Piezoelectric transducer

Claim 2

An electromechanical transducer comprising: an elastic body having a resonance frequency in a first direction and a resonance frequency in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, where the resonance frequencies are substantially equal to an excitation frequency, the elastic body having at least one nodal point at which the elastic body does not move when the elastic body vibrates at a resonance frequency thereof; first and second vibration elements attached to the elastic body symmetrically on opposite sides of the nodal point; support means for supporting the elastic body at the nodal point; excitation means for causing the first and second vibration elements to vibrate at the excitation frequency, where the magnitude of the vibration of the elastic body in the first and second directions is determined by the phase difference between the vibration of the first and second vibration elements; and two connecting members, each having a base and a plurality of transfer members attached to the base and inclines in the first direction, where the base of each connecting member is attached to one of the vibration elements and the transfer members contact the elastic body.

Claim 3

The electromechanical transducer of claim 1, wherein the first and second vibration elements are provided on one surface of the elastic member along an axis in the first direction and the excitation means causes the first and second vibration elements to vibrate in phase to minimize the movement of the elastic member in the second direction.

Claim 4

The electromechanical transducer of claim 1, wherein the rigidity of the elastic body is higher in the second direction than the first direction.

Claim 5

The electromechanical transducer of claim 3, wherein: the elastic body has two nodal points in the first direction and three nodal points in the second direction and the support means is attached to the elastic body at one of the nodal points in the second direction and additionally comprising a third vibration element attached to the elastic body; wherein the first and second vibration elements are attached to opposing side surfaces of the elastic body, and the third vibration element is attached to a surface of the elastic body orthogonal to the opposing side surfaces; and the exciting means causes the third vibration element to vibrate at the excitation frequency thereof, the third vibration element causes the elastic body to vibrate in the second direction, and the magnitude of the vibration of the elastic body in the first and second directions is determined by phase differences between magnitudes of the vibration of the first, second, and third vibration elements.

Claim 6

The electromechanical transducer of claim 2, wherein the vibration elements are piezoelectric elements.

Claim 7

The electromechanical transducer of claim 4, wherein the phase differences between magnitudes of the vibration of the first, second, and third vibration elements are set to minimize the vibration of the elastic body in the second direction.

Claim 8

The electromechanical transducer of claim 6, wherein a mover of an ultrasonic motor abuts the elastic body such that the elastic body moves the mover in the first direction.

Claim 9

The electromechanical transducer of claim 7, wherein the vibration elements are piezoelectric elements.

Claim 10

An electromechanical transducer comprising: an elastic body having a first resonance frequency in a first direction and a second resonance frequency in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, said first resonance frequency and said second resonance frequency being substantially equal to a common excitation frequency, said elastic body having nodal points at which said elastic body does not move when said elastic body vibrates at a said resonance frequency thereof; first and second piezoelectric vibration elements symmetrically attached to said elastic body about said nodal point; support means for supporting said elastic body at said nodal point, said elastic body having at least two nodal points in said first direction and at least three nodal points in said second direction wherein said support means is attached to said elastic body at a central one of said nodal points in said second direction; a third piezoelectric vibration element attached to said elastic body, said first and second vibration elements being attached to opposing side surfaces of said elastic body and said third vibration element being attached to a surface of said elastic body orthogonal to said opposing side surfaces; and excitation means for causing said first, second, and third piezoelectric vibration elements to vibrate at said excitation frequency, wherein a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second directions is determined by phase differences between magnitudes of said vibration of said first, second, and third vibration elements.

Claim 11

An electromechanical transducer comprising: an elastic body having a first resonance frequency in a first direction and a second resonance frequency in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, said first resonance frequency and said second resonance frequency being substantially equal to a common excitation frequency, said elastic body having nodal points at which said elastic body does not move when said elastic body vibrates at a said resonance frequency thereof; first and second piezoelectric vibration elements symmetrically attached to said elastic body about said nodal point; support means for supporting said elastic body at said nodal point, said elastic body having at least two nodal points in said first direction and at least three nodal points in said second direction wherein said support means is attached to said elastic body at a central one of said nodal points in said second direction; a third piezoelectric vibration element attached to said elastic body, said first and second vibration elements being attached to opposing side surfaces of said elastic body and said third vibration element being attached to a surface of said elastic body orthogonal to said opposing side surfaces; and excitation means for causing said first, second, and third piezoelectric vibration elements to vibrate at said excitation frequency, wherein a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second directions is determined by phase differences between magnitudes of said vibration of said first, second, and third vibration elements.

Claim 12

An electromechanical transducer comprising: an elastic body having a first resonance frequency in a first direction and a second resonance frequency in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, said first resonance frequency and said second resonance frequency being substantially equal to a common excitation frequency, said elastic body having at least one nodal point at which said elastic body does not move when said elastic body vibrates at a said resonance frequency thereof; first and second piezoelectric vibration elements symmetrically attached to said elastic body about said nodal point; support means for supporting said elastic body at said nodal point, said elastic body having at least two nodal points in said first direction and at least three nodal points in said second direction and said support means being attached to said elastic body at a central one of said nodal points in said second direction; excitation means for causing said first and second piezoelectric vibration elements to vibrate at said excitation frequency, wherein a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second direction is determined by a phase difference between said vibration of said first and second vibration elements; and a third vibration element attached to said elastic body, said first and second vibration elements being attached to opposing side surfaces of said elastic body and said third vibration element being attached to a surface of said elastic body orthogonal to said opposing side surfaces, wherein said excitation means causes said third vibration element to vibrate at said excitation frequency thereof, said third vibration element causes said elastic body to vibrate in said second direction, and a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second directions is determined by phase differences between magnitudes of said vibration of said first, second, and third vibration elements.

Claim 13

An electromechanical transducer comprising: an elastic body having a first resonance frequency in a first direction and a second resonance frequency in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, said first resonance frequency and said second resonance frequency being substantially equal to a common excitation frequency, said elastic body having at least one nodal point at which said elastic body does not move when said elastic body vibrates at a said resonance frequency thereof; first and second piezoelectric vibration elements symmetrically attached to said elastic body about said nodal point; support means for supporting said elastic body at said nodal point, said elastic body having at least two nodal points in said first direction and at least three nodal points in said second direction and said support means being attached to said elastic body at a central one of said nodal points in said second direction; excitation means for causing said first and second piezoelectric vibration elements to vibrate at said excitation frequency, wherein a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second direction is determined by a phase difference between said vibration of said first and second vibration elements; and a third vibration element attached to said elastic body, said first and second vibration elements being attached to opposing side surfaces of said elastic body and said third vibration element being attached to a surface of said elastic body orthogonal to said opposing side surfaces, wherein said excitation means causes said third vibration element to vibrate at said excitation frequency thereof, said third vibration element causes said elastic body to vibrate in said second direction, and a magnitude of said vibration of said elastic body in said first and second directions is determined by phase differences between magnitudes of said vibration of said first, second, and third vibration elements.