Abstract: A lens drive device including, a variation in a distance between the support point and an action point of the leaf spring member is suppressed, and a variation in a biasing force of the leaf spring member determined according to the distance between the support point and the action point is also suppressed. As a result, a frictional force of the frictional engagement between a friction engagement member and an actuator is uniform, and driving characteristics of the lens drive device are uniform.

Abstract: A lens drive device is provided with: a lens holder for holding a lens; an ultrasonic motor configured to move the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis; and a support part configured to support the lens holder in a state where the lens holder is urged in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis and such that the lens holder is capable of moving in the direction of the optical axis. The support part includes two pairs of support portions which are disposed respectively on two straight lines along an urging direction and parallel to each other such that the support portions of each pair holds the lend holder therebetween.

Abstract: A vibration actuator suppressed in generating abnormal noise while realizing size reduction. The vibration actuator includes a vibration element having a piezoelectric element and an elastic member, and a contact body in contact with the vibration element. The contact body has a direction in which the vibration element and the contact body move relative to each other as a longitudinal direction and a square bar shape substantially uniform in width and thickness in the longitudinal direction, and includes a first section and a second section which are formed with respective R surfaces different in curvature radius on an edge extending in the longitudinal direction, in an area where the contact body performs frictional sliding on the vibration element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an annular or hollow cylindrical ultrasonic actuator, on the end faces of which are arranged n?2 friction elements, and on the outer peripheral surface of which are arranged 2n excitation electrodes, spaced apart from one another in each case by a separating gap, each of the friction elements being arranged in the region of a separating gap, wherein, between friction elements that are adjacent with respect to the periphery of the ultrasonic actuator and are located on different end faces, two excitation electrodes are arranged such that, when the ultrasonic actuator is electrically excited, the friction elements of both end faces simultaneously perform a movement which is suitable for driving an element to be driven to rotate in the same direction. The invention further relates to an ultrasonic motor having an ultrasonic actuator of this kind and having a holding device in which the ultrasonic actuator is inserted.

Abstract: A vibration actuator includes a vibrating body and a contact body having an annular shape. The vibrating body vibrates and includes an annular elastic body and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element. The contact body is in contact with the vibrating body and moves relative to the vibrating body. The contact body includes a base portion, a supporting portion annularly extending from the base portion in a radial direction of the annular shape of contact body, and a friction member that is on the supporting portion, is different in member from the supporting portion, and is in contact with the vibrating body. A first gap is between one end of the friction member and the supporting portion, and a second gap is between the one end of the friction member and the vibrating body.

Abstract: A composite motor having high-precision positioning, comprising: a housing (1), a rough positioning assembly, a hollow output shaft (2), a fine positioning assembly, a power switching apparatus and a controller (6). A stepper motor (3) in the rough positioning assembly is responsible for rough positioning of the composite motor, an annular travelling wave ultrasonic motor in the fine positioning assembly is responsible for tail end fine positioning of the composite motor, and the controller (6) implements power output switching between the annular travelling wave ultrasonic motor and the stepper motor (3). The composite motor effectively solves the problem that annular travelling wave ultrasonic motors which operate continuously for a long time have a short service life, and ensures high-precision positioning while also extending motor service life.

Abstract: A vibration type actuator includes a vibration body, having an annular elastic body and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and includes a contact body having an annular shape. The contact body contacts the vibration body and relatively moves with regard to the vibration body. The contact body includes a base portion, a supporting portion that extends in an annular shape from the base portion in a radial direction of the contact body, and a friction member that is provided to the supporting portion, is a member different from the supporting portion, and is in contact with the vibration body. The friction member is connected to the supporting portion by a first surface extending along a central axis direction of the contact body and an annular second surface extending in the radial direction. The first surface includes a portion inclined with respect to the direction of the contact body central axis.

Abstract: A driving assembly is provided, including a transmission element and a first driving source. The transmission element has a first connecting point. The first driving source outputs a first driving force to the transmission element. The first driving source is at least partially fixedly connected to the transmission element at the first connecting point.

