Vibration wave driven motor

Claim 2

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member; (c) an application means for applying first and second alternating signals to said energy conversion element, thereby generating a travelling wave in said vibration member as a driving force; and (d) a circuit for adjusting the alternating signals applied by said application means, said adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the frequency of said first and second alternating signals being adjusted on the basis of a driving state of said actuator when a magnitude of the alternating signals exceeds a predetermined level, and in the second mode, the magnitude of the alternating signals being adjusted irrespective of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the alternating signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 3

A vibration wave motor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second alternating signals have a predetermined phase difference with respect to each other.

Claim 4

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration therein in response to an applied electrical signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of said electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the motor during a predetermined time after starting of the motor, and for controlling the frequency of said electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the motor after expiration of the predetermined time from starting of the motor.

Claim 5

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration therein in response to an applied electrical signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of said electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the motor during a predetermined time after starting of the motor, and for controlling the frequency of said electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the motor after expiration of the predetermined time from starting of the motor.

Claim 6

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the actuator on the basis of the driving state of the actuator after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 7

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the actuator on the basis of the driving state of the actuator after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 8

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the electrical signal in accordance with a driving state of the actuator when the predetermined time has expired and a magnitude of the electric signal exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 9

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the electrical signal in accordance with a driving state of the actuator when the predetermined time has expired and a magnitude of the electric signal exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 10

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration therein in response to an applied electrical signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling said electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the motor during a predetermined time after starting of the motor, and for controlling said electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the motor after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 11

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a vibration therein in response to an applied electrical signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling said electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the motor during a predetermined time after starting of the motor, and for controlling said electrical signal in accordance with the driving state of the motor after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 12

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a sensing member provided on said vibration member for generating a control signal corresponding to a vibration state representative of the driving state of said actuator.

Claim 13

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 7, wherein said adjusting circuit adjusts a phase difference between said control signal from said sensing member and one of said alternating signals at a predetermined phase difference.

Claim 14

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined phase difference is 90 degrees.

Claim 15

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 7, wherein said sensing member includes a piezo-electric element.

Claim 16

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member; (c) an application means for applying first and second alternating signals to said energy conversion element, thereby generating a travelling wave in said vibration member as a driving force; and (d) a circuit for adjusting the alternating signals applied by said application means, said adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the frequency of said first and second alternating signals being adjusted on the basis of a driving state of said actuator when a magnitude of the alternating signals exceeds a predetermined level after expiration of a predetermined time from starting of the actuator, and in the second mode, the magnitude of the alternating signals being adjusted irrespective of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the alternating signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 17

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member; (c) an application means for applying first and second alternating signals to said energy conversion element, thereby generating a travelling wave in said vibration member as a driving force; and (d) a circuit for adjusting the alternating signals applied by said application means, said adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the frequency of said first and second alternating signals being adjusted on the basis of a driving state of said actuator when a magnitude of the alternating signals exceeds a predetermined level after expiration of a predetermined time from starting of the actuator, and in the second mode, the magnitude of the alternating signals being adjusted irrespective of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the alternating signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 18

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element for generating a travelling wave thereon in response to applied electrical signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and a contact member in pressure contact with said vibration member; and (b) an adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, a vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted on the basis of a driving sate of said actuator when a magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds a predetermined level, and in the second mode, the vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted irrespective of said driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 19

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element for generating a travelling wave thereon in response to applied electrical signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and a contact member in pressure contact with said vibration member; and (b) an adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, a vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted on the basis of a driving sate of said actuator when a magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds a predetermined level, and in the second mode, the vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted irrespective of said driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 20

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 12, wherein, in the first mode, the frequency of said electrical signals is adjusted on the basis of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds the predetermined level.

Claim 21

A vibration wave driven actuator according to claim 12, wherein, in the second mode, the magnitude of the electrical signals is adjusted irrespective of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 22

A vibration driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element for generating a vibration therein in response to applied electrical signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and a contact member in pressure contact with said vibration member; and (b) an adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, a vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted on the basis of a driving state of said actuator when a magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds a predetermined level, and in the second mode, the vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted irrespective of said driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 23

A vibration driven actuator, comprising: (a) a vibration member having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element for generating a vibration therein in response to applied electrical signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and a contact member in pressure contact with said vibration member; and (b) an adjusting circuit having a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, a vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted on the basis of a driving state of said actuator when a magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds a predetermined level, and in the second mode, the vibration magnitude of said vibration member being adjusted irrespective of said driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 24

A vibration driven actuator according to claim 15, wherein, in the first mode, the frequency of said electrical signals is adjusted on the basis of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals exceeds the predetermined level.

