Provided is a control apparatus of a vibration-type actuator for generating an elliptical motion of contact portions by a common alternating current including a frequency determining unit for setting a frequency of the alternating current. The frequency determining unit sets the frequency of the alternating current for changing an ellipticity of the elliptical motion, within a frequency range such that ellipticity changing frequency ranges set for the vibrators are overlapped, and the ellipticity changing frequency ranges are set for the vibrators as frequency ranges between an upper limit and a lower limit, such that the lower limit is a maximum resonant frequency at a time of changing the ellipticity, and the upper limit is larger than the lower limit and is a maximum frequency for the relative movement of the driving member.

Provided is a control apparatus of a vibration-type actuator for generating an elliptical motion of contact portions by a common alternating current including a frequency determining unit for setting a frequency of the alternating current. The frequency determining unit sets the frequency of the alternating current for changing an ellipticity of the elliptical motion, within a frequency range such that ellipticity changing frequency ranges set for the vibrators are overlapped, and the ellipticity changing frequency ranges are set for the vibrators as frequency ranges between an upper limit and a lower limit, such that the lower limit is a maximum resonant frequency at a time of changing the ellipticity, and the upper limit is larger than the lower limit and is a maximum frequency for the relative movement of the driving member.

A stick-slip piezo motor. At least one voltage source is connected to a piezo motor. The piezo motor has at least one oscillating piezo element and at least one moving friction element connected to the oscillating piezo element. The moving friction element moves in a desired travel direction. A computer is programmed to control the voltage source to deliver voltage to the piezo motor at a predetermined frequency and amplitude to control the speed of the piezo motor. The computer is programmed to hold the frequency constant while varying the amplitude to adjust the speed of the piezo motor. In a preferred embodiment the computer is programmed to hold the frequency constant at an ultrasonic frequency. In another preferred embodiment the computer is programmed to hold the frequency constant at a value of 15 kHz or higher.

This application relates to a drive assembly, a motor, and a terminal. The drive assembly includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an excitation part, a vibration part, a first fixed part, and a pushing part. The vibration part is connected to the excitation part. The first fixed part is connected to the vibration part, and the vibration part is located between the excitation part and the first fixed part along a first direction L. The pushing part is connected to the vibration part and the rotor. The excitation part is capable of vibrating, and the excitation part is capable of driving the vibration part to act. Under limiting by the first fixed part, the vibration part is capable of vibrating at least along the first direction L and a second direction W.

A control method for a piezoelectric motor having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion transmitting vibration of the vibrating portion to a driven member, and synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization of the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and elliptically move the transmitting portion and moving the driven member by the elliptical motion, includes changing an orbit of the elliptical motion according to a load received by the transmitting portion.

A control method for a piezoelectric motor having a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element and a transmitting portion transmitting vibration of the vibrating portion to a driven member, and synthesizing longitudinal vibration and flexural vibration by energization of the piezoelectric element to vibrate the vibrating portion and elliptically move the transmitting portion and moving the driven member by the elliptical motion, includes changing an orbit of the elliptical motion according to a load received by the transmitting portion.

A method is provided of controlling at least two interacting piezoelectric actuators for commonly displacing an object attached thereto. The method comprises the following steps: a. Step A: applying a first cyclic drive voltage signal with a constant frequency to the first piezoelectric actuator, b. Step B: applying a second cyclic drive voltage signal with a constant frequency to said second piezoelectric actuator, whereby the frequencies of the first and second cyclic drive voltage signals are substantially identical and whereby the frequencies of the first and second cyclic drive voltage signals are substantially oppositely phased, and in which at least in a predetermined time period the cyclic drive voltage signals in step A and B are synchronized such that at least one time phase is comprised in which the drive voltage signals of the first and second piezoelectric actuators have both a gradient of decreasing or increasing the respective drive voltage signal having the same sign or one of these gradients is zero and the other is not zero.

A method is provided of controlling at least two interacting piezoelectric actuators for commonly displacing an object attached thereto. The method comprises the following steps: a. Step A: applying a first cyclic drive voltage signal with a constant frequency to the first piezoelectric actuator, b. Step B: applying a second cyclic drive voltage signal with a constant frequency to said second piezoelectric actuator, whereby the frequencies of the first and second cyclic drive voltage signals are substantially identical and whereby the frequencies of the first and second cyclic drive voltage signals are substantially oppositely phased, and in which at least in a predetermined time period the cyclic drive voltage signals in step A and B are synchronized such that at least one time phase is comprised in which the drive voltage signals of the first and second piezoelectric actuators have both a gradient of decreasing or increasing the respective drive voltage signal having the same sign or one of these gradients is zero and the other is not zero.

Provided is an optical scanning device including: a mirror portion that reflects incident light; a first actuator that allows the mirror portion to swing around a first axis; a second actuator that allows the mirror portion to swing around a second axis which is orthogonal to the first axis; a pair of first angle detection sensors that output a signal corresponding to an angle of the mirror portion around the first axis, the pair of first angle detection sensors being disposed at positions facing each other across the first axis or the second axis; and at least one processor, in which the processor generates a first angle detection signal representing the angle of the mirror portion around the first axis by adding or subtracting a pair of first output signals output from the pair of first angle detection sensors.

An injection valve has a moveable nozzle needle that controls a dosing of fluid and a solid-state actuator that actuates the nozzle needle. To operate the injection valve, values of a characteristic for a load state of the actuator are detected at a predetermined sampling rate. A start reference time and end reference time are determined correlating in chronological terms to an operating phase in which the solid-state actuator is discharged to a predetermined reference state by absorbing the energy in a discharging resistor. A correction reference value is determined based on a detected value of the characteristic correlating to an end of the operating phase, and a predetermined reference value. A correction value pattern is determined based on the end reference time, the start reference time, and the correction reference value. The detected values of the characteristic for the load state are determined based on the correction value pattern.