Vibration actuator to control pitching vibration

A vibration actuator, comprising:

• a vibration element including an electro-mechanical conversion element and a drive force output portion to output a drive force obtained by the excitation of the eletro-mechanical conversion element and to cause relative motion between the vibration element and a relative motion member contacting the drive force output portion;
• a base member;
• and
• a fixed member to fix the vibration element to the base member, wherein the vibration element generates, by the excitation of the electro-mechanical conversion element, a first vibration in a first direction, and a second vibration in a second direction different from the first direction, and
• the fixed member includes a first restriction member to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the first vibration, a second restriction member located in at least two places along the vibration direction of the first vibration to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the second vibration, and a compression support member which is displaceably supported in a direction of a force acting to compress the vibration element toward the relative motion member, and
• the first restriction member and the second restriction member are located in the compression support member.

A vibration actuator, comprising:

• a vibration element including an electro-mechanical conversion element and a drive force output portion to output a drive force obtained by the excitation of the electro-mechanical conversion element and to cause relative motion between the vibration element and a relative motion member contacting the drive force output portion;
• a base member;
• and
• a fixed member to fix the vibration element to the base member,
• wherein the vibration element generates, by the excitation of the electro-mechanical conversion element, a first vibration in a first direction, and a second vibration in a second direction different from the first direction, and
• the fixed member includes a first restriction member to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the first vibration, a second restriction member located in at least two places along the vibration direction of the first vibration to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the second vibration, and a first compression force generating member to press the second restriction member to the vibration element to produce contact between the vibration element and the relative motion member with a predetermined compressive force.