Electromagnetic Motive Power Patents (Class 359/814)
  • Patent number: 6747784
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compliant mechanism that can be used to make a variety of devices, such as tunable optical devices, that are more reliable, more cost effective, and/or exhibit better performance than prior art devices. In one embodiment, the complaint mechanism includes an island that is suspended from a frame using a compliant member that is attached to the frame and the island. Individual actuators and/or sensor elements may be placed on the island, so that each island may be individually actuated or sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: NP Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Little, Thomas S. Tyrie, William P. Eaton
  • Patent number: 6734914
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an image recording unit, which can pivot an image recording unit main body having a photographing optical system, which includes at least a photographing lens and an image pickup element, like the behavior of an eyeball, can realize a compact camera as a whole, and can reduce noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishimura, Osamu Sakata, Sakiko Yamaguchi, Rikako Sakai
  • Patent number: 6735024
    Abstract: A movable enclosure contains optical components, such as an objective lens, a semiconductor laser, a mirror, and a photodetector. The movable enclosure is supported by a fixed member via a plurality of wires that are positioned in parallel. This construction allows the movable enclosure to move in a tracking direction and a focusing direction. The plurality of wires are insulated from one another to be also used as power-supplying lines and signal lines for the semiconductor laser and the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakanishi, Shoichi Takasuka, Shinichi Ijima, Akio Yoshikawa, Kazutoshi Onozawa, Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Naoki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 6721104
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for focusing an elastically deformable lens by making small changes in the equatorial diameter of the lens. A plurality of micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) microengine assemblies are coupled to the periphery of the lens. The lens is focused by exerting and relaxing radial tension in a plane generally perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. Each microengine assembly utilizes thermal beam actuator arrays in combination with mechanical links to move a slider unit that is coupled to an aperture in the periphery of the lens. The movement of the slider unit alters the diameter of the lens to change the focus of the lens. The lens diameter may be changed by amounts as small as one micron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: PC Lens Corp
    Inventors: Ronald A. Schachar, Edward S. Kolesar
  • Patent number: 6721112
    Abstract: The optical element drive device is provided which includes: (i) a plurality of movable members to which a plurality of optical elements having functions for changing a path of light are attached, respectively; (ii) a plurality of support mechanisms for independently supporting the plurality of movable members in a displacable condition, (iii) a plurality of drive mechanisms for driving the plurality of movable members, and (iv) a fixed member to which the plurality of movable members are mounted. The plurality of drive mechanisms have coils and magnets, and at least one component of the plurality of drive mechanisms is used to drive at least two of the plurality of movable members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ikegame
  • Patent number: 6721110
    Abstract: An optical pickup actuator includes a bobbin. At least one focus coil and at least one track coil are arranged at both sides of the bobbin to secure the remaining sides of the bobbin. The optical pickup actuator can drive an optical pickup in a focus direction, a track direction, and a tilt direction. The focus coil is also used as the tilt coil. An optical pickup actuator is driven by arranging a bobbin on a base of the optical pickup actuator so as to be moved by support members, installing at least one focus and tilt coil to drive the bobbin in focus and tilt directions and at least one track coil to drive the bobbin in a track direction at opposite side surfaces of the bobbin, arranging magnets to face corresponding sides of the opposite side surfaces of the bobbin, and dividing the focus and tilt coils into at least two sets of coils and applying an input signal to each of the sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-youn Song, Kyung-sik Shin
  • Patent number: 6717752
    Abstract: An image separating device connected to a rigid endoscope has a Pechan prism to shift the optical axis of an objective optical system contained in the rigid endoscope, X- and Y-stages and a moving mechanism for moving the Pechan prism in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective optical system, and an enlarging optical system having an optical axis parallel with the optical axis of the objective optical system. As the Pechan prism is shifted, the image formed through the objective optical system is relatively shifted within its image plane, so that the image re-formed through a first image re-forming optical system is picked up by a first CCD camera without any decentering aberration, inclination relative to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the first image re-forming optical system, nor image rotation about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Moriyasu Kanai
