Nikon Corporation

Kazuyasu Oone

Takatoshi Ashizawa

Shinji Nishihara

Mina Kobayashi

Toshikazu Morioke

Mitsuhiro Okazaki

Eiji Matsukawa

Masaaki Tanabe

Tsuyoshi Matsumoto

Kunihiro Fukino

Yoshihiko Suzuki

Noise produced during phase-difference changes is minimized without decreasing the responsiveness of a vibration-wave motor. A lens-side MCU for a lens barrel controls a drive apparatus that applies a drive voltage to the vibration-wave motor by outputting an A-phase drive signal and a B-phase drive signal thereto. The lens-side MCU uses, for example, a drive-voltage setting unit and a duty-cycle change unit to change the drive voltage. Also, the lens-side MCU is provided with a phase-difference change unit that changes the phase difference between the A-phase drive signal and the B-phase drive signal. When driving the vibration-wave motor, the lens-side MCU changes the drive voltage to V, and when the phase-difference change unit is changing the aforementioned phase difference, the drive voltage is changed to V, Vbeing greater than zero and less than V.

Drive apparatus, drive method, and optical device

Noise produced during phase-difference changes is minimized without decreasing the responsiveness of a vibration-wave motor. A lens-side MCU for a lens barrel (controls a drive apparatus that applies a drive voltage to the vibration-wave motor by outputting an A-phase drive signal and a B-phase drive signal thereto. The lens-side MCU uses, for example, a drive-voltage setting unit and a duty-cycle change unit to change the drive voltage. Also, the lens-side MCU is provided with a phase-difference change unit that changes the phase difference between the A-phase drive signal and the B-phase drive signal. When driving the vibration-wave motor, the lens-side MCU changes the drive voltage to Vreg, and when the phase-difference change unit is changing the aforementioned phase difference, the drive voltage is changed to V, Vbeing greater than zero and less than Vreg.

A lens barrel comprising: a first retention member that includes a first engaging portion, which engages with a guide shaft, and that retains a first optical system and a second optical system, which is different from the first optical system, to be integrally movable along the guide shaft; and a second retention member that includes a second engaging portion, which engages with the guide shaft, and that retains a third optical system, which is disposed between the first optical system and the second optical system, to be movable independently of the first and second optical systems.

Lens barrel, an imaging device, a optical system retaining method and a manufacturing method

Provided is a vibration actuator comprising a drive unit that generates a drive force; a vibrating component that vibrates according to the drive force from the drive unit; a rotating body that receives the vibration of the vibrating component to rotate; and a converting section that changes a contact force between the vibrating component and the rotating body according to size of a load acting on the rotating body.

Vibration actuator for rotating a rotating axle and image capturing apparatus

Provided is a vibration actuator comprising an elastic body; an electromechanical transducer that causes the elastic body to vibrate; and a rotating body that rotates in response to a drive force received from contact with the elastic body at a vibrational antinode thereof, wherein the rotating body contacts the elastic body at a prescribed position along a direction in which an axis of the rotation extends. In the vibration actuator, the elastic body includes an elastic body contact member that is arranged in a region that includes the vibrational antinode of the elastic body, the rotating body includes a rotating body contact member that receives a drive force by contacting the elastic body contact member, and one of the elastic body contact member and the rotating body contact member has a contact surface that is oriented diagonally to the axis of rotation and contacts the other of the elastic body contact member and the rotating body contact member.

Vibration actuator and imaging device

An ultrasonic actuator to suppress or eliminate pitching vibration arising in a vibration element when driving the ultrasonic actuator and to increase driving efficiency and reduce noise. The ultrasonic actuator includes a vibration element; an electromechanical conversion element mounted on the vibration element to generate a drive force in the vibration element by excitation of the electromechanical conversion element; drive force output members to extract a drive force obtained by excitation of the electromechanical conversion element; a relative motion member in contact with the drive force output members and driven in relative motion with respect to the vibration element by the drive force; a base member; and a fixed member to fix the vibration element to the base member. The vibration element generates, by excitation of the electromechanical 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 is located in at least two (2) positions along the vibration direction of the first vibration and includes a first restriction member to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the first vibration, and a second restriction member to restrict the vibration element in a vibration direction of the second vibration.

Vibration actuator to control pitching vibration

A vibration actuator having improved drive efficiency by preventing the generation of noise and unnecessary vibrations. The vibration actuator includes a vibration member to generate vibration in contact with a relative movement member and a supporting member to support the vibration member. The supporting member includes a plurality of position determining members in contact with vibration member at different locations. At least one of the plurality of position determining members provides the vibration member with an energy imparting force.

Vibration actuator having a supporting member to support a vibration

A vibrator actuator provides a drive force by vibrating a vibration element in response to an input signal. The vibration element includes a piezoelectric element which imparts vibration to the vibration element in response to an electrical signal. The vibration element is in compressive contact with and moves with respect to a relative moving member. The relative moving member may be planar, circular or toroidal. The relative moving member has first and second surfaces with said first surface being an adherent material removal surface. The adherent material removal surface removes wear particles which become adhered to the vibration element and the relative moving member. The relative moving member may have a number of first and second alternating surfaces to increase effectiveness. The second surfaces may be non-perpendicular with respect to a movement trajectory of the vibration element to decrease resistance during contact with the vibration element.

Vibration actuator

A vibration actuator has a vibration element which generates vibrations and has a contact surface. The vibration actuator further has a relative motion member which moves in a movement direction with respect to the vibration element upon generation of vibrations by the vibration element. The relative motion member has a contact surface which is in compressive contact with the contact surface of the vibration element. At least one of the contact surface of the vibration element and the contact surface of the relative motion member is polished to have a plural streaky scratches. The plural streaky scratches may be in a principle direction which is in a direction other than a direction at a right angle with respect to the movement direction. In this case, the principle direction may be at angle with respect to the movement direction. Alternatively, the principle direction may be approximately parallel to the movement direction. As an alternative to being formed in the principle direction, the plural streaky scratches may be formed in irregular directions or formed in irregular circular arcs. The at least one contact surface polished to have streaky scratches may have center line average height Ra which is a maximum in a rough direction and is within the range 0.05 .mu.m.ltoreq.Ra.ltoreq.1.0 .mu.m.

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Tokyo, Japan

Kazuyasu Oone