Motor Producing Continual Motion Patents (Class 310/323.02)
  • Publication number: 20130207516
    Abstract: A vibrating actuator assembly including: a rotor that is rotatable; a first stator disposed at one surface of the rotor and including a first vibrating plate that is elastically deformable and a first vibrating device that is disposed at the first vibrating plate and transforms the first vibrating plate by vibrating when an electrical signal is applied; and a second stator disposed at the other surface of the rotor and comprising a second vibrating plate that is elastically deformable and a second vibrating device that is disposed at the second vibrating plate and deforms the second vibrating plate by vibrating when an electrical signal is applied, in which electrical signals having different phases are respectively applied to the first and second vibrating devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
  • Publication number: 20130162103
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator for driving a lens unit along an optical axis is disclosed. The piezoelectric actuator includes a fixed member, a movable member movably received in the fixed member, a magnet fixed on the fixed member, a metal sheet fixed on the movable member, a piezoelectric member and a circuit board. The movable member includes a contacting portion. The metal sheet is aligned with the magnetic along a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis. The metal sheet is made from a material that can be attracted by the magnet and lighter than the magnet. The piezoelectric member is fixed on the fixed member and contacts on the contacting portion of the movable member for driving the movable member to move along the optical axis. The circuit board provides voltages to the piezoelectric member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SUNG-CHING WU
  • Publication number: 20130162104
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor (10) includes a vibrator (50) and an application means (oscillation circuit 80). A first vibrator area (51) and a second vibrator area (52), which form a vibrator (50), include piezoelectric elements polarized in the thickness direction, and fixed portions (30a, 30b) respectively. The oscillation circuit 80 applies an AC voltage to the piezoelectric elements respectively and makes the first vibrator area (51) and the second vibrator area (52) resonate individually in the surface-spreading directions. The ultrasonic motor (10) includes a coupling portion (55) for coupling vibration end portions (23a, 23b) each other and a contact element (60) which is provided on this coupling portion (55). The vibration end portions (23a, 23b) are positions which vibrate respectively in the approaching and separating directions by the resonances of the first vibrator area (51) and the second vibrator area (52) in the surface-spreading directions with respect to the fixed portions (30a, 30b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: SUMIDA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Masuda, Motomi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8466603
    Abstract: A driving apparatus is capable of efficiently transmitting a reciprocating displacement of an electromechanical transducer element to a movement member and of effectively utilizing a vacant space. The driving apparatus includes an electromechanical transducer element having first and second end faces opposed to each other in a direction of expansion and contraction thereof, a vibration friction portion attached to the second end face of the electromechanical transducer element, and a movement member friction-bonded to the vibration friction portion. The movement member is movable along the direction of expansion and contraction of the electromechanical transducer element. The driving apparatus includes a vibration transmission member arranged between the second end face of the electromechanical transducer element and an end face of the vibration friction portion. A central axis of the electromechanical transducer element and a central axis of the vibration friction portion are not on the same line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Takahashi, Masato Nito
  • Patent number: 8466602
    Abstract: In a linear driving device 7, in which a driving shaft 21 vibrates in an axial direction by a vibration member 17, as a result of which a movable body 3 that is frictionally contact with the driving shaft 21 slides along the axial direction of the driving shaft 21, the vibration member 17 includes a piezoelectric element 23 and a vibrator 19 made of a metal plate having elasticity; the vibrator 19 is fixed to the piezoelectric element 23 by superimposing plate faces thereof; the driving shaft 21 has a trunk 25 along which the movable body 3 slides, and an end portion 26 to be fixed to the vibrator 19; a base surface 24 of the end portion 26 abuts with and is fixed to the vibrator 19; and an area of the base surface 24 is smaller than a cross sectional area of the trunk 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: New Shicoh Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Junichi Tada
  • Publication number: 20130147315
