Driving apparatus and optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933593-B2
Application number	US-201514935751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A driving apparatus comprises a plurality of vibrators vibrating by application of a high-frequency voltage thereto; a friction member in frictional contact with the vibrators; and a pressing portion for bringing the vibrators into pressed contact with the friction member. The plurality of vibrators are arranged to be juxtaposed and a single drive force is extracted by moving the plurality of vibrators relative to the friction member, and a position where the drive force is extracted is a central position of the plurality of vibrators in a direction in which the plurality of vibrators are juxtaposed and is close to a frictional contact position in a pressing direction of the pressing portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driving apparatus comprising:
a plurality of vibrators vibrating by application of a high-frequency voltage thereto, said plurality of vibrators each having a contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization;
a friction member in frictional contact with each of said contact portions of said plurality of vibrators; and
a pressing portion for bringing said vibrators into pressed contact with said friction member,
wherein said plurality of vibrators are arranged to be juxtaposed and a single drive force is extracted by moving said plurality of vibrators relative to said friction member in a relative moving direction, and
wherein a position where the single drive force is extracted is a central position of said plurality of vibrators in a direction in which said plurality of vibrators are juxtaposed and is close to a level of a frictional contact position with respect to a pressing direction of said pressing portion.

2. A driving apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said plurality of vibrators are arranged to be juxtaposed in parallel in the relative moving direction, and
wherein said friction member is constituted by a single member common to said plurality of vibrators and a hole portion for extracting the drive force is formed between said plurality of vibrators.

3. A driving apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein said friction member is different in at least one of width, thickness and length with respect to said hole portion as a center.

4. A driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said driving apparatus functions as a vibration wave motor.

5. A driving apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said vibrators are each provided with a vibration plate and a piezoelectric element.

6. A driving apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said vibration wave motor is an ultrasonic wave motor in which said vibrators cause ultrasonic vibration.

7. A driving apparatus comprising:
a first vibrator including a first contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization;
a second vibrator arranged to be juxtaposed with said first vibrator, said second vibrator including a second contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization; and
a support member for supporting said first vibrator and said second vibrator,
wherein said support member is capable of moving in a predetermined direction by vibration of said first vibrator and said second vibrator,
wherein said support member includes a connecting portion connectable with another member, and
wherein said connecting portion is arranged between a position where said first vibrator is arranged and a position where said second vibrator is arranged with respect to a direction in which said first vibrator and said second vibrator are juxtaposed.

8. A driving apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said first vibrator and said second vibrator are arranged to be juxtaposed in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction.

9. A driving apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said first vibrator and said second vibrator are arranged to be juxtaposed in a direction parallel to the predetermined direction.

10. A driving apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a first pressing portion for generating pressure to be applied to said first vibrator; and
a second pressing portion for generating pressure to be applied to said second vibrator,
wherein said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion are arranged to be juxtaposed in the direction in which said first vibrator and said second vibrator are juxtaposed, and
wherein said connecting portion is arranged at a position between the position where said first pressing portion is arranged and the position where said second pressing portion is arranged, in the direction in which said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion are juxtaposed.

11. An optical device comprising:
a driving apparatus; and
a lens movable by said driving apparatus,
said driving apparatus including:
a plurality of vibrators vibrating by application of a high-frequency voltage thereto, said plurality of vibrators each having a contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization;
a friction member in frictional contact with each of said contact portions of said plurality of vibrators; and
a pressing portion for bringing said vibrators into pressed contact with said friction member,
wherein said plurality of vibrators are arranged to be juxtaposed and a single drive force is extracted by moving said plurality of vibrators relative to said friction member in a relative moving direction, and
wherein a position where said drive force is extracted is a central position of said plurality of vibrators in a direction in which said plurality of vibrators are juxtaposed and is close to a level of a frictional contact position with respect to a pressing direction of said pressing portion.

12. An optical device comprising:
a driving apparatus; and
a lens movable by said driving apparatus,
said driving apparatus including:
a first vibrator including a first contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization;
a second vibrator arranged to be juxtaposed with said first vibrator, said second vibrator including a second contact portion vibrating elliptically upon energization; and
a support member for supporting said first vibrator and said second vibrator,
wherein said support member is capable of moving in a predetermined direction by vibration of said first vibrator and said second vibrator,
wherein said support member includes a connecting portion connectable with another member, and
wherein said connecting portion is arranged between a position where said first vibrator is arranged and a position where said second vibrator is arranged with respect to a direction in which said first vibrator and said second vibrator are juxtaposed.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Shiono Masato

Classifications

• H02N2/006

  Elastic elements, e.g. springs (in general F16F1/00) · CPC title

• H02N2/026

  by pressing one or more vibrators against the driven body · CPC title

• G02B7/08 Primary

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• H02N2/0055

  Supports for driving or driven bodies; Means for pressing driving body against driven body · CPC title