  • Patent number: 6710950
    Abstract: A support for an optical system of a digital camera is constructed which provides adjustable positioning of the lens elements in response to signals from the camera control processor. The support comprises multiple tubes, mounted for relative coaxial movement, which support a lens element. At least one of the tubes is adjustable in position relative to a main support tube. The adjustable tube is engageable by piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectrical element is mounted to a flexible printed circuit board which contains the camera operating system and is mounted on the support tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
    Inventors: Jarkko Rouvinen, Ilpo Kauhaniemi, Pentti Ahlgren, Stefan Johansson, Christer Mattsson
  • Patent number: 6700715
    Abstract: In an oscillation damping system, the oscillations which act on an optical element in an imaging device, in particular on deformation-decoupled mounts and manipulators in a projection illumination arrangement, in particular in a projection objective for microlithographic projection exposure objective lithography, are detected by sensors, by actuators waves with same or at least similar frequencies and amplitudes of anti-phases to the disturbing oscillations are generated and introduced in said mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Franz Sorg, Stefan Xalter, Michael Muehlbeyer, Bernhard Gellrich, Frank Melzer, Thomas Ittner
  • Patent number: 6687062
    Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus is used for accurately positioning an abject to focus a light spot on an optical recording medium. A lens holder holds the objective lens and has a bearing hole through which a shaft extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis so that the lens holder is rotatably supported on the shaft. Two magnets are supported on the lens holder so that the shaft is between the magnets. A base has two magnetic members disposed such that each of the two magnets exerts an attraction force on a corresponding one of the two magnetic members to urge the lens holder in a direction of the optical axis and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. A first coil set of first focusing and tracking coils and a second coil set of focusing and tracking coils are mounted to the two magnetic members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiji Nakamura, Mitoru Yabe
  • Publication number: 20040017621
    Abstract: A coil substrate used for a lens driving apparatus is provided in a drive device for an optical disc. The coil substrate includes a tracking coil and a pair of focus coils disposed on a substantially rectangular substrate. The pair of the focus coils is disposed on the both sides of the tracking coil in the direction of the longer side of the substrate. The tracking coil and the focus coils may be substantially aligned in the direction of the longer side of the substrate, or may have the substantially equal lengths in the direction of the shorter side of the substrate. Thereby, the lengths of the coils in the direction of shorter side of the coil substrate can be made smaller. Thus, the coil substrate and the magnet can be reduced in size, and the miniaturization of the entire lens driving apparatus can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Eiji Kuroki
  • Patent number: 6683831
    Abstract: In an objective lens actuator, when an action force generation force including a focus coil and a magnetic circuit generates an action force for displacing an objective lens holder in a focus direction of an optical disk, a leaf spring supports the magnetic circuit with respect to an actuator base, in such a manner that the magnetic circuit can be rotated about an arbitrary point in the leaf spring, by a reaction force of the action force. At the same time, the equation a=I/Mh is satisfied, where M is a mass of the magnetic circuit, I is a moment of inertia of the magnetic circuit about a center of gravity, a is a distance between the center of gravity of the magnetic circuit and a line of action in a direction of the action force, and h is a distance between a center of rotation in the leaf spring and the center of gravity of the magnetic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Seiichi Nagatome
  • Publication number: 20040013079
    Abstract: The pickup device is used in a drive device of an optical disc and is opposed to the optical disc to irradiate a light beam from a light source onto an information recording surface of the optical disc. The pickup device has the actuator including the objective lens for condensing a light beam on the information recording surface of the optical disc, and irradiation of a light beam on the optical disc is controlled by moving the objective lens. Further, the pickup device has the optical system for directing a light beam, which is emitted from the light source, to a position below the objective lens. The optical system is placed at the same height level as the actuator. Therefore, as compared with the case where the optical system is provided below the actuator, the whole pickup can be smaller in thickness, and it is possible to provide a pickup device suitable for a thin drive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Eiji Kuroki, Muneyuki Horiguchi
  • Publication number: 20040004774