    Abstract: A piezo motor has a stator and a rotor as well as a drive finger which is held by the stator, drives the rotor and interacts with at least one piezo element. In order to improve the force transmission, the free end of the drive finger moves a driver jaw, which can be pressed against a ring surface of the rotor. The free end of the drive finger is held such that it can move in the longitudinal direction between two stops on the driver jaw, and the driver jaw can be pressed against the rotor, in time with the drive movement of the drive finger, by at least one piezo actuator during the drive movement of the drive finger, and can be pivoted in the drive direction and back about the rotor axis, together with the piezo actuator, corresponding to the magnitude of a deflection of the drive finger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: ASPRE AG
    Inventor: Friedrich-Josef Sacher
  • Patent number: 8461969
    Abstract: A dual mode vibrator is disclosed. There are available two vibrating units to enable obtainment of a variety of vibrations. Each lateral portion of the first and second vibrating units respectively supported by the first and second elastic members is supported by the first and second support bars secured at the housing for rotatable installation. Therefore, although the first and second vibrating units may rotate about the first and second support bars, the first and second vibrating units are not allowed to deviated or disengaged from the first and second support bars, whereby the plastic deformation of the first and second elastic members is prevented, and the first and second vibrating units can be positioned at predetermined positions at all times to enhance reliability of product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sunghwan An
  • Publication number: 20130127294
    Abstract: A power transmitting mechanism assembly including a supporting plate; a first roller, which is rotatably attached to the supporting plate; a first plate, which contacts a first end of the first roller and is arranged to be able to rotate with respect to the supporting plate; a power generating unit, which generates power for rotating the first plate when a signal is applied; a second plate, which is arranged to contact a second end of the first roller; and a friction changing unit, which is attached to at least one of the first roller, the first plate, and the second plate and changes friction of a portion of a contacting surface between the first roller and the first plate or friction of a portion of a contacting surface between the first roller and the second plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chan-young Moon, Jong-ho Baek, Dong-eui Shin, Jae-kyu Shim, Woo-jong Cho, Mun-cheol Choi
  • Patent number: 8441171
    Abstract: A motor device comprises a transmission substrate formed with a transmission portion that is wound around at least part of the outer periphery of a rotator; and a driving substrate that has a driving portion which moves the transmission portion by a certain distance in a state in which a rotational force is transmitted between the rotator and the transmission portion returns the transmission portion to a predetermined position in a state in which the rotation force transmission state is released, and is connected to the transmission substrate so that the driving force due to the driving portion acts on the transmission portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Okada, Akimitsu Ebihara
  • Patent number: 8441170
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator. The stator includes a seat and a driving unit. The driving unit includes a generally semi-elliptical driving mechanism formed integrally with the seat, and two spaced-apart piezoelectric actuators disposed between the seat and the driving mechanism. Each of the piezoelectric actuators has a first end abutting against the driving mechanism, and a second end opposite to the first end and abutting against the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences
    Inventors: Shine-Tzong Ho, Fu-Jie Hu
  • Patent number: 8436513
    Abstract: A drive unit includes: a shaft; a movable body supported by the shaft so as to be displaceable along the shaft; a vibratory actuator configured to drive the movable body; and a support body configured to support the vibrator actuator. The vibratory actuator includes an actuator main body that contacts the movable body and is configured to vibrate to output a driving force to the movable body, an opposing member that contacts the movable body and is positioned so as to face the actuator main body with the movable body interposed therebetween, and a coupling member that is configured to couple the actuator main body with the opposing member and to bias the actuator main body and the opposing member so as to sandwich the movable body therebetween with the movable body kept displaceable along the shaft. The support body supports the vibratory actuator so that the vibratory actuator is displaceable along a biasing direction of the coupling member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Mukae, Eiichi Nagaoka, Yusuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 8432627
    Abstract: A vibration actuator having excellent driving performance, a method for manufacturing the vibration actuator, a lens barrel and a camera. The vibration actuator is provided with: an electromechanical conversion element which converts an electric energy into a mechanical energy; an elastic body which generates vibration waves by oscillation of the electromechanical conversion element; a resin layer, which is formed of a conductive thermoplastic resin and bonds the electromechanical conversion element and the elastic body with each other; and a relatively moving member which is brought into contact with the elastic body with a pressure and is relatively moved to the elastic body by vibration waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Kariya
