A manufacturing method for an electromechanical drive element comprises providing (S10) of an excitation body comprising at least one volume of electromechanical material. The excitation body has a metal plate integrated as a surface of the excitation body. The excitation body being arranged to cause shape changes of the electromechanical material and the metal plate when the volume(s) of electromechanical material being excited by a voltage signal. A composite drive pad is provided (S20). The composite drive pad comprises a metal portion directly joined to a ceramic portion. After the providing of a composite drive pad, the metal portion of the composite drive pad is irreversibly attached (S30) to the metal plate of the excitation body by use of a metal-based bond. An electromechanical drive element and an electromechanical motor using such an electromechanical drive element are also disclosed.

A vibrating actuator includes a contact body and a vibrating body that vibrates, has an energy conversion element, and has an elastic body in contact with the contact body to move relative to each other from the vibration. The contact body has a base part, a thin plate part, a support part, and a friction member. The thin plate part extends from the base part toward an annular center axis of the base part and the support part is disposed at an end of the thin plate part. The friction member is disposed to the support part as a member separate from the support part and in contact with the elastic body. Density of the friction member is higher than density of the thin plate part. A weight ratio of the thin plate part to a total weight of the friction member and the support part is 0.5 to 1.5.

A contact member that makes it possible to reduce variations in characteristics of individual vibration actuators. The contact member is in contact with a vibration member. The contact member has a sintered body of metal powder as a base material. A contact surface of the sintered body, which is in contact with the vibration member, is formed by impregnated resin portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which resin has been impregnated, and non-impregnated as pore portions of the sintered body in which the resin has been impregnated. A ratio of the impregnated resin portions with respect to an entirety of the contact surface is 2% or more and 15% or less, and a ratio of the non-impregnated pore portions with respect to the entirety of the contact surface is 3% or more.

A vibration-type actuator capable of suppressing reduction in holding torque or holding force under influence of humidity. A vibration-type actuator 10 includes a vibrating body 2 and a driven body 1. The vibrating body 2 has a piezoelectric element 2c and an elastic body 2b. The driven body 1 is in contact with the vibrating body 2. The vibration-type actuator 10 moves the vibrating body 2 and the driven body 1 relatively to each other by vibration excited to the vibrating body 2. At least one of a first contact portion of the vibrating body 2 and a second contact portion of the driven body 1 includes a stainless-steel sintered body with pores and at least some of the pores are impregnated with a resin.

A vibration-type actuator capable of suppressing reduction in holding torque or holding force under influence of humidity. A vibration-type actuator 10 includes a vibrating body 2 and a driven body 1. The vibrating body 2 has a piezoelectric element 2c and an elastic body 2b. The driven body 1 is in contact with the vibrating body 2. The vibration-type actuator 10 moves the vibrating body 2 and the driven body 1 relatively to each other by vibration excited to the vibrating body 2. At least one of a first contact portion of the vibrating body 2 and a second contact portion of the driven body 1 includes a stainless-steel sintered body with pores and at least some of the pores are impregnated with a resin.

A piezoelectric device includes a body provided with a first region and a second region lined along a first direction. The first region deformably extends/contracts along the first direction. The second region deformably curves in such a manner that one or the other side in a second direction intersecting the first direction curves outward.

Disclosed is a stick-slip drive comprising a base and a rotor which are in contact with one another via a friction surface and are coupled to one another in such a way that the rotor can perform an inertial motion relative to the base, characterized in that two materials, a noble metal and a ceramic material, are paired up on the friction surface between the base and the rotor.

A contact member that makes it possible to reduce variations in characteristics of individual vibration actuators. The contact member is in contact with a vibration member. The contact member has a sintered body of metal powder as a base material. A contact surface of the sintered body, which is in contact with the vibration member, is formed by impregnated resin portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which resin has been impregnated, and non-impregnated as pore portions of the sintered body in which the resin has been impregnated. A ratio of the impregnated resin portions with respect to an entirety of the contact surface is 2% or more and 15% or less, and a ratio of the non-impregnated pore portions with respect to the entirety of the contact surface is 3% or more.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic actuator (2) with a polarization axis P, said actuator being made of a piezoelectric ceramic. The ultrasonic actuator (2) has a temperature expansion coefficient which is parallel to the polarization axis P and which differs from a temperature expansion coefficient that is perpendicular to the polarization axis P, and at least one friction element (8) is arranged on the ultrasonic actuator. The friction element (8) consists of an anisotropic monocrystal with temperature expansion coefficients which are different along the three crystal axes a, b, and c. The temperature expansion coefficient along a first of the three crystal axes is the lowest, and the temperature expansion coefficient along a second of the three crystal axes is the greatest. The friction element (8) is aligned relative to the ultrasonic actuator (2) such that the first crystal axis is parallel to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2), and the second crystal axis is perpendicular to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2). The invention additionally relates to an ultrasonic motor with an ultrasonic actuator of the aforementioned type.

Provided is a low frequency vibrating actuator device including an actuator configured to generate a vibration by receiving a voltage, a spring structure disposed on the actuator, and a vibrating mass part disposed on the spring structure. Here, the spring structure includes a first thin-film, a first spacer disposed between the first thin-film and the actuator, and a second spacer disposed between the first thin-film and the vibrating mass part. Also, the first spacer and the second spacer are horizontally offset from each other.