Patent ID: 7230366

Claim:
A vibration wave linear motor, comprising: a vibrator having a vibrator unit configured to comprise a piezoelectric unit, and driving contacting parts respectively provided on two opposed surfaces of the vibrator unit; first and second guide members sandwiching the vibrator via the driving contacting parts; a pressing part relatively pressing the second guide member toward the first guide member, and generating pressing force from the second guide member toward the first guide member; and a holding part fixing and holding the first guide member, and holding the second guide member to be movable in a direction of the pressing force, wherein the driving contacting parts convert a vibration generated by applying a voltage to the vibrator unit into driving force, whereby the vibrator and the two guide members make a relative move, and an inclination φ, which occurs between the first guide member and the second guide member as the vibrator moves, is configured to be smaller than an inclination θ, which is formed by a linear line connecting a driving contacting part that one of the first and the second guide members contacts and other portion on the vibrator, and the other guide member as opposed to the one guide member.