Vibration actuator and driving apparatus
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorDaisuke Saya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vibration actuator for use with a relative moving element includes a plate shaped elastic member. An electro-mechanical conversion element is attached to an upper surface of the elastic member. The electro-mechanical conversion element generates longitudinal and bending vibrations in the elastic member such that a side surface of the elastic member constitutes a neutral surface of the vibrations. A driving force output member is disposed at a bottom surface of the elastic member, and contacts the relative moving element. An extension member is disposed at the side surface of the extension member. A pressing force is applied by the extension member to the driving force output member to press the driving force output member toward the relative moving element.
Claims14
A vibration actuator for use with a relative moving element, comprising:
- an elastic member of rectangular parallelepiped form having upper, lower and side surfaces;
- an electro-mechanical conversion element attached to the upper surface of the elastic member that generates longitudinal and bending vibrations in the elastic member such that the side surface of the elastic member constitutes a neutral surface of the bending vibration;
- a driving force output portion at the lower surface of the elastic member, the driving force output portion contacting the relative moving element;
- and
- an extension member attached to the side surface of the elastic member directly and has a thickness that is thinner than the thickness of the elastic member and which is disposed at or near the neutral surface of the bending vibration and extends along a long side direction of the side surface,
- whereby a pressing force is applied by the extension member to the driving force output portion to press the driving force output portion toward the relative moving element.
A method of providing a vibration actuator that generates vibrations in an elastic member through an electro-mechanical conversion element, comprising the steps of:
- generating longitudinal and bending vibrations in the elastic member with the electro-mechanical conversion element such that the vibrations cause relative motion between the elastic member and a relative moving element, wherein a side surface of the elastic member constitutes a neutral surface of the bending vibration;
- and
- applying a pressure force by an extension member attached to a side surface of the elastic member directly and which has a thickness that is thinner than the thickness of the elastic member and which is disposed at or near the neutral surface of the bending vibration and extending along a long side direction of the side surface, to press a driving force output portion of the elastic member toward the relative moving element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.