A piezoelectric motor includes a piezoelectric actuator, a holding member that holds the piezoelectric actuator, a housing in which the piezoelectric actuator and the holding member are placed, a first positioning pin that positions the holding member and the housing, and a first fixing part that fixes the first positioning pin. In the piezoelectric motor, the first positioning pin is fixed to one of the holding member and the housing, and a first hole portion in which the first positioning pin is placed is provided in the other of the holding member and the housing. The first fixing part fixes relative positions of the first hole portion and the first positioning pin.

A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a vibratory plate, a friction member configured to make a frictional contact with the vibrator, a pressurizer configured to press the vibrator and the friction member against each other, and a guide unit configured to guide a relative movement between the vibrator and the friction member. The guide unit includes a plurality of rollers configured to move relative to the pressurizer, and a guide member that includes a guide portion, the guide portion being configured to extend along a relative movement direction between the vibrator and the friction member and to guide the plurality of rollers. The guide member includes a reinforcer configured to extend along the relative movement direction near a roller closest to a center position of a pressing force by the pressurizer.

A vibration type actuator comprises a vibrator including an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic member; a holding member holding the vibrator; a guide member guiding the vibrator and the holding member in a first direction; a contact member in contact with the vibrator; and a pressure member pressurizing the vibrator and the contact member in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein the vibrator and the contact member are generate a power activating in the first direction by a vibration of the vibrator, the holding member engages with the guide member to be rotatable around as an axis, a third direction intersecting the first and the second directions, and the holding member has a recess where the vibrator is held, and an output portion transmitting the power is formed on a part of a wall surface on which the recess is formed.

Provided is a vibration wave driving apparatus comprising: a vibration actuator; and a driven member configured to be driven by the vibration actuator, wherein the vibration actuator includes: a vibrator having an electric-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic member to which the electric-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed; a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the vibrator; a contacting member configured to pressurizing-contact with the vibrator by pressurizing the vibrator by the pressurizing member and move relative to the vibrator; an outputting member configured to output a driving force to the driven member, the driving force generated by the relative-moving of the contacting member to the vibrator, and wherein the driven member includes an output transmission member configured to hold the outputting member in a direction of the relative-moving with a predetermined spring force.

A piezoelectric driving device includes a piezoelectric vibrating body and a driving circuit. The piezoelectric vibrating body includes a contact which extends in a first direction and comes into contact with a driven member, a first piezoelectric element which generates bending vibration in a direction intersecting with the first direction in accordance with a first driving voltage, and a second piezoelectric element which generates longitudinal vibration in the first direction in accordance with a second driving voltage. The piezoelectric vibrating body is configured such that a resonance frequency of the longitudinal vibration is higher than a resonance frequency of the bending vibration. The driving circuit sets a driving frequency of each of the first driving voltage and the second driving voltage to be equal to or higher than the resonance frequency of the longitudinal vibration.

The invention relates to an annular or hollow cylindrical ultrasonic actuator, on the end faces of which are arranged n≥2 friction elements, and on the outer peripheral surface of which are arranged 2n excitation electrodes, spaced apart from one another in each case by a separating gap, each of the friction elements being arranged in the region of a separating gap, wherein, between friction elements that are adjacent with respect to the periphery of the ultrasonic actuator and are located on different end faces, two excitation electrodes are arranged such that, when the ultrasonic actuator is electrically excited, the friction elements of both end faces simultaneously perform a movement which is suitable for driving an element to be driven to rotate in the same direction. The invention further relates to an ultrasonic motor having an ultrasonic actuator of this kind and having a holding device in which the ultrasonic actuator is inserted.

A wearable device that is capable of harvesting kinetic energy from wrist motions using piezoelectric and/or electromagnetic energy harvesters is disclosed. A first part of the device is worn on the user and second part of the device is movable against the second part to accentuate the frequency of movements.

An optical element driving mechanism is provided. The optical element driving mechanism includes a fixed portion, a movable portion, a first driving assembly, and a positioning element. The movable portion is movably disposed on the fixed portion and comprises an optical element, wherein the optical element moves in the first direction. The first driving assembly is at least partially disposed on the fixed portion. The positioning element is rotatably disposed on the fixed portion or the movable portion, wherein when the first driving assembly is not activated, the positioning element is used to limit the position of the movable portion relative to the fixed portion to a limit position.

A vibration-wave motor includes a vibrator having two protruding parts, a holding member configured to hold the vibrator, a movable member configured to translationally move together with the holding member, a rotating unit configured to allow the holding member to rotate around each of three axes relative to the movable member and to restrict the holding member from translating in each of the three axes relative to the movable member, a urging member configured to urge the holding member and the movable member so that the holding member and the movable member translationally move together, and a restricting unit configured to restrict the holding member from rotating around the rotating unit as a center by the urging member.

A vibration-type actuator includes a vibrator, a contact member, a ball, and a base table having a third guide. The vibrator has an elastic member and an energy conversion element. The contact member is fixed to the base table, contacts the elastic member, and extends in a predetermined direction. The vibrator and the contact member are driven along the predetermined direction due to a vibration generated by a voltage applied to the energy conversion element. A first guide provided on the contact member extends in the predetermined direction and a second guide that is connected with the vibrator faces the first guide and moves integrally with the vibrator. The ball is held between the first guide and the second guide rollably in the predetermined direction. The second guide extends in the predetermined direction and includes a fitting projection portion loosely fitted to a groove portion provided on the third guide.