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 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 lens drive device is provided with a first fixed part, a first movable part, a first supporting part, and a Z-direction drive unit which moves the first movable section in an optical axis direction (the Z-direction) relative to the first fixed part and is constituted by an ultrasonic motor that converts vibration motion into rotational motion. The lens drive device further has a rotating body which rotates around the optical axis in response to rotational motion of the Z-direction drive unit, and a mechanical element which converts the rotational motion of the rotating body into linear motion in the optical axis direction, the first movable part being moved in the optical axis direction by rotation of the rotating body.

The hydraulic actuator comprises: a hydraulic input cylinder having an input piston; a hydraulic output cylinder, which is hydraulically coupled to the input cylinder; and a pressure-limiting valve, which limits the output cylinder with respect to pressure in dependence on the usability of a force on the input piston. The method is a method for operating such a hydraulic actuator, wherein the drive actuator is deflected with deflections having a deflection duration at a deflection frequency for the duration of an acting or a non-acting phase of the hydraulic actuator, wherein the deflection duration defines a movement stiffness of the hydraulic actuator and the deflection frequency defines the resulting deflection speed of the hydraulic actuator.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic actuator (2) with a polarization axis P, said actuator being made of a piezoelectric ceramic. The ultrasonic actuator (2) has a temperature expansion coefficient which is parallel to the polarization axis P and which differs from a temperature expansion coefficient that is perpendicular to the polarization axis P, and at least one friction element (8) is arranged on the ultrasonic actuator. The friction element (8) consists of an anisotropic monocrystal with temperature expansion coefficients which are different along the three crystal axes a, b, and c. The temperature expansion coefficient along a first of the three crystal axes is the lowest, and the temperature expansion coefficient along a second of the three crystal axes is the greatest. The friction element (8) is aligned relative to the ultrasonic actuator (2) such that the first crystal axis is parallel to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2), and the second crystal axis is perpendicular to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2). The invention additionally relates to an ultrasonic motor with an ultrasonic actuator of the aforementioned type.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic actuator (2) with a polarization axis P, said actuator being made of a piezoelectric ceramic. The ultrasonic actuator (2) has a temperature expansion coefficient which is parallel to the polarization axis P and which differs from a temperature expansion coefficient that is perpendicular to the polarization axis P, and at least one friction element (8) is arranged on the ultrasonic actuator. The friction element (8) consists of an anisotropic monocrystal with temperature expansion coefficients which are different along the three crystal axes a, b, and c. The temperature expansion coefficient along a first of the three crystal axes is the lowest, and the temperature expansion coefficient along a second of the three crystal axes is the greatest. The friction element (8) is aligned relative to the ultrasonic actuator (2) such that the first crystal axis is parallel to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2), and the second crystal axis is perpendicular to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2). The invention additionally relates to an ultrasonic motor with an ultrasonic actuator of the aforementioned type.

A miniature pneumatic device includes a miniature fluid control device and a miniature valve device. The miniature fluid control device includes a gas inlet plate, a resonance plate, a piezoelectric actuator and a gas collecting plate. A first chamber is formed between the resonance plate and the piezoelectric actuator. After a gas is fed into the gas inlet plate, the gas is transferred to the first chamber through the resonance plate and then transferred downwardly. Consequently, a pressure gradient is generated to continuously push the gas. The miniature valve device includes a valve plate and a gas outlet plate. After the gas is transferred from the miniature fluid control device to the miniature valve device, the valve opening of the valve plate is correspondingly opened or closed and the gas is transferred in one direction. Consequently, a pressure-collecting operation or a pressure-releasing operation is selectively performed.

A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a connection member of a shaft or weight connected to an element end surface of the piezoelectric element, the other one of the shaft and weight connected to a first end surface constituting an end surface opposing to the element end surface of the piezoelectric element, a wiring portion, and a resin portion. The piezoelectric element forms external electrodes on surfaces thereof, alternately laminates internal electrode layers with piezoelectric layers therebetween, and provides part of the external electrodes on the element end surface. The wiring portion has conductive portions corresponding to the external electrodes. The resin portion fixes the piezoelectric element, the connection member, and the wiring portion so that the element end surface opposes to the connection member with the wiring portion therebetween and that the conductive portions are electrically connected to the external electrodes.

A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a connection member of a shaft or weight connected to an element end surface of the piezoelectric element, the other one of the shaft and weight connected to a first end surface constituting an end surface opposing to the element end surface of the piezoelectric element, a wiring portion, and a resin portion. The piezoelectric element forms external electrodes on surfaces thereof, alternately laminates internal electrode layers with piezoelectric layers therebetween, and provides part of the external electrodes on the element end surface. The wiring portion has conductive portions corresponding to the external electrodes. The resin portion fixes the piezoelectric element, the connection member, and the wiring portion so that the element end surface opposes to the connection member with the wiring portion therebetween and that the conductive portions are electrically connected to the external electrodes.

A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator including a piezoelectric device and a vibration plate, and a friction member, wherein the vibrator and the friction member are pressurized to contact each other, and the vibrator is vibrated by the piezoelectric device to be moved relative to the friction member. The motor further includes a guide member that guides relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member, a fixing member that fixes the guide member at a first position and a second position in a direction of the relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member, and an attenuation member held between the friction member and the guide member in a pressure direction in which the vibrator and the friction member are pressurized to contact each other at a location between the first position and the second position.