US 10,541,629 B2Granted

Vibration driven actuator, apparatus, and optical apparatus

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorDaisuke Nakashita

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vibration driven actuator includes a vibrator, a vibrator holder, a friction member, a pressing member that enables the vibrator to compressively contact the friction member in a first direction, and a pressure transmitting member disposed between the vibrator and the pressing member. The vibrator and the friction member relative move in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction due to the vibration. A first contact portion disposed to one of the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member contacts a second contact portion disposed to the other of the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member so as to restrict a relative displacement between the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member in the second direction, and to allow a relative rotation between the vibrator holder and the pressure transmitting member on a plane parallel to the first direction and the second direction.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An actuator comprising:

a vibrator in which a vibration is excited by an application of a voltage;
a holder configured to hold the vibrator;
a friction member configured to contact the vibrator;
a pressing member configured to generate a pressing force in a first direction;
and
a transmitting member configured to transmit the pressing force to the vibrator,
wherein a relative position between the vibrator and the friction member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction changes due to the vibration,
wherein a protrusion portion is provided to one of the holder and the transmitting member and a displacement restrictor opposed to the protrusion portion in the second direction is provided to the other of the holder and the transmitting member,
the protrusion portion and the displacement restrictor restrict a relative displacement between the holder and the transmitting member in the second direction due to contact with each other, and allow a relative rotation between the holder and the transmitting member in a plane parallel to the first direction and the second direction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/223,014Filed 29 Jul 2016
Priority: JP 2015-1542174 Aug 2015
Published: US 2017/0038554 A19 Feb 2017
Granted: 21 Jan 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H02N 2/026
Producing linear motion, e.g. actuators; Linear positioners ; Linear motors: by pressing one or more vibrators against the driven body
G02B 7/08
With mechanism for focusing or varying magnification: adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
G03B 3/10
Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers: power-operated focusing
H02N 2/0055
Mechanical details, e.g. housings: supports for driving or driven bodies; Means for pressing driving body against driven body