Abstract: A contact body that makes it possible to easily verify whether or not the resin has been properly impregnated in the pores. A metallic sintered body having a plurality of pores, as a main body, is in contact with a vibration element in a vibration actuator. The contact body includes a sliding portion that has a sliding surface in contact with the vibration element, and a non-sliding portion adjacent to the sliding portion and not in contact with the vibration element. The non-sliding portion is provided with a resin lump containing hard particles and resin, and the resin lump is formed to be lower in height in a vertical direction than the sliding surface. In the sliding portion, part of hard particles and resin is exposed on the sliding surface.

Abstract: A vibration actuator that is easy to manufacture and has good driving performance, and a lens-barrel and a camera provided with the same. The vibration actuator is provided with an oscillator that generates oscillations; and a relative movement member that is pressure contacts the oscillator, and moves relative to the oscillator due to the oscillation. Either a contact face of the oscillator with respect to the relative movement member or a contact face of the relative movement member with respect to the oscillator is a thermosetting resin film that is formed of polyamide-imide resin and fluororesin, and the other contact face is an anodic oxide film.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a vibration type drive device including: a mechanical energy application element; a resilient member provided with the mechanical energy application element; a driven member subjected to a relative displacement with respect to the resilient member due to a vibration excited by the resilient member, wherein the resilient member includes a conductive material, and does not constitute an electric closed loop.

Abstract: A fall detection and recovery system includes cameras positioned around a perimeter of a vessel. The system analyzes video from the cameras to detect a falling object from the vessel and records a geolocation of the vessel at a time of falling of the object. The system applies environmental readings to evolve a recovery location for the falling object from the time of falling to a present time.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus of a vibration-type actuator for generating an elliptical motion of contact portions by a common alternating current signal including a frequency determining unit for setting a frequency of the alternating current signal. The frequency determining unit sets the frequency of the alternating current signal for changing an ellipticity of the elliptical motion, within a frequency range such that ellipticity changing frequency ranges set for the vibrators are overlapped, and the ellipticity changing frequency ranges are set for the vibrators as frequency ranges between an upper limit and a lower limit, such that the lower limit is a maximum resonant frequency at a time of changing the ellipticity, and the upper limit is larger than the lower limit and is a maximum frequency for the relative movement of the driving member.

Abstract: A laminate includes a ceramic substrate, a piezoelectric element, and an intermediate layer. The piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode. The intermediate layer is formed between the substrate and the lower electrode of the piezoelectric element. The intermediate layer contains a metal or an oxide thereof as a main component. The metal is different from a metal contained in the lower electrode. The intermediate layer further contains holes.

Abstract: A vibration actuator that is easy to manufacture and has good driving performance, and a lens-barrel and a camera provided with the same. The vibration actuator is provided with an oscillator that generates oscillations; and a relative movement member that is pressure contacts the oscillator, and moves relative to the oscillator due to the oscillation. Either a contact face of the oscillator with respect to the relative movement member or a contact face of the relative movement member with respect to the oscillator is a thermosetting resin film that is formed of polyamide-imide resin and fluororesin, and the other contact face is an anodic oxide film.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a pressure-generating chamber which communicates with a nozzle opening, and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed above the first electrode and having a perovskite structure represented by the general formula ABO3, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer, lead, zirconium, and titanium are present at A sites of the perovskite structure, and lead, zirconium, and titanium are present at B sites of the perovskite structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a miniaturizable motor (1) comprising a rotor (12) that is driven by a hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator (2). Said rotor is effectively connected to a frictional face (13) of the piezo oscillator while a main electrode or counter electrode (3) and excitation electrodes (4, 5, 6) are disposed on the surface of the hollow cylinder. The hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator is made of a monocrystalline material with a trigonal crystal system which is provided with three main electrical axes that are placed at a 120° angle relative to each other as well as an optical axis. Said optical axis encloses a 90° angle along with the point of intersection of the electrical axes while coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator. Furthermore, the axial axis of symmetry of the respective excitation electrode intersects one of the main electrical axes while said axial axis of symmetry extends parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrating element having a piezoelectric body attached thereto to produce a traveling wave when the piezoelectric body is supplied with an electric power, and a contacting element to come in friction contact with the vibrating element when the vibrating element is vibrated by the traveling wave. The vibrating element is formed of a Mg-based alloy having a Mg content of more than 85% by weight.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical wave device which may be used for movement of a mechanical member, e.g. by friction, a motor comprising one or more wave devices, and a method of providing the electro-mechanical wave device. The electro-mechanical wave device comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of conductors, and a plurality of actuators positioned on the substrate for generation of mechanical waves along a predetermined propagation path, each of the actuators being connected to a respective set of the conductors of the substrate for reception of an excitation signal transmitted by the set of conductors.

