Ultrasonic driving devices

Abstract: A stator 4 consists of a cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator 1 and divided electrodes 2a,2b,3a,3b respectively attached to its inside and outside portions. When alternating current voltage AC is applied to respective ones of the divided electrodes in the inside 3a or 3b and outside 2a portions, reversible progressive waves are generated on the end portion of the stator. Gaps 2c,2d,3c,3d between the divided electrodes can be parallel to the axis of the vibrator 1, but if they are oblique progressive waves can be generated on the side and end portions of the stator. When a rotary member is combined with the end or side portion of the stator, the rotary member can reversibly be moved.

Description: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic drive assembly comprising a stator, an alternating current power supply and a rotary member. In a known ultrasonic motor using a piezoelectric vibrator, two groups of electrodes are attached to one end of a ring type piezoelectric ceramic, the two groups of electrodes being so positioned that standing waves respectively generated by the two groups of electrodes are shifted every π/2 in each position. The parts of the ring type piezoelectric vibrator corresponding to the electrodes are alternately polarized in reverse. Also, the two groups of electrodes are respectively connected to two oscillators for respectively generating alternating current voltages having π/2 phase shift with respect to each other. When the alternating current voltages from the two oscillators are respectively applied to the two groups of electrodes, two standing waves having π/2 phase shift to each other are generated on the surfaces of the ring type piezoelectric vibrator and then progressive waves resulting from a compound of the two standing waves are generated on the surfaces of the ring type piezoelectric vibrator. Therefore, when a rotary member is put on the ring type piezoelectric vibrator and the rotary member is strongly pressed to the ring type piezoelectric vibrator, the rotary member is rotated by the progressive waves. In the prior ultrasonic motor, since the ring type piezoelectric vibrator must be polarized in the many portions thereof and the two oscillators must be connected to the electrodes, the composition of the ring type piezoelectric vibrator is complex and the cost of the ultrasonic motor becomes expensive. It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic drive assembly having a simpler composition. Ultrasonic drive assemblies comprising a hollow cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator having divided electrodes are known from FR-A-2277458 and US-A-4634916. According to the present invention, however, an ultrasonic drive assembly comprises a stator, an alternating current power supply and a rotary member; the stator including a hollow cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator having divided electrodes respectively attached to the inside and the outside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator and separated from one another by gaps so that, in use, alternating current supplied from the power supply to respective ones of the divided electrodes on the inside and the outside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator generates vibrations on the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator in the form of a progressive wave for driving the rotary member; characterised in that the gaps between the electrodes on the inside and the outside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator extend generally axially of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator and are shifted with respect to each other circumferentially of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator. Preferably, the shift of the gaps is either 45° or 90° . Also preferably, the gaps are oblique so that progressive waves are reversibly generated on the end and side portions of the stator. Several ultrasonic drive assemblies, according to the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of an ultrasonic motor in the prior art; Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a form of a piezoelectric vibrator and a composition of electrodes of the piezoelectric vibrator in the ultrasonic motor in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a stator of an ultrasonic drive assembly in an embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the stator in Fig. 3; Figs. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) show views for explaining the principle of motion of the stator according to the present invention in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows a simple view of an ultrasonic drive assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 7 shows a sectional view of an ultrasonic drive assembly in an embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 8 shows a sectional view of an ultrasonic drive assembly in another embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 9 shows a side sectional view of a frame of a camera using an ultrasonic drive assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 10 shows a sectional view taken about line A-A in the frame of the camera in Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a stator of an ultrasonic drive assembly in yet another embodiment according to the present invention. Referring to the prior art in Fig. 1, a ring type piezoelectric vibrator B is attached to a ring type resilient member A