Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vibration actuator includes forming an elastic body integrally with a projection protruding from a surface of the elastic body, by press working. Forming the elastic body includes forming a bonding portion surrounding the projection, forming a contact portion at a top portion of the projection, forming a spring portion between the contact portion and the bonding portion, and forming a standing portion having a hollow structure, between the spring portion and the contact portion, so that the standing portion has a ring shape in a cross-sectional view in a direction parallel to the surface of the elastic member and that a space surrounded by the contact portion, the spring portion, and the standing portion. The spring portion is formed by press working, and the bonding portion is formed by press working.

Abstract: A vibration actuator, which can be stably driven and has high durability, is provided with a vibrating body having an elastic body, including a ferrous metal, and an electro-mechanical energy conversion device bonded to the elastic body, and a driven member frictionally contacting the vibrating body and moving relatively with respect to the vibrating body. The elastic body has a nitrided layer contacting the driven member, and the elastic body is electrically grounded without going through a nitrided layer.

Abstract: Provided is a multi-flap standing wave type ultrasonic motor, including a rotor part, a stator part, a control circuit board, and a fixing attachment. The rotor part includes a flange, a rotor ring, and a shaft. The shaft and the flange are joined together by using a first screw and the flange and the rotor ring are joined together by using a second screw. The stator part includes a piezoelectric ceramics, an excitation ring, and flaps. The piezoelectric ceramics and the excitation ring are fixed with glue, the flaps and the excitation ring are connected through welding, and form an angle with the radial direction of the excitation ring. The stator part is sleeved on a support, is attached to a pressure plate and is connected, through an upright, to a locking plate, and to a substrate of the control circuit board to form a fixing attachment. The flaps are an elastomer and a preload provider. The inner diameter of the rotor ring is less than the outer diameter of the flaps.

Abstract: There is provided a vibrator including: a housing including an internal space; an elastic member mounted within the internal space so as to be elastically deformed; and a piezo actuator mounted on one surface of the elastic member, wherein the elastic member includes a reinforcement emboss protruding toward a surface opposite to a surface on which the piezo actuator is mounted in a portion on which the piezo actuator is mounted.

Abstract: A rotary type vibration wave driving apparatus which is capable of reducing local wear of a contacting member and of reducing performance deterioration due to long term operation is provided. The apparatus includes a electro-mechanical energy conversion element, an vibration member fixed to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element and vibrated by a voltage being supplied to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a moving member being brought into contact with the vibration member and frictionally driven by the vibration, and is configured such that the moving member includes a supporting portion extended from the main body portion of the moving member, and a contacting portion extended from the supporting portion and being brought into contact with the vibration member, and such that each of the supporting portion and the contacting portion is configured to be elastically deformable in the rotation axis direction of the moving member.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving apparatus includes a vibration member, to which an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed and which is vibrated when a driving voltage is applied to the electrical-mechanical energy conversion element; and a moving member that comes into contact with the vibration member and rotates relative to the vibration member in accordance with the vibration. The moving member includes a body portion and a contacting portion with a friction surface that comes into frictional contact with the vibration member and, in an area extending from a rotation axis in a radial direction, a line connecting a centroid of a shape of the moving member to an arbitrary point of the contacting portion of the moving member is parallel to a direction of the vibration trajectory of the vibration member.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave motor includes an oscillator having an oscillation body and an electro-mechanical energy-converting element, and a flexible heat-conducting member configured to dissipate heat generated by the oscillatory wave motor. The oscillatory wave motor drives a moving body in contact with a contact portion formed in the oscillation body by an elliptical movement of the oscillator, and the heat-conducting member is provided in addition to a heat-conducting path that conducts heat generated by the oscillatory wave motor through an oscillator supporting member that supports the oscillator or a heat-conducting path that conducts heat through the moving body.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration actuator including: an electromechanical transduction member that transduces electric power to a mechanical vibration; a transmission member that transmits the vibration from the electromechanical transduction member as a driving force; and an abutting portion that abuts on the transmission member and moves relative to the transmission member in response to the driving force. One of the transmission member and the abutting portion includes pores in its surface contacting the abutting portion or the transmission member at an area occupancy of 2% or higher. In this vibration actuator, the average area of the pores may be 3 ?m2 or larger. The other of the transmission member and the abutting portion may include iron in its surface contacting the one.