Claim 25

A vibration driven actuator according to claim 15, wherein, in the second mode, the magnitude of the electrical signals is adjusted irrespective of the driving state of said actuator when the magnitude of the electrical signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 26

A vibration wave driven motor, comprising: (a) a vibration member having a frictional surface which is in pressure contact with a movable member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member for generating a travelling wave in said vibration member in response to applied alternating signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and the movable member; (c) a sensing member for generating a control signal representative of a state of the travelling wave in said vibration member; (d) a detecting member for generating a signal representative of a phase difference between the control signal and at least one of said alternating signals; (e) a first member for adjusting the phase difference to a predetermined value in response to the signal from said detecting member when a magnitude of said at least one alternating signals exceeds a predetermined level; and (f) a second member for adjusting the magnitude of the alternating signals irrespective of the signals from said detecting member when the magnitude of the alternating signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 27

A vibration wave driven motor, comprising: (a) a vibration member having a frictional surface which is in pressure contact with a movable member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member for generating a travelling wave in said vibration member in response to applied alternating signals, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and the movable member; (c) a sensing member for generating a control signal representative of a state of the travelling wave in said vibration member; (d) a detecting member for generating a signal representative of a phase difference between the control signal and at least one of said alternating signals; (e) a first member for adjusting the phase difference to a predetermined value in response to the signal from said detecting member when a magnitude of said at least one alternating signals exceeds a predetermined level; and (f) a second member for adjusting the magnitude of the alternating signals irrespective of the signals from said detecting member when the magnitude of the alternating signals is below the predetermined level.

Claim 28

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a vibration member having a friction surface which is in friction contact with a contact member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member for generating a vibration in said vibration member in response to an applied periodic signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and the contact member; (c) a sensing member for generating a control signal in accordance with a state of the vibration in said vibration member; (d) a detecting member for generating a signal in accordance with a phase difference between the control signal and the periodic signal; (e) a first member for adjusting the phase difference to a predetermined value in response to the signal from said detecting member when a magnitude of the periodic signal exceeds a predetermined level; and (f) a second member for adjusting the magnitude of the periodic signal irrespective of the signal from said detecting member when the magnitude of the periodic signal is below the predetermined level.

Claim 29

A vibration driven motor, comprising: (a) a vibration member having a friction surface which is in friction contact with a contact member; (b) an electro-mechanical energy conversion element provided on said vibration member for generating a vibration in said vibration member in response to an applied periodic signal, thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and the contact member; (c) a sensing member for generating a control signal in accordance with a state of the vibration in said vibration member; (d) a detecting member for generating a signal in accordance with a phase difference between the control signal and the periodic signal; (e) a first member for adjusting the phase difference to a predetermined value in response to the signal from said detecting member when a magnitude of the periodic signal exceeds a predetermined level; and (f) a second member for adjusting the magnitude of the periodic signal irrespective of the signal from said detecting member when the magnitude of the periodic signal is below the predetermined level.

Claim 30

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a travelling wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the frequency of the electrical signal on the basis of the driving state of the actuator after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 31

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a travelling wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the frequency of the electrical signal on the basis of the driving state of the actuator after expiration of the predetermined time.

Claim 32

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a traveling wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the frequency of the electrical signal in accordance with a driving state of the actuator when the predetermined time has expired and the magnitude of the electrical signal exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 33

A vibration wave driven actuator, comprising: (a) a moving member having a friction surface; (b) a vibration member having a friction surface in contact with said friction surface of said moving member for generating a traveling wave therein in response to an applied electrical signal thereby causing relative movement between said vibration member and said moving member; and (c) control means for controlling a magnitude of the electrical signal irrespective of a driving state of the actuator during a predetermined time after starting of the actuator, and for controlling the frequency of the electrical signal in accordance with a driving state of the actuator when the predetermined time has expired and the magnitude of the electrical signal exceeds a predetermined level.