of the first contact region and the position of the second contact region.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member that comes into frictional contact with the vibrator; a press member that pressurizes the vibrator and the friction member into frictional contact with each other; a first guide member and a second guide member that guide the vibrator and the friction member so as to allow relative movement of the vibrator and the friction member; a hold member that holds the friction member and the first guide member; and a fixing member. The friction member and the first guide member are fixed to the hold member with the fixing member.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibrator; a friction member, which is in friction contact with the vibrator; a pressurizing unit, which is configured to pressurize the vibrator against the friction member; and a guiding unit, which is configured to guide relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member, wherein the relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member is caused by vibration generated by the vibrator, and wherein the guiding unit holds the friction member and has fixing portions, and the fixing portions are formed in the guiding unit in vicinities of both ends of the guiding unit sandwiching the friction member.

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: An imaging apparatus has an optical lens having an optical axis in a first axial direction; an imaging element facing the optical lens in this direction; an illumination adjustment unit having an illumination adjustment part adjusting a luminous flux incident on the imaging element from the optical lens, with the illumination adjustment part being arranged on the optical axis by being inserted between the optical lens and the imaging element in a second axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction; and a supporting member having a first supporting part supporting the lens, a second supporting part supporting the imaging element, and a coupling part coupling the first and second supporting parts to each other, the supporting member being configured to form a space, into which the illumination adjustment unit is inserted in a third axial direction orthogonal to the first and the second axial directions.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has an optical lens having an optical axis in a first axial direction; an imaging element facing the optical lens in this direction; an illumination adjustment unit having an illumination adjustment part adjusting a luminous flux incident on the imaging element from the optical lens, with the illumination adjustment part being arranged on the optical axis by being inserted between the optical lens and the imaging element in a second axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction; and a supporting member having a first supporting part supporting the lens, a second supporting part supporting the imaging element, and a coupling part coupling the first and second supporting parts to each other, the supporting member being configured to form a space, into which the illumination adjustment unit is inserted in a third axial direction orthogonal to the first and the second axial directions.