  • Patent number: 8421308
    Abstract: In an ultrasonic actuator, piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers are stacked. External electrodes are formed on a principal surface exposed to an outside of the outermost piezoelectric layer. Side electrodes connected to the internal electrode layers and the external electrodes are formed on side surfaces of a body including the piezoelectric layers and the internal electrode layers. A first divided electrode and a first external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes. A second divided electrode and a second external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes. A minus electrode layer and a third external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 8421309
    Abstract: In an ultrasonic motor, an elliptical vibration is generated by combining a longitudinal primary resonance vibration, resulting from an expansion and a contraction of a vibrator in a direction of a central axis, and a torsional secondary resonance vibration or a torsional tertiary resonance vibration resulting from twisting of the vibrator about the central axis. A dimension ratio of a rectangle of the vibrator is chosen such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal primary resonance vibration, resulting from the expansion and the contraction of the vibrator in the direction of the central axis, and a resonance frequency of the torsional secondary resonance vibration or the torsional tertiary resonance vibration, resulting from twisting of the vibrator about rotation axis, substantially match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8415903
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor in which driving signals of two phases are applied to a vibrator having a driving member in contact with a driven member to simultaneously generate a longitudinal vibration and a flexural vibration, thereby generating an elliptic vibration in the vibrator, and the driving member frictionally drives the driven member upon obtaining a driving force from the elliptic vibration, is configured as follows. Namely, the ultrasonic motor includes a driving phase difference switching unit which switches a driving phase difference serving as a phase difference between the driving signals of the two phases, and changes a switching cycle of the driving phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8410662
    Abstract: In a universal drive with a rotatable or linearly movable drive member and piezo actuators supported on a carrier for acting on a leg supported on the drive member and moving the leg in a high-frequency stepping sequence in a drive direction, wherein the carriers are jointly supported on a stator by a pretension member which biases them elastically toward the drive member via an elbow lever mechanism including a first elbow lever and at least a second elbow lever which are both connected to an actuator by a coupling member and this arrangement is such that, with the first elbow lever stretched, the second elbow lever is kinked and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Inventor: Hans Richter
  • Publication number: 20130056671
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric ceramics that can achieve both high piezoelectric performance and a high Curie temperature. Also provided are a piezoelectric element, a liquid discharge head, an ultrasonic motor, and a dust removing device, which use the piezoelectric ceramics. The piezoelectric ceramics include a perovskite-type metal oxide expressed by a general formula (1): xBaTiO3-yBiFeO3-zBi(M0.5Ti0.5)O3, where M represents at least one type of element selected from the group consisting of Mg and Ni, x satisfies 0.40?x?0.80, y satisfies O?y?0.30, z satisfies 0.05?z?0.60, and x+y+z=1 is satisfied, and are oriented in a (111) plane in a pseudocubic expression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF YAMANASHI, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Kubota, Takayuki Watanabe, Hisato Yabuta, Jumpei Hayashi, Nobuhiro Kumada, Satoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 8390172
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic motor includes a transducer, a driven member, a pressing mechanism unit. The transducer includes stacked piezoelectric sheets on which internal electrodes are formed. The internal electrodes form driving activated areas and vibration detection activated areas in the transducer. The driving activated areas are located in portions which correspond to a node of the longitudinal vibration and an anti node of twisting vibration, so as to be symmetrical about a central plane in the stacking direction and a plane which is perpendicular to the stacking direction and includes the center axis, and are polarized in the stacking direction. The vibration detection activated areas are located in portions which correspond to a node of the longitudinal vibration and an anti node of the twisting vibration and are closer to the central plane than the driving activated areas, and are polarized in the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Matsui
  • Patent number: 8390170
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a piezoelectric element adapted to simultaneously generate first and second vibration modes in response to a voltage applied thereto. The piezoelectric element has one outer surface including a first region and a second region projecting from the first region, while the second region comes into contact with a body to be driven, so as to cause a frictional force with the body to be driven. Without restricting the size of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric actuator inhibits its driving state from fluctuating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Masaichi Miyano
