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:
Oct. 12, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 19, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Tomoyuki Yuasa, Sakai, JP;
Ryuichi Yoshida, Sakai, JP;
Assignee:
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02N 2/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H02N 2/00 ;
Abstract
An actuator using a piezoelectric element and an operating method thereof. The actuator includes: the piezoelectric element; a drive rod fixed to the piezoelectric element; a moving unit engaging with the drive rod by a frictional force; and a driver for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element. The voltage repeats a cycle of a first value which is one of a maximum value and a minimum value, a second value which is intermediate between the maximum value and the minimum value, and a third value which is the other of the maximum value and the minimum value so as to drive the driving unit with respect to the drive rod.