Described herein are embodiments of fiber scanning systems and methods of scanning optical fibers. The disclosed systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the scanning range, the oscillation amplitude, and/or the maximum pointing angle for an optical fiber in a fiber scanning system by inducing a buckling of a portion of the optical fiber.

In an optical scanner 100, a vibration portion 101 includes first and third elements 3021 and 3023 that vibrate a light guide path 102 in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction, and second and fourth elements 3022 and 3024 that vibrate the light guide path in a direction substantially perpendicular to a vibration direction thereof. A driving signal is applied to each of electrodes 3011 to 3014, each of which corresponds to one electrode of each of the first to fourth elements, and the other electrode 3015 is used as a common electrode having a floating potential. A driving signal generator 1007 generates a driving signal such that a median value of driving signals V.sub.y1and V.sub.y2 applied to the first and third elements and a median value of driving signals V.sub.x1 and V.sub.x2 applied to the second and fourth elements correspond to substantially the same value.

A system comprises a support, typically part of dishwashing machine or clothes washing machine, having a plurality of piezoelectric transducers. Each transducer can have a cylindrical housing with a water inlet along a side surface of the housing. The transducers can also comprise a lens and a piezoelectric material with electrodes configured to couple to a power supply.

An apparatus may include a vibration member having a plane portion and a round portion extended to be rounded from the plane portion, and a vibration device connected to the vibration member. The apparatus may improve sound characteristics and/or sound pressure characteristics. Further, the apparatus may output sound in various directions.

Improved drilling systems and methods may include piezoelectric actuator(s) in a drill string at one or more locations to minimize or eliminate stick-slip while drilling. For example, piezoelectric actuators may be incorporated into the rock bit or drill bit in the openings in the bit body for receiving the cutters. As another example, the piezoelectric actuators may be incorporated into an independent module that is place on or in the drill string. The independent module may be placed between the top drive and the drill bit or at the top of the drill string near a top drive.

A piezoelectric driving device includes a supporting section, a first moving section movable in a first direction relative to the supporting section, a second moving section movable in a second direction relative to the first moving section, a first driving section configured to drive a first piezoelectric actuator to move the first moving section relative to the supporting section and stop the first piezoelectric actuator to hold the first moving section on the supporting section, and a second driving section configured to drive a second piezoelectric actuator to move the second moving section relative to the first moving section and stop the second piezoelectric actuator to hold the second moving section on the first moving section. A first holding force for holding the first moving section on the supporting section and a second holding force for holding the second moving section on the first moving section are different from each other.

An excitation circuit includes an output circuit including a series circuit including first and second switches connected to a DC power supply, and including a connection point between the first and second switches to which a piezoelectric element is connected, a current detection circuit to detect at least one of currents flowing through the first and second switches, and output a detection signal indicating a value based on the detected current, and a control circuit to execute switching processing in which the first and second switches are complementarily switched on and off at a predetermined frequency, in order to apply a voltage of the predetermined frequency from the output circuit to the piezoelectric element, and including a search mode to determine a resonant frequency of a vibrator vibrated by the piezoelectric element based on a value indicated by the detection signal outputted from the current detection circuit.

The actuator device according to the present invention comprises an actuator and an AC power supply capable of applying a high-frequency voltage to the actuator. The actuator comprises a flexible tube formed of a polymer, an inner electrode, and an outer electrode. In a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the flexible tube, the inner electrode is in contact with at least a part of an inner periphery of the flexible tube. In the cross section, a part of an outer periphery of the flexible tube is coated with the outer electrode. In operation, the AC power supply applies a high-frequency voltage having a frequency of not less than 1 MHz to the actuator to deform the actuator in a direction from the inner electrode toward the outer electrode in the cross section. The AC power supply stops the application of the high-frequency voltage to the actuator to return the actuator to the original position thereof.

Described herein are embodiments of fiber scanning systems and methods of scanning optical fibers. The disclosed systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the scanning range, the oscillation amplitude, and/or the maximum pointing angle for an optical fiber in a fiber scanning system by inducing a buckling of a portion of the optical fiber.

A helical dielectric elastomer actuator (HDEA) can include a first dielectric region comprising an elastomer defining a helix. In an example, a dielectric material can be deposited and a compliant conductive material can be deposited, such as using an additive manufacturing approach, to provide an HDEA. In an example where the HDEA has multiple mechanical degrees of freedom, at least two compliant conductive regions can be located on a first surface of the first dielectric region and at least one compliant conductive region can be located on an opposite second surface of the first dielectric region. For such an example, the at least two compliant conductive regions can be arranged to be energized with respect to the at least one compliant conductive region in a manner providing at least two mechanical degrees of freedom for operation of the HDEA.