Ultrasonic vibrator and drive control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention comprises one or a plurality of electrostrictive elements, each of which is structured of an electrostrictive element body polarized in the direction of its thickness with two divisions of electrodes disposed on one face thereof and a common electrode disposed on the other face thereof, and metallic members placed on both sides of the electrostrictive element, or elements, and integrally fastened together by means of a fastening member. And these electrodes are supplied with A.C. voltages with their relative phase controlled, with their relative amplitude controlled, with both thereof combined, or the like, whereby the vibrator is enabled to provide linear vibrations, circular vibration, and elliptical vibration in any of desired directions at the output end portion of the vibrator on the plane perpendicular to the direction dividing the divisions of electrodes, and also enabled to be controlled for the ellipticity of the elliptical vibration and the vibrational direction of each of the vibrations so as to provide a wide variety of composite vibrations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.