Driving apparatus, lens apparatus including the same, and imaging apparatus

A lens apparatus comprising:

• a driving apparatus, the driving apparatus comprising:
• a movable portion having a plurality of movable side guide portions;
• a base portion having a plurality of fixed side guiding portions opposed to said plurality of movable side guide portions;
• a vibrator having a piezoelectric element, the vibrator being provided at either one of said movable portion and said base portion;
• a friction member provided at the other of said movable portion and said base portion;
• a pressing portion, provided at said one of said movable member and said base portion, for applying pressing force to said vibrator to bring the vibrator into pressed contact with said friction member;
• and
• a plurality of rolling portions sandwiched between said plurality of movable side guide portions and said plurality of fixed side guide portions,
• wherein said plurality of movable side guide portions and said plurality of fixed side guide portions extend with a predetermined length in a moving direction in which said movable portion is moved with respect to said base portion through said plurality of rolling portions by vibration excited by said piezoelectric element,
• wherein, within spacing in a direction orthogonal to said moving direction of a pair of movable side guide portions of said plurality of movable side guide portions, a pressing center of said pressing portion and another movable side guide portion of said plurality of movable side guide portions are positioned,
• wherein one movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has a V-shaped groove to sandwich said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a V-shaped groove,
• wherein another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has a V-shaped groove or a plane groove,
• wherein if said another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has said V-shaped groove, said another movable side guide portion sandwiches said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a plane groove,
• wherein if said another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has said plane groove, said another movable side guide portion sandwiches said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a V-shaped groove,
• wherein said movable portion has a transmission portion for transmitting drive force to a drive object member,
• wherein said transmission portion is placed at a side where said one of movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions with respect to said moving direction;
• a drive force transmitting portion to be engaged with said transmission portion;
• a lens holding frame holding a lens, the lens holding frame being connected with said movable portion through said drive force transmitting portion;
• and
• a guide bar holding said lens holding frame so that said lens holding frame is movable linearly.

An imaging apparatus comprises:

• a lens apparatus;
• and
• a mount portion on which said lens apparatus is removably mounted;
• said lens apparatus comprises:
• a driving apparatus, the driving apparatus comprising:
• a movable portion having a plurality of movable side guide portions;
• a base portion having a plurality of fixed side guiding portions opposed to said plurality of movable side guide portions;
• a vibrator having a piezoelectric element, the vibrator being provided at either one of said movable portion and said base portion;
• a friction member provided at the other of said movable portion and said base portion;
• a pressing portion, provided at said one of said movable member and said base portion, for applying pressing force to said vibrator to bring the vibrator into pressed contact with said friction member;
• and
• a plurality of rolling portions sandwiched between said plurality of movable side guide portions and said plurality of fixed side guide portions,
• wherein said plurality of movable side guide portions and said plurality of fixed side guide portions extend with a predetermined length in a moving direction in which said movable portion is moved with respect to said base portion through said plurality of rolling portions by vibration excited by said piezoelectric element,
• wherein, within spacing in a direction orthogonal to said moving direction of a pair of movable side guide portions of said plurality of movable side guide portions, a pressing center of said pressing portion and another movable side guide portion of said plurality of movable side guide portions are positioned,
• wherein one movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has a V-shaped groove to sandwich said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a V-shaped groove,
• wherein another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has a V-shaped groove or a plane groove,
• wherein if said another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has said V-shaped groove, said another movable side guide portion sandwiches said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a plane groove,
• wherein if said another movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions has said plane groove, said another movable side guide portion sandwiches said rolling portion with said fixed side guide portion having a V-shaped groove,
• wherein said movable portion has a transmission portion for transmitting drive force to a drive object member, and
• wherein said transmission portion is placed at a side where said one of movable side guide portion of said pair of movable side guide portions with respect to said moving direction;
• a drive force transmitting portion to be engaged with said transmission portion;
• a lens holding frame holding a lens, the lens holding frame being connected with said movable portion through said drive force transmitting portion;
• and
• a guide bar holding said lens holding frame so that said lens holding frame is movable linearly.