Patent ID: 7538463

Claim:
A vibrator comprising: a voice coil; a vibrating member adapted to vibrate along an axial direction of said voice coil upon application of an alternating current to said voice coil; first and second suspensions disposed to hold said vibrating member therebetween in the axial direction to enable said vibrating member to vibrate in said axial direction; and a casing that houses said voice coil, vibrating member and first and second suspensions; said first suspension having: an inner ring portion; an outer ring portion coaxial with said inner ring portion, said outer ring portion having a diameter that is larger than that of said inner ring portion, wherein one of said inner and outer ring portions is fixed to said vibrating member and said the other of said inner and outer ring portions is fixed to said casing at a position spaced apart from said vibrating member in said axial direction; and at least a pair of arcuate portions disposed in an annular space between said inner ring portion and said outer ring portion, each arcuate portion having a first end connected to said one of said inner and outer ring portions and a second end connected to said the other of said inner and outer ring portions; said second suspension having: an inner ring portion; an outer ring portion coaxial with said inner ring portion, said outer ring portion having a diameter that is larger than that of said inner ring portion, wherein one of said inner and outer ring portions is fixed to said vibrating member and the other of said inner and outer ring portions is fixed to said casing at a position spaced apart from said vibrating member in said axial direction; and at least a pair of arcuate portions disposed in an annular space between said inner ring portion and said outer ring portion, each arcuate portion having a first end connected to said one of said inner and outer ring portions, and a second end connected to said the other of said inner and outer ring portions, wherein said arcuate portions of said first and second suspensions extend from said first end to said second end, respectively, in the same circumferential direction as seen from one side of said axial direction.