Apparatus for transmitting motion to a moveable body comprising: a first bar having ends; two articulated arms, each comprising first and second arms connected at a joint having an axis about which the first and second arms rotate, wherein the first arms are of equal length, the second arms are of equal length and the second arm of each articulated arm is connected to a different end of the bar at a joint having an axis about which second arm and bar rotate; a mount connected to the first arm of each articulated arm at a joint having an axis about which first arm rotates; a second bar coupled to each articulated arm at a joint having an axis about which the second bar rotates; and a piezoelectric motor coupled to the first bar controllable to apply a force selectively in either direction along the bar's length; wherein, the joints are configured so that all the axes are substantially parallel and the first arms are parallel and the second arms are parallel for all rotations about the axes.

A vibration type actuator providing a satisfactory actuator performance even when an increase in speed is achieved and having a contact spring. The actuator includes a vibrator equipped with an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element, an elastic member to which the electrical-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed, and a protrusion provided on the elastic member. The vibrator can generate an elliptic movement in the protrusion. A driven body is configured to come into contact with the protrusion and to make a relative movement with respect to the vibrator. The protrusion includes a contact portion having a contact surface contacting the driven body, a continuous side wall portion protruding with respect to one end surface of the elastic member and forming a hollow structure, and a connection portion connecting the contact portion and the side wall portion and exhibiting flexibility in a direction normal to the contact surface.

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.

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.

An apparatus that passes vibrational energy across a mechanical structure lacking a perforation. The disclosed apparatus and method provide the ability to transfer work (rotary or linear motion) across pressure or thermal barriers or in a sterile environment without generating contaminants; the presence of reflectors in the solid barrier to enhance the efficiency of the energy/power transmission, and the ability to produce a bi-directional driving mechanism using a plurality of different mode resonances, such as a fundamental frequency resonance and a higher frequency resonance. In some instances, a plane within the mechanical structure lacking a perforation is a nodal plane of the vibrational energy field.

A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator, a friction member having a sliding surface, a guide member, a flexible substrate, and a fixing member configured to fix the friction member, the guide member, and the flexible substrate. The vibrator and the friction member move relative to each other in a predetermined direction. The fixing member includes a substrate-fixing portion configured to fix the flexible substrate, which includes a joint portion, an extending portion extending along the predetermined direction, a bent portion configured to reverse and turn back the extending portion, and a fixed portion to be fixed to the substrate-fixing portion. The flexible substrate is fixed on a surface of the substrate-fixing portion provided in a direction opposite to a direction in which the vibrator is brought into pressure-contact with the friction member.

A first driving signal is supplied to a first electrode of a vibrating body. A second driving signal is supplied to a second electrode of the vibrating body. A common driving signal is supplied to a common electrode of the vibrating body. A phase of the first driving signal is set changeable with respect to a phase of the common driving signal. A phase of the second driving signal is set changeable with respect to the phase of the common driving signal. Then, it is possible to switch a driving direction of a piezoelectric motor according to which phase of the first driving signal or the second driving signal is varied from the phase of the common driving signal. If the phase is simply changed, a switch is unnecessary. It is possible to reduce a driving circuit in size.

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 piezoelectric actuator comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped piezoelectric element. One outer surface of the piezoelectric element includes a first region, and a second region located such as to project from the first region and to overlap a region corresponding to an active portion in the one outer surface. The second region has a flat surface configured to come into contact with a body to be driven and to generate a frictional force therewith. The flat surface is shorter in a longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element than in a lateral direction thereof. The flat surface is longer in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element at a lateral center region thereof than at a lateral end region thereof.

A lens apparatus includes: a first holder holding a first lens unit and being moved in optical axis direction manually or by an external driver; a second holder holding a second lens unit and being electrically moved in optical axis direction; a first and second detectors respectively detecting positions of the first and second holders; a driving unit configured to move the second holder in optical axis direction; and a controller controlling the driving unit, in which movable ranges of the first and second holders overlap each other in optical axis direction; in which a position of the second holder in optical axis direction corresponds to a position of a movable portion of the driving unit; and wherein the controller changes a control of the driving unit based on a detection of the first and second detectors before the second holder interferes with the first holder.