Vibration wave driven apparatus

Abstract: In a vibration wave driven apparatus, a vibration member of a closed loop shape having at least one set of parallel straight portions is provided on one of the straight portions with a projection group in which in the driving frequency of the vibration member, the vibration mode is the 1st-order mode of the fixed end-free end vibration and on the other straight portion with a projection group in which the vibration mode is the 2nd-order mode of the fixed end-free end vibration, whereby forces in the same direction which are not couples are generated in the both straight portions to thereby enable an object to be rectilinearly driven in a plane formed by the straight portions, thus preventing the irregularity of feeding speed and any partial wear caused by one-sided contact and enabling the drive force to be increased.

Description: This invention relates to a vibration wave driven apparatus in which a resilient member in which a travelling vibration wave is formed is of a closed loop shape having at least straight portions, for example, an elliptical shape. A vibration wave driven motor in which an AC voltage is applied to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element such as a piezo-electric element in a vibration member having the electro-mechanical energy conversion element secured to a ring-shaped metallic resilient member to thereby excite a travelling vibration wave in the resilient member and create elliptical movement of surface particles and thereby rotatively move a member which is in pressure contact with the resilient member has already been put into practical use. Also, in a vibration wave driven motor for rectilinear driving wherein a vibration is caused from one end of a straight beam-like resilient member and is absorbed by the other end of the resilient member to there create a travelling vibration wave for rectilinear driving or a vibration wave driven motor using a vibration member of a closed loop shape, there has been proposed a method of utilizing the tangential force of said ring-shaped vibration member or a method of bringing a contact member into contact with the straight portions of a resilient member having arcuate portions and straight portions to thereby create rectilinear movement. Herein, a vibration member of a closed loop shape and a self-running type vibration wave driven motor using the same will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 2 shows an example of a prior-art (Japanese Laid-Open No. 1-321879) vibration member 1 having arcuate portions and straight portions and in which a piezo-electric element group 1b is joined to a resilient member 1a having equally spaced-apart grooves 1c. Figures 4A and 4B show an example of a self-running type vibration wave driven motor using the above-described vibration member. The reference numeral 1 designates the vibration member, and the reference numeral 9 denotes a rail-like friction member which is in frictional contact with the vibration member 1. The friction member 9 is brought into pressure contact with the vibration member 1 by a pressing spring 3 with a vibration insulating material 2 (for example, felt) interposed therebetween. The reference numeral 6 designates a comb-tooth-like movement stopper of which the comb-tooth portion 6a is inserted in a slit in the vibration member 1 in that portion thereof which is not in contact with the friction member 9 on a base stand 8 and supports the vibration member 1 through felt 5 disposed on the bottom of the slit. The vibration member 1 is supported by a supporting table 4 through the movement stopper 6, the pressing spring 3, etc., and the supporting table 4 in turn is supported by a restraining member 7 for restraining displacement in any other direction than a predetermined direction of movement. In the above-described example of the prior art, however, only a part of the vibration of the vibration member 1 is used for driving and therefore, efficiency is low and also, the contact between the vibration member and a driven member moved relative thereto is hardly uniform, and this has led to the disadvantage that the drive force is increased and decreased or localized wear occurs, or the necessity of making the surfaces of contact between the vibration member 1 and the driven member parallel and effecting uniform pressing has resulted in disadvantages such as an increased number of parts and an increased adjustment time. That is, the direction of travel of the travelling wave formed on the resilient member 1 is opposite in the straight portions opposed to each other and therefore, the two straight portions could not be used for rectilinear driving. Thus, only one of the straight portions of the vibration member can be used for driving, and this has led to the above-noted disadvantages. It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above-noted disadvantages and to provide a vibration wave driven motor in which the straight portions of a vibration member of a closed loop shape can be used at a time for rectilinear driving. It is another object of the present invention to provide a vibration wave driven apparatus which uses a vibration member of a closed loop shape and which is of good efficiency. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vibration wave driven apparatus which is suited, for example, for driving of the printing head of a printer. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention. According to the invention there is provided a vibration member of a vibration wave driven motor having a loop shape including at least two driving portions, each driving portion comprising a projection group, the first projection group being located at one portion and the second projection group being located at another portion, both projection groups extending from the plane of the vibration member for contact with a driven member, characterised in that said first projection group is adapted to vibrate in the n -th order mode of the fixed end-free end vibration of said projection group and in that said second projection group is adapted to vibrate in the ( n + m )th-order mode of the fixed end-free end vibration of said projection group in the same direction as said first group ( n being integers exclusive of zero and m being an odd number) when the vibration is generated in the vibration member. Preferably the vibration member is of a closed loop shape comprising at least one pair of parallel straight portions having on one of the straight portions a projection group in which the vibration mode is the 1st-order mode and on the other straight portion with a projection group in which the vibration mode is the 2nd-order mode. In this manner forces are generated in the both straight portions in the same direction to thereby enable an object to be rectilinearly driven in a plane formed by the straight portions, thus preventing the irregularity of feeding speed and any partial abrasion caused by one-sided contact and enabling the drive force to be increased. In the accompanying drawings:- Figure 1A is a perspective view of a vibration member showing an embodiment of a vibration wave driven motor according to the present invention. Figure 1B is a perspective view showing a projection of the vibration member. Figures 1C and 1C show the states of vibration in the 1st- and 2nd-order modes, respectively, of the fixed end-free end vibration. