The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 13, 1997
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A driving device is equipped with a vibration actuator. The vibration actuator includes a roller element, an elastic member and electro-mechanical converting elements, which contact the elastic member. The electro-mechanical converting elements generate a vibration to drive the elastic member. Additionally, the roller element transfers relative movement to at least one element to be moved by contacting a driving part of the vibration actuator and by rotating. The roller element comprising a first part contacting the at least one driving section of the elastic member and a second part, separate from the first part, contacting the at least one element. In operation, the at least one electro-mechanical converting element vibrates the at least one driving section of the elastic member. The at least one driving section transfers the vibration to the first part of the roller element to rotate the roller element and the least one element is moved by rotation of the second part of the roller element.