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: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrating element having a piezoelectric body attached thereto to produce a traveling wave when the piezoelectric body is supplied with an electric power, and a contacting element to come in friction contact with the vibrating element when the vibrating element is vibrated by the traveling wave. The vibrating element is formed of a Mg-based alloy having a Mg content of more than 85% by weight.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a surface acoustic wave linear motor that can be driven in opposite directions along a predetermined path, a package including the surface acoustic wave linear motor, and a lens actuator that is capable of performing an optical zoom function by adopting the surface acoustic wave linear motor package. The surface acoustic wave linear motor includes a substrate, through which a surface acoustic wave progresses, a movable part constructed such that the movable part can perform a translating movement in the opposite direction to the progressing direction of the surface acoustic wave, and electrodes for supplying the substrate with power to generate the surface acoustic wave in the substrate. According to the present invention, the surface acoustic wave linear motor is capable of performing a translating movement without the provision of an additional mechanism, unlike the conventional actuator using the rotary motor, the gear, and the lead screw.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave motor, a lens barrel, and a camera system are provided, which have long service lives and which are stable. An oscillatory wave motor includes an oscillator which generates oscillation on an elastic member in accordance with excitation of an electromechanical conversion element, and a relative movement member which is pressurized to make contact with the oscillator and which moves relative to the oscillator in accordance with the oscillation. The oscillatory wave motor has an epoxy resin film formed of silicon beads and an epoxy resin and which is formed on at least one of frictional contact surfaces of the oscillator and the relative movement member.

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 establishing pressure contact with the stator, a resin film formed on at least one of pressure contact surfaces of the stator and rotor, and a pressure contact force controlling portion that includes, an elastic member configured to generate a pressure contact force between the stator and rotor with an elastic force thereof, and a compressing portion configured to compress and shorten the elastic member. The pressure contact force controlling portion controls the pressure contact force between the stator and rotor by varying the elastic force of the elastic member depending on temperature of the motor.

Abstract: A horn that can suppress oscillation components other than the component in the horizontal direction, a horn unit, and a bonding apparatus using same are provided. The horn has a cross-section variable section in which a cross section perpendicular to the lengthwise direction (X direction) thereof has a first region extending in the Z direction and a pair of second regions sandwiching the first region from Y direction. In the position P3 corresponding to an anti-node of a standing wave of oscillations excited in the horn, a sectional area S1 of the first region assumes a maximum and a sectional area S2 of the second region assumes a minimum. With a transition from the position P3 to the other positions corresponding to nodes, the sectional area S1 decreases and the sectional area S2 increases. As a result, oscillation components other than those in the X direction are suppressed.

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 establishing pressure contact with the stator, a resin film formed on at least one of pressure contact surfaces of the stator and rotor, and a pressure contact force controlling portion that includes, an elastic member configured to generate a pressure contact force between the stator and rotor with an elastic force thereof, and a compressing portion configured to compress and shorten the elastic member. The pressure contact force controlling portion controls the pressure contact force between the stator and rotor by varying the elastic force of the elastic member depending on temperature of the motor.

Abstract: A vibration type driving apparatus capable of inhibiting wear in an elastic member and a contact member is provided. The vibration type driving apparatus is a vibration type driving apparatus relatively driving an elastic member given vibrations by an electric-mechanical energy conversion element and a contact member contacting the elastic member, wherein at least one of the elastic member and the contact member is formed by aluminum oxide ceramics containing 5 wt % to 40 wt % of zirconium oxide.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave motor, a lens barrel, and a camera system are provided, which have long service lives and which are stable. An oscillatory wave motor includes an oscillator which generates oscillation on an elastic member in accordance with excitation of an electromechanical conversion element, and a relative movement member which is pressurized to make contact with the oscillator and which moves relative to the oscillator in accordance with the oscillation. The oscillatory wave motor has an epoxy resin film formed of silicon beads and an epoxy resin and which is formed on at least one of frictional contact surfaces of the oscillator and the relative movement member.

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 pair of opposing thin plate sections, movable sections, and fixed sections for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable sections are provided on a ceramic substrate. After a wiring pattern and a gap or an insulating layer of cermet layer for filling the gap are formed on a ceramic substrate, these are sintered. After that, piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers and cermet electrode layers including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive material and a conductive material are alternately stacked in a comb like structure on the ceramic substrate. Accordingly, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element in multilayer structure is obtained.

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: 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: The present invention relates to a method for forming piezoelectric/electrostrictive film element at low temperature using electrophoretic deposition, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a solution or a dispersed mixture containing constituent ceramic elements by dissolving or dispersing the raw material of constituent ceramic elements in a solvent or a dispersion medium; preparing a mixed solution by adding citric acid into the solution or the dispersed mixture in which the constituent ceramic elements are dissolved or dispersed; getting ultrafine ceramic oxide powder of particle size less than 1 &mgr;m with uniform particle diameter size distribution by forming ceramic oxide without scattering over, by nonexplosive oxidative reductive combustion reaction by thermally treating the mixed solution at 100-500° C.

Abstract: A friction member is used in a friction portion in a vibration wave driving apparatus. The friction member comprises a composite resin which comprises polytetrafluoroethylene as a matrix and which further comprises at least an inorganic fiber substance and a heat-resistant resin. A ratio of a content Vf (vol %) of the inorganic fiber substance to a content Vr (vol %) of the heat-resistant resin satisfies the following relation: ⅓≦Vf/Vr≦3.

Abstract: A motor for use in magnetic fields generated for medical imaging. The motor comprises a stator. The stator includes a piezoelectric material and is configured to generate vibrations when subjected to a voltage gradient. A rotor is arranged and configured so that vibrations generated in the stator will propel the rotor. A drive shaft is connected to the rotor. The rotor and drive shaft are formed from a material that has a magnetic susceptibility that is about the same as the magnetic susceptibility of water.

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.