Abstract: A vibration wave driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a vibrator having at least a vibration body formed with a projecting portion having spring characteristics and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element, the vibration wave driving apparatus using motion of the projecting portion to drive a driven body in contact with the projecting portion, wherein the vibration body includes a base portion and the projecting portion, the projecting portion includes two wall portions formed in parallel to a direction orthogonal to a drive direction of the driven body extending in an out-of-plane direction with respect to the base portion and two wall portions formed in parallel to the drive direction of the driven body extending in an out-of-plane direction with respect to the base portion and a contact portion including a contact surface with the driven body formed by connecting the wall portions.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration-type driving apparatus including: a vibration member to which an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed and which is vibrated when a driving voltage is applied to the electrical-mechanical energy conversion element; and a moving member that comes into contact with the vibration member and rotates relative to the vibration member in accordance with the vibration, wherein the moving member includes a body portion and a contacting portion with a friction surface coming into frictional contact with the vibration member, and wherein a line connecting a centroid in a cross-sectional shape of the moving member determined from the rotation axis direction of the rotation and the radial direction to an arbitrary point of the contacting portion of the moving member is parallel to direction of the vibration trajectory of the vibration member.

Abstract: The invention concerns an element to be driven, a driving element designed to be urged into engagement with the element to be driven and an actuating element adapted to move the driving element so that it drives the element to be driven in step-by-step displacement, the driving element and the actuating element being formed by etching in a semiconductor material wafer. The invention is characterized in that it comprises elastic prestressing means for maintaining the driving element in contact with the element to be driven.

Abstract: A vibrator (3) is sandwiched between a base block (1) and a stator (2), and a substantially lower half of a substantially spherical rotor (6) is received in a recess (5) of the stator (2). A support member (7) is placed on an upper portion of the stator (2). A preload portion (10) is supported at an end of an angle portion (9) of the support member (7). A spherical member (11) rotatable about multiple axes of the preload portion (10) abuts against a top portion of the rotor (6) to apply a preload to the rotor (6). Driving the vibrator (3) rotates the rotor (6), whereby an output shaft (12) is moved between the preload portion (10) and an annular portion (8) of the support member (7) as a movable range.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a cylindrical rotor for performing a mechanical output, a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators each having two points in internal contact with the rotor, and a preload mechanism for pressing the ultrasonic vibrators from an inside toward an outside of the rotor, and the ultrasonic vibrators are provided to be rotatable relative to the preload mechanism. With this configuration, an internal contact type ultrasonic motor capable of performing efficient drive by using a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators each in contact with a cylindrical rotor at two points and allowing contact at all contact points without requiring a high machining accuracy can be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasound linear piezoelectric motor comprising an ultrasound oscillator (1) embodied in the form of a piezoelectric plate (4) or a cylinder shell part (3), acoustic oscillation generators (5) and a friction element (6) which frictionally interacts with a driven element (8) and is disposed in a holder. The inventive holder is embodied in the form of an elastic clamp (13) which embraces a driven element, is fixed to the ultrasound oscillator and made of a sound-conducting material.

Abstract: To provide an electromechanical conversion element, a vibration actuator, a vibration actuator driving device, a lens barrel and a camera, which facilitate the achievement of the desired drive characteristics. An electromechanical conversion element comprising: a piezoelectric body having a polarization part polarized in a certain direction; and a plurality of separately formed electrodes on a continuous region of the polarization part.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator that includes a comb body with a plurality of circumferentially-arranged comb-like projections and a piezoelectric body integrally mounted on the comb body, a rotor rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotor having a contact surface that establishes pressure contact with the stator, and a resin film formed with predetermined hardness on the contact surface of the rotor, the resin film containing a solid lubricant.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator includes: a flat plate piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric vibrator vibrating in a mixed mode of stretching vibration that generates a displacement in a first direction within a plane of the piezoelectric element and a bending vibration that generates a displacement in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a vibrating member provided with the piezoelectric element and vibrated by applying voltage on the piezoelectric element; a support member provided on the vibrating member to support the vibrating member in a vibratable manner the support member being provided on an outer edge of the vibrating member at a position adjacent to anti-node other than free end of the bending vibration, the support member including a first support section extending in a direction approximately orthogonal to the first direction and a second support section extending in a direction approximately orthogonal to the direction in which the first support section extends; and a fixing portion

