US 5,490,015 A · Actuator apparatus

Abstract

An actuator apparatus for driving a focus adjusting lens of a focus adjusting mechanism of an endoscope comprises a moving member put in slidable frictional engagement with a base of the endoscope, the moving member having coupling means for coupling with the movable portion within the endoscope, a piezoelectric element coupled to the moving member, the piezoelectric element and the moving member alone constituting a body of the actuator apparatus, and actuator control circuit for causing quick deformation in the piezoelectric element, enabling the piezoelectric element to apply an impulse force to the moving member, thereby moving the moving member against a frictional engagement force acting between the base and the moving member.

Claims34

Dependent claims

An actuator apparatus for driving a movable portion within an endoscope, said apparatus comprising:

a moving member put in slidable frictional engagement with a base of said endoscope, said moving member having coupling means for coupling with said movable portion within the endoscope;
a deformation element coupled to said moving member, said deformation element being able to take a basic shape and a deformed shape different from said basic shape, said deformation element and said moving member alone constituting a body of said actuator apparatus;
and
driving means for causing quick deformation in said deformation element, enabling said deformation element to apply an impulse force to said moving member, thereby moving said moving member against a frictional engagement force acting between said base and said moving member.

1 more element

An actuator apparatus for driving an object to be moved, comprising:

a body consisting essentially of:
a moving member in slidable frictional engagement with a portion acting as a base of movement of said object to be moved, said moving member being coupled to said object one of (i) integrally and (ii) by means of coupling means;
and
a deformation element coupled to said moving member, said deformation element being able to take a basic shape and a deformed shaped different from said basic shape, said deformation element and said moving member alone forming the body of said actuator apparatus., without any weight being added thereto;
and
driving means for causing quick deformation in said deformation element, enabling said deformation element to apply an impulse force to said moving member, thereby moving said moving member against a frictional engagement force acting between said base and said moving member.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Actuator apparatus

Life of this patent

Actuator apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34