Drive system for a vibration wave motor for lens control

Claim 2

A drive system for a vibration wave motor comprising: a pair of electrostrictive element groups arranged or polarized phase-differentially, said electrostrictive element groups each including at least one electrostrictive element; a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave when phase-differential voltages are applied to said pair of electrostrictive element groups; a movable member press-contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby; first means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to one of said pair of electrostrictive element groups; second means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to the other of said pair of electrostrictive element groups, said pulse signal of said second means having a phase difference from said pulse signal of said first means; and enabling means for enabling one or both of said first and second means, said enabling means including switching means to switch from the state in which one of said first and second means are enabled to the state in which both of said first and second means are enabled.

Claim 3

A vibration wave motor comprising: a vibration member; a movable member contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby; electro-mechanical energy conversion means capable of generating a travelling vibration wave and a standing vibration wave in said vibration member; first means for causing said conversion means to generate the standing vibration wave; second means for causing said conversion means to generate the travelling vibration wave; and switching means for enabling one or the other of said first and second means.

Claim 4

A vibration wave motor comprising: a vibration member; a movable member contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby; electro-mechanical energy conversion means capable of generating a travelling vibration wave and a standing vibration wave in said vibration member; first means for causing said conversion means to generate the standing vibration wave; second means for causing said conversion means to generate the travelling vibration wave; and switching means for enabling one or the other of said first and second means.

Claim 5

A lens drive unit having a vibration wave motor comprising: a pair of electrostrictive element groups arranged or polarized phase-differentially, said electrostrictive element groups each including at least one electrostrictive element; a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave when phase-differential voltages are applied to said pair of electrostrictive element groups; a movable member press-contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby, said movable member driving a lens; first means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to one of said pair of electrostrictive element groups; second means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to the other of said pair of electrostrictive element groups, said pulse signal of said second means having a phase difference from said pulse signal of said first means; and enabling means for enabling one or both of said first and second means, said enabling means including switching means to select a first state in which one of said first and second means are enabled or a second state in which both of said first and second means are enabled, said switching means selects said second state in an automatic lens drive mode and selects said first state in a manual lens drive mode.

Claim 6

A lens drive unit having a vibration wave motor comprising: a pair of electrostrictive element groups arranged or polarized phase-differentially, said electrostrictive element groups each including at least one electrostrictive element; a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave when phase-differential voltages are applied to said pair of electrostrictive element groups; a movable member press-contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby, said movable member driving a lens; first means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to one of said pair of electrostrictive element groups; second means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to the other of said pair of electrostrictive element groups, said pulse signal of said second means having a phase difference from said pulse signal of said first means; and enabling means for enabling one or both of said first and second means, said enabling means including switching means to select a first state in which one of said first and second means are enabled or a second state in which both of said first and second means are enabled, said switching means selects said second state in an automatic lens drive mode and selects said first state in a manual lens drive mode.

Claim 7

A lens drive unit according to claim 3 wherein said switching means includes an auto/manual selection switch.

Claim 8

A lens drive unit having a vibration wave motor comprising: a pair of electrostrictive element groups arranged or polarized phase-differentially, said electrostrictive element groups each including at least one electrostrictive element; a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave when phase-differential voltages are applied to said pair of electrostrictive element groups; a movable member press-contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby, said movable member driving a lens; first means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to one of said pair of electrostrictive element groups; second means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to the other of said pair of electrostrictive element groups, said pulse signal of said second means having a phase difference from said pulse signal of said first means; switching means for applying the DC voltage to said first means and said second means; signal generating means for generating a lens drive start signal; and enabling means for enabling one or both of said first and second means, said enabling means enabling one of said first and second means in response to the actuation of said switching means and enabling both of said first and second means in response to said lens drive start signal from said signal generating means.