Abstract: An ultrasonic rotary drive device includes an ultrasonic motor including an ultrasonic generating portion and a first rotary output portion, wherein the first rotary output portion is in contact with the ultrasonic generating portion to be rotatable relative to the ultrasonic generating portion and rotates by ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic generating portion; and a one-way rotational transfer mechanism including a rotary input portion and a second rotary output portion. The rotary input portion rotates with the first rotary output portion. The second rotary output portion is rotatable independently of the rotary input portion. Rotation of the rotary input portion is transferred to the second rotary output portion when the rotary input portion is rotated. Rotation of the second rotary output portion is prevented from being transferred to the rotary input portion when the second rotary output portion is rotated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor is provided with a circular stator including a piezoelectric element and a comb teeth body and a circular rotor supported by a rotating shaft and disposed in close contact with the comb teeth body. The stator and the rotor are magnetized in opposite polarities to each other so that the stator and the rotor are brought into close contact by an attractive magnetic force generated therebetween in an axial direction.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a circular stator having a piezoelectric element and a comb-tooth body having a plurality of comb teeth which are circumferentially arranged thereon, and a circular rotor having a rotation shaft, the circular rotor being in press-contact with the comb teeth of the circular stator. The circular rotor is provided with a projection which is in the press-contact with the comb teeth, wherein a width of the projection is smaller than a radial width of the comb teeth, and wherein a radial position of the projection varies along a circumferential direction of the circular rotor.

Abstract: The air valve includes a valve body for controlling operations to open and close the communication between an air pressure chamber and an air outlet, a piezoelectric element for generating driving force in the form of displacements, and a displacement enlarging mechanism for enlarging the small displacements generated by the piezoelectric element by the principle of a pry and applying the enlarged displacements to the valve body. The enlarged displacements cause a large and sufficient gap to be developed between the air pressure chamber and the air outlet when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element. When the applying of voltage to the piezoelectric element is stopped, the resetting force of the piezoelectric element itself causes the gap to be closed quickly.

Abstract: A vibration wave driving apparatus includes a vibration member in which an electro-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed to an elastic member, and a contact member pressed against a sliding part provided in the vibration member, so as to be kept in contact therewith. The vibration wave driving apparatus is configured to supply alternating signals in a predetermined driving frequency band to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, thereby generating a predetermined natural vibration mode in the elastic member to drive the contact member. In the apparatus, the natural vibration mode is generated in the elastic member, a natural frequency of another vibration mode different from the natural vibration mode is detected, and a stiffness of the support member is altered if the natural frequency of the other vibration mode detected is included in the driving frequency band.

Abstract: The present invention combines bending mode mechanical (frm) and electrical (fre) resonances, whereby a relatively good efficiency can be achieved within a relatively broad frequency range (?f3). An electrical resonance (frc) or mechanical resonance is designed to be situated in the same order of magnitude as another mechanical resonance (frm), but separated therefrom. Preferably, the separation (?f2) is smaller than 2f1/Q1, where f1 is the resonance frequency for the resonance having lowest quality value, and Q1 is the corresponding quality value of the mechanical resonance. An electromechanical motor comprising a driving element and electrical resonance circuit according to the above ideas may comprise a double bimorph driving element having one single actuating point influencing a body to be moved. The double bimorph driving element is excited in bending vibrations perpendicular to a main displacement direction, whereby both tangential and perpendicular motions are created by bending mode vibrations.

