Patent ID: 7868490

Claim:
An actuator comprising: a shaft member having a controlled object at one end thereof; a support member configured to support the shaft member swingably; a driving mechanism configured to drive the shaft member in a swinging direction; a sensor configured to detect a velocity of the shaft member during swinging; and a control mechanism configured to control the driving mechanism on the basis of a signal detected by the sensor, wherein the driving mechanism includes: a fixed section; a moving section mounted to the shaft member; a magnet and a pair of yokes provided in one of the fixed section and the moving section, the yokes respectively facing both poles of the magnet; and a plurality of cylindrical driving coils provided in the other of the fixed section and the moving section, and wherein the yokes have a plurality of arms extending sideward, the arms of the yokes are movably placed in the driving coils, and the sensor is placed in a gap in which the yokes face each other.