| 摘要 |
A vibration actuator is provided which is capable of generating a bending vibration having a sufficient amplitude to allow production of a large driving force in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bending vibration. Specifically, the vibration actuator generates a primary mode longitudinal vibration and a fourth mode bending vibration harmonically in an elastic body, so that a portion of the elastic body having a driving protrusion moves cyclically along an elliptical path. The driving protrusion comes into contact with a relative moving body along a section of the elliptical path, and thus exerts a driving force on the relative moving body. Reduced rigidity portions formed in the elastic body preferably at positions corresponding to antinodes of the bending vibration allow the bending vibration, and therefore also the driving force, to have greater amplitudes.
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