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a vibration member according to the prior art. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a self-running type vibration wave driven motor using the vibration member of the present invention. Figures 4A and 4B are a cross-sectional view and a plan view, respectively, of a self-running type vibration wave driven motor using the prior-art vibration member. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a sheet conveying system using the vibration member of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with respect to an embodiment thereof shown in the drawings. Figure 1A is a perspective view of a vibration member 1 showing an embodiment of the vibration wave driven motor according to the present invention. In Figure 1A, the reference numeral 1 designates a vibration member formed, for example, of stainless steel or phosphor bronze and having on the underside of a resilient member 1a having a pair of arcuate portions and a pair of straight portions two groups of driving piezo-electric elements polarized into a plurality, and having a piezo-electric element group 1b of the same cross-sectional shape as the resilient member 1a secured to said underside by a heat-resisting epoxy resin adhesive. The resilient member 1a comprises a first projection group 1a₁ comprising a plurality of projections formed on the upper surface of one of the straight portions, and a second projection group 1a₂ comprising a plurality of projections formed on the upper surface of the other straight portion, the projections of the second group 1a₂ being smaller in the circumferential thickness than the projections of the first group 1a₁. If the resonance frequency of the driving mode of the vibration member 1 is represented by fr and the resonance frequency of the primary mode of the fixed end-free end vibration of the first projection group 1a₁ is represented by f₁₁ and the resonance frequency of the primary mode of the fixed end-free end vibration of the second projection group 1a₂ is represented by f₂₁ and the resonance frequency of the secondary mode is represented by f₂₂, the magnitude relations therebetween are as follows: fr < f₁₁ Condition 1 f₂₁ < fr < f₂₂ Condition 2 Here, the resonance frequency of the fixed end-free end vibration of the projection as shown in Figure 1B in the direction of arrow can be roughly found as follows: In the 1st-order mode, In the 2nd-order mode, (E: Young's modulus, ρ : density) When such a vibration member 1 is resonated by applying thereto an AC voltage in the vicinity of the resonance frequency fr to thereby excite a travelling vibration wave, each particle of the vibration member 1 creates elliptical movement and the first projection group 1a₁ vibrates in the 1st-order mode as shown in Figure 1C by the aforementioned condition 1 ○, and the tip end thereof effects elliptical movement substantially in the same phase as the elliptical movement of the boundary between the base portion 1a₀ and the first projection group 1a₁, while the second projection group 1a₂ vibrates in the 2nd-order mode as shown in Figure 1D and the particles of the tip end 1a₂₁ thereof create elliptical movement which is about 180° out of phase with respect to the elliptical movement of the boundary between the base portion 1a₀ and the second projection group 1a₂. Thus, the tip ends 1a₁₁ and 1a₂₁ of the both projection groups are moving in the same direction (see the arrow in Figure 1A) at the maximum point of elliptical movement. A bubble jet printer which uses as the drive source of a printing head a self-running type vibration wave driven motor using the vibration member of the present invention will hereinafter be described with respect to an embodiment thereof shown in the drawings. The bubble jet type printer is a printer as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,723,129 or U.S. Patent No. 4,740,796, and briefly describing it, it generically to a printer of the type in which at least one driving signal corresponding to recording information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleon boiling is applied to an electro-thermal conversion member disposed correspondingly to a sheet or a liquid path in which liquid (ink) is retained, to thereby generate heat energy in the electro-thermal conversion member and cause film boiling to be created on the heat-acting surface of a recording heat with a result that a bubble in the liquid (ink) is formed correspondingly to said driving signal and by the growth and contraction of the bubble, the liquid (ink) is discharged through a discharge opening to thereby form at least one droplet, which is blown against the sheet to thereby form a character. In Figure 3, the reference character 1a designates a vibration member having the first projection group 1a₁ and the second projection group 1a₂ as shown in Figure 1A, and a piezo-electric element 1b as an electro-mechanical energy conversion element is joined to the vibration member. The vibration member 1 has its comb-tooth-like movement stopper 6 inserted in the groove portion (see Figure 1A) in the first projection group 1a₁ or the second projection group 1a₂, and is supported relative to a supporting table 4 on which the printing head (not shown) of the printer is provided, by the comb-tooth portion of the movement stopper 6 through felt 5 disposed on the bottom of the groove. The supporting table 4 is restrained by guide rails 7 for restraining it in the thrust direction and the right-to-left direction. Also, the surface of contact between the vibration member 1 and a base stand 8 secured to the base plate of the printer is treated for wear resistance or coated with a wear resisting material, and the vibration member 1 is pressed against the base stand 8 with a suitable pressure force by a leaf spring 3 with felt 2 interposed therebetween. Description will now be made of the operation when the printer using this vibration wave driven motor as the drive source is driven. When AC voltages having a certain frequency and having an electrical phase difference therebetween are applied to the piezo-electric elements of the piezo-electric element group 1b, a travelling vibration wave is generated in the vibration member 1 in a known manner. As previously described, the surface particles of the first projection group 1a₁ and the second projection group 1a₂ move in the same direction and therefore, by