Translational driving apparatus and electronic apparatus using this

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10404918-B2
Application number	US-201615283816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 7, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

In a translational driving apparatus that is capable of reducing the drive load of a vibration-type actuator, each of a plurality of drive units has a vibration-type actuator and an output portion that outputs a driving force that occurs by driving the vibration-type actuator. A holding portion holds the drive units. A movable body has driving-force receiving parts that slidably engage with the output portions, and is driven by the drive units. A fixing portion supports the movable body so as to allow translation in any direction in a plane. The output portions receive no force from the driving-force receiving parts in a direction that intersects perpendicularly with the plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driving apparatus comprising:
drive units, each of which has a vibration-type actuator and an output portion that outputs a driving force;
a holding portion that holds the drive units;
a movable body that has driving-force receiving parts that slidably engage with the output portions, and that is driven by the drive units; and
a fixing portion that supports the movable body so as to allow translation in any direction in a plane,
wherein the fixing portion is shaped like a ring and has long holes elongated in a circumferential direction,
wherein the movable body has projecting members projected from an outer periphery of the movable body in radial directions, and
wherein the movable body is arranged inside the fixing portion with the projecting members being respectively inserted in the long holes.

2. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the vibration-type actuators comprises:
a vibration body having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body; and
a driven body being in contact with the vibration body in a pressing direction that intersects perpendicularly with the plane,
wherein relative and linear movement generated between the vibration body and the driven body by a vibration excited in the vibration body by applying drive voltage to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element is output as the driving force of the output portion.

3. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a direction of the driving force that the output portion of one of the drive units applies to the movable body and a direction of the driving force that the output portion of another one of the drive units applies to the movable body intersect perpendicularly in the plane.

4. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the output portions is shaped like a post projected in a direction that intersects perpendicularly with the plane,
wherein the movable body is shaped like a plate, and
wherein each of the driving-force receiving parts is a long hole into which the output portion is inserted, has surfaces that contact with the output portion to receive the driving force, and has length that allows movement of the output portion in a direction that intersects perpendicularly with the direction of the driving force.

5. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the projecting members respectively engage with the long holes so as to slide with inner circumferential surfaces of the long holes in long-side directions of the long holes, and
wherein a position of the movable body in a thrust direction with respect to the fixing portion is regulated by engaging the projecting members with the long holes.

6. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the projecting members are disposed at positions that are symmetrical about a center of the movable body in a radial direction of the movable body, and
wherein the driving-force receiving parts are disposed on a straight line that connects the projecting members.

7. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotation regulating mechanism that regulates rotation of the movable body within the plane,
wherein the holding portion is shaped like a disc and is arranged in parallel to the movable body so as to be rotatable with respect to the fixing portion, and
wherein the holding portion and the movable body have engagement mechanisms that mutually engage to regulate rotation of the holding portion within a certain angle range, when the holding portion is rotated.

8. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the projecting members are respectively arranged at positions that overlap with the drive units in a thrust direction of the fixing portion.

9. The driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two sensors that measure moving amounts of the movable body,
wherein a sensing direction of one of the sensors differs from a sensing direction of another one of the sensors.

10. The driving apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the sensors is arranged at the fixing portion and at least another one of the sensors is arranged at the holding portion.

11. A driving apparatus comprising:
drive units, each of which has a vibration body having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body, a driven body being in contact with the vibration body and moving relatively to the vibration body by vibration excited in the vibration body, and an output portion disposed on the driven body;
a holding portion that holds the drive units;
a movable body that has driving-force receiving parts that engage with the output portions to receive driving forces of the output portions, and that is driven by the drive units; and
a fixing portion that movably supports the movable body,
wherein the fixing portion is shaped like a ring and has long holes elongated in a circumferential direction,
wherein the movable body has projecting members projected from an outer periphery of the movable body in radial directions, and
wherein the movable body is arranged inside the fixing portion with the projecting members being respectively inserted in the long holes.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising:
drive units, each of which has a vibration-type actuator and an output portion that outputs a driving force;
a holding portion that holds the drive units;
a movable body that has driving-force receiving parts that slidably engage with the output portions, and that is driven by the drive units;
a fixing portion that supports the movable body so as to allow translation in any direction in a plane; and
a member that is held by the movable body as an object to be positioned,
wherein the fixing portion is shaped like a ring and has long holes elongated in a circumferential direction,
wherein the movable body has projecting members projected from an outer periphery of the movable body in radial directions, and
wherein the movable body is arranged inside the fixing portion with the projecting members being respectively inserted in the long holes.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising:
drive units, each of which has a vibration body having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body, a driven body being in contact with the vibration body and moving relatively to the vibration body by vibration excited in the vibration body, and an output portion disposed on the driven body;
a holding portion that holds the drive units;
a movable body that has driving-force receiving parts that engage with the output portions to receive driving forces of the output portions, and that is driven by the drive units;
a fixing portion that movably supports the movable body; and
a member that is held by the movable body as an object to be positioned,
wherein the fixing portion is shaped like a ring and has long holes elongated in a circumferential direction,
wherein the movable body has projecting members projected from an outer periphery of the movable body in radial directions, and
wherein the movable body is arranged inside the fixing portion with the projecting members being respectively inserted in the long holes.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Oda Yuki
• Takahashi Masanori

Classifications

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/687 Primary

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• H02N2/103

  by pressing one or more vibrators against the rotor · CPC title

• G03B2205/0061

  using piezoelectric actuators · CPC title

• G03B5/02

  Lateral adjustment of lens · CPC title