Patent attributes
The actuator has a movable mass portion and a pair of drive mechanisms for driving the movable mass portion. Each of the pair of drive mechanisms includes a drive mass portion, a support portion for supporting the drive mass portion, a first elastic connecting portion interconnecting the drive mass portion and the support portion so as to allow the drive mass portion to be pivoted about a pivotal axis with respect to the support portion, and a second elastic connecting portion interconnecting the drive mass portion and the movable mass portion so as to allow the movable mass portion to be pivoted about a pivotal axis with respect to the drive mass portion. The first elastic connecting portion includes a pair of bending bars opposed to each other with interposing the pivotal axis of the drive mass portion therebetween. The first elastic connecting portion includes a pair of piezoelectric elements jointed respectively onto the pair of bending bars so as to bend the pair of bending bars in opposite directions to cause pivotal movement to the drive mass portion. The pivotal movement of the drive mass portion causes torsional deformation to the second elastic connecting portion so as to pivot the movable mass portion.