  • Publication number: 20130038172
    Abstract: A motor apparatus includes a rotor, a contact member wound around at least a part of a circumference of the rotor, a driving unit connected to the contact member and moves the contact member, a magnifying mechanism magnifying a degree of movement of the contact member based on a degree of drive of the driving unit and transmitting the magnified degree of movement to the contact member, and a control unit controlling the driving unit to perform a driving action of moving the contact member in a predetermined distance while setting up a torque transmission state between the rotor and the contact member, and a returning action of returning the contact member to a predetermined position while having the torque transmission state released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: NIKON CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130033152
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrator having a contact surface that is brought into contact with a member to be driven, and a piezoelectric element fixed thereto, the vibrator configured to drive the member to be driven by ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; and a pressurization unit supported by a fixing unit to apply a bias force to the vibrator so as to impress the contact surface against the member to be driven. The pressurization unit includes a pressurization member held by the fixing unit so as to move in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface while being restricted to move in a direction parallel to the contact surface; and an elastic member that applies an impressing force in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface to the vibrator via the pressurization member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Yamasaki, Makoto Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8369037
    Abstract: An actuator assembly including a slider configured to be slidable along a sliding direction; and a driving force applying unit comprising a plurality of contact portions disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a direction crossing the sliding direction of the slider and for applying force to the slider by vibrating the contact portions. An optical system including a lens assembly comprising a lens unit comprising at least one lens and a moveable lens frame supporting the lens unit; and an actuator assembly as disclosed above. A driving force applying unit including a plurality of contact portions configured to contact the base plate and disposed in the slider to be spaced apart from each other in a direction crossing the sliding direction and configured to apply force to the base plate by vibrating the contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 8358048
    Abstract: A construction is presented, which is comprised of two piezoelectric bending cantilevers, of different lengths, called a first bender and a second bender respectively, in which both benders bend in opposite directions. The second bender is mechanically in series connected to the first bender, thereby increasing the rotation angle of the tip of the second bender. The length of the second bender is chosen thus that in sinusoidal excitation, the tip of the second bender remains at the same point throughout the entire cycle, while it does undergo rotation. In this fashion a virtual axis at the tip of the second bender is created. The width of both benders is chosen such that the moment that the second bender can exert on an object that is connected to it, enables the construction to drive an optical element to scanning vibratory rotary motion with a large angle at high frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventor: Johannes G. Smits
  • Publication number: 20130015745
    Abstract: An apparatus for actuating a positioning device includes a housing; a piezoelectric element connected to the housing; a driven element configured to move relative to the housing; and a flexible element connected to the piezoelectric element and configured to transfer a motion of the piezoelectric element to the driven element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Academia Sinica
    Inventors: En-Te Hwu, Hsien-Shun Liao, Ing-Shouh Hwang
  • Patent number: 8350447
    Abstract: An electro-polymer motor comprising a fixed member and a first actuator having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end is presented. The first actuator comprises a polymer positioned between two electrodes. The electrodes are in communication with a power supply. The motor also comprises a driven member comprising a first leg and a second leg such that the first leg and the second leg are separated by an axis. The driven member is fixedly connected to the second end of the first actuator. The motor also comprises a compressible member having a first end fixedly connected to the fixed member and a second end fixedly connected to the second leg of the driven member. The compressible member is spaced apart from the first actuator. The first actuator elongates after the power supply applies a voltage across the electrodes to move the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Jungnickel, Benedikt Heil