and the piezoelectric vibrator B vibrates with the resilient member A. The piezoelectric vibrator B is divided in 17 parts by the ratio of e.g. 22.5° or 11.25°. The respective neighbouring portions in the 17 parts of the piezoelectric vibrator B are polarized by the reverse polarity to each other as shown in Fig. 2. Two portions C and D on one side of the piezoelectric vibrator B are respectively attached as an electrode by conductive paint as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the portions G in Fig. 2 shows an earth electrode. A member F to be driven to which a slider E is attached is mounted on the resilient member A. In the ultrasonic motor in the prior art, the alternating current voltage of V o sinωt is applied to the electrode C and the alternating current voltage V o cosωt is applied to the other electrode D, where V o is instantaneous value, ω is radian frequency and t is time. The phases of these voltages shift by π/2 to each other. Thereby, the divided portions of the piezoelectric vibrator B alternately experience expansion and contraction, and thus the resilient member A experiences bending vibration. Therefore, a standing wave is generated in the resilient member A and a progressive wave is generated on the resilient member A. Thus, the driven member F having the slider E is rotated on the resilient member A. However, in the prior ultrasonic motor, because the divided portions of the ring type piezoelectric vibrator B must be alternately polarized and the divided electrodes must be formed on the divided portion of the piezoelectric vibrator B, the composition of the prior ultrasonic motor is complex. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, in a stator 4 consisting of a cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator in an embodiment according to the present invention, divided electrodes 2a and 2b are provided on the outside portion of a piezoelectric vibrator 1 and divided electrodes 3a and 3b are provided on the inside portion of the piezoelectric vibrator 1. Gaps 2c and 2d between the divided electrodes 2a and 2b and gaps 3c and 3d between the divided electrodes 3a and 3b are shifted circumferentially with respect to each other (by about 45° in this embodiment). The shifted angle between the gaps 2c and 3c or 2d and 3d may be 90°. In the stator 4 of this embodiment, when alternating current voltage AC is applied to the electrodes 2a and 3a, a progressive wave (ellipse vibration) is generated as shown by an arrow A in Fig. 5(a). Also, when alternating current voltage AC is applied to the electrodes 2a and 3b, a progressive wave (ellipse vibration) is reversely generated as shown by an arrow B in Fig. 5(a). Explaining this principle, one half of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator is spread as shown in Fig. 5(b) and when the current voltage is applied to the outside electrode 2a and the inside electrode 3a, the piezoeletric vibrator extends toward an arrow DE and shortens toward an arrow FG. Thereby, a diametrical vibration in the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator is generated as shown by arrows H in Fig. 5(c). Therefore, since the portion of the piezoelectric vibrator 1, to which the alternating current voltage is applied, is vibrated by the diametrical vibration and the longitudinal vibration, but the portion of the piezoelectric vibrator to which the voltage is not applied is not vibrated, a twist vibration is generated by the shift of the electrodes 2a and 3a as shown by dotted line C in Fig. 5(a) and a progressive wave (ellipse vibration) generates on the end portion and side portion of the piezoelectric vibrator 1. Also, when the alternating current voltage is applied to the electrodes 2a and 3b, the progressive wave (ellipse vibration) generates toward the arrow B in Fig. 5(a). As shown in Fig. 6, when a rotary member 5 is pressed on the end of the stator 4, the rotary member 5 is smoothly rotated by the progressive wave. In this embodiment, since the rotary member is contacted with an end portion of the solid ceramics of the piezoelectric vibrator and the electrodes 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b are attached on the outside and inside portions, the electrodes need not be protected from wear and tear. When the rotary member 5 is pressed on the side portion of the stator 4, the rotary member 5 is smoothly rotated by the progressive wave. If the gaps 2c and 2d between the outside electrodes 2a and 2b were to correspond with the gaps 3c and 3d between the inside electrodes 3a and 3b, the progressive wave (ellipse vibration) would be generated toward one way but the direction of the progressive vibration would be unstable. As a concrete embodiment, referring to Fig. 7, a rotary shaft 5a of the rotary member 5 is rotatably supported with a bearing 7 mounted on the end wall of the case 6 and a thrust bearing 8 between the end wall of the case 6 and the rotary member 5. The stator 4 is strongly contacted with the rotary member 5 by fixing a bottom plate 10 on the end of the case 6 through a spring 9. In this embodiment, when the alternating current voltage is applied the electrodes 2a and 3a or 3b, the progressive wave (ellipse vibration) is reversibly generated on the stator 4 and thereby the rotary member 5 is rotated. Referring to Fig. 8, a plurality of balls 11 are rotatably attached with the rotary member 5, and the rotary shaft 5a is rotatably supported by the bearing 7 mounted on the end wall of the case 6. Then the balls are put between a plate 12 on the stator 4 and a pressure plate 13 in the case 6. The plate 12 of the stator 4 is strongly contacted with the balls of the rotary member 5 by fixing a bottom plate 10 on the end of the case 6 through a spring 9. In this embodiment, when the alternating current voltage is applied to the electrodes 2a and 3a or 3b, the progressive wave (ellipse vibration) is reversibly generated on the stator 4 through the plate 12. When the balls 11 are rotated by the progressive wave on the plate 12, the balls 11 are rolled and moved on the pressure plate 13 and thereby the rotary member 5 is rotated. Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, a frame 16 in which lenses 15 are mounted is inserted into a hole of a case 14, two projections 17a and 17b are engaged with two grooves 16a and 16b and a spiral groove 18 is formed on the outside of the frame 16. The ring type stator 4 is supported by projections 19 in the inside of the case 14 and a ring type rotary member 20 is contacted with the stator 4. A screw of a ring type flange member 22 is engaged with a screw of the case 14 and presses the rotary member 20 through a spring washer 21. A projection 23 in the inside of the rotary member 20 is engaged with the spiral groove 18. In the above camera having the stator 4 according to the present invention, when the alternating current voltage is applied to the stator 4 as stated above, the rotary member 20 is rotated by the progressive wave generated on the end of the stator 4. Since the rotary torque of the rotary member 20 is large, the frame 16 is moved toward the right or left in Fig. 9 by moving the projection of the rotary member in the spiral groove 18. Also, since the rotary member 20 is pressed on the stator 4 with the spring washer 21, when the power is taken off, the rotary member 20 is stopped in this position. Therefore, there is no necessity for providing any mechanical member for stopping the rotary member 20. Referring to Fig. 11, the gaps 2c and 2d between the electrodes 2a and 2b and gaps 3c and 3d between the electrodes 3a and 3b are oblique to the side face of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator 1. In this embodiment, when the alternating current voltage is applied to the electrodes 2a and 3a or 3b, the progressive wave reversibly generates on the end and side portions of the stator 4.

Claims: An ultrasonic drive assembly comprising a stator (4), an alternating current power supply and a rotary member (5); the stator including a hollow cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator (1) having divided electrodes (3a,3b,2a,2b) respectively attached to the inside and the outside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator and separated from one another by gaps (3c, 3d, 2c, 2d) so that, in use, alternating current supplied from the power supply to respective ones of the divided electrodes on the inside (3a or 3b) and the outside (2a) of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator generates vibrations on the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator in the form of a progressive wave for driving the rotary member; characterised in that the gaps (3c, 3d, 2c, 2d) between the electrodes on the inside and the outside of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator (1) extend generally axially of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator (1) and are shifted with respect to each other circumferentially of the cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator (1). An ultrasonic drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shift of the gaps is 45°. An ultrasonic drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shift of the gaps is 90°. An ultrasonic drive assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the gaps are oblique. An ultrasonic drive assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a case (6), the rotary member (5) having a rotary shaft (5a) rotatably supported by a bearing (7) of the case, a thrust bearing (8) being located between the inside of the case (6) and the rotary member (5), and the stator (4) being in direct contact with the rotary member (5). An ultrasonic drive assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a case (6), the rotary member (5) having a rotary shaft (5a) rotatably supported by a bearing (7) of the case, a plurality of balls (11) rotatably supported by and extending through the rotary member (5), a thrust plate (13) located between the inside of the case (6) and the balls (11) of the rotary member (5), and the stator (4) being in direct or indirect contact with the balls (11) of the rotary member (5). An ultrasonic drive assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a case (14), the stator (4) being supported by projections (19) of the case (14), the rotary member (20) being of a ring type and being rotatably supported in the case (14), a flange member (22) pressing the rotary member (20) through a spring washer (21), a cylindrical frame (16) having lenses (15) which is supported by projections (17a,17b) of the case (14) inserted into grooves (16a,16b) in the side portion of the frame (16), and a helical groove (18) on the outside of the frame (16) being engaged with a projection (23) of the rotary member (20) whereby, in use, the cylindrical frame (16) is moved along its axis when the rotary member (5) is rotated by the stator.

Inventors: HONDA KEISUKE, HONDA, KEISUKE
Applicants: HONDA ELECTRONIC, HONDA ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H01L41
IPC codes: H01L41, H02N2