Abstract: A position detecting device includes an optical position detecting element and a position information portion which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other. One of the optical position detecting element and the position information portion is mounted on the movable portion while the other thereof is mounted on an internal wall of a cabinet. The position information portion has a pattern where a signal level produced by the optical position detecting element changes in a continuous manner when the movable portion moves in a predetermined direction. The position detecting device carries out position detection of the movable portion in accordance with the signal level.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The stationary member consists essentially of a base alloy which consists of, by weight, 88 to 97% tungsten, 2 to 11% nickel as a binder, and, as the balance, 0.1 to 2% at least one metal having an ionization tendency which is higher than that of tungsten. The stationary member has a surface without nickel plating.

Abstract: A position detecting device includes an optical position detecting element and a position information portion which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other. The position information portion has a binary pattern where a high light efficient portion and a low light efficient portion are alternately repeated when the movable portion moves in a predetermined direction. The position detecting device includes a loose position detecting portion for detecting a loose position of the movable portion by counting a pulse signal obtained by the optical position detecting element, a close position detecting portion for detecting a close position of the movable portion by counting pulse number of driving pulses which are applied to an electromechanical transducer from a position where the loose position detection is carried out, and a combining arrangement for combining the loose position with the close position to calculate a current position of the movable portion.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. A frictionally coupled portion has a height (a length of the vibration friction portion in a sliding direction in contact with the moving portion) which is not more than 1.15 mm.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a static member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. An outer sheath is for covering the driving device. An attitude retaining arrangement retains an attitude of the driving device with respect to the outer sheath.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The vibration friction portion is made of a material having a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more. The moving portion is made of a material which has a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more and which is different from that of the vibration friction portion.

Abstract: An objective lens holder for use in an objective lens driving device of a symmetry type has an upper member and a lower member assembled with the lower member. The lower member has a pair of main bobbin portions for winding two tilting coils and two focusing coils. The pair of main bobbin portion is symmetrically disposed with respect to an optical axis of a laser beam. The upper member and the lower member have openings for passing through the laser beam. Each of the upper member and the lower member has four hook portions for winding four tracking coils.

Abstract: A position detecting device includes an optical position detecting element and a position information portion which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other. The position information portion has a binary pattern where a high light efficient portion and a low light efficient portion are alternately repeated when the movable portion moves in a predetermined direction. The position detecting device includes a loose position detecting portion for detecting a loose position of the movable portion by counting a pulse signal obtained by the optical position detecting element, a close position detecting portion for detecting a close position of the movable portion by counting pulse number of driving pulses which are applied to an electromechanical transducer from a position where the loose position detection is carried out, and a combining arrangement for combining the loose position with the close position to calculate a current position of the movable portion.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate film is produced by using a cellulose acylate solution and forming a film consisting of two or more layers by the co-casting method. The cellulose acylate to be used is selected so that the association molecular weight of cellulose acylate due to the static light scattering in the solution forming the outer layer becomes smaller than the association molecular weight of cellulose acylate due to the static light scattering in the solution forming the inner layer.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a static member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. An outer sheath is for covering the driving device. An attitude retaining arrangement retains an attitude of the driving device with respect to the outer sheath.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion coupled to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The vibration friction portion is made of a material having a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more. The moving portion is made of a material which has a vibration transfer rate of 4900 meters/second or more and which is different from that of the vibration friction portion.

Abstract: A position detecting device includes an optical position detecting element and a position information portion which are disposed so as to be opposed to each other. One of the optical position detecting element and the position information portion being mounted on the movable portion while the other thereof is mounted on an internal wall of a cabinet. The position information portion has a pattern where a signal level produced by the optical position detecting element changes in a continuous manner when the movable portion moves in a predetermined direction. The position detecting device carries out position detection of the movable portion in accordance with the signal level.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The stationary member consists essentially of a base alloy which consists of, by weight, 88 to 97% tungsten, 2 to 11% nickel as a binder, and, as the balance, 0.1 to 2% at least one metal having an ionization tendency which is higher than that of tungsten. The stationary member has a surface without nickel plating.

Abstract: A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. A frictionally coupled portion has a height (a length of the vibration friction portion in a sliding direction in contact with the moving portion) which is not more than 1.15 mm.

Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric element includes plural internal electrodes which are laminated and has a dead area at outer regions thereof. The laminated piezoelectric element has first and second end surfaces in an expansion direction thereof. On bonding a first bonded surface of a piezoelectric element fixing portion to the first end surface, a bonding method includes forming a first ring-shaped adhesive accumulation in the first bonded surface, accumulating an elastic adhesive agent in the first ring-shaped adhesive accumulation, and bonding the first end surface to the first bonded surface.

Abstract: In an objective lens driving device having a lens holder movably holding an objective lens, a damper base, and a suspension member elastically supporting the lens holder with respect to the damper base, the suspension member consists of four suspension wires disposed on both sides of the damper base and the lens holder. The damper base has first supporting portions for supporting one end of each suspension wire while the lens holder has second supporting portions for supporting another end of each suspension wire. The second supporting portions are apart from the first supporting portion by a first distance. The damper base has damper portions which are disposed between the first and the second supporting portions and which are apart from the first supporting portions by a second distance. The second distance is laid in a range between one-fifths and two-fifths of the first distance.

Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric element includes plural internal electrodes which are laminated and has a dead area at outer regions thereof. The laminated piezoelectric element has first and second end surfaces in an expansion direction thereof. On bonding a first bonded surface of a piezoelectric element fixing portion to the first end surface, a bonding method includes forming a first adhesive accumulation in the first bonded surface, accumulating an adhesive agent to the first adhesive accumulation, and bonding the first end surface to the first bonded surface. On boding a vibration friction element to the second end surface, the bonding method includes forming, in a second bonded surface of the vibration friction element, a positioning guide hole for guiding the second end surface of the laminated piezoelectric element and a second adhesive accumulation, accumulating the adhesive agent in the second adhesive accumulation, and bonding the second end surface to the vibration friction portion.

Abstract: An optical filter comprising a transparent support having a tensile impact strength of 392 kJ/m2 or more having provided thereon a filter layer having an absorption maximum in the range of from 560 to 620 nm.

Abstract: In an objective lens driving apparatus which includes a lens holder (22) provided with a plurality of coils (23, 24) and swingably supported by a suspension wire (28), and a magnet (27) for supplying a driving force to the lens holder by an electromagnetic action produced between the magnet and the coils, the center (Mc) of the magnet in a height direction is located above the center (Dc) of driving of the lens holder.