  • Patent number: 8344593
    Abstract: A vibration type driving apparatus is provided, in which a plurality of vibration members include rotation units that are formed so as to be rotatable around respective rotation axes that are parallel to respective directions of forces generated by elliptical movements; in which any vibration member that is positioned in a range where an angle between a direction of movement of a moving member and the corresponding rotation axis is greater than a predetermined angle is tilted by the rotation unit, and vibration mode for push-up moving is generated at the any vibration member; and in which the elliptical movement of any vibration member that is positioned in a range where the angle is less than the predetermined angle causes the moving member to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Oda
  • Patent number: 8344594
    Abstract: A vibration wave driven apparatus includes a vibrator configured to generate vibration, a rotor configured to be in frictional contact with the vibrator and to rotate about an axis of rotation, and a transmitting member configured to rotate about the axis and to transmit rotation of the rotor to an external component. A part of the transmitting member forms a worm portion of a worm gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Mori, Takahiro Oya, Hiroyuki Wada, Shigeru Takeshita, Shuichi Terada
  • Patent number: 8344592
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic motor having a multilayer actuator in the form of a multilayer plate, having one or more friction elements or friction layers on its side surfaces and having an electrical exciter apparatus for the actuator. According to the invention, the multilayer plate has two intersecting, mirror-imaged asymmetrical generators for ultrasonic vibrations, to be precise in the form of layers of exciter electrodes and general electrodes which are alternately arranged with layers of piezoelectric ceramic, wherein a two-dimensional asymmetrical acoustic standing wave is generated in the multilayer actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Physik Instruments (PI) GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wladimir Wischnewskly, Alexej Wischnewsklj
  • Patent number: 8339016
    Abstract: A vibration wave driving device comprises a vibrator having an electromechanical conversion device, a supporting member for supporting the vibrator, and a driven member brought into contact with a part of the vibrator driven frictionally by vibration excited in the vibrator: the supporting member comprising a vibration portion vibrating together with the vibrator, a fixation portion for fixing the supporting member, and a support portion for connecting the vibration portion with the fixation portion and supporting the vibrator; and the support portion being comprised of a laminate of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Seki, Takayuki Tsukimoto
  • Patent number: 8330327
    Abstract: A piezoelectric oscillator that generates a travelling wave using two B (1, n) mode (n is a natural number) standing waves that are out of phase with each other by 90°. On a lower surface of an oscillating body, (4/3)n piezoelectric elements are provided in order to generate an n-wave travelling wave by combining the two B (1, n) mode standing waves that are out of phase with each other by 90°. When a wavelength of the travelling wave is given by ?, each of the piezoelectric elements has a dimension in a circumferential direction occupying a central angle corresponding to (1/2)??, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements are spaced apart from each other at intervals each occupies a central angle corresponding to (1/4)??.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Asano
  • Patent number: 8320063
    Abstract: An actuator capable of attaining two-dimensional positioning with a simple configuration includes an electromechanical transducer 11 which makes mechanical displacement in accordance with a voltage applied thereto, a driving shaft 12 which is axially displaced and inclined by the mechanical displacement of the electromechanical transducer 11, a movable member 13 which frictionally engages on the driving shaft 12, and a driving circuit for superposing a direct-current driving voltage leading to an inclination of the driving shaft 12 at a desired angle at a low rate of change preventing slide displacement of the movable member 13 relative to the driving shaft 12 and an alternating driving voltage for causing axial vibrations of the driving shaft 12 so as to cause slide displacement of the movable member 13 relative to the driving shaft 12 and applying the superposed voltages to the electromechanical transducer 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Shibatani
  • Publication number: 20120293043
    Abstract: Electrodes (7, 8, 9), having curved sections in the shape of the outline thereof, are disposed in areas of a rectangular plate-shaped piezoelectric transducer element (1) in which the strain in the natural mode of vibration is large. The eletrodes (7, 8) which excite a bending vibration are disposed in areas in which the strain in the bending natural mode is at least a predetermined value, and the outline curved sections of the electrodes (7, 8) are shaped so as to follow along strain contours (3, 4), and the electrode (9) which excites a stretching vibration is disposed in an area in which the strain in the stretching natural mode is at least a predetermined value, thus providing a transducer for an ultrasonic motor which aims to reduce transducer loss (increasing vibration efficiency), and improve transducer durability and reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicants: ISHIKAWA PREFECTURE, TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIKKO COMPANY, SIGMA KOKI CO., LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Takano, Kenichi Hirosaki, Yuta Yoshida, Takuya Nagata, Shou Makino, Satoru Ichimura, Takashi Yoshida, Masayuki Ishida, Hiroshi Kawai, Mikio Takimoto, Kentaro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8314533
