Electrical generator or motor structure – Non-dynamoelectric – Piezoelectric elements and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-09
2001-11-06
Dougherty, Thomas M. (Department: 2834)
Electrical generator or motor structure
Non-dynamoelectric
Piezoelectric elements and devices
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313564
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a determination method for evaluating a friction surface of a vibration type actuator, a vibration type driving apparatus, a vibration type actuator, a vibration type actuator apparatus, a copying machine, and the like.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional vibration type actuators, a vibration member is adapted to form a driving vibration wave in an elastic member by applying alternating signals to a an electro-mechanical energy conversion element (such as a piezoelectric element) of the actuator. A contact member is provided in press contact with a driving surface of the vibration member, and the contact member is frictionally driven relative to the vibration member by the driving vibration wave. A friction member is provided on one of the frictional slide surfaces, for example, on the driving surface of the elastic member. This friction member wears off as a result of friction caused by sliding against the opposing member during driving of the vibration type actuator, and powder resulting from wear sticks to the frictional slide surface, thereby affecting the frictional driving.
An approach for recovering the friction surface is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-207186, wherein a member for removing wear particles stuck to the friction surface is provided in direct contact with the friction surface to shave off wear particles adhered thereto.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-59368 suggests another approach for recovering the friction surface using a friction material containing abrasive grains to remove wear particles stuck to the frictional slide surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vibration type driving apparatus adapted to automatically evaluate a condition of a friction surface between a vibration member and a contact member of a vibration type actuator by detecting a variation amount of an output state of the driving speed, or the like, of the actuator.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vibration type driving apparatus that can perform a recovery operation when the condition of a friction surface between the vibration member and the contact member of the vibration type actuator deteriorates.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, using a plurality of vibration type actuators as driving sources, wherein when any one of the actuators shows deterioration of the condition of a friction surface, a recovery operation is carried out for each actuator.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for evaluating the condition of a friction surface, based on the fact that the resonant frequency of the vibration type actuator varies with a change in the condition of the friction surface. For example, the apparatus may detect a parameter that indirectly changes with a change in the resonant frequency, arithmetically process detected values to compute a change of the parameter, and compare an output of the computation result with a predetermined threshold.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus including evaluating means for evaluating a condition of a friction surface of a vibration type actuator, determining means for determining whether a recovery operation of the friction surface should be carried out, based on the evaluation result, and notifying means for notifying a user that a recovery operation needs to be carried out, based on the determination result.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vibration type actuator apparatus that obtains a driving force by vibrating a vibration member, where the apparatus is provided with evaluating means for evaluating a change of a speed condition of the actuator apparatus during driving of the actuator apparatus under a predetermined driving condition, wherein a condition of a contact surface between a vibration member and a contact member in contact with the vibration member is determined based upon a determination of whether the speed condition exceeds a predetermined range of fluctuation.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vibration type actuator apparatus that obtains a driving force by applying a cyclic signal to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element so as to generate vibration in a vibration member, where the apparatus is provided with evaluating means for evaluating a condition of a contact surface between the vibration member and a contact member in contact with the vibration member, and contact surface recovery means for recovering a condition of the contact surface by (i) setting a relative movement speed between the vibration member and the contact member at a high speed, (ii) by driving the actuator apparatus at high speed, or (iii) by repetitively operating the actuator apparatus in forward and backward directions, when the evaluating means determines that the condition of the contact surface is unacceptable.
Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings.
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Hayashi Tadashi
Ito Jun
Kataoka Kenichi
Yamamoto Shinji
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Dougherty Thomas M.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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