Abstract: The piezoelectric motor (6) comprises a stator (1) and a runner (4) which form a gap (7) as well as comprising a piezoelectric transducer (3) which is connected to the stator (1) or the runner (4) and which with the stator (1) or the runner (4) forms a resonator (1,3;4,3), wherein the resonator (1,3; 4,3) may be excited in a main oscillation direction (H), characterised in that the stator (1) comprises an engagement surface (1a) facing the runner (4), or the runner (4) an engagement surface which faces the stator (1), and that the stator (1) or the runner (4) comprises an elastic advance element (5) which bridges the gap (7) between the stator (1) and the runner (4) in a manner such that the advance element (5) at least temporarily lies on the engagement surface (1a). The advance element (5) comprises a first part-section (5c) as well as a second part-section (5d), wherein the part-sections (5c, 5d) have a different resonant frequency.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator 10 is disclosed, having drive elements (14a–d) movable in two dimensions and connected to an actuator backing (12). The actuator backing (12) is made of a material being ferromechanically inactive. Furthermore, the joint between the drive element (14a–d) and the actuator backing (12) is stiff and highly stable. This is achieved by use of an irreversible joint made e.g. by thermoset plastic glues, diffusion bonding or co-sintering. Co-sintering is to prefer. The actuator backing (12) material is selected to be stiff, preferably having a stiffness above 70 GPa and more preferably above 100 GPa, and having a high heat conductivity, preferably above 5 W/mK and more preferably above 10 W/mK, Electrodes (22) are preferably integrated in the actuator backing to increase stiffness as well as improving the heat conductivity. The drive elements (14a–d) are preferably covered (28, 26), at least at the driving surface, by heat-conducting material.

Abstract: A vibration type driving apparatus, which is capable of increase of output torque and rotational speed without increasing the size of a vibration body, is described. The apparatus comprises a vibration body which generates vibration by supplying a driving signal to an electro-mechanical energy converting element and a contact body which contacts this vibration body and is moved by vibration received from the vibration body. The vibration body comprises a base portion having the electro-mechanical energy converting element and a plurality of vibration amplification portions for amplifying vibration generated at this base portion. Neighboring vibration amplification portions of the plurality of vibration amplification portions are connected at a position different from a connecting position of each vibration amplification portion with the base portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a high efficiency piezoelectric single phase uni-polar supersonic actuator which is composed of an upper back disc, a PZT plate an electrode, a lower back disc, a pivotal bolt and a fixing nut. The PZT plate and its electrode are interposed between the upper and the lower back discs, and the whole actuator unit is supported and fixed with the pivotal bolt and the nut combination by passing the bolt coaxially through the center of the actuator unit. The parametric output variation of the actuator is carried out by an asymmetrical structure due to varying number, size and location of notches, or a variety of notch and screw combination made on the upper back disc such that after the electrode is energized, the actuator produces an unbalanced periodic axial or transverse thrust force to drive a rotor installed on the pivotal bolt above the upper back disc. The maximum rotating speed of the rotor may reach up to above 3000 rpm.

Abstract: A vibration type drive unit comprises a vibrator made of an elastic body to which an electromechanical energy conversion element is fixed and a moving element which is in contact with a surface of the vibrator so that by applying an alternating signal to the electromechanical energy conversion element. A progressive wave is generated on a surface of the vibrator to move the moving element, wherein the vibrator has a plate-like elastic body and a column-like elastic body, the electromechanical energy conversion element is fixed to a side surface of the plate-like elastic body. The column-like elastic body is formed on a central portion of a surface of the plate-like elastic body which is different from the surface to which the electromechanical energy conversion element is fixed.

Abstract: A steering actuator of an independent type steer-by-wire system comprises a housing fixed to a vehicle body and an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor has a stator internally fixed to the housing and a rotator rotating relative to the stator when an electric current is applied. A steering rod having a first end and a second end penetrates through a center portion of the ultrasonic motor. The first end of the steering rod extends out of the housing for connection to a tie rod. In one embodiment, a ring gear, planetary gears, sun gear and/or racks formed at the steering rod are operably associated with converting rotating movement of the ultrasonic motor into linear movement of the steering rod. In another embodiment, a rotator ring, a plurality of pinions, worm gears and a plurality of racks formed at the steering rod are operably associated with converting rotating movement of the ultrasonic motor into linear movement of the steering rod.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor has a vibrating body for undergoing vibrational movement in accordance with a vibration wave, a contact member disposed in contact with and driven by the vibrating body during vibration thereof, and a support member for supporting the vibrating body in the vicinity of a vibration node of the vibration wave. A pressurization member applies pressure to the support member along a pressurization axis to maintain the vibrating body in pressure contact with the contact member so that during vibration of the vibrating body, the support member regulates movement of the vibrating body in a direction of rotation about the pressurization axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration wave driving apparatus including: a vibration member which has an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrode regions that are fixed to an elastic member and polarized in the same direction, and which generates a travelling wave that is obtained by synthesizing a plurality of standing waves different in phase on a surface of the elastic member by supplying an ac signal to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element; and a moving member which is in contact with the vibration member and driven by the travelling wave.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a spindle structure of an ultrasonic machine which can reduce the number of assembling steps, can improve working accuracy, and can reduce heat generation due to an ultrasonic wave leakage during the working process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vibration type driving apparatus comprising an elastic member which, in use, is excited with a vibration that sets a moving member into motion relative to the vibrating elastic member. The method includes providing a friction member on at least one of the elastic member and the moving member, and pressing the friction member between a mold and the at least one of the elastic member and the moving member forming a smooth contacting surface on the friction member.