    Abstract: A supporting structure for an actuator body, which can prevent reduction of vibration of an actuator body and maintain a contact state of a driver element with an abutment body in a stable manner even when the driver element receives reactive force from the abutment body is realized. An ultrasonic actuator (2) includes an actuator body (4) for generating vibration, driver elements (8), provided on a mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4), for outputting driving force, a pressing rubber (62) for pressing the actuator body (4) to a stage (11), a case (5) to which the actuator body (4) is coupled, and a plate spring (61) for elastically supporting the actuator body (4) relative to the case (5). The plate spring (61) supports the mounting surface (40a) of the actuator body (4) on which the driver elements 8 are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Higashionji, Hideaki Mukae, Eiichi Nagaoka, Yusuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 8314532
    Abstract: A drive device includes a stator; a rotatably provided drive member; a piezoelectric element, which is nipped between the stator and the drive member in a tangential line direction of a rotation locus circle of the drive member, and expands and contracts in the tangential line direction at an expansion speed at the time of the expansion and a contraction speed at the time of the contraction, respectively, the expansion speed and the contraction speed different from each other; and a rotor provided concentrically with the drive member to touch the drive member with a pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Takahashi, Takahiro Mizushina
  • Patent number: 8304962
    Abstract: An elliptical vibration is generated by combining a longitudinal primary resonance vibration of the vibrator resulting from an expansion and a contraction of the vibrator in a direction of the central axis and a torsional resonance vibration resulting from twisting of the vibrator around the central axis as a torsional axis. The dimension ratio of the rectangle of the vibrator is chosen such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal primary resonance vibration resulting from the expansion and the contraction of the vibrator in the direction of the central axis and a resonance frequency of the torsional resonance vibrations resulting from twisting of the vibrator around the central axis as the torsional axis match. The ultrasonic motor further includes a vibration detecting electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Matsui
  • Patent number: 8303613
    Abstract: A Langevin transducer horn uses split electroding or selective electroding of transducer elements and phase relationships of the voltages applied thereto to determine the relative longitudinal and flexural/transverse motion induced in the tip of the horn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Zevex, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Anthony Crandall, Blake Allen, Mark Stringham, Joseph Luis, Olga Jovic, David Blaine
  • Patent number: 8299683
    Abstract: In an ultrasonic motor, an elliptical vibration is generated by combining a longitudinal primary resonance vibration resulting from an expansion and a contraction of a vibrator in a direction of a central axis and a torsional secondary resonance vibration or a torsional tertiary resonance vibration resulting from twisting of a rotation axis. A dimension ratio of a rectangle of the vibrator is chosen such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal primary resonance vibration and a resonance frequency of the torsional secondary resonance vibration or the torsional tertiary resonance vibration match. The vibrator includes a plurality of regions in a surface orthogonal to the central axis, and deformations of the regions adjacent to each other along the direction of the central axis are mutually different. The vibrator expands and contracts in a direction along a polarization direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8299684
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a piezoresonator body (3) having opposing first and second surfaces and opposing third and fourth surfaces. The device also includes at least one common electrode (8) disposed on the second surface (15) and electrodes (4a, 4b) disposed on the first surface (14) in pairs along a first longitudinal axis. The device further includes contact elements (5) disposed on the third (16) and the fourth (17) surfaces at contact locations along the first longitudinal axis and aligned between each pair of excitation electrodes. In the device, the piezoelectric body has a first order natural resonance frequency (?1) along a second longitudinal axis and an even order natural resonance frequency (?2) along the first longitudinal axis, where a percent difference between ?1 and ?2 is greater than 0% and less than or equal to 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Discovery Technology International, Inc.