Abstract: A vibration type actuator includes a vibrating body including an elastic body and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element, a contact body contacting the vibrating body, a flexible printed board provided with a concave portion on a surface opposite to a surface contacting the electro-mechanical energy conversion element and configured to supply electric power to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a holding member provided with a projection portion engaging with the concave portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations, for example in a surgical tool, comprises an ultrasonic transducer that would conventionally produce longitudinal-mode ultrasonic vibrations, with a long, hollow, cylindrical, mode converter mounted coaxially to its distal end. A plurality of holes are formed through the walls of the mode converters. These holes are arranged in multiple parallel helical rows, extending along and around the cylindrical mode converters. Holes within the same row are spaced relatively closely, compared with the spacing between rows. Relationships have been established between the hole diameter (d), the spacing between rows (W), the spacing between holes in the same row (l), the spacing between individual holes in adjacent rows (L), and the overall diameter of the mode converter (D). In a preferred version, the holes through the walls of the second mode converter are tapered inwardly, rather than being cylindrical holes as in the first mode converter.

Abstract: A vibration type motor relatively moves, in a first direction, a vibrator whose vibration is excited by an electromechanical energy conversion element and a contact member configured to contact the vibrator, and includes a vibrator holder configured to hold the vibrator, a holding mechanism configured to hold the vibrator holder so as to restrict a displacement of the vibrator holder in the first direction and to enable the vibrator holder to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, a press mechanism configured to press the vibrator against the contact member in a second direction, and a damper configured to contact a plurality of components among the vibrator holder, components of the holding mechanism, and components of the press mechanism.

Abstract: A vibration-type actuator includes a vibrating body including an annular elastic member and an electric-mechanical energy conversion element, and an annular contact body configured to move relative to the vibrating body. The contact body includes a base portion, a support portion annularly extending from the base portion in a radial direction of the contact body, and a friction member provided at the support portion, formed separately from the support portion, and being in contact with the vibrating body. The friction member includes a first part extending in a direction along a central axis of the annular contact body, and a second part extending in the radial direction, the first part and the second part being connected to the support portion. The first part includes a portion that is connected by being either internally or externally fitted to the support portion in the radial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member; a pressurizing mechanism; a first holding mechanism; and a second holding mechanism, wherein the vibrator and the friction member are configured to perform relative movement with respect to each other, wherein the first holding mechanism includes a first holding portion and a second holding portion which is longer than the first holding portion in a direction of the relative movement, wherein the friction member is arranged between the first holding portion and the second holding portion, wherein the first holding portion includes a first restriction portion, wherein the second holding portion includes a second restriction portion, and wherein the first restriction portion and the second restriction portion are brought into abutment against the second holding mechanism to restrict movement in directions other than the direction of the relative movement of the vibrator and the first holding mechanism.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device includes a rotor having a driven part and rotating around a rotation axis, a vibrating unit having a piezoelectric element and applying a drive force for rotating the rotor to the driven part by displacement of the piezoelectric element, and a bearing supporting the rotor. The driven part has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion sequentially connected, the first portion has a predetermined region along an axial direction of the rotation axis and coupled to an inner ring of the bearing within the predetermined region, the second portion overlaps with the bearing in a plan view from the axial direction, and the third portion has a contact surface in contact with the vibrating unit at an inner side of both ends of the predetermined region in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

Abstract: A rotating piezoelectric motor including a piezoelectric actuator including a resonator having a pair of arms connected at one of their ends in a connection area, the other two ends being referred to as ‘free’, a passive element able to be driven in rotation by the friction of the free ends on the passive element, the passive element including a disc and a rim extending from the periphery of the disc, the rim passing between the free ends of the arms.