    Abstract: When a lens holder 2A is in a neutral position, a ratio of a gap between opposing surfaces of one tilt magnet 10a, 10b and one tilt coil 5 which oppose to each other, to a radial direction thickness of the tile magnet 10a, 10b, is in the range of 1/2 to 1/3. In at least one tilt coil of the tilt coils, a ratio of a light axis direction inside distance of the tilt coil to a light axis direction height of the tilt magnet, is in the range of 1/1.5 to 1/4. With this arrangement, even if the objective lens is shifted in a tracking direction or in a focusing direction, variation in the sensitivity and the linearity of the radial tilt movement is small, and an internally accessible area is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 6665109
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compliant mechanism that can be used to make a variety of devices, such as tunable optical devices that are more reliable, more cost effective and/or exhibit better performance than prior art devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: NP Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Little, Thomas S. Tyrie, William P. Eaton, John J. Lyon
  • Patent number: 6654185
    Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator with an improved utilization rate of magnetic circuit for efficiently moving an objective lens on micro levels along a focusing direction and a tracking direction is disclosed. The electromagnetic actuator includes two homopolar parts spaced with a clearance small enough for generating magnetic force lines including a first and a second smooth portions which are preferably linear. The electromagnetic actuator further includes a first and a second actuating coil sets connected to the holder of the objective lens for moving the objective lens along the focusing and the tracking directions, respectively. The first and the second actuating coil sets are arranged around the homopolar parts with coil walls thereof substantially perpendicular to the first and the second smooth portions, respectively, so that they themselves move in the focusing and/or tracking directions in response to the currents and the magnetic force lines applied thereto to actuate the lens holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Acute Applied Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chin-Sung Liu, Li-Chung Peng, An-Ying Huang
  • Publication number: 20030210641
    Abstract: An object lens driving device comprises a movable unit which supports an object lens and is movably supported by a fixed unit, a first mechanism which has a first magnet affixed to a fixed unit and a first coil affixed to a movable unit, and drives the movable unit in a predetermined direction by supplying electricity to the first coil, and a second mechanism which has a second coil affixed to a fixed unit and a second magnet affixed to a movable unit, and drives the movable unit in a direction different from that of the first mechanism by supplying electricity to the second coil, wherein the first and second magnets are arranged so that their polarities have the same orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Shinozuka
  • Patent number: 6641878
    Abstract: An optical pickup device-holding container, which is formed from a resin composition comprising a poly(arylene sulfide) (A) and an inorganic filler (B) and having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/mK; and an optical pickup device in which at least a light source, an objective lens and a light-receiving part are held in the holding container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Kureha Kagaku Kogyo K.K.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Suzuki, Masahito Tada
  • Patent number: 6643073
    Abstract: There is provided an objective lens drive for driving an objective lens to optically read information recorded on a rotative driven disc. An objective lens holding member (2) is held by four first metal wires (61) on a relay holding member (71), and the relay holding member (71) is held by four second metal wires (62) on a fixing part (72). The acceleration sensitivity which acts on the objective holding member (2) in different disc rotation frequency bands is increased. The disc rotation frequency bands correspond to different resonance frequency bands created by each of a first free oscillation system, the main part of which is the first metal wires (61), and a second free oscillation system, the main part of which is the second metal wires (62). Thereby, the light spot's following sensitivity to the displacement of an information recording, track can be increased in at least two disc rotation frequency bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Akeda
  • Publication number: 20030197960
    Abstract: In an optical pickup, an actuator base of an objective lens unit is attached to an end face of a housing by a reference bolt and two tilt adjusting bolts which are respectively inserted in through holes of the housing. A tapered conical spring is used which has one end portion whose outside diameter is set to be identical to or slightly smaller than the diameter of a bottom surface of a recessed portion and another end portion whose outside diameter is set to be identical to or slightly smaller than the diameter of a head of the reference bolt. The one end portion of the tapered conical spring is made to abut against the bottom surface of the recessed portion, while the other end portion of the tapered conical spring is made to abut against the head of the reference bolt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Suehiro Harada
