An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrator configured to generate a vibration, a relatively movable member configured to be movable by the vibrator, wherein the relatively movable member is movable relatively according to the vibration of the vibrator, a holding unit configured to hold the vibrator, wherein the holding unit includes a first holding member configured to hold the vibrator and a second holding member; and a damping member provided between the vibrator and the second holding member and configured to reduce a vibration transmitted to the second holding member, a pressure unit configured to press the vibrator against the relatively movable member, wherein the second holding member is configured to press the vibrator against the relatively movable member, and wherein the first holding member is made of a material having a higher damping capability against the vibrator than a material of the second holding member.

A vibration actuator includes a vibrator including a shaft, an output transmission member penetrated by the shaft, and configured to rotate about the axis of the shall, and a fixed member configured not to move relative to the shaft and configured to move relative to the output transmission member. The fixed member includes a base portion and a projection portion protruding from the base portion to the output transmission member side, the vibration actuator includes a pressure reception member between the base portion and the output transmission member in an axial direction of the shaft, and wherein the projection portion and the output transmission member are in contact with each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft, and the projection portion and the output transmission member are not in contact with each other in the axial direction of the shaft.

A vibration wave actuator has a vibration member including an elastic member and an electro-mechanical energy transducer, and a contact member in contact with the vibration member, and the contact member and the vibration member move relative to each other. The vibration wave actuator includes a detected portion configured to move, together with the contact member, relative to the vibration member, and a detection unit configured to move, together with the vibration member, relative to the contact member to detect displacement information or position information for the detected portion. The vibration member has two projections provided side by side in a direction intersecting with the direction of the relative movement. The contact member contacts the two projections. The detection unit and the detected portion are located between the contact member and the vibration member when viewed from the direction of the relative movement.

A piezoelectric drive device includes a piezoelectric actuator which includes a vibration portion that vibrates and a protruding portion that protrudes from the vibration portion, a driven member, an optical scale, a sensor which receives transmitted light or reflected light from the optical scale and outputs a signal in accordance with intensity of the received light, in which a facing area of the optical scale and the sensor is disposed to be deviated to one side in a direction in which the optical scale and the sensor are aligned with respect to a contact portion between the protruding portion and the driven member.

A linear driving mechanism capable of moving a driven object smoothly and lengthening its service life. A first vibration element and a second vibration element sandwich a friction member therebetween. A first holding member holding the first vibration element is rotatably supported by a first shaft. A second holding member holding the second vibration element is rotatably supported by a second shaft. An urging part moves the first holding member and the second holding member to press these vibration elements against the friction member. A coupling member couples the first holding member with a driven object. A pressing part presses the coupling member against a moving body including the first and second holding members. A direction of a pressing force of the pressing part intersects with the first shaft when the coupling member couples with the first holding member.

A vibration type actuator includes a vibrating body including an elastic body and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element, a contact body contacting the vibrating body, a flexible printed board provided with a concave portion on a surface opposite to a surface contacting the electro-mechanical energy conversion element and configured to supply electric power to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a holding member provided with a projection portion engaging with the concave portion.

A vibrator of a vibration-type driving device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first vibrating member that includes first protrusions protruding in a first direction, a second vibrating member that includes second protrusions protruding in a direction that is opposite to the first direction, and an electric-mechanical energy conversion element that is fixed to the first vibrating member. The first protrusions and the second protrusions each have a hollow structure, and the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member are disposed in such a manner that a surface of the first vibrating member on which the first protrusions are not formed and a surface of the second vibrating member on which the second protrusions are not formed face each other.

A controller 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.

A vibration type motor relatively moves in a first direction a vibrator whose vibration is excited by an electromechanical energy conversion element and a contact member configured to contact the vibrator and includes a vibrator holder configured to hold the vibrator, a holding mechanism configured to hold the vibrator holder so as to restrict a displacement of the vibrator holder in the first direction and to enable the vibrator holder to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, a press mechanism configured to press the vibrator against the contact member in the second direction, and a damper configured to contact a plurality of components among the vibrator holder, components of the holding mechanism, and components of the press mechanism.

A vibration actuator that is capable of reducing variations of pressure force and reaction force acting on a vibrator and a contact member. Vibrator devices respectively have vibrators each of which includes an elastic member and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element. A contact member contacts the vibrators and is movable in a predetermined direction relatively to the vibrators. A restraint member fixes a first vibrator device that is at least one of the vibrator devices to restrict a degree of freedom in the predetermined direction. A flexible member connects a second vibrator device that is at least one of the vibrator devices to the first vibrator device. The flexible member has predetermined rigidity in the predetermined direction and has rigidity, which is lower than the predetermined rigidity, in directions other than the predetermined direction.