Vibration drive device in which separation between members by external force is suppressed, lens barrel, image pickup apparatus, and stage device

A vibration drive device that comprises a vibrating body including an electromechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body having a first surface to which the electromechanical energy conversion element is joined and a second surface opposite from the first surface, on which protrusions are provided, and a driven body in pressure contact with the protrusions, and is configured to excite vibration in the vibrating body to thereby effect relative movement between the vibrating body and the driven body, the vibration drive device comprising:

• an equalizing stage disposed on a side facing the first surface of the elastic body;
• and
• a vibration damping member disposed between the vibrating body and said equalizing stage and configured to suppress transmission of vibration of the vibrating body to said equalizing stage,
• wherein said equalizing stage receives a pressure application force applied to the vibrating body via said vibration damping member, and thereby equalizes a pressure application force applied from the vibrating body to the driven body,
• wherein a length of a region of said vibration damping member in contact with the vibrating body is shorter than a length of the vibrating body in a direction orthogonal to a driving direction in which the vibrating body and the driven body are moved relative to each other, and also to a pressure application direction between the vibrating body and the driven body,
• wherein said equalizing stage includes protruding portions in contact with said vibration damping member at respective locations overlapping the protrusions as viewed in the pressure application direction,
• wherein an upper surface, facing the vibrating body, of each of the protruding portions has a first predetermined length in the driving direction and a second predetermined length in a direction orthogonal to the driving direction and the pressure application direction, and the predetermined length in the driving direction is shorter than the second predetermined length in the orthogonal direction, and
• wherein a length of the upper surface in the driving direction is shorter than a length of each of the protrusions in the driving direction.