IP Library Granted Patent US 7,085,484
Granted Patent B2
US 7,085,484 · App. 10/617,634 · Granted Aug 1, 2006

Driving device, position controller provided with driving device, and camera provided with position controller

Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,085,484
App. No.
10/617,634
Granted
Aug 1, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driving device for an ultrasonic actuator for driving a movable member is provided with a member sensor for detecting a present position of the movable member, a calculator for calculating a control target position of the movable member, a driving circuit for generating such a drive voltage as to drive the ultrasonic actuator in a specified resonant state, and a control circuit for controlling an operative state of the movable member by adjusting at least one of physical quantities specifying the drive voltage as a maneuverable physical quantity in accordance with a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position. There can be provided a driving device capable of executing a position servo control while being driven in a specified resonant state, and a position controller and a camera provided with such a driving device.

Claims (53)

1. A driving device for driving a movable member under position servo control by an ultrasonic actuator having characteristics that a moving speed of the movable member is varied substantially linearly by varying a non-frequency parameter, the device comprising:

a position detector which detects a present position of the movable member driven by the ultrasonic actuator;

a calculator which calculates a control target position of the movable member;

a driver which generates a drive signal to drive the ultrasonic actuator in a specified resonant state; and

a position servo controller which sets a basic driving frequency of the drive signal and controls said non-frequency parameter of the drive signal based on a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position.

2. A driving device according to claim 1 , wherein said non-frequency parameter is a voltage value of the drive signal.

3. A driving device according to claim 1 , wherein said non-frequency parameter is a duty cycle ratio of the drive signal.

4. A driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of said non-frequency parameter is performed based on an adjustment value table.

5. A driving device according to claim 4 , wherein the adjustment value table is stored in advance.

6. A driving device according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature detector which detects an ambient temperature, wherein the basic driving frequency is corrected depending on the ambient temperature.

7. A driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic actuator has driving frequency-speed characteristics that the speed is set at a substantially constant value in a predetermined frequency range.

8. A driving device according to claim 7 , wherein said non-frequency parameter is a voltage value of the drive signal.

9. A driving device according to claim 7 , wherein said non-frequency parameter is a duty ratio of the drive signal.

10. A driving device for driving a movable member under position servo control by an ultrasonic actuator having a resonant state in a constant amplitude state, the device comprising:

a position detector which detects a present position of the movable member driven by the ultrasonic actuator;

a calculator which calculates a control target position of the movable member;

a driver which generates a drive signal to drive the ultrasonic actuator in a specified resonant state; and

a position servo controller which sets a frequency of the drive signal to a frequency lower than a complete resonant frequency of the ultrasonic actuator, and which controls a first non-frequency parameter of the drive signal based on a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position.

11. A driving device according to claim 10 , wherein the ultrasonic actuator has characteristics that a moving speed of the movable member is varied substantially linearly by changing a second non-frequency parameter.

12. A driving device according to claim 10 , wherein the ultrasonic actuator has driving frequency-speed characteristics that the speed is set at a substantially constant value in a predetermined frequency range.

13. A driving device according to claim 10 , wherein the control target position is continuously changed.

14. A driving device according to claim 10 , wherein the calculator cyclically calculates the control target position at a predetermined cycle.

15. A driving device according to claim 10 , wherein said first non-frequency parameter is a voltage value of the drive signal or a duty ratio of the drive signal.

16. A driving device for driving a movable member by an ultrasonic actuator under position servo control, the ultrasonic actuator being driven in a specified resonant state, and having characteristics that a moving speed of the movable member is varied substantially linearly by changing a non-frequency parameter, the device comprising:

a position detector which detects a present position of the movable member driven by the ultrasonic actuator;

a calculator which calculates a control target position of the movable member;

a driver which generates a drive signal to drive the ultrasonic actuator in the specified resonant state; and

a position servo controller which sets a basic driving frequency of the drive signal and controls said non-frequency parameter of the drive signal based on a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position, wherein a frequency of the drive signal is maintained within a predetermined frequency range.

17. A driving device according to claim 16 , wherein the control target position is continuously changed.

18. A driving device according to claim 16 , wherein the calculator cyclically calculates the control target position at a predetermined cycle.

19. A driving device according to claim 16 , wherein the first non-frequency parameter is a voltage value of the drive signal or a duty ratio of the drive signal.

20. A driving device for driving a movable member by an ultrasonic actuator under position servo control,

the ultrasonic actuator including:

an electro-mechanical conversion element which is expandable and contractible by application of a drive signal;

a supporting member which is fixed to an end of the electro-mechanical conversion element in an expanding/contracting direction thereof; and

a driving member which frictionally engages the movable member, and is fixed to the other end of the electro-mechanical conversion element in the expanding/contracting direction thereof, the supporting member and the movable member being movable relative to each other by expanding and contracting the electro-mechanical conversion element at a variable speed, the driving device comprising:

a position detector which detects a present position of the movable member driven by the ultrasonic actuator;

a calculator which calculates a control target position of the movable member;

a driver which generates the drive signal to drive the ultrasonic actuator in a specified resonant state; and

a position servo controller which sets a basic driving frequency of the drive signal and controls a non-frequency parameter of the drive signal based on a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position.

21. A driving device according to claim 20 , wherein the control target position is continuously changed.

22. A driving device according to claim 20 , wherein the calculator cyclically calculates the control target position at a predetermined cycle.

23. A driving device according to claim 20 , wherein said another parameter is a voltage value of the drive signal or a duty ratio of the drive signal.

24. A camera provided with a movable member driven under position servo control, the movable member being provided in a photographing optical system, the camera comprising:

an ultrasonic actuator including:

an electro-mechanical conversion element which is expandable and contractible by application of a drive signal;

a supporting member which is fixed to an end of the electro-mechanical conversion element in an expanding/contracting direction thereof; and

a driving member which frictionally engages the movable member, and is fixed to the other end of the electro-mechanical conversion element in the expanding/contracting direction thereof, the supporting member and the movable member being movable relative to each other by expanding and contracting the electro-mechanical conversion element at a variable speed,

a position detector which detects a present position of the movable member driven by the ultrasonic actuator;

a calculator which calculates a control target position of the movable member;

a driver which generates the drive signal to drive the ultrasonic actuator in a specified resonant state; and

a position servo controller which sets a basic driving frequency of the drive signal and controls a non-frequency parameter of the drive signal based on a difference between the present position and the control target position so that the movable member pursues the control target position.

25. A camera according to claim 24 , wherein the movable member engages with a member for performing camera shake correction.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2004
From: HARA, YOSHIHIRO
To: MINOLTA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 015761/0161 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2003
From: HARA, YOSHIHIRO
To: MINOLTA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 015692/0604 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-208854 · Jul 17, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20040013420A1 · Jan 22, 2004