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:
Sep. 10, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2001
Takashi Matsuo, Itami, JP;
Masayuki Ueyama, Takarazuka, JP;
Hiroyuki Okada, Izumi, JP;
Kazuhiro Shibatani, Sakai, JP;
Shinya Matsuda, Takarazuka, JP;
Akira Kosaka, Yao, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An actuator includes at least two piezoelectric devices arranged for crossing displacing directions thereof at a predetermined angle, a chip member provided at a coupling point of the piezoelectric devices, and a spring for contacting the chip member to a rotor driven by the actuator. The piezoelectric device is driven for moving the chip member trailing an elliptical trail. The rotation velocity or the driving torque of the rotor is controlled by varying at least one of a length of a major axis or a minor axis of the elliptical trail and an inclination angle of the major axis or the minor axis with respect to a normal at a contacting point of the chip member and the rotor.