Contact member, vibration actuator including contact member, and apparatus including vibration actuator

A vibration actuator including:

• a vibration member;
• and
• a contact member in contact with the vibration member,
• wherein the contact member has a sintered body of metal powder as a base material,
• wherein a contact surface of the sintered body, which is in contact with the vibration member, comprises:
• impregnated resin portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which resin has been impregnated;
• and
• non-impregnated pore portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which the resin has not been impregnated,
• wherein 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
• wherein a ratio of the non-impregnated pore portions with respect to the entirety of the contact surface is 3% or more, and
• wherein predetermined vibrations are excited in the vibration member, whereby the contact member is moved relative to the vibration member.

An apparatus including:

• a vibration actuator;
• and
• a component driven by the vibration actuator,
• the vibration actuator including:
• a vibration member;
• and
• a contact member in contact with the vibration member,
• wherein the contact member has a sintered body of metal powder as a base material,
• wherein a contact surface of the sintered body, which is in contact with the vibration member, comprises:
• impregnated resin portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which resin has been impregnated;
• and
• non-impregnated pore portions as pore portions of the sintered body in which the resin has not been impregnated,
• wherein 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
• wherein a ratio of the non-impregnated pore portions with respect to the entirety of the contact surface is 3% or more, and
• wherein predetermined vibrations are excited in the vibration member, whereby the contact member is moved relative to the vibration member.