the frictional force between the first projection group 1a₁ and the second projection group 1a₂ and the base stand 8, the vibration member 1 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing sheet of Figure 3 with the supporting table 4, etc. Also, if the direction of the travelling vibration wave is reversed, the elliptical movement of the particles is also reversed and therefore, the vibration member is moved in the opposite direction. By the direction of the travelling vibration wave being suitably reversed in this manner, the vibration member can be reciprocally moved. A sheet conveying system using the vibration member according to the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the driving portion of an apparatus in which two vibration members each having two projection groups differing in the circumferential thickness thereof as shown in Figure 1A are pressed in face-to-face relationship with each other and a sheet-like object such as paper nipped therebetween is conveyed. The vibration member 1 is supported on the base stand 8 by the movement stopper 6 with felt interposed therebetween. A vibration member 10 opposed to the vibration member 1 is likewise supported on an upper lid 12 by the movement stopper 6 with felt 1A interposed therebetween. The upper lid 12 and the base stand 8 are coupled together by an oblique movement preventing guide 11 and a springy member 13, and the vibration members 1 and 10 are pressed with a suitable pressure force. The first projection groups 1a₁ and 10a₁ of the vibration members 1 and 10, respectively, which satisfy the aforementioned condition 1 ○ are opposed to each other, and the second projection groups 1a₂ and 10a₂ of the vibration members 1 and 10, respectively, which satisfy the aforementioned condition 2 ○ are opposed to each other. When AC voltages of the same frequency are applied to piezo-electric elements 1b and 10b joined to the vibration members 1 and 10, respectively, so that travelling vibration waves may be generated in the same direction, and the time phases of the vibrations of the two vibration members are appropriately chosen and a sheet-like object 14 (for example, paper) is nipped between the two vibration members, the sheet-like object 14 is subjected to forces in the same direction from the first projection groups 1a₁, 10a₁ and the second projection group 1a₂, 10a₂ of the vibration members 1 and 10. The speeds of the particles in the surface portions of the first and second projection groups (1a₁ and 1a₂, 10a₁ and 10a₂) of the respective vibration members are generally not equal to each other and therefore, the sheet-like object is dashed against the oblique movement preventing guide 11, whereby it can be rectilinearly driven. As described above, for example, a projection group vibrating in the n th-order mode is provided on one of the parallel straight portions of the vibration member of the vibration wave driven motor and a projection group vibrating in the ( n + 1)th-order mode ( n being integers exclusive of zero) is provided on the other straight portion, whereby it becomes possible to uniformize the drive forces of the two projection groups in the same direction, and as compared with a case where one of the straight portions is used, there are the following effects: 1. The use of the two parallel straight portions of the same vibration member prevents one-sided contact and makes pressing easy; 2. The prevention of one-sided contact reduces the irregularity of the drive force and the irregularity of the speed and also prevents localized wear; and 3. The contact by the two groups readily enables the drive force to be obtained and also provides a great holding force.

Claims: A vibration member (1) of a vibration wave driven motor having a loop shape including at least two driving portions, each driving portion comprising a projection group, the first projection group (1a₁) being located at one portion and the second projection group (1a₂) being located at another portion, both projection groups extending from the plane of the vibration member for contact with a driven member, characterised in that said first projection group is adapted to vibrate in the n -th order mode of the fixed end-free end (1a₁₁) vibration of said projection group and in that said second projection group is adapted to vibrate in the ( n + m )th-order mode of the fixed end-free end (1a₂₁) vibration of said projection group in the same direction as said first group ( n being integers exclusive of zero and m being an odd number) when the vibration is generated in the vibration member. A vibration member as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said first portion vibrates in the n -th-order mode and said second portion vibrates in the ( n +1)th-order mode. A vibration member as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said vibration member is loop-shaped and has first and second projection groups which are adapted to contact the driven member. A vibration member as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said first projection group vibrates in the 1st-order mode and said second projection group vibrates in the 2nd-order mode. A vibration member as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterised in that said first and second projection groups are juxtaposed along a predetermined direction. A vibration member as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, characterised in that said first and second projection groups each have a plurality of rectangular parallelopiped projections provided across the direction of propagation of said vibration. A vibration motor having a vibration member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that means (1b) are provided for generating the vibration by applying to said vibration member AC voltages having a certain frequency and having an electrical phase difference therebetween. A vibration driven printer incorporating a vibration member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6. A vibration driven printer as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said vibration member has a loop shape comprising two parallel straight portions joined by curved end portions. A vibration driven printer as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterised in that said driven member is secured in the body of the printer with the first and second portions in driving engagement with the driven member. A vibration driven printer incorporating a pair of vibration members as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the driving portions of one vibration member extend towards the driving portions of the other vibration member, the vibration members being so spaced and arranged in relation to each other for transporting sheet material.

Inventors: KITANI KOJI C O CANON KABUSHIK, KITANI, KOJI, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01L41
IPC codes: H02N2, H01L41