Abstract: In a vibration type motor, a vibrator unit including a vibrator configured to vibrate, and a friction member unit including a friction member which the vibrator contacts relatively moving in a first direction. The vibrator unit is displaceable relative to the friction member unit in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and presses the vibrator against the friction member in the second direction. The friction member unit includes a stopper that contacts the vibrator unit so as to restrict the vibration unit from displacing, by an amount exceeding a predetermined amount, in the second direction. The stopper extends in the first direction, a distance greater than a length, in the first direction, of an area of the friction member which the vibrator contacts, and the stopper projects from the friction member toward the vibrator in the second direction when viewed from the first direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device has a first piezoelectric vibrator and a second piezoelectric vibrator each include a vibrating portion and a distal end portion in which the distal end portion make elliptic motion by stretching vibration and flexural vibration of the vibrating portion, a driven member driven by the elliptic motion of the distal end portion, a drive signal generation circuit that outputs stretching vibration drive signals to the first piezoelectric vibrator and the second piezoelectric vibrator, a first boosting circuit provided between the first piezoelectric vibrator and the drive signal generation circuit, a second boosting circuit provided between the second piezoelectric vibrator and the drive signal generation circuit, and a control circuit that controls boosting amounts of the stretching vibration drive signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic electromechanical stator includes two vibration bodies, a link member connecting the two vibration bodies along a connection direction and a stator support. Each of the vibration bodies includes a respective electromechanical element and is configured to perform bending vibrations in a bending direction when an alternating voltage is applied to the electromechanical elements. The link member has a contact portion intended for contacting a surface of a body to be moved. The link member has a respective mechanical link connecting portion to the vibrating bodies. Each of the vibration bodies is mechanically attached to the stator support by at least two attachment tabs on at least one side, in a direction transverse to both the connection direction and the bending direction, of the respective vibration bodies. Also an ultrasonic electromechanical motor having such an ultrasonic electromechanical stator is disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibration body; a friction member; a press member configured to pressurize the vibration body against the friction member; a base member configured to fix the friction member; and a damping member configured to damp vibration, wherein the vibration body and the friction member are configured to move relative to each other, wherein the friction member includes: a first surface having a first region held in abutment against the vibration body; and a second surface, which is a back surface of the first surface, and has a second region held in abutment against the base member, wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface has a third region held in contact with the damping member, and wherein positions of the first region and the third region in a pressurizing direction of the press member are different from each other.

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: A method of operating a multi-axis fiber scanner having a base including a base plane includes providing a source of electromagnetic radiation, directing the electromagnetic radiation through a fiber link that passes through the base plane of the base along a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the base plane, and supporting a retention collar positioned a distance from the base plane. The method also includes actuating a first piezoelectric actuator among a plurality of piezoelectric actuators to decrease the distance between a first side of the base and the retention collar, actuating a second piezoelectric actuator among the plurality of piezoelectric actuators to increase the distance between a second side of the base and the retention collar, and scanning the fiber link in a scanning plane.

Abstract: A micromechanical vibrasolator isolates vibration of a micromechanical resonator and includes: phononic bandgap mirrors, monophones connected serially; phonophore arms in an alternating sequence of phonophore arm-monophone-phonophore arm; abutments in acoustic communication with the phononic bandgap mirrors; wherein the micromechanical resonator is interposed between the phononic bandgap mirrors with phononic bandgap mirror arranged in parallel on opposing sides of the micromechanical resonator arranged perpendicular to a direction of vibration of an in-plane vibrational mode of the micromechanical resonator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor, is disclosed having an ultrasonic actuator in the form of a rectangular piezo-electric plate, which has two generators for acoustic standing waves and on which at least two friction elements are arranged, an element to be driven, and an electric excitation device. The piezoelectric plate of the actuator is divided into two pairs of diagonally oppositely disposed sections by two virtual planes which extend perpendicularly to each other and which extend through the center line of the main surfaces of the actuator, wherein each of the generators includes two parts which can be operated in an antiphase manner and each of which is arranged in a diagonal section of the piezoelectric plate, and the friction elements are arranged on one or two end faces of the piezoelectric plate.

Abstract: A vibration-wave motor includes a vibrator, a first holding member configured to hold the vibrator, a second holding member configured to hold the first holding member, a plurality of pressing members arranged around the vibrator and configured to press the vibrator against a contacting member that contacts the vibrator, a movable plate disposed opposite to the vibrator with respect to the contacting member, and a coupling part configured to couple the second holding member and the movable plate with each other. The vibrator and the contacting member move relatively to each other due to a vibration generated by the vibrator. One of the second holding member and the movable plate includes a transmitting part configured to transmit a driving force of the vibration-wave motor to a driven member.

Abstract: A magnetic levitation control device comprises: a control signal generation section configured to generate a first excitation current control signal based on current deviation information on the excitation current detection signal with respect to the current setting signal and a second excitation current control signal based on the current setting signal; and a selection section including a first switching section configured to select either one of the first excitation current control signal or the second excitation current control signal or a second switching section configured to select either one of a third excitation current control signal obtained by summation of the first excitation current control signal and the second excitation current control signal or the second excitation current control signal. The excitation amplifier is PWM-controlled based on the excitation current control signal selected by the selection section.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic motor comprising a plate-shaped piezoelectric ultrasonic actuator (2) and a of friction element (5) arranged on a side surface thereof, wherein the connection line (V) through the friction point and the focal point (S) of the ultrasonic actuator defines an operating direction, and a perpendicular plane intersecting the ultrasonic actuator defines an operating plane (W). A holder (6) has two force inlet sections (7) in order to move the holder and thereby the ultrasonic actuator in a direction parallel to the operating direction, and to press same against an element to be driven. The force inlet sections, preferably based on permanent magnets (8, 9) are each arranged in the operating plane and laterally next to and at a distance from the the ultrasonic actuator, and the intersection point (SP) of the connection line (V) with the operating plane (W) either coincides with the focal point (S) or lies between the focal point and the side surface having the friction element.

