JPH11220892A5 - - Google Patents

Description

[0020]
[Means for solving the problem]
A first configuration of a vibration type actuator that realizes the object of the first invention of the present application has a vibrating body formed with vibration generating means that generates vibration displacements in at least three different directions, generates a composite vibration that selectively combines vibration displacements in at least two of the three different directions , and moves the vibrating body and a contact body that contacts the vibrating body relative to each other in any direction.

In a third configuration of the vibration type actuator that realizes the object of the first invention of the present application, the vibration generating means is capable of independently generating vibration displacements in three axial directions that are approximately perpendicular to each other in the vibrating body, and a temporal phase difference is given to the vibration displacements in at least two axial directions out of the vibration displacements in the three axial directions to generate a composite vibration.

The sixteenth configuration of the vibration type actuator that realizes the object of the first invention of the present application is one in which the natural frequency of the vibrating body is adjusted by changing the diameter of the approximately rod-shaped portion of the vibrating body, the inner diameter or shape of the hollow provided in the approximately rod-shaped portion .

Claims (20)

A vibration actuator comprising a vibrating body formed with vibration generating means for generating vibration displacements in at least three different directions, generating a composite vibration by selectively combining vibration displacements in at least two of the three different directions , and causing relative movement between the vibrating body and a contact body in contact with the vibrating body in any direction. 2. The vibration actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the composite vibration generated in the vibrating body forms a circular or elliptical motion in any direction in the driving part of the vibrating body. 3. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating means is capable of independently generating vibration displacements in three axial directions that are approximately perpendicular to each other in the vibrating body, and a time phase difference is given to vibration displacements in at least two axial directions among the vibration displacements in the three axial directions to generate a composite vibration. 4. A vibration type actuator according to claim 1, wherein said vibration generating means has an electromechanical energy conversion element for exciting a plurality of lateral vibrations in directions different from the longitudinal vibration. 4. A vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein said vibration generating means comprises an electromechanical energy conversion element that generates vibration displacements in three different directions by bending vibration alone. A vibration actuator having a vibrating body provided with an electromechanical energy conversion element that excites vibration displacements in at least three different directions in an elastic body, generating a composite vibration that selectively combines vibration displacements in at least two of the three different directions, and causing relative movement between the vibrating body and a contact body that contacts the vibrating body in any direction, wherein the electromechanical energy conversion element has a polarization region that can be used for vibration displacements in different directions. 7. The vibration actuator according to claim 6, wherein the composite vibration generated in the vibrating body forms a circular or elliptical motion in any direction in the driving part of the vibrating body. 8. The vibration actuator according to claim 6, wherein the vibration generating means generates a composite vibration by giving a temporal phase difference to vibration displacements in at least two of three axial directions of the vibrating body that are substantially perpendicular to each other. 9. A vibration actuator according to claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the electromechanical energy conversion element generates longitudinal vibrations and multiple lateral vibrations of different directions in the driving section of the vibrating body by selectively combining multiple polarization regions. A vibration actuator according to claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the elastic body is formed into a roughly rod-like body, the electromechanical energy conversion element is formed with polarized regions divided into at least four parts and joined at an axial position of the roughly rod-like body, at least two of the polarized regions are used for generating vibration displacement in two directions, and further, in order to change the direction of vibration for the polarized regions used for both purposes, an alternating signal of a different phase is applied to at least one of the polarized regions, thereby switching between vibrating the elastic body in a vertical direction and vibrating it in a horizontal direction. 11. The vibration type actuator according to claim 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, wherein the elastic body is a combination of a substantially rod-shaped body and a substantially disk-shaped body. 12. A vibration actuator according to claim 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that a composite vibration is generated by selectively combining vibration displacements in at least two directions out of the vibration displacements in at least three different directions, and the vibrating body and a contact body in contact with the vibrating body are moved relatively in any direction. A vibration actuator according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 12, characterized in that the ratio of each component of the combination of vibration displacements in at least three directions is changed, thereby causing relative movement between the vibrating body and the contact body in contact with the vibrating body in any direction. 14. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion of the contact body that comes into contact with the vibrator is formed in a spherical shape. A vibration actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that at least a portion of the vibrating body having a drive part that comes into contact with the contact body is formed in an approximately rod-like shape, and this approximately rod-like portion is provided with a portion with reduced rigidity to expand vibration displacement. 16. The vibration actuator according to claim 15 , wherein the natural frequency of the vibrating body is adjusted by changing the diameter of the approximately rod-shaped portion of the vibrating body, the inner diameter or shape of a hollow provided in the approximately rod- shaped portion. 17. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator has a support body having supporting arms extending radially outward. 18. A vibration type driving device comprising a vibration type actuator according to claim 1, provided at a joint of an arm that moves with multiple degrees of freedom. 19. The vibration type driving device according to claim 18, further comprising remote control means for remotely controlling the vibration type actuator provided at the joint of the arm to operate in response to the movement of the joint of an operator. 18. A vibration type driving device characterized in that the vibration type actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 17 is provided at the joint of an arm that performs movement with multiple degrees of freedom, and is used for laparoscopic surgery or microsurgery.