An optical element driving mechanism is provided. The optical element driving mechanism includes a fixed portion, a movable portion, a first driving assembly, and a positioning element. The movable portion is movably disposed on the fixed portion and comprises an optical element, wherein the optical element moves in the first direction. The first driving assembly is at least partially disposed on the fixed portion. The positioning element is rotatably disposed on the fixed portion or the movable portion, wherein when the first driving assembly is not activated, the positioning element is used to limit the position of the movable portion relative to the fixed portion to a limit position.

A glass membrane deformation assembly configured to deform a glass membrane includes: a deformable glass membrane having a first surface and a second surface; a piezoelectric layer affixed to at least a portion of the first surface of the deformable glass membrane, wherein the piezoelectric layer is controllably deformable via a voltage potential; and a structural layer affixed to at least a portion of the second surface of the deformable glass membrane; wherein the controllably deformation of the piezoelectric layer is configured to controllably deform the deformable glass membrane.

An optical system is provided, including a first optical module, a second optical module, and a light-quantity adjustment module. The first optical module, the second optical module, and the light-quantity adjustment module are arranged in a direction of an optical axis. The first optical module and the second optical module are movable in the direction of the optical axis.

A controller is capable of reducing time required to stop a control target at a target stop position as a final stop position. The controller drives a vibration element including a piezoelectric element by an AC signal to thereby move a contact body, in contact with the vibration element, relative to the vibration element. The controller controls a pulse duty cycle of a signal converted to the AC signal based on a difference between a target stop position, which is a final stop position of the contact body, and a current position of the contact body, and an actual speed of the contact body.

There is provided a vibration wave motor that includes a plurality of pressing parts separated by slits and can prevent an intervention member from protruding from the slits. The vibration wave motor includes a vibrator, a driven body configured to be brought into pressure contact with the vibrator and to move relative to the vibrator, a pressing member configured to move together with the driven body and to bring the driven body into pressure contact with the vibrator, and an intervention member intervening between the driven body and the pressing member, and configured to be pressed together with the driven body when the pressing member brings the driven body into pressure contact with the vibrator. The pressing member includes a plurality of pressing parts that is separated by slits and presses the intervention member. The intervention member is firmly fixed to the driven body.

An optical driving apparatus includes a holder configured to hold an optical element and including a first contact portion and a second contact portion that are spaced from each other in an optical axis direction, a guide member configured to contact the first contact portion and the second contact portion and to guide the holder in the optical axis direction, and a biasing member configured to generate a biasing force serving as a magnetic force configured to bias the holder so that the first contact portion and the second contact portion are pressed against the guide member. The biasing member is disposed between the first contact portion and the second contact portion in the optical axis direction.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera module comprising: a housing; a lens barrel disposed in the housing; first and second elastic members coupled to the lens barrel; and a piezo motor including a column disposed between the first and second elastic members, wherein: the first and second elastic members press the column of the piezo motor; the lens barrel comprises a body part and a coupling part connected to the body part; and the coupling part comprises a groove coupled to one side of the second elastic member and a protrusion coupled to the other side of the second elastic member.

An optical element driving mechanism is provided, including a fixed portion, a movable portion, a driving assembly, and a stopping assembly. The movable portion is movably connected to the fixed portion, wherein the movable portion is used for connecting to an optical element having a main axis. The driving assembly is disposed on the fixed portion or the movable portion, and the driving assembly is used for driving the movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion. The stopping assembly is connected to the movable portion and the fixed portion.

SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.

Some embodiments include a fixed chassis structure and a moveable carriage body carrying one or more lenses. The fixed chassis structure includes a magnetic friction track. The moveable carriage body carries one or more lenses. An electrically-controllable magnet is mounted to the moveable carriage body for generating a magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the magnetic friction track. The moveable carriage body is movably mounted to the chassis to allow movement along an optical axis through the one or more lenses. An inertial actuator is mounted to the moveable carriage body in an alignment such that the axis of motion of the actuator is parallel to the optical axis through the one or more lenses. The moveable carriage body is held in place with respect to the at least one allowed degree of freedom by one or more friction forces resulting from the magnetic attraction force.