  • Publication number: 20030179686
    Abstract: Tracking coils are fixed on side surfaces of a lens holder and a magnetic substance of axisymmetric shape is fixed on a lower surface of the lens holder, being sandwiched by a focusing coil. Moreover, end portions of the magnetic substance are opposed to respective N-pole surfaces of permanent magnets serving as a focusing driving device and a tracking driving device together with the above coils. As a result, a neutral position holding system for an objective lens can be formed of these permanent magnets and the magnetic substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Nobuo Takeshita, Mitoru Yabe
  • Publication number: 20030179471
    Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus includes a lens holder 1 that holds an objective lens 2, and a stationary base 9 that supports the lens holder 1 by a support shaft 3 parallel to an optical axis of the objective lens 2. A stationary yoke 11 and the magnet 8 are mounted to the stationary base 9. A focusing coil 4 and the tracking coils 5a and 5b are mounted to the lens holder 1. The interaction between the current in the focusing coil 4 and the magnetic field caused by the magnet 8 generates an electromagnetic force that moves the lens holder 1 along the support shaft 3. The interaction between the current in the tracking coils 5a and 5b and the magnetic field caused by the magnet 8 generates an electromagnetic force that rotates the lens holder 1 about the support shaft 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Keiji Nakamura, Mitoru Yabe
  • Patent number: 6621618
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical scanning device for apparatuses for recording and/or reproducing information on optical recording media, which is suitable in particular for recording and/or reproducing information at high speed, such as, for example, the scanning of a DVD at a twelve-fold speed. According to the invention, the optical scanning device has a lens holder which is formed by a hollow body and whose side walls are arranged such that they run at an angle to a connecting point with its elastic support. The thus hexagonally formed lens holder has advantageous air chambers and an enlarged distance from the lens, and also an elastic support deviating from a parallel guide, which lead to a low degree of lens tilting, improved guidance properties and a natural resonance behaviour which is necessary for scanning at high speed. The field of application relates to the production of scanning devices for optical recording media which are provided for recording and/or reproducing information at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S. A.
    Inventors: Jürgen Kaaden, Klaus Oldermann, Tsuneo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030156529
    Abstract: Suspension wires (3a) and (3c) are fixed to and bridged over a lens holder (1) and a fixing member (11) which is fixed to the housing. On each of side surfaces of the lens holder (1) is mounted a tilt bobbin (8) onto which a tilt coil (9) is wound. A second suspension wire (3b) is fixed to and bridged over the tilt bobbin (8) and the fixing member (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Noboru Tajiri
  • Patent number: 6608802
    Abstract: According to the invention, techniques for minimizing power consumption in optical disk drives. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide disk drives with optimal positioning of a fixing part of an objective lens driving unit incorporated therein. Spatial location of magnets can also be determined in order to reduce the power consumption and the torsion of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Maeda, Shinya Fujimori, Seiichi Kato, Michio Miura, Akio Yabe
  • Publication number: 20030147336
    Abstract: The height of a tracking coil in an objective lens driving device having a cover over a magnetic circuit is freed from limitations imposed by the cover, so that an effective length of the tracking coil can be ensured. Magnets 2, 3 generating an effective flux and facing yokes 6, 7 facing the magnets are provided such that effective edges of a focusing coil 12 and a tracking coil 13 are located in an air gap. A cover 19 is provided over the top surface of the magnets 2, 3 and the facing yokes 6, 7. The cover 19 has a notch formed for exposing the tracking coil 13 so as to avoid limiting the height of the tracking coil 13, thereby securing an appropriate effective length of the tracking coil 13 within the effective flux.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chikashi Yoshinaga
  • Patent number: 6594093
    Abstract: In the case of an adjusting apparatus for an optical element in a lens system, in particular a lens in a projection lens system for semiconductor lithography, for producing tilting movements, having at least one actuator, the optical element is connected via elastic connecting members, directly or indirectly via an inner mount, to an outer mount. The elastic connecting members or the at least one actuator are/is provided in each case with bearing bridges which have bearing locations for a connection to the optical element or to the inner mount, and bridge arms which are connected to the bearing locations. The bridge arms are provided with piezoceramic elements in plate or sheet form which undergo changes in length upon activation. The piezoceramic elements of the various bearing bridges can be activated individually or together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Technologies AG
