Vibration wave motor
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakuo Okuno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a vibration wave motor, piezo-electric elements are provided in two orthogonal planes in the lengthwise direction of a bar-like vibration member and when a predetermined electric field is applied to these piezo-electric elements, rotational movement is generated in the surface of the vibration member in a plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the vibration member, whereby a rotational member bearing against the vibration member is rotated and mechanical energy corresponding to supplied electric energy is taken out of the rotational member.
Claims11
A vibration wave motor comprising:
- (a) a bar-like member;
- (b) means for supporting at least one end of said bar-like member;
- (c) an electro-mechanical energy converting element provided in at least two different planes in mutually perpendicular planes in the lengthwise direction of said bar-like member, rotational movement being generated in the surface of said bar-like member when an electrical signal is applied to said converting element;
- (d) a rotational member having an output shaft at one end thereof and rotatably supported;
- and
- (e) urging means for imparting an urging force between said bar-like member and said rotational member.
A vibration wave motor comprising:
- (a) a bar-like member;
- (b) means for supporting at least one end of said bar-like member;
- (c) an electro-mechanical energy converting element provided in at least two different planes in mutually perpendicular planes in the lengthwise direction of said bar-like member, rotational movement being generated in the surface of said bar-like member when an electrical signal is applied to said converting element;
- (d) a rotational member having a screw portion formed as an output shaft and rotatably supported;
- (e) urging means for imparting an urging force to between said bar-like member and said rotational member;
- and
- (f) a shiftable moving member having a portion threadably engaged with the screw portion of said rotational member.
A vibration wave motor comprising:
- (a) a bar-like member;
- (b) an electro-mechanical energy converting element provided in at least two different mutually perpendicular planes in the lengthwise direction of said bar-like member, rotational movement being generated in the surface of said bar-like member when an electrical signal is applied to said converting element;
- (c) rotatable means having an output shaft and arranged to be frictionally driven by a surface of said bar-like member;
- and
- (d) urging means for imparting an urging force between said bar-like member and said rotatable means.
A vibration wave motor comprising:
- (a) a bar-like member;
- (b) means for supporting at least one portion of said bar-like member;
- (c) a plurality of vibration elements mounted on said bar-like member for periodically bending said bar-like member in at least two directions normal to the longitudinal direction of said bar-like member, rotational movement being generated in the surface of said bar-like member when an electrical signal is applied to said vibration element;
- and
- (d) rotatable means having an output shaft and arranged to be frictionally driven by a surface of said bar-like member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.