Abstract: A small-sized vibration motor. The vibration motor includes a vibrator having a piezoelectric element, a contact member brought into friction contact with the vibrator, and a fixing member to which the contact member is fixed. The vibrator and the contact member are moved relative to each other in a driving direction by high-frequency vibration of the piezoelectric element. The contact member includes a sliding portion brought into friction contact with the vibrator when the vibrator and the contact member are moved relative to each other in the driving direction, and fixed portions via which the contact member is fixed to the fixing member. The fixed portions are formed at respective locations alongside the sliding portion in a second predetermined direction orthogonal to the first predetermined direction, and also inward of opposite ends of the contact member in the first predetermined direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for joining a ceramic friction element (11) to a piezoelectric element (1), comprising, among other things, the following steps: pressing (14) a joining surface (10) of the friction element and a contact surface (9) of the piezoelectric element against each other with a low-melting glass mass (12) arranged therebetween and maintaining the pressing force for all subsequent steps; heating (17) the piezoelectric element and the friction element to a defined temperature above the Curie point of the piezoceramic material of the piezoelectric element and above the melting point of the low-melting glass mass; thereafter, while maintaining the temperature, applying an electric polarization voltage Up to electrodes of the piezoelectric element; removing the polarization voltage after the Curie point has been fallen below; and cooling the piezoelectric element and the friction element to room temperature without an electric voltage being applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer and a piezoelectric material layer disposed on the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer. An electrically-conductive material layer is disposed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite the degenerately-doped single-crystal silicon layer, and patterned to form first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A motor includes a first vibrator, a plurality of biasing parts that are disposed around the first vibrator and that presses the first vibrator onto a contacting member in contact with the first vibrator, a first pressing member that is biased by the plurality of biasing parts and that includes a pressing part pressing the first vibrator by biasing force of the plurality of biasing parts, and a second pressing member that is biased by the plurality of biasing parts. The first vibrator and the contacting member move relatively by vibrations that occur in the first vibrator. The first and second pressing members integrally moves while the first vibrator moves. The first pressing member and the first vibrator are tiltable around a first direction orthogonal to both of a moving direction of the first vibrator and a biasing direction of the plurality of biasing parts.

Abstract: A lead screw actuator device includes a base configured to support a plurality of actuators. A first bridge is supported by one of the plurality of actuators and a second bridge is supported by another one of the plurality of actuators. A nut is supported by the first bridge and the second bridge and is rotatably coupled to a screw with a sliding contact friction between the screw and the nut. The plurality of actuators generate small movements of the first bridge, the second bridge, and the nut that produce relative rotation between the nut and the screw. A method of making a lead screw actuator device is also disclosed.

Abstract: Micromachined microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based resonators offer integration with other MEMS devices and electronics. Whilst piezoelectric film bulk acoustic resonators (FBAR) generally exhibit high electromechanical transduction efficiencies and low signal transmission losses they also suffer from low quality factors and limited resonance frequencies. In contrast electrostatic FBARs can yield high quality factors and resonance frequencies but suffer from increased fabrication complexity. lower electromechanical transduction efficiency and significant signal transmission loss. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to overcome these limitations by reducing fabrication complexity via a single metal electrode layer topping the resonator structure and supporting relatively low complexity/low resolution commercial MEMS fabrication processes by removing the fabrication requirement for narrow transduction gaps.

