Drive device using electromechanical transducer and an apparatus employing the drive device

A drive device, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source in accordance with a desired movement;
• wherein said controller controls said electromechanical transducer so as to connect a block nearest said driving member to said driving source so as to be always used when selecting a predetermined block from among said plurality of electromechanical transducer blocks.

A drive device, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• a velocity indicating unit tor indicating a moving velocity of said moving member;
• and
• a controller for connecting only some blocks of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source when movement at higher velocity than a predetermined velocity is indicated.

A drive device, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer consisting of a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• an impedance adjusting means for adjusting the impedance which fluctuates by a selected block so as to adapt said electromechanical transducer to the impedance of said driving source;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source.

A drive device, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of selectable blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a plurality of constant-current circuits for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract, said plurality of constant-current circuits providing currents which are adapted to respective differing impedance characteristics of said selectable blocks;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting said electromechanical transducer to selected ones of said plurality of constant current circuits.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element, in accordance with a displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source to provide a desired moving velocity.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element, in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source in accordance with a desired movement;
• wherein said controller controls said electromechanical transducer so as to connect a block nearest said driving member to said driving source so as to be always used when selecting a predetermined block from among said plurality of electromechanical transducer blocks.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element, in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• a velocity indicating unit for indicating a moving velocity of said moving member;
• and
• a controller for connecting only some blocks of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source when movement at higher velocity than a predetermined velocity is indicated.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electrolmechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element, in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• an impedance adjusting means for adjusting the impedance which fluctuates by a selected block so as to adapt said electromechanical transducer to the impedance of said driving source;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer having a plurality of selectable blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a plurality of constant-current circuits for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract, said plurality of constant-current circuits providing currents which are adapted to respective differing impedance characteristics of said selectable blocks;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting said electromechanical transducer to selected ones of said plurality of constant current circuits.

A drive device comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer consisting of a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member frictionally coupled with said driving member for moving in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• an impedance adjusting means for adjusting the impedance which fluctuates by a selected block so as to adapt said electromechanical transducer to the impedance of said driving source;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block near to the driving member of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source.

An apparatus having a mobile element, comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer including a plurality of blocks;
• a driving member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a moving member interlocked with said mobile element and frictionally coupled with said driving member, for moving together with said mobile element, in accordance with displacement of said driving member;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• an impedance adjusting means for adjusting the impedance which fluctuates by a selected block so as to adapt said electromechanical transducer to the impedance of said driving source;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a block near to the driving member of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source.

A drive device comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer consisting of a plurality of blocks;
• a drive member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a friction member frictionally coupled with said driving member and moves relatively to said driving member by frictional force;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a plurality of blocks of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source to provide a desired moving velocity.

A drive device comprising:

• an electromechanical transducer consisting of a plurality of blocks;
• a drive member coupled with said electromechanical transducer for being displaced together with said electromechanical transducer;
• a friction member frictionally coupled with said driving member and moves relatively to said driving member by frictional force;
• a driving source for giving electric pulses to said electromechanical transducer to cause said electromechanical transducer to expand and contract;
• and
• a controller for selectively connecting a plurality of blocks of said electromechanical transducer to said driving source in accordance with a desired movement;
• wherein said controller controls said electromechanical transducer so as to connect a block nearest said drive member to said driving source so as to be always used when selecting a predetermined block from among said plurality of electromechanical transducer blocks.