Abstract: Micromechanical parts are freed from a surface of a substrate to which the parts are stiction bonded by applying a pulse stress wave to the substrate that propagates through the substrate and is reflected at the surface to which the micropart is stiction bonded, breaking the bond between the micropart and the substrate surface by a spalling action at the surface. A piezoelectric transducer may be secured to the bottom surface of the substrate such that a voltage pulse supplied to the piezoelectric transducer deforms the piezoelectric element and the substrate to which it is secured to provide a pulse stress wave that propagates through the substrate to the top surface. For microparts that are in contact with but not stiction bonded to the substrate top surface, a pulse stress wave can be applied to the substrate to drive the microparts away from the surface by the rapid displacement of that surface as the pulse stress wave is reflected at the surface.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator, which includes a piezoelectric element, and a rotor, which opposes the stator. The piezoelectric element vibrates the stator to rotate the rotor. The rotor has an annular thin section. An elastic ring is secured to the thin section. The mass of the elastic ring is selected from a predetermined range of masses. The motor speed at which a predetermined level of noise is produced by the motor is substantially constant for the range of the masses. This reliably damps undesirable vibration of the motor.

Abstract: A traveling wave ultrasonic motor includes a ring-shaped stator (2) and two groups of electromechanical transducers (3 to 6). Each group comprises a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal transducers, polarized in opposite directions, disposed perpendicularly to the stator (2). The transducers are in permanent contact with the stator (2) and excited by an alternating current with a &pgr;/2 phase shift between the groups so as to produce a traveling wave-like deformation on the surface of the stator (2). The motor comprises at least one rotor (1) held elastically in contact with the stator (2) for the rotational driving thereof by the traveling wave produced on the stator. The stator is in contact with the rotor only via two or four equal and diametrically opposed segments (9, 10) whose aggregate span is at most equal to a wavelength of the traveling wave produced in the stator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has piezoelectric elements. When an alternating current having a predetermined frequency is applied to the piezoelectric elements, the elements axially vibrate. The stator axially vibrates in response to the axial vibration of the piezoelectric elements. The rotor includes projections arranged about its axis. The projections contact the stator. Each projection is designed and formed such that it torsionally vibrates independently in response to the axial vibration of the stator. As a result, a compact and high torque motor is produced.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator, which includes a piezoelectric element, and a rotor, which opposes the stator. The piezoelectric element vibrates the stator to rotate the rotor. The rotor has an annular thin section. An elastic ring is secured to the thin section. The mass of the elastic ring is selected from a predetermined range of masses. The motor speed at which a predetermined level of noise is produced by the motor is substantially constant for the range of the masses. This reliably damps undesirable vibration of the motor.

Abstract: In a vibration type driving apparatus comprising a vibration member of which the vibration is excited, and a contacting member contacting with the vibration member, the contacting member and the vibration member being moved relative to each other by the vibration of the vibration member, a friction member is provided on the contacting portion of at least one of the vibration member and the contacting member, and the friction member is formed with a contacting surface smoothed by the pressing of a mold.

Abstract: A vibration wave apparatus includes a plurality of vibration member groups. Each vibration member group includes a plurality of vibration members having respective driving portions in which driving vibration waves are generated, where the respective driving portions are arranged at axially opposite sides of the vibration member group and the said plurality of vibration members are disposed coaxially with one another, and a holding member disposed between the respective driving portions of the plurality of vibration members, and arranged to support the vibration member group at a peripheral portion of the holding member.