Abstract: A spacecraft including a frame including a joint coupling a first frame portion to a second frame portion, and an acoustic communication system configured to transfer acoustic data signals across the joint between the first frame portion and the second frame portion.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibrating plate having a piezoelectric material, and a contact part provided in an end portion of the vibrating plate in contact with a driven part, wherein the contact part has a first portion in contact with the driven part and a second portion provided between the first portion and the vibrating plate and having lower rigidity than the first portion. Further, a width of the second portion in a direction crossing an arrangement direction of the first portion and the second portion is smaller than a width of the first portion in the crossing direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element that includes a plurality of laminated piezoelectric films and adhesive layers. The piezoelectric films stretch and contract in a predetermined direction parallel to principal surfaces thereof when a voltage is applied thereto. The adhesive layers are formed partially between the piezoelectric films when seen from a plan view, are aligned at intervals in the predetermined direction of the stretching and contracting of the piezoelectric films and bond the piezoelectric films to each other. The adhesive layers are formed at both ends of the piezoelectric films in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A vibration type actuator includes a first member that has a vibrator; a second member that extends in a predetermined direction and has a friction sliding surface where the vibrator is press-contacted; a third member that rotatably holds the second member with respect to an axis parallel to the predetermined direction; and a pressing unit that generates a first force for rotating the second member with respect to the axis relative to the third member. The first member is sandwiched between the second member and the third member by the first force. The first member is driven in a driving direction parallel to the predetermined direction relative to the second member by the vibration of the vibrator.

Abstract: A vibration driven actuator includes a vibrator, a vibrator holder, a friction member, a pressing member that enables the vibrator to compressively contact the friction member in a first direction, and a pressure transmitting member disposed between the vibrator and the pressing member. The vibrator and the friction member relative move in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction due to the vibration. A first contact portion disposed to one of the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member contacts a second contact portion disposed to the other of the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member so as to restrict a relative displacement between the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member in the second direction, and to allow a relative rotation between the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member on a plane parallel to the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: The lens drive device is provided with an autofocus drive unit and a shake correcting drive unit. A second support for supporting a shake correction moving part in a state separated from a shake correction fixed part has a power supply line for supplying power to an autofocus coil from the shake correction fixed part. An autofocus moving part has power supply line connection parts for electrically connecting the autofocus coil and the power supply line at two positions opposite each other in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis. First supports for supporting the autofocus moving part in a state separated from an autofocus fixed part are disposed at two positions opposite each other in a second direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the autofocus moving part, and have a self-holding mechanism for holding the position of the autofocus moving part in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: A vibration actuator can be reduced in manufacturing cost and size thereof without using a magnet. An elastic body of a vibration element includes a base portion joined to an electromechanical energy conversion element, and a pair of contact portions extending from the base portion. The contact portions are brought into pressure contact with a driven element, by elastic deformation, in a third direction orthogonal to both of a first direction of relative motion of the vibration element and the driven element and a second direction as a thickness direction of the conversion element. When driving vibration is excited in the vibration element by applying a predetermined AC voltage to the conversion element, the contact portions apply frictional driving forces to the driven element, for moving the vibration element and the driven element relative to each other in the first direction.

Abstract: A vibration drive device giving an appropriate click feeling when an operation member driven by a vibration actuator is manually operated. A controller applies, to a piezoelectric element, a drive signal for exciting, in an elastic body joined to the piezoelectric element, only a first vibration perpendicular to a contact surface between the elastic body and a driven element, or the first vibration and a second vibration parallel to the contact surface. When the position of the operation member is outside a driving section, only the first vibration is excited, whereas when within the driving section, the first vibration and the second vibration are excited so as to make the position closer to a target position set within the driving section. Application of the drive signal is stopped when the position is in a section in the driving section for a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for actuating a piezoelectric motor by two driving electrodes by applying periodic control voltages to the driving electrodes. A simplified closed-loop control of the piezoelectric motor is realized by reducing the static friction of a friction contact between a friction element of the piezo-electric motor and an output element to be driven by the friction element without a propulsion of the output element at the same time. In exemplary embodiments, the periodic control voltages are applied with a phase shift to the driving electrodes in a first step of the method, and in a second step of the method, the amplitude ratio of the periodic control voltages is changed with respect to the first step.

Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element; a housing unit configured to accommodate the optical element; a support part configured to pivotally support the optical element to be tiltable with respect to the housing unit; a piezoelectric element configured to connect the optical element and the housing unit to each other; and an electrode arranged at the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: When an actuator using a conventional piezoelectric element is used as a general-purpose mechanical component, such as a linear actuator and an electric cylinder, the absence or weak constraint of a guide in the moving direction causes the problem that the moving direction of a moving member is changed or the moving member is rotated due to a change in the posture of the moving member by an external force. A restraint member presses a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped output shaft, which has high stiffness, thermal conductivity, and lubricity and to which a piezoelectric element is attached at one end, against a guide member so as to limit the degree of freedom to one degree, in order to realize a linear actuator, an electric cylinder, and a force generation device that can be used for general purposes and have a high straight movement property.