Claim 9

A lens drive unit having a vibration wave motor comprising: a pair of electrostrictive element groups arranged or polarized phase-differentially, said electrostrictive element groups each including at least one electrostrictive element; a vibration member for generating a travelling vibration wave when phase-differential voltages are applied to said pair of electrostrictive element groups; a movable member press-contacted to said vibration member to be friction-driven thereby, said movable member driving a lens; first means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to one of said pair of electrostrictive element groups; second means for converting a DC voltage to a pulse signal for application to the other of said pair of electrostrictive element groups, said pulse signal of said second means having a phase difference from said pulse signal of said first means; switching means for applying the DC voltage to said first means and said second means; signal generating means for generating a lens drive start signal; and enabling means for enabling one or both of said first and second means, said enabling means enabling one of said first and second means in response to the actuation of said switching means and enabling both of said first and second means in response to said lens drive start signal from said signal generating means.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 6, wherein said vibration means include: (a) a first electro-mechanical conversion element; (b) a second electro-mechanical conversion element, said second element being phase differentially arranged with respect to said first element; and (c) a vibration member on which said first and second elements are provided.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 7, wherein said applying means include: (a) first means for applying a periodic signal to said first element; (b) second means for applying a periodic signal which is phase-differentially arranged with respect to said a periodic signal applied by said first means, to said second element; (c) control means for operating either said first means or said second means when the state of said applying means has been changed to said first state by said switch-over means and for operating both of said first and second means when the state of said applying means has been changed to said second state.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 6, wherein said system further comprises: (a) preparation means for causing said system to prepare the state thereof so as to be able to start the operation of sid system; and (b) means for causing said switch means to change the state of said applying means to said second state when the state of said system has been prepared by said preparation means so as to be able to start the operation of said system.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 6, wherein said electromechanical energy conversion element comprises an electrostrictive element.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 6, wherein said switch means causes the state of said applying means to be said first state when said motor is rotated, and said switch means causes the state of said applying means to be said second state when said motor is not rotated.

Claim 17

A lens drive apparatus having a vibration motor comprising: (a) a vibration member comprising electro-mechanical energy conversion elements for generating a traveling wave or a standing wave according to the vibration generated in said elements; (b) a driven member contacting said vibration member and friction-driven by said vibration member, the position of said vibration member being relatively changed with respect to that of said vibration member; and (c) switching-over means for switching over between a manual mode in which the standing wave is generated in said vibration member so that a photo-taking lens is driven by manual operation, and an auto mode in which the traveling wave is generated in said vibration member so that the photo-taking lens is driven by said traveling wave.

Claim 18

A lens drive apparatus having a vibration motor comprising: (a) a vibration member comprising electro-mechanical energy conversion elements for generating a traveling wave or a standing wave according to the vibration generated in said elements; (b) a driven member contacting said vibration member and friction-driven by said vibration member, the position of said vibration member being relatively changed with respect to that of said vibration member; and (c) switching-over means for switching over between a manual mode in which the standing wave is generated in said vibration member so that a photo-taking lens is driven by manual operation, and an auto mode in which the traveling wave is generated in said vibration member so that the photo-taking lens is driven by said traveling wave.

Claim 19

A lens drive apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said driven member comprises a member for driving a distance ring of a photo-taking lens.

Claim 20

A lens drive apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said electro-mechanical energy conversion elements comprises electrorestrictive elements.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 15, wherein said vibration means include: (a) a first electro-mechanical conversion element; (b) a second electro-mechanical conversion element, said second element being phase differentially arranged with respect to said first element; and (c) a vibration member on which said first and second elements are provided.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 16, wherein said applying means include: (a) first means for applying a periodic signal to said first element; (b) second means for applying a periodic signal which is phase-differentially arranged with respect to said a periodic signal applied by said first means, to said second element; (c) control means for operating either said first means or said second means when the state of said applying means has been changed to said first state by said switch-over means and for operating both of said first and second means when the state of said applying means has been changed to said second state.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 15, wherein said system further comprises: (a) preparation means for causing said system to prepare the state thereof so as to be able to start the operation of said sytem; and (b) means for causing said switch means to change the state of said applying means to said second state when the state of said system has been prepared by said preparation means so as to be able to start the operation of said system.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 15, wherein said electro-mechanical energy conversion element comprises an electrorestrictive element.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 15, wherein said first state of said applying means is a state in which a traveling wave is generated in said vibration means, and said second state is a state in which a standing wave is generated in said vibration means.

Claim 28

A lens drive apparatus comprising: (a) a vibration member including electro-mechanical energy conversion elements for generating a wave by the vibration generated in said elements; (b) a driven member contacted with said vibration member, the relative position of said driven member to that of said vibration wave being changed; (c) control means for applying a periodic signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion elements, said control means having a first state in which said wave is generated so as to cause said wave to change said relative position, and a second state in which said wave is generated so as to cause said wave not to change said relative position; and (d) means for operating either said first or second state of said control means.

Claim 29

A lens drive apparatus comprising: (a) a vibration member including electro-mechanical energy conversion elements for generating a wave by the vibration generated in said elements; (b) a driven member contacted with said vibration member, the relative position of said driven member to that of said vibration wave being changed; (c) control means for applying a periodic signal to said electro-mechanical energy conversion elements, said control means having a first state in which said wave is generated so as to cause said wave to change said relative position, and a second state in which said wave is generated so as to cause said wave not to change said relative position; and (d) means for operating either said first or second state of said control means.

Claim 30

A lens drive apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said driven member comprises a member for driving a distance ring of a photo-taking lens.

Claim 31

A lens drive apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said electro-mechanical energy conversion elements comprises electrorestrictive elements.