    Inventors: Serhiy Petrenko, Valentin Rangelov Zhelyaskov
  • Patent number: 8299682
    Abstract: In an ultrasonic motor, an elliptical vibration is generated by combining a longitudinal primary resonance vibration resulting from an expansion and a contraction of the vibrator in a direction of the central axis and a torsional secondary resonance vibration or a torsional tertiary resonance vibration resulting from twisting of a rotation axis, and the dimension ratio of the rectangle of the vibrator is chosen such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal primary resonance vibration, resulting from the expansion and the contraction of the vibrator in the direction of the central axis and a resonance frequency of the torsional secondary resonance vibration or the torsional tertiary resonance vibration resulting from twisting of the rotation axis match. The vibrator includes a torsional piezoelectric body that generates a thickness shear vibration, and that is arranged at an anti-node position of the torsional secondary resonance vibration or the torsional tertiary resonance vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8297149
    Abstract: A friction drive actuator, comprising: a vibration member which is configured to be driven to vibrate by expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric displacement portion which is included in the vibration member and driven by a driving signal; a sliding member which is in contact with the vibration member and is driven by the vibration member in a first direction with respect to the vibration member; a pressing member which causes the vibration member and the sliding member to come into a pressure contact therebetween; and a control member which is provided on each of the vibration member and the sliding member at a contact portion therebetween for controlling a relative movement of the sliding member with respect to the vibration member in a direction perpendicular to the first direction when the vibration member and the sliding member are pressedly contacted with each other by the pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tochimoto, Akihiro Oki, Takashi Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20120268910
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a vibrator. The vibrator may vibrate to alert a user to an incoming cellular telephone call or other events. The vibrator may have a piezoelectric vibrator motor. The piezoelectric vibrator motor may rotate a shaft about a rotational axis. A weight may be attached to the shaft so that the vibrator vibrates when the shaft is rotated. The shaft may have opposing first and second ends. To help prevent damage to the vibrator during a drop event, the first and second ends of the shaft may be supported by support structures and end caps or other structures for retarding axial movement may be provided. The support structures may be formed from a bracket having vertical members with holes that respectively receive the first and second ends. The stop structures may prevent movement of the shaft along its rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Albert J. Golko, Eric N. Nyland
  • Publication number: 20120267983
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator. The stator includes a seat and a driving unit. The driving unit includes a generally semi-elliptical driving mechanism formed integrally with the seat, and two spaced-apart piezoelectric actuators disposed between the seat and the driving mechanism. Each of the piezoelectric actuators has a first end abutting against the driving mechanism, and a second end opposite to the first end and abutting against the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Shine-Tzong Ho, Fu-Jie Hu
  • Patent number: 8294334
    Abstract: In an ultrasonic motor, an elliptical vibration is generated by combining a longitudinal primary resonance vibration resulting from an expansion and a contraction of a vibrator in a direction of a central axis and a torsional secondary resonance vibration or a torsional tertiary resonance vibration resulting from twisting around the central axis. A dimension ratio of a rectangle of the vibrator is chosen such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal primary resonance vibration and a resonance frequency of the torsional secondary resonance vibration or the torsional tertiary resonance vibration match. The vibrator includes a plurality of regions in a surface orthogonal to the central axis, and deformations of the regions adjacent to each other along the direction of the central axis are mutually different. The vibrator expands and contracts in a direction orthogonal to a polarization direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takizawa, Akira Matsui, Tomoki Funakubo
  • Patent number: 8294333
    Abstract: An autonomous vibration-driven device, for motion through a lumen or along a surface, utilizing an array of flexible fibers attached to the body of the device. The outer surface of the fibers have an anisotropic coefficient of friction with the surface along which the device is to move, and the fibers extend from the device body such that at least some of the fibers are in contact with the walls along a part of their length. A transducer is used to vibrate the device, such that it moves down the lumen. The transducer can be either device borne or external. A rotary device is also described, utilizing an array of fibers disposed on the rotor's body, the fibers having an anisotropic coefficient of friction with a central stator or with an outer circular wall. A planar motion device is also described for crawling over a planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Inventors: Oded Salomon, Nir Shvalb, Moshe Shoham