Abstract: Included are a vibrator including a protruding portion that performs high frequency vibration; a friction member, the vibrator being pressed to cause the protruding portion to abut to the friction member; a fixing member to which either the vibrator or the friction member; a movable member that moves integratedly with either the vibrator or the friction member; a plurality of rotating members enabling relative movement between the friction member and the movable member; and a falling off restriction portion that prevents the rotating members provided in either the fixing member or the movable member from falling off, wherein the falling off restriction portion abuts to an opposed portion opposed to the falling off restriction portion to restrict a movable range of the movable member in a pressing direction and to prevent the rotating members from falling off.

Abstract: A single hybrid motor of the present invention has a rotor, a first stator, a first torsional vibrator, a first longitudinal vibrator, a first template, and a first connecting element. One end of the first connecting element is connected with the rotor, the first torsional vibrator, the first longitudinal vibrator, the first template, the first elastic block and the second elastic block. The first elastic block is disposed between the rotor and the first torsional vibrator. The second elastic block is disposed between the first template and the first longitudinal vibrator. Adjusting the length of the first elastic block or/and the second elastic block allows the first torsional vibrator and the first longitudinal vibrator of the single hybrid motor to obtain a plurality of sets of resonance frequencies within a degeneracy range.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic motor, comprising a piezoelectric ultrasonic actuator (1) having four friction elements (4) disposed thereon, a friction surface (6) which is in frictional contact with the friction elements, and an electrical excitation device (16), wherein the ultrasonic actuator is in the shape of a ring or hollow cylinder, having an inner circumferential surface (14), an outer circumferential surface (12) and two planar end surfaces (5) connecting the inner and the outer circumferential surfaces.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric driving device for a motor including: a vibrating plate which includes a fixed portion and a vibrator portion in which a piezoelectric element is provided and which is supported by the fixed portion; and a contact portion which comes into contact with a driven body and transmits motion of the vibrating plate to the driven body, in which the fixed portion, the vibrator portion, and the contact portion are provided along an X direction in this order, when seen in a Y direction, when two directions parallel to a main surface of the vibrating plate and orthogonal to each other are set as the X direction and the Y direction and a direction orthogonal to the main surface of the vibrating plate is set as a Z direction.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes: a vibrator including a vibration plate and a piezoelectric element; a friction member frictionally contacting the vibrator; a pressing member generating a pressing force to bring the vibrator in frictional contact with the friction member; and a pressing force transmitting member between the vibrator and the pressing member to transmit the pressing force to the vibrator. The vibrator and the friction member move in a relative movement direction by an elliptical vibration, and the pressing force transmitting member includes: an engagement portion formed near a contact portion with the pressing member and engaged with the pressing member; a first restricting portion restricting movement in the relative movement direction; and a second restricting portion. restricting movement in a direction perpendicular to a pressing direction by the pressing member and the direction. The pressing force transmitting member is rotatably held with respect to the pressing member.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor includes at least two piezoelectric actuators. Each actuator includes two piezoelectric elements on opposite sides of a coupling element, the sides being main sides of the piezoelectric actuators and having a larger area than other surfaces or sides of the piezoelectric actuators. The main surfaces of each of the piezoelectric actuators connect with at least four side surfaces of the piezoelectric actuator. The motor includes an elastic element coupled to and spacing the first and second piezoelectric actuators from each other and there is also a frictional element that couples the first and second piezoelectric actuators for frictional contact for driving an object. The first and the second piezoelectric actuators are adapted to deform in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the side surface to which the elastic element is attached using a longitudinal piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: A method of providing motion using a loop-band device is disclosed. An outer, restraining loop constrains an inner, buckling loop to form a buckled mode having one or more buckles. An activation force generated in one of buckles provides a stress, resulting in a change of configuration of the buckling loop that produces movement of the restraining loop. Depending on the composition of the buckling loop, the stress is generated via heat, light, an electric current or voltage, a magnetic field, or a combination thereof. The restraining loop is a suitably thin, relatively inextensible but flexible material. The buckling loop is a suitably thin, relatively flexible, reactive material that develops stress when subject to suitable activation forces. Suitable reactive materials include electroactive polymers, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials and materials having a high coefficient of linear, thermal expansion. The motion is linear or rotary, depending on device configuration.