← Back to Patent Explorer
US4734610A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vibration wave motor

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1987-03-23
•
Granted: 1988-03-29
•
Expires: 2007-03-23
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A vibration wave motor includes circular shape vibration part having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof; a unit, coupled to said vibration part for causing the vibration part to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of the vibration part; and a movable part having a stepped portion threadably engaged with the helical stepped portion, the movable part being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by the vibration part.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ichiro Okumura
  • 👤 Hitoshi Mukohjima
  • 👤 Sadayuki Ueha

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:06
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02N; H02N2/00; H02N2/10; H02N2/16; H02N2/163; H02N2/12; H02N2/123; H02N2/126

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) circular shape vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof; (b) means, coupled to said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; and (c) movable means having a stepped portion, threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 77 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) circular shape vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof; (b) means, coupled to said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; and (c) movable means having a stepped portion, threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said vibration means comprises a female threaded portion engaged with said stepped portion of said movable means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
A motor according to claim 2, wherein said movable means comprises a male threaded portion engaged with said stepped portion of said vibration means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 45 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said generating means has electro-mechanical conversion elements connected to said vibration means in such a manner that said vibration means generates the travelling vibration wave when electrical signals having a phase difference therebetween are applied to said elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said vibration means comprises a male threaded portion engaged with said stepped portion of said movable means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said movable means comprises a female threaded portion engaged with said stepped portion of said vibration means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
A motor according to claim 1, wherein said generating means has electro-mechanical conversion elements connected to said vibration means in such a manner that said vibration means generates the travelling vibration wave when electrical signals having a phase difference therebetween are applied to said elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 85 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) cylindrical vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof; (b) a pair of electro-mechanical conversion means, respectively connected to end faces of said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; and (c) movable means having a stepped portion threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion, said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 85 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) cylindrical vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof; (b) a pair of electro-mechanical conversion means, respectively connected to end faces of said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; and (c) movable means having a stepped portion threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion, said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 32 words
A motor according to claim 8, wherein said vibration means generates the travelling vibration wave when electrical signals having a phase difference therebetween are applied to said pair of electro-mechanical conversion means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 114 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) circular shape vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof, said vibration means being provided with an engaging portion in part thereof; (b) means, coupled to said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; (c) movable means having a stepped portion threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion, said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means; and (d) fixing means having an engaging portion engaged with said engaging portion of said vibration means, for fixing said vibration means at a predetermined position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 114 words
A vibration wave motor comprising: (a) circular shape vibration means having a helical stepped portion inside or outside thereof, said vibration means being provided with an engaging portion in part thereof; (b) means, coupled to said vibration means, for causing said vibration means to generate a travelling vibration wave propagating along a circumferential direction of said vibration means; (c) movable means having a stepped portion threadably engaged with said helical stepped portion, said movable means being frictionally driven by the travelling vibration wave generated by said vibration means; and (d) fixing means having an engaging portion engaged with said engaging portion of said vibration means, for fixing said vibration means at a predetermined position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 29 words
A motor according to claim 10, wherein said engaging portion of said fixing means includes an L-shaped distal end portion engaged with said engaging portion of said vibration means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
A motor according to claim 11, wherein said engaging portion of said vibration means includes a plurality of recesses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
A motor according to claim 10, wherein said engaging portion of said vibration means includes a plurality of projections.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3238476A Cited
US3351393A Cited
US3595007A Cited
US4210837A Cited
US4663556A Cited
US4600854A Cited
US4634916A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-03-29 1991-09-28 1992-03-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-03-29 1995-09-28 1996-03-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-03-29 1999-09-28 2000-03-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag