Vibration driven motor

Claim 2

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member responding to said electrical signal to generate a vibration the node and loop of which do not move in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 3

A vibration driven motor according to claim 1, wherein said node of the vibration is formed at a plurality of positions on said vibration member.

Claim 4

A vibration driven motor according to claim 1, wherein said supporting member includes a supplementary supporting element arranged to support said vibration member for movement in the radial direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member.

Claim 5

A vibration driven motor according to claim 3, wherein said supplementary supporting element includes a sheet of low-friction material which is fixed to a portion of a device in which said vibration driven motor is to be mounted.

Claim 6

A vibration driven motor according to claim 4, wherein said sheet of low-friction material is made from a teflon sheet.

Claim 7

A vibration driven motor according to claim 4, wherein said device is a printer.

Claim 8

A vibration driven motor according to claim 1, wherein said supporting member includes a supporting shaft extending from said vibration member and a mounting hole positioned at a predetermined location, said supporting shaft being inserted into said mounting hole.

Claim 9

A vibration driven motor according to claim 7, wherein said mounting hole has an open end whose periphery is defined so as to assure the degree of freedom of said supporting shaft in the radial direction.

Claim 10

A vibration driven motor according to claim 8, wherein the open end of said mounting hole is formed in a tapered shape.

Claim 11

A vibration driven motor according to claim 1, further comprising a movable member driven by the vibration generated in said vibration member.

Claim 12

A vibration driven motor according to claim 10, wherein said movable member including a rotor having a portion frictionally engaged with a surface of said vibration member.

Claim 13

A vibration driven motor according to claim 11, wherein said rotor is a platen roller of a printer.

Claim 14

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in the radial direction of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 15

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in the radial direction of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 16

A vibration driven motor according to claim 13, wherein said node of the vibration is formed at a plurality of positions on said vibration member.

Claim 17

A vibration driven motor according to claim 13, wherein said supporting member includes a supplementary supporting element arranged to support said vibration member for movement in the radial direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member.

Claim 18

A vibration driven motor according to claim 15, wherein said supplementary supporting element includes a sheet of low-friction material which is fixed to a portion of a device in which said vibration driven motor is to be mounted.

Claim 19

A vibration driven motor according to claim 16, wherein said sheet of low-friction material is made from a teflon sheet.

Claim 20

A vibration driven motor according to claim 16, wherein said device is a printer.

Claim 21

A vibration driven motor according to claim 13, wherein said supporting member includes a supporting shaft extending from said vibration member and a mounting hole positioned at a predetermined location, said supporting shaft being inserted into said mounting hole.

Claim 22

A vibration driven motor according to claim 19, wherein said mounting hole has an open end whose periphery is defined so as to assure the degree of freedom of said supporting shaft in the radial direction.

Claim 23

A vibration driven motor according to claim 20, wherein the open end of said mounting hole is formed in a tapered shape.

Claim 24

A vibration driven motor according to claim 13, wherein said vibration member has a rod-like configuration.

Claim 25

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member for movement in said plane approximately perpendicular to said axis at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 26

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member for movement in said plane approximately perpendicular to said axis at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 29

A system according to claim 24, wherein said supporting member includes a supplementary supporting element arranged to support said vibration member for movement in the radial direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member.

Claim 30

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member responding to said electrical signal to generate a vibration the node and loop of which do not move in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 31

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member responding to said electrical signal to generate a vibration the node and loop of which do not move in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 32

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in the radial direction of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 33

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in the radial direction of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member substantially at the position of said loop of the vibration.

Claim 34

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member for movement in said plane approximately perpendicular to said axis substantially at said loop of the vibration.

Claim 35

A vibration driven motor comprising: (a) a vibration member including an electrical-to-­mechanical energy transforming element which is responsive to an applied electrical signal, said vibration member being eccentrically displaced in response to said signal and moving around a predetermined circumference which is positioned in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said vibration member, the node and loop of vibration of said vibration member being not shifted in the axial direction of said vibration member; and (b) a supporting member frictionally engaged with said vibration member for supporting said vibration member for movement in said plane approximately perpendicular to said axis substantially at said loop of the vibration.