Driving apparatus and a recording and/or reproducing apparatus using the same

A driving apparatus for driving an object, comprising:

• a first pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of a first direction of said object, and the other of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said first direction of said object, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said first pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said first direction;
• a first control circuit, said first control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, and said first control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said first control circuit allows value of the potential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said first pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said object in said first direction;
• a supporting member for supporting each outer portion of said first pair of piezoelectric elements;
• a second pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said second pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of a second direction which is different from the first direction of said supporting member, and the other of said second pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said second direction of said supporting member, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said second pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said second direction;
• and
• a second control circuit, said second control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, and said second control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said second control circuit allows value of the potential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said second pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said supporting member in said second direction, further causing said object to be driven in said second direction, and
• wherein said first and second control circuits allow the potential given to said inner electrodes of each of said first and second pair of piezoelectric elements to be obtained by adding a predetermined potential to an intermediate potential and for resistance dividing of a predetermined voltage applied between the corresponding outer electrodes.

An apparatus for recording information to a recording medium, comprising:

• a mechanism supporting the recording medium;
• a probe recording information to the information recording medium;
• a movable device to which said probe is attached;
• a pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of said movable device, the other of said pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said movable device, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to each other;
• and
• a control circuit, said control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said pair of piezoelectric elements, and said control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said movable device so that said probe and said information recording medium are relatively moved, and
• wherein said control circuit allows the potential given to said inner electrodes to be obtained by adding a predetermined potential to an intermediate potential and for resistance dividing of a predetermined voltage applied between said outer electrodes.

An apparatus for reproducing information from a recording medium, comprising:

• a supporting mechanism supporting the recording medium;
• a probe reproducing information from the information recording medium;
• a movable device to which said probe is attached;
• a pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of said movable device, the other of said pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said movable device, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to the other;
• and
• a control circuit, said control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said pair of piezoelectric elements, and said control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said movable device so that said probe and said information recording medium are relatively moved, and
• wherein said control circuit allows the potential given to said inner electrodes to be obtained adding a predetermined potential to an intermediate potential and for resistance dividing of a predetermined voltage applied between said outer electrodes.

An apparatus for recording information to a recording medium, comprising:

• a mechanism supporting the recording medium;
• a probe for recording information to the information recording medium;
• a movable device to which said probe is attached;
• a first pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of a first direction of said movable device, and the other of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said first direction of said movable device, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said first pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said first direction;
• a first control circuit, said first control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, and said first control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said first control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said first pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said movable device in said first direction;
• a supporting member supporting each outer portion of said first pair of piezoelectric element;
• a second pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said of second pair of piezoelectric elements, one on one side of a second direction which is different from the first direction of said supporting member, and the other of said second pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said second direction of said supporting member, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said second pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said second direction;
• and
• a second control circuit, said second control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, and said second control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said second control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said second pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said supporting member in said second direction, further causing said movable device to be driven in said second direction, and
• wherein said first and second control circuits allow the potential given to said inner electrodes of each pair of piezoelectric elements to be obtained by adding a predetermined potential to an intermediate potential which and for resistance dividing of a predetermined voltage applied between the corresponding outer electrodes.

An apparatus for reproducing information from a recording medium, comprising:

• a mechanism supporting the recording medium;
• a probe for reproducing information from the information recording medium;
• a movable device to which said probe is attached;
• a first pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of a first direction of said movable device, and the other of said first pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said first direction of said movable device, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said first pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said first direction;
• a first control circuit, said first control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, and said first control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said first pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said first control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said first pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said movable device in said first direction;
• a supporting member supporting each outer portion of said first pair of piezoelectric elements;
• a second pair of piezoelectric elements, one of said second pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on one side of a second direction which is different from the first direction of said supporting member, and the other of said second pair of piezoelectric elements being arranged on the other side of said second direction of said supporting member, wherein each electrode arrangement direction of said second pair of piezoelectric elements is substantially identical to said second direction;
• and
• a second control circuit, said second control circuit applying a predetermined voltage between outer electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, and said second control circuit giving an equipotential to inner electrodes of said second pair of piezoelectric elements, wherein said second control circuit allows the equipotential given to said inner electrodes to be varied, thereby causing said second pair of piezoelectric elements to drive said supporting member in said second direction, further causing said movable device to be driven in said second direction, and
• wherein said first and second control circuits allow the equipotential given to said inner electrodes of each of said first and second pair of piezoelectric elements to be obtained by adding a predetermined potential to an intermediate potential and for resistance dividing of a predetermined voltage applied between the corresponding outer electrodes.