Vibration driven apparatus

Claim 2

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first and second elastic vibration members; and a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said at least one elastic vibration member, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one elastic vibration member by a vibration of said at least one elastic vibration member, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape, and wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 3

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first and second elastic vibration members; a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said at least one vibration elastic member, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one vibration elastic member by a vibration of said at lest one vibration elastic member; and a second contact member contacting the other one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said other elastic vibration member, said second contact member contacts only said projection region of said other elastic vibration member, and said second contact member moves relative to said other elastic vibration member by a vibration of said other elastic vibration member.

Claim 4

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first and second elastic vibration members; a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said at least one vibration elastic member, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one vibration elastic member by a vibration of said at lest one vibration elastic member; and a second contact member contacting the other one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said other elastic vibration member, said second contact member contacts only said projection region of said other elastic vibration member, and said second contact member moves relative to said other elastic vibration member by a vibration of said other elastic vibration member.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are coupled by a screw to clamp said conversion element therebetween.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are coupled by a screw to clamp said conversion element therebetween.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second vibration elastic members are formed into a disk shape, and wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and Second vibration elastic members are formed into a disk shape, and wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a first groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region, and said other elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed to have different outer diameters.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a moving mechanism driven by said device.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 90° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 45° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a vibration having one node diameter is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a vibration having more than or equal to two node diameters is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.

Claim 21

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first and second elastic vibration members; and a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said at least one elastic vibration member, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one elastic vibration member by a vibration of said at least one elastic vibration member, and wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 22

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first and second elastic vibration members; and a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said at least one elastic vibration member, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one elastic vibration member by a vibration of said at least one elastic vibration member, and wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: a second contact member contacting the other one of said first and second elastic vibration members, and wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said other elastic vibration member, said second contact member contacts only said projection region of said other elastic vibration member, and said second contact member moves relative to said other elastic vibration member by a vibration of said other elastic vibration member.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a first groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region, and said other elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are coupled by a screw to clamp said conversion element therebetween.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are coupled by a screw to clamp said conversion element therebetween.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed to have different outer diameters.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: a moving mechanism driven by said device.

Claim 35

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 90° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 45° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a vibration having one node diameter is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a vibration having more than or equal to two node diameters is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.

Claim 39

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first elastic vibration member and said second elastic vibration member; and a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member comprises a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one elastic vibration member by a vibration of said at least one elastic vibration member, and wherein said first contact member contacts the projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member at a side of said at least one elastic member where said conversion element is clamped.

Claim 40

A vibration driven apparatus comprising: a first elastic vibration member; a second elastic vibration member; an electro-mechanical energy conversion element clamped between said first elastic vibration member and said second elastic vibration member; and a first contact member contacting at least one of said first and second elastic vibration members, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member comprises a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element, said first contact member contacts only said projection region, and said first contact member moves relative to said at least one elastic vibration member by a vibration of said at least one elastic vibration member, and wherein said first contact member contacts the projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member at a side of said at least one elastic member where said conversion element is clamped.

Claim 41

An apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising: a second contact member contacting the other one of said first and second elastic vibration members, and wherein a projection region which does not overlap said conversion element is arranged on said other elastic vibration member, said second contact member contacts only said projection region of said other elastic vibration member, and said second contact member moves relative to said other elastic vibration member by a vibration of said other elastic vibration member.

Claim 42

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said second contact member contacts said other elastic vibration member at a side where said conversion element is clamped.

Claim 43

An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 44

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 45

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said projection region of said at least one elastic vibration member is formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 46

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed into a disk shape.

Claim 47

An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an outer diameter side.

Claim 48

An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said projection regions of said at least one and said other elastic vibration members are formed at an inner diameter side.

Claim 49

An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 50

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said at least one elastic vibration member is formed with a first groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region, and said other elastic vibration member is formed with a groove for amplifying a vibration amplitude of said projection region.

Claim 51

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said first and second elastic vibration members are formed to have different outer diameters.

Claim 52

An apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising: a moving mechanism driven by said device.

Claim 53

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 90° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 54

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said conversion element is formed by a plurality of elements each having electrodes whose phases are shifted by 45° in a circumferential direction.

Claim 55

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein a vibration having one node diameter is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.

Claim 56

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein a vibration having more than or equal to two node diameters is produced on said first and second elastic vibration members.