A vibration actuator capable of determining positional relationship between a vibration body and driven body with high accuracy while keeping a pressurized contact state therebetween. The driven body contacts with the vibration body in a first direction and moves in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A holding member that holds the vibration body has two holes. A support member that supports the holding member has two projections that fit in the holes to form first and second fitting parts. The projection contacts with the hole in the second direction and in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions in the first fitting part. The projection contacts with the hole in the third direction in the second fitting part. A contact range of the projection and hole in the third direction in the first fitting part differs from that in the second fitting part.

A vibration wave motor includes a driven body, a vibrator including an annular vibration plate and an annular piezoelectric element, and a vibration damping member, which are arranged in sequence, wherein the vibration plate has, on a side facing the driven body, radially extending groove portions at X places, and, when center depths of the groove portions at X places are sequentially denoted by D1 to DX in a circumferential direction, D1 to DX vary along a curve obtained by superposing one or more sine waves, and wherein the vibration plate is locally supported by the vibration damping member in some or all antinode portions of a standing wave occurring when the vibration wave motor is driven.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a driver of a vibrator including: a control section; and an alternating current signal generation section configured to generate an alternating current signal based on an output from the control section, and to apply the alternating current signal to the vibrator, wherein the control section is configured to lower a frequency of the alternating current signal, and to change, after the frequency change, at least one of a voltage ratio and a phase difference of the alternating current signal such that the ellipse ratio of the elliptical motion changes from a first ellipse ratio to a second ellipse ratio, the second ellipse ratio has a larger ratio of a component in a moving direction in the elliptical motion to a component in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction in the elliptical motion than the first ellipse ratio.

A six-degree-of-freedom micro vibration suppression platform includes a basic platform, a load platform, six sets of single-degree-of-freedom active and passive composite vibration isolation devices that are exactly the same and a controller. Upper and lower ends of each set of single-degree-of-freedom active and passive composite vibration isolation devices are connected with the load platform and the basic platform, respectively. A control method includes: calculating a logical axis signal, calculating a logical axis control signal, calculating physical axis real-time control signals and a transfer step.

A drive device for a vibration actuator, which makes it possible to perform low-speed and stable driving and expand a dynamic range of driving speed. A first switching circuit and a second switching circuit apply a first drive signal and a second drive signal for exciting vibration, to an electromechanical energy conversion element of a vibrating body. A position detection sensor acquires information on a relative position between the vibrating body and a driven body in pressure contact with each other. An MPU switches the first and second drive signal to a third drive signal and a fourth drive signal, respectively, based on the acquired information, to thereby change a position at which a largest one of peaks of amplitude of vibration excited in the vibrating body is formed.

A device for rotating a toothed wheel, including a linear piezoelectric motor including: a passive element having an elongated shape, a piezoelectric actuator capable of axially moving the passive element in a bidirectional manner, a transmission member fastened to the passive element, meshing with a toothing of the wheel in such a way as to rotate the wheel by one tooth in a first direction of rotation when the passive element is moved axially in a first direction of movement, a jumper mobile between two end positions, including a lowered position in which it blocks a rotation of the wheel in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation.

A transducer that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy, the transducer includes: a dielectric layer; a first electrode that is provided on one surface of the dielectric layer; and a second electrode that is provided on another surface of the dielectric layer. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode becomes an insulator, before the dielectric layer suffers insulation breakdown by voltage that is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A piezoelectric drive unit is configured for driving a passive element relative to an active element, wherein the active element includes a resonator with two arms, each extending in parallel to a reference plane and ending in a contact element, which is movable by oscillating movements of the arms and thereby drives the passive element. A pre-stress element is arranged to exert a relative force between the active element and passive element, pressing them against one another with pre-stress forces that are normal to the reference plane.

A piezoelectric actuator includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements that generate a driving force to be transmitted to a driven portion; and a power supply portion that supplies power to the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of piezoelectric elements are electrically connected to the power supply portion in parallel.

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting unit that includes a piezoelectric element and ejects liquid by driving the piezoelectric element; a first drive circuit that generates a drive signal; and a circuit substrate in which the first drive circuit is disposed. The first drive circuit includes a first integrated circuit having a shape which includes a first side and a second side. The first integrated circuit includes, a first power supply terminal; a second power supply terminal; a first output terminal; and a second output terminal. The first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal are disposed along the first side. The first output terminal and the second output terminal are disposed along the second side.