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:
Mar. 13, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 19, 2005
Tomoyuki Yuasa, Sakai, JP;
Tomoyuki Yuasa, Sakai, JP;
Konica Minolta Opto, Inc., Hachioji, JP;
Abstract
To provide a driving device, utilizing an electromechanical conversion element, having a driving pulse generating means capable of generating a sawtooth waveform driving voltage with a simple circuit configuration. The driving device includes: an electromechanical conversion element which is connected to the driving pulse generating means and extends and contracts, and one end of which in an extension/contraction direction is fixed; a rod, one end of which is fixed to the other end in an extension/contraction direction of the electromechanical conversion element; and a moving body, frictionally coupled to the periphery of the rod, moving along the rod corresponding to the vibration of the rod due to the extension/contraction of the electromechanical conversion element. In this device, four voltage values increasing sequentially in steps are applied cyclically to the electromechanical conversion element, and by the resulting sawtooth vibration displacement caused in the rod, the moving body is driven in one direction along the rod. Further, four voltage values decreasing sequentially in steps are applied cyclically, and by the resulting sawtooth vibration displacement caused in the rod, the moving body is driven in a direction opposite the one direction along the rod.