  • Patent number: 8288919
    Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes an actuator body; and driver elements for outputting drive force, which are provided to the actuator body. The ultrasonic actuator further includes a holder which is provided to the actuator body, and which protrudes outwardly beyond principal surfaces in a direction crossing the principal surfaces of the actuator body; two supports for supporting the holder; contact rubber blocks limiting displacement of the actuator body by contacting the principal surfaces of the actuator body. The actuator body is biased toward a movable body side. A long hole extending in a biasing direction of the actuator body and into which the holder is fitted is formed in the support. At least two contact rubber blocks contact the principal surfaces of the actuator body at different positions in a longitudinal direction of the actuator body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Mukae
  • Patent number: 8283838
    Abstract: A piezoelectric linear motor for providing enhanced displacement using a dome-shaped piezoelectric ceramic is provided. The piezoelectric linear motor includes a dome-shaped piezoelectric ceramic (100) processed such that different electrodes are formed on opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramic. A vibration shaft (200) is fixed to a first surface of the piezoelectric ceramic so that the vibration shaft moves in conjunction with displacement of the piezoelectric ceramic. A movable element (300) is linearly driven through friction with the vibration shaft while coming into contact with the vibration shaft. The movable element moves in a movement direction of the vibration shaft if the inertial force of the movable element is less than the frictional force between the movable element and the vibration shaft when the vibration shaft moves. According to the present invention, the piezoelectric ceramic is formed in a dome shape, so that movement displacement is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignees: Inova Inc., Santoma, Ltd.
    Inventor: Man Sun Yun
  • Patent number: 8283837
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator comprises a first piezoelectric element pre-polarized towards a first direction and displaceable towards an about orthogonal direction with respect to said first direction, a second piezoelectric element pre-polarized towards a direction about parallel to the first direction and displaceable towards a direction about parallel to said first direction, a relative moving member clamped by displacement of said first piezoelectric element and relatively moves by displacement of said second piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takatoshi Ashizawa
  • Patent number: 8269398
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a piezoelectric element and a frictional portion. The piezoelectric element simultaneously generates first and second vibration modes in response to a voltage applied thereto. The frictional portion is arranged on an outer surface of the piezoelectric element and adapted to come into contact with a body to be driven and cause a frictional force therewith. The frictional portion has a glass-containing portion containing a glass material and being aimed such as to project from the outer surface of the piezoelectric element. Without restricting the size of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric actuator inhibits its driving state from fluctuating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Masaichi Miyano
  • Publication number: 20120228997
    Abstract: An electromechanical transducer that includes an elongating/contracting member and a driving member. The elongating/contracting member elongates and contracts in response to application of a voltage thereto. The elongating/contracting member has a side surface that is parallel to an elongation/contraction direction. The driving member is provided on the side surface of the elongating/contracting member. The driving member is displaced with elongation and contraction of the elongating/contracting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanaga Nishikawa, Takashi Hase, Toshio Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120228994
    Abstract: An exemplary actuator in the form of a plate is disclosed, which includes, at least two generators for exciting an acoustic standing wave in the actuator. The actuator can have at least two main surfaces and a plane of symmetry S running perpendicularly to the main surfaces, with respect to which the generators are arranged symmetrically. A first lateral surface area can have a length L that substantially corresponds to the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave excited in the actuator. A second lateral surface area of the actuator can have a length (B) that is greater than the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave excited in the actuator, and that is not equal to a multiple of half the wavelength of the excited acoustic standing wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wladimir Wischnewskiy, Alexej Wischnewskij