Patent ID: 8344591

Claim:
A vibration actuator comprising: an elastic body; an electromechanical transducer that causes the elastic body to vibrate; and a rotating body that rotates in response to a drive force received from contact with a portion of the elastic body at a vibrational antinode thereof, the portion being other than an end of the elastic body, wherein the elastic body includes an elastic body contact member that is arranged in a region that includes the vibrational antinode of the elastic body, the rotating body includes a rotating body contact member that receives a drive force by contacting the elastic body contact member, one of the elastic body contact member and the rotating body contact member has a contact surface that is oriented diagonally to the axis of rotation and contacts the other of the elastic body contact member and the rotating body contact member, the elastic body is cylindrical, and the rotating body contact member contacts an inner surface of the elastic body.