A device and method using the electromechanical properties of piezoelectric materials to generate and deliver electrical power to a high speed electrically powered rotatable shaft. The device has a stationary module that is connected to an electrical source; and has a rotatable module, which is mechanically connected to the electrically powered rotatable shaft. The rotatable module rotates relative to the stationary module. When the stationary module is electrically energized, the stationary piezoelectric component expands and causes the rotatable piezoelectric component to compress. When the rotatable piezoelectric component compresses, it generates electrical power transferred to the electrically powered rotatable shaft. Thus, electrical energy can be delivered to the electrically powered rotatable shaft without a direct electrical connection. The present invention is particularly useful in applications requiring large diameter through-hole dimensions.

A piezoelectric drive device includes a vibrating part, and a control unit that controls vibration of the vibrating part, wherein the vibrating part includes a piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface in a front-back relation, a drive electrode having a first electrode arranged at the first surface and a second electrode arranged at the second surface, and vibrating the piezoelectric material when a drive signal from the control unit is input to the second electrode, and a detection electrode having a third electrode arranged at the first surface and a fourth electrode arranged at the second surface, and outputting a detection signal according to the vibration of the piezoelectric material to the control unit via the fourth electrode, and the first electrode and the third electrode are separated on the first surface, and the second electrode and the fourth electrode are separated on the second surface.

An image pickup apparatus is capable of decreasing a space capacity occupied by component elements and being downsized compared to a case where an actuator is arranged independently of a supporting unit. The image pickup apparatus has an image pickup unit driven by the actuator, a base unit, and the supporting unit provided in a standing manner from the base unit and rotatably supports the image pickup unit. The actuator has a piezoelectric element and an oscillator including a transmission unit which transmits driving force caused by vibration excited by the piezoelectric element. The transmission unit is arranged in the supporting unit so that it is in pressure contact with the image pickup unit. The image pickup unit has a transmitted plane with which the transmission unit is brought into pressure contact, and the vibration excited by the oscillator causes the transmitted plane to move relatively to the oscillator.

An ultrasonic motor is provided that includes a stator including first and second piezoelectric elements provided on a first main surface of a vibrator having a plate shape, a rotor in direct or indirect contact with a second main surface of the vibrator, and a wiring member connected to the first and second piezoelectric elements. Moreover, the wiring member includes first and second connection members connected to the first and second piezoelectric elements, a central wiring portion connected to the first and second connection members and provided in a region including a center of an axial direction, and an extended wiring portion connected to the central wiring portion. The central wiring portion is fixed to the first main surface of the vibrator and the extended wiring portion is lifted from the first main surface of the vibrator.

A vibration device includes a cylindrical body including an opening, a light-transmissive cover joined to the cylindrical body, a piezoelectric element directly or indirectly joined to the cylindrical body and including first and second main surfaces, and a power feeder joined to the piezoelectric element. The power feeder includes a substrate including first and second surfaces, first and second power feeding electrodes on the first surface or the second surface, and first and second external connection electrodes. The power feeder sandwiches the piezoelectric element in a thickness direction, and the first and second power feeding electrodes are joined to the first main surface or the second main surface of the piezoelectric element. Portions of the substrate, which are not located on the first and second main surfaces of the piezoelectric element, are bent to sandwich the piezoelectric element.

A piezoelectric MEMS scanning mirror system is provided. In particular, the efficiency and life of the system are improved by use of new bonding methods. Mechanical and electrical connections between the actuator frame of a piezoelectric MEMS scanning mirror system and the piezoelectric actuators in the system may be created using an anisotropic conductive adhesive. An anisotropic conductive adhesive only conducts electricity across the bond line between a lower portion of the piezoelectric actuator and a top of the metal frame. One way this is done is to provide a sparse loading of conductive particles. When the piezoelectric element is compressed against the frame, the conductive particles only form a conductive path across the bond line. Grit blasting, sanding, or chemical etching may be used to roughen the metal surface prior to bonding. A surface roughness between 2 RMS and 6 RMS may be created on the metal frame.

A piezoelectric resonator includes a vibrating part having a pair of principal surfaces in an obverse-reverse relationship, and a side surface configured to couple the pair of principal surfaces to each other, and a protruding part which is provided to the vibrating part, and is configured to transmit a drive force generated by a vibration of the vibrating part to a driven part, wherein the vibrating part has a pair of vibrating plates including a first vibrating plate and a second vibrating plate stacked on one another in afirst direction in which the pair of principal surfaces are arranged side by side, the first vibrating plate has a flexural vibrating piezoelectric element configured to flexurally vibrate the vibrating part in a third direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the driven part and the protruding part are arranged side by side in a plan view of the principal surfaces, either one or both of the first vibrating plate and the second vibrating plate have a stretching vibrating piezoelectric element configured to make the vibrating part perform a stretching vibration in the second direction, and the side surface is provided with a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the flexural vibrating piezoelectric element and the stretching vibrating piezoelectric element.

An electrical connection structure for connecting a piezoelectric element and an electrical circuit to each other with a conductive adhesive is described. The electrical connection structure includes an epoxy, a conductive component surrounded by the epoxy, and a trace feature implemented on top of the electrical connection structure. At least one depression feature can be implemented on top of the electrical connection structure to constrain the epoxy and the at least one conductive component.

An image pickup apparatus is capable of decreasing a space capacity occupied by component elements and being downsized compared to a case where an actuator is arranged independently of a supporting unit. The image pickup apparatus has an image pickup unit driven by the actuator, a base unit, and the supporting unit provided in a standing manner from the base unit and rotatably supports the image pickup unit. The actuator has a piezoelectric element and an oscillator including a transmission unit which transmits driving force caused by vibration excited by the piezoelectric element. The transmission unit is arranged in the supporting unit so that it is in pressure contact with the image pickup unit. The image pickup unit has a transmitted plane with which the transmission unit is brought into pressure contact, and the vibration excited by the oscillator causes the transmitted plane to move relatively to the oscillator.

An image pickup apparatus is capable of decreasing a space capacity occupied by component elements and being downsized compared to a case where an actuator is arranged independently of a supporting unit. The image pickup apparatus has an image pickup unit driven by the actuator, a base unit, and the supporting unit provided in a standing manner from the base unit and rotatably supports the image pickup unit. The actuator has a piezoelectric element and an oscillator including a transmission unit which transmits driving force caused by vibration excited by the piezoelectric element. The transmission unit is arranged in the supporting unit so that it is in pressure contact with the image pickup unit. The image pickup unit has a transmitted plane with which the transmission unit is brought into pressure contact, and the vibration excited by the oscillator causes the transmitted plane to move relatively to the oscillator.