Electrical connections are created between the actuator frame of a piezoelectric MEMS scanning mirror system and the substrate separate from the structural adhesive creating the mechanical bond between the actuator frame and the substrate. A structural bond (with no conducive properties) is formed between the actuator frame and the substrate. After the bond is fully formed, separate electric connections can be created by one or both of: 1) coating the actuator frame with a coating that enables a surface of the actuator frame to be wire bondable and creating a wire bond between the actuator frame and the substrate; or 2) depositing a trace of conductive material on the outside edge of the mechanical bond between the actuator frame and the substrate and a final protection layer may be applied over the conductive trace to protect the trace from mechanical or environmental damage.

A piezoelectric drive unit is configured for driving a passive element relative to an active element, wherein the active element includes a resonator with two arms, each extending in parallel to a reference plane and ending in a contact element, which is movable by oscillating movements of the arms and thereby drives the passive element. Each of the arms has, at the outer end of the arm, a protrusion extending inward, toward the other arm, and on at least one of the arms, the respective contact element, arranged at the arm's outer end, extends outward, away from the other arm.

Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the vibrator against a friction member; a holding member configured to hold the vibrator; and a buffering member provided between the vibrator and the holding member. The vibrator and the friction member are moved relatively to each other in a relative movement direction by vibration of the vibrator, and the holding member holds the vibrator in such a manner that an extending part extending in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing member sandwiches the vibrator and the buffering member.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic motor having a bracket, a plate-shaped ultrasonic actuator arranged in the bracket, said ultrasonic actuator having two opposing main surfaces and at least four side surfaces connecting the main surfaces to one another, and an element to be driven, wherein the ultrasonic actuator is pressed against the element to be driven, and the bracket comprises a first frame that supports the ultrasonic actuator and a second frame in which the first frame is supported and guided by bearing elements, and the bearing elements are pressed elastically against the first frame by the second frame. According to the invention, the first frame is pressed against the main surfaces of the ultrasonic actuator via the bearing elements, thus preventing or reducing movements of the ultrasonic actuator in a direction vertical to the main surfaces.

The present invention relates to a vibration-type driving apparatus including a vibrator including an electro-mechanical transducer; a driven body disposed in pressure-contact with the vibrator; a supporting portion extending from the vibrator; a base to which the vibrator is fixed with the supporting portion interposed therebetween; a vibration absorber disposed between the supporting portion and the base; and a compressive-force adjusting device capable of adjusting a compressive force to be applied to the vibration absorber between the supporting portion and the base.

A piezoelectric drive device driving a driven member by a projecting portion provided on one end of a vibrator including a piezoelectric element, includes a fixing portion fixing the piezoelectric drive device, a holding portion holding the vibrator, an urging portion coupled to the fixing portion and urging the holding portion including the vibrator in a direction toward the projecting portion, a weight portion provided at an opposite side to the projecting portion in the holding portion, and an elastic portion placed between the holding portion and the weight portion.

There is disclosed an ultrasonic motor having a vibrator that vibrates by a high frequency drive voltage applied thereto, a sliding member that comes in contact frictionally with the vibrator, pressurizing means for pressurizing the vibrator to the sliding member, a base to which the vibrator is fixed, a vibrator support member holding the base, and coupling means for coupling the vibrator with the vibrator support member, the vibrator and the sliding member being relatively moved by the vibration, wherein the coupling means includes the base, the rolling member that freely moves the base to the vibrator support member in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing means, and an urging member that urges the rolling member in a direction perpendicular to the pressurizing direction of the pressurizing means.

A motor includes a pressing member pressing a vibrator onto a contacting member, first and second holding members respectively holding the vibrator and a transmission member, which transmits pressing force by the pressing member to the vibrator, and a coupling member coupling the first and second holding members. The vibrator and the contacting member move by vibrations occurring in the vibrator. The coupling member includes a rolling member moving the first and second holding members in a pressing direction of the pressing member, and an urging member, which is held by the second holding member, urging the first and second holding members in parallel with a moving direction of the vibrator and the contacting member. The rolling member is sandwiched between the first and second holding members, and abuts against the first holding member on a center side of the vibrator in the moving direction.

A motor includes a vibrator, a plurality of pressing members that presses the vibrator onto a contacting member in contact with the vibrator, a transmission member that transmits pressing force, which is applied by the plurality of pressing members, to the vibrator, a first holding member that holds the vibrator, a second holding member that holds the transmission member, and a coupling member that couples the first holding member to the second holding member. The vibrator and the contacting member move relatively by vibrations that occur in the vibrator. The vibrator includes a protruding part that is provided on a surface opposite to a surface on a transmission member side. The pressing members are arranged separately to surround the protruding part. The coupling member is arranged at a position closer to the protruding part than the pressing members.

A motor includes a first vibrator, a plurality of biasing parts that are disposed around the first vibrator and that presses the first vibrator onto a contacting member in contact with the first vibrator, a first pressing member that is biased by the plurality of biasing parts and that includes a pressing part pressing the first vibrator by biasing force of the plurality of biasing parts, and a second pressing member that is biased by the plurality of biasing parts. The first vibrator and the contacting member move relatively by vibrations that occur in the first vibrator. The first and second pressing members integrally moves while the first vibrator moves. The first pressing member and the first vibrator are tiltable around a first direction orthogonal to both of a moving direction of the first vibrator and a biasing direction of the plurality of biasing parts.