Vibration member using electro-mechanical energy conversion element as driving source, vibration wave driving apparatus using vibration member as driving source and apparatus provided with vibration wave driving apparatus

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element in contact with said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a cross-sectional area of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is larger than a cross-sectional area of other portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element in contact with said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a density of portions of said elastic member located between said plurality of electrodes is set higher than a density of other portions of said elastic member so as to offset differences in the modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element.

A vibration member having an annular or disc shape, comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions, and having an annular or disc shape;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an annular shape and bonded to one surface of said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a rigidity of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is larger than a rigidity of other portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member having an annular or disc shape, comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions, and having an annular or disc shape;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an annular shape and bonded to one surface of said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a cross-sectional area of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is larger than a cross-sectional area of other portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member having an annular or disc shape, comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion, and having an annular or disc shape;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an annular shape and bonded to one surface of said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a density of portions of said elastic member located between said plurality of electrodes is set higher than a density of other portions of said elastic member so as to offset differences in the modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including plural elastic member portions and a driving portion;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element held and fixed between said plural elastic member portions, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion of said elastic member,
• wherein the rigidity of portions of said elastic member located between adjacent electrodes of said plurality of electrodes having different directions of polarization from each other is set larger than the rigidity of other portions of said elastic member so as to offset differences in the modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including plural elastic member portions and a driving portion;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element held and fixed between said plural elastic member portions, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving-vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein portions of said elastic member located between said plurality of electrodes are cut out so as to offset differences in the modulus of elasticity generated by the polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element in contact with said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a rigidity of portions of said elastic member which are located at positions of said protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is larger than a rigidity of other portions of said elastic member which are located at positions of said protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element in contact with said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process profile, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a cross-sectional area of portions of said elastic member which are located at positions of said protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is larger than that of other portions of said elastic member which are located at positions of said protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element in contact with said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process of said electro-mechanical energy conversion element, and a modulus of elasticity profile generated by the polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a density of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is higher than a density of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.

A vibration member having an annular or disc shape, comprising:

• an elastic member including a driving portion having a plurality of protrusions, and having an annular or disc shape;
• and
• an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an annular shape and bounded to one surface of said elastic member, said electro-mechanical energy conversion element having a plurality of electrodes, a corresponding plurality of polarized regions formed by a polarization process, where application of an alternating signal to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element generates a plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations in said elastic member, and where a combination of the plurality of vibrations generates a driving vibration in said driving portion,
• wherein a density of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions and which also are located between adjacent electrodes is higher than a density of portions of said elastic member which are located between adjacent protrusions but which are not also located between adjacent electrodes.