    Inventors: Timo Moeller, Bernhard Gellrich
  • Patent number: 6594223
    Abstract: A lens driving apparatus for a disk player capable of easily approaching to the innermost circumference of a disk and realizing a reduction in size and weight thereof, in which: an actuator section where a movable portion including printed board coils fixed to the respective side surfaces of a lens holder containing an objective lens is movably supported by outer circumferential side wire-form elastic members and inner circumferential side wire-form elastic members fixed to an actuator base, and a suspension base including a pair of yokes to which a pair of magnets disposed so as to be opposed to each other with a predetermined magnetic space therebetween are fixed and standing portions are included; and a width Wi of each of the inner circumferential side wire-form elastic members is set to be greater than a width Wo of each of the outer circumferential side wire-form elastic members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Katsumi Ishii, Eiji Kuroki
  • Publication number: 20030128443
    Abstract: An optical pickup actuator includes a bobbin, support members, and a pair of magnetic circuits. An objective lens is mounted on the bobbin. The support members have first ends fixed on sides of the bobbin and second ends fixed to a holder placed on a portion of a base to allow the bobbin to move with respect to the base. The magnetic circuits are installed on two sides of the bobbin and on the base. Each magnetic circuit includes a tracking coil which moves the bobbin in a tracking direction, a plurality of focusing/tilting coils which moves the bobbin in at least one direction of a focusing direction and a tilting direction having a focusing component, and a magnet which faces the focusing/tilting coils and the tracking coil and have a polarized structure to move the bobbin in the tracking direction and at least one direction of the focusing direction and the tilting direction having the focusing component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae jong Jang, Duk-young Chong
  • Publication number: 20030123161
    Abstract: In an objective lens actuating device, a magnetic field generating part generates a magnetic field with a focusing coil in a gap formed by an inner yoke and an outer yoke and an auxiliary magnetic field generating part generates an opposite magnetic field in respect to the magnetic field which is generated in the gap towards the focusing coil, at both ends of the inner yoke vertical to the focusing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventor: Takehide Ohno
  • Patent number: 6587284
    Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus is improved in a tracking drive sensitivity, and is capable of suppressing the occurrence of a tilt when a moving member is driven for tracking and focusing motions. To achieve this, the objective lens driving apparatus comprises: a substantially rectangularly shaped focusing coil and a substantially rectangularly shaped tracking coil, both arranged in the same plane, and fixed to a lens holder to drive the lens holder on which an objective lens is held; and a magnet having mutually opposite magnetic poles arranged at positions opposite winding portions of the focusing coil which lie on two sides thereof extending perpendicularly to a focusing direction, and also having mutually opposite magnetic poles arranged at positions opposite winding portions of the tracking coil which lie on two sides thereof extending perpendicularly to a tracking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Santo, Masanari Mohri, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Kanji Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 6587283
    Abstract: An optical pickup is equipped with: an enclosure which contains an optical system including a semiconductor laser and an objective lens; a fixed member; and an elastic supporting member which has conductivity and movably supports the enclosure. A plurality of pairs of driving coils are each positioned in the enclosure so as to be symmetrical with respect to an optical axis of a laser beam. The plurality of pairs of driving coils generate magnetic forces with a plurality of magnets or the like, to drive the enclosure in a focusing direction and a tracking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Ijima, Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Kazutoshi Onozawa, Hideyuki Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20030117934
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical disc apparatus which restricts an operation sound generated from an objective lens driving portion of an optical pickup and has a reduce sound, in an optical disc apparatus, in particular, an optical disc apparatus installing a microphone for recording an external voice therein. Coils (107, 108), a magnet (109) and opposing surfaces of a yoke (110) are respectively arranged at substantially point symmetrical positions with respect to an optical axis (111) of an objective lens (103) in a state in which no electric current is applied, the yoke (110) and a unit base (117) are connected via a spring member (118), and the unit base (117) is mounted to a casing (120). In this case, the spring member (118) is connected at a position (121) forward apart from the objective lens (103) with respect to the yoke (110), and is formed so as to have at least a deformation freedom in a direction of the optical axis of the objective lens (103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Mori, Kyuichiro Nagai, Atsushi Inoue, Toshimasa Kamisada, Ryuichiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6580569
