Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Kuwano
Kunihiro Kuwano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8611020Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a first piezoelectric element that performs thickness-shear vibration in a first direction, a first member that is driven by the first piezoelectric element and that vibrates in the first direction, a second piezoelectric element that is supported by the first member and that performs thickness-shear vibration in a second direction, a second member that is driven by the second piezoelectric element and that vibrates in the second direction, a pressurizing section that generates a pressure between the second member and a driving target member driven by the second member. The pressurizing section includes a third piezoelectric element that changes the pressure between the second member and a driving target member on the basis of a driving state of the driving target member.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Kuwano
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Patent number: 8428452Abstract: A driving mechanism includes plural driving members arranged in a circumferential shape around a reference shaft, a base member holding the plural driving members with each interposed in the circumferential direction, first piezoelectric elements vibrating in a thickness-shear vibration mode in a first direction, and second piezoelectric elements vibrating in the thickness-shear vibration mode in a second direction. Each driving member includes a first member and a second member. The base member supports one driving member of two driving members adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction on a first support face and supports the other driving member on a second support face. The base member is formed so that the angle formed by the first support face and the second support face is equal to or greater than 60°.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Kuwano
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Patent number: 8363342Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator with low susceptibility to friction and rubbing is provided. A piezoelectric actuator of the present invention is provided with protruding portions, first piezoelectric actuators and second piezoelectric actuators. The protruding portions protrude from a first face of a base member toward a moving member, and are capable of supporting the moving member. The first piezoelectric actuators are provided along members other than the protruding portions and are capable of expanding and contracting in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the first face. The second piezoelectric actuators are provided along the members other than the protruding portions and are capable of expanding and contracting in a direction other than the orthogonal direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2010Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Kuwano
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Publication number: 20120250169Abstract: An oscillator includes an electromechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body. The elastic body is bonded with the electromechanical energy conversion element by metallic bonding and is configured to be driven by deformation of the electromechanical energy conversion element.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro KUWANO, Satoshi KARIYA
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Publication number: 20120177354Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel includes a vibration actuator that drives a focusing lens which brings a subject image into focus; an amplifying section that applies a pair of driving signals amplified to the vibration actuator; a phase shifting section that changes a phase difference between the pair of the driving signals; and a control section that, when a signal for giving an instruction to drive the vibration actuator is input, executes a first processing of causing the phase shifting section to perform an operation which periodically changes the phase difference of the pair of the driving signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2011Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Takatoshi ASHIZAWA, Kunihiro KUWANO, Masamitsu KIMURA
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Publication number: 20120163787Abstract: A driving mechanism driving a first member and a second member relative to each other which includes a piezoelectric element that drives the first member, a base member that movably supports the first member with the piezoelectric element interposed therebetween, and an electrode portion that is supplied with a driving voltage of the piezoelectric element. The electrode portion includes an exposed portion exposed from the base member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2010Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventors: Kunihiro Kuwano, Satoshi Kariya
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Publication number: 20120087024Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a first piezoelectric device between a base member and a moving member, and that is capable of being expanded and contracted in a direction in which the first piezoelectric device intersects with a first face that opposes the moving member of the base member; a second piezoelectric device between the first piezoelectric device and the moving member, and that is capable of being expanded and contracted in a direction different from the intersecting direction; a transfer member between the first piezoelectric device and the moving member that includes a through hole piercing through in the intersecting direction, receiving amounts of expansion and contraction of the first piezoelectric device and the second piezoelectric device to transfer a driving force to the moving member; and a supporting member that pierces through the through hole, and that can support the moving member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2010Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro Kuwano
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Publication number: 20120081803Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a first piezoelectric element that performs thickness-shear vibration in a first direction, a first member that is driven by the first piezoelectric element and that vibrates in the first direction, a second piezoelectric element that is supported by the first member and that performs thickness-shear vibration in a second direction, a second member that is driven by the second piezoelectric element and that vibrates in the second direction, a pressurizing section that generates a pressure between the second member and a driving target member driven by the second member. The pressurizing section includes a third piezoelectric element that changes the pressure between the second member and a driving target member on the basis of a driving state of the driving target member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro KUWANO
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Publication number: 20120081804Abstract: A driving mechanism includes a first piezoelectric element that vibrates in a thickness-shear vibration mode in a first direction, a first member that is driven to vibrate in the first direction by the first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element that is supported by the first member and that vibrates in the thickness-shear vibration mode in a second direction, and a second member that is driven to vibrate in the second direction by the second piezoelectric element.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro KUWANO, Hiromoto KANEMITSU
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Publication number: 20120081802Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator comprises a first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element, a first set of a first member that is mounted with the first piezoelectric element which is deformed in a first direction with an application of a first voltage, and a second set of a second member that is mounted with the second piezoelectric element which is deformed in the opposite direction of the first direction with the application of the first voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro KUWANO, Masamitsu KIMURA
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Publication number: 20120082445Abstract: A driving mechanism includes plural driving members arranged in a circumferential shape around a reference shaft, a base member holding the plural driving members with each interposed in the circumferential direction, first piezoelectric elements vibrating in a thickness-shear vibration mode in a first direction, and second piezoelectric elements vibrating in the thickness-shear vibration mode in a second direction. Each driving member includes a first member and a second member. The base member supports one driving member of two driving members adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction on a first support face and supports the other driving member on a second support face. The base member is formed so that the angle formed by the first support face and the second support face is equal to or greater than 60°.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro KUWANO
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Publication number: 20120081805Abstract: A driving mechanism includes a first piezoelectric element and a first driving member that is driven by the first piezoelectric element and that vibrates in a first direction. The first driving member includes a second piezoelectric element and a second driving member that is driven by the second piezoelectric element and that vibrates in a second direction different from the first direction. A difference between the vibration resonance frequency of the first driving member and the vibration resonance frequency of the second driving member is equal to or less than the half-width at a half maximum of a function representing an amplitude frequency characteristic in the vibration of the first driving member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro KUWANO, Hitoshi NISHIMOTO
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Publication number: 20110317292Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a plurality of first piezoelectric elements; a first member that is interposed between opposing faces of the plurality of the first piezoelectric elements and that is driven in a first direction by the plurality of the first piezoelectric elements; a second piezoelectric element that is disposed in the first member; a second member that is disposed in contact with the second piezoelectric element and that is driven in a second direction intersecting the first direction by the second piezoelectric element; and a third member that comes in contact with the second member and that is moved relative to the first member by driving the second member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro Kuwano, Hiromoto Kanamitsu
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Publication number: 20100284098Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator with low susceptibility to friction and rubbing is provided. A piezoelectric actuator of the present invention is provided with protruding portions, first piezoelectric actuators and second piezoelectric actuators. The protruding portions protrude from a first face of a base member toward a moving member, and are capable of supporting the moving member. The first piezoelectric actuators are provided along members other than the protruding portions and are capable of expanding and contracting in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the first face. The second piezoelectric actuators are provided along the members other than the protruding portions and are capable of expanding and contracting in a direction other than the orthogonal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro KUWANO