Patent ID: 8035906

Claim:
A vibration actuator comprising: an electromechanical conversion element which is excited by a driving signal; an elastic body to which the electromechanical conversion element is jointed, and on a driving face of which, vibration waves are generated by the excitation; and a relative moving element which is pressure-contacted with the driving face of the elastic body, and which is driven by the vibration waves, wherein: a joining face of the electromechanical conversion element which is joined to the elastic body has an electrode portion where an electrode is formed, and a joining strength improving portion which improves a joining strength between the elastic body and the electromechanical conversion element, and the electrode portion is formed on at least one of two edge portions of the joining face, an imaginary straight line passes through the two edge portions, the imaginary straight line passing through the joining strength improving portion and being orthogonal to a relative moving direction in which the elastic body and the relative moving element move relative to each other.