    Abstract: An optical pickup assembly is provided having a base; an objective lens including a body portion and a lens portion built into the body portion; a suspension wherein one end is fixed to the body portion and the other end is fixed to a holder supporting the objective lens such that the objective lens is movable; coil members formed at the sides of the body portion of the objective lens; permanent magnets mounted on the base, opposite to the coil members; and yokes for guiding magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnets. In the optical pickup assembly, the objective lens is constructed such that the body portion serving as a bobbin is combined with the lens portion, thereby reducing the weight of the moving part. As a result, the moving part can sensitively accelerate with application of a voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-kook Choi, Seok-jung Kim
  • Publication number: 20030103441
    Abstract: An actuator for an optical pickup having a base on which a holder is fixed, a bobbin, a support member, and a magnetic circuit. A plurality of installation holes are formed in the bobbin such that a plurality of objective lenses to record and/or reproduce optical discs having different recording densities are installed at different heights. The support member has one end coupled to the bobbin and the other end coupled to the holder movably supports the bobbin. The magnetic circuit drives the bobbin in focusing and tracking directions. The magnetic circuit is divided into a first magnetic circuit to drive the objective lenses in the focusing direction, and a second magnetic circuit to drive the objective lenses in the tracking direction, thereby reducing the weight of a moving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-jung Kim, Yong-hoon Lee, Sun-mo Kim
  • Patent number: 6574052
    Abstract: An optical pick-up actuator includes a lens holder suspended in a magnetic field by a suspension wire and having tracking and focusing coils and objective lens, a magnet for generating a magnetic field crossing other magnetic field generated by a electric current along tracking and focusing coils so as to drive the objective lens in focusing and tracking directions in suspended state, a frame for supporting the lens holder by the suspension wire, a yoke for securing the frame by a shaft, pairs of tilting coils mounted at both end portion of the frame for driving the lens holder in suspended state by suspension wires by rotating the frame in a predetermined direction on the axis of the shaft, and pairs of tilting magnets arranged so as to correspondingly face the tilting coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Min Suk Suh
  • Patent number: 6570720
    Abstract: A coil unit on which a focus coil and tracking coils are formed is arranged in a magnetic gap of a magnetic circuit including at least one magnet polarized on two poles in the focusing direction. The magnet and the tracking coils are arranged so that the boundary between the north pole and the south pole of the magnet polarized on two poles in the focusing direction falls within the width formed by the horizontal sides of the tracking coil in the focusing direction, the focusing direction is perpendicular to the focusing direction, when the coil unit is moved in the focusing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawano
  • Publication number: 20030090816
    Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus is used for accurately positioning an abject to focus a light spot on an optical recording medium. A lens holder holds the objective lens and has a bearing hole through which a shaft extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis so that the lens holder is rotatably supported on the shaft. Two magnets are supported on the lens holder so that the shaft is between the magnets. A base has two magnetic members disposed such that each of the two magnets exerts an attraction force on a corresponding one of the two magnetic members to urge the lens holder in a direction of the optical axis and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. A first coil set of first focusing and tracking coils and a second coil set of focusing and tracking coils are mounted to the two magnetic members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Keiji Nakamura, Mitoru Yabe
  • Patent number: 6560047
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image module having a function of an automatic focus adjustment based on a COB system for miniaturization and unification. The image module includes an image packaging unit, which comprises a sensor for sensing a picture image, a substrate including the sensor, a sensor cover for covering the sensor and the substrate at the outside and a sensor filter for blocking an outer environment and passing light between the sensor cover and the sensor only; and a lens blade unit, which comprises a lens blade having a lens to transmit the light at a center and a driving coil on a surface thereof, an elastic means for supplying a current to the driving coil of the lens blade and supporting the lens blade, and a magnet for forming a magnetic field to enable the lens blade to shift up and down due an electromagnetic force, and thereby lowering power consumption and production cost and improving reliability on a product thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woon Ha Choi, Young Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 6549346
