Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel having a first area and a second area, a main body supporting the display panel, an auxiliary member arranged in the main body, and a reflective member arranged between the auxiliary member and the display panel, wherein the reflective member may movably be provided to overlap the first area or the second area. Therefore, light emitted from the display panel toward the inside of the main body may be reflected in the outside, and a luminance difference between the first area and the second area of the display panel may be prevented from occurring, whereby a user's satisfaction for an image may be enhanced.

Abstract: A driving mechanism comprises: (i) an actuator comprising: an electro-mechanical conversion element; a driving member which is connected to one end of the electro-mechanical conversion element and moves according to elongation or contraction of the electro-mechanical conversion element; and a weight member provided on the other end of the electro-mechanical conversion element; (ii) a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving member; and (iii) a driving circuit that drives the actuator, wherein the actuator allows the driven member to move along the driving member, and the driving circuit drives the electro-mechanical conversion element at a driving frequency f which gives f?21/2·f0 when resonance frequency of a 1-freedom system is f0 in which the electro-mechanical conversion element and the driving member are designated as a mass and the weight member is designated as a spring, and driving frequency of the electro-mechanical conversion element is f.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving lens in a camera is disclosed, by which an auto-focusing and/or zooming function is supported using a piezoelectric element and by which an auto-focusing and/or zooming function can be supported with advantageous price, power consumption and device volume. The present invention includes a lens drive unit moving the lens in one direction according to a current direction, a control circuit unit switching the current direction to move the lens, and a control unit supplying a control signal for switching the current direction to the control circuit unit.

Abstract: A lens driving mechanism is disclosed which can achieve miniaturization of the mechanism by simplification and enhancement of the reliability in position control of a movable block. The lens driving mechanism includes a piezoelectric element deformed when energized for functioning as a driving section for applying driving force to the movable block, a restriction section for restricting the movement of the movable block in the predetermined direction, and a detection section for detecting a predetermined amount regarding the piezoelectric element. The initial position of the movable block is set as a position at an extremity of the movement of the movable block within a movable range based on an inflection point of the predetermined amount detected by the detection section when the movable block moved by the deformation of the piezoelectric element is restricted by the restriction section.

Abstract: A camera shutter having a shutter aperture, shutter blades, and a driving device for driving the shutter blades to open and close the shutter aperture. The driving device includes a pair of lever members spaced apart and confronting each other across the shutter aperture, each of the lever members having a first end portion and a second end portion. A piezoelectric element is connected to and between the lever members at the first end portions thereof for undergoing elastic deformation to oscillate the lever members. An elastic member is connected to and between the lever members at the second end portions thereof for undergoing elastic displacement in response to oscillation of the lever members. A transmission member is integrally connected to a central portion of the elastic member for transmitting the displacement of the elastic member to the shutter blades to open and close the shutter aperture.

Abstract: A driving device for a piezoelectric actuator, in which a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric actuator to generate a mechanical deformation therein, thus actuating a mechanical system. In an aspect, the piezoelectric actuator is at first given a voltage of inverse polarity, for generating a displacement in an opposite direction, and then given a voltage of forward polarity, for generating a displacement in the normal functioning direction, thereby actuating the mechanical system. Displacement and acceleration become larger, as the displacement of the actuator takes place from a position in the inverse direction. In another aspect, the electrical insulation state of the piezoelectric actuator is detected and, if deteriorated, the destruction of insulation is prevented by an alarm generation and/or inhibition of voltage application in an embodiment, the insulation state is identified from the ambient humidity of the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a driving apparatus arranged to perform driving control of a travelling member, such as a shutter member, by using a vibration wave motor. According to the present invention, the travelling member is arranged to be driven by the spring force of a spring member. The travelling member is held in a stopped state against the spring force by the stopping torque of the vibration wave motor, and by causing the vibration wave motor to generate a standing wave, the stopping torque is cancelled so that the travelling member starts travelling by the spring force.