    Abstract: An objective lens assembly includes: at least two groups of lenses having a common optical axis: and at least two lens holders for respectively holding the at least two groups of lenses, wherein each of the lens holders has an end face perpendicular to the optical axis, and the lens holders are positioned such that the end face of one of the lens holders faces the end face of the other lens holder, and a gap between these end faces is filled with an adhesive agent for adhering the lens holders to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Wada, Keiichi Matsuzaki, Seiji Nishino, Tetsuo Saimi, Kenichi Kasazumi, Masanari Mohri
  • Patent number: 6542319
    Abstract: A pickup device has a light source, an objective lens for converging rays of light emitted from a light source onto a recording medium, a lens holder for holding the objective lens, and supporting element for movably supporting the lens holder. The pickup device is uniquely featured in that a part of the objective lens and a part of the lens holder are movable relative to each other so as to adjust an inclination of an optical axis of the objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kato, Jun Miyamori, Kuniya Satomi
  • Patent number: 6532118
    Abstract: In an objective lens actuating device, a magnetic field generating part generates a magnetic field with a focusing coil in a gap formed by an inner yoke and an outer yoke and an auxiliary magnetic field generating part generates an opposite magnetic field in respect to the magnetic field which is generated in the gap towards the focusing coil, at both ends of the inner yoke vertical to the focusing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehide Ohno
  • Patent number: 6519100
    Abstract: An optical pick-up device adapted for irradiating light beams onto an optical disc to carry out recording or reproduction of information signals with respect to the optical disc. A movable portion in which coils for drive are provided at a lens holder of synthetic resin which holds an object lens is displaceably supported at a fixing portion including magnets opposite to the drive coils through suspensions doubling as electric current supply medium from an external circuit. At the lens holder, there are provided conductive portions formed by the resin plating method. End portions of the drive coils and one ends of the suspensions are soldered to the conductive portions, thus to carry out mechanical supporting with respect to the fixing portion of the movable portion and electric connection with respect to the external circuit of the drive coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030011900
    Abstract: An optical pickup actuator includes a bobbin. At least one focus coil and at least one track coil are arranged at both sides of the bobbin to secure the remaining sides of the bobbin. The optical pickup actuator can drive an optical pickup in a focus direction, a track direction, and a tilt direction. The focus coil is also used as the tilt coil. An optical pickup actuator is driven by arranging a bobbin on a base of the optical pickup actuator so as to be moved by support members, installing at least one focus and tilt coil to drive the bobbin in focus and tilt directions and at least one track coil to drive the bobbin in a track direction at opposite side surfaces of the bobbin, arranging magnets to face corresponding sides of the opposite side surfaces of the bobbin, and dividing the focus and tilt coils into at least two sets of coils and applying an input signal to each of the sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Byung-youn Song, Kyung-sik Shin
  • Patent number: 6493158
    Abstract: A lens driving apparatus of a disc player which can avoid the rolling of a movable portion without increasing a weight of a movable portion of an actuator and printed circuit board coils for the lens driving apparatus are provided. A center of gravity of a focusing coil is located on a lower side in the focusing direction than a plane including a distribution center line of a drive force which is generated from a pair of tracking coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Katsumi Ishii
  • Patent number: 6483650
    Abstract: A hologram 48 as optical path branching element has two hologram areas 48b and 48c for diffracting a return light beam into different directions, and a boundary 48a between them is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction corresponding to the direction of radius of the optical disc 11. The light diffracted by the one hologram area 48b is received by light-receiving sections A1 and A2 of a photodetector IC 44, and the light diffracted by the other hologram area 48c is received by light-receiving sections A3 and A4. With the above-described structure, a position deviation of an objective lens 27 at the time of access to a desired recording track on an optical disc 11 can be detected by finding the difference between the light quantity of the light received by the light-receiving sections A1 and A2 of the photodetector IC 44 and the light quantity of the light received by the light-receiving sections A3 and A4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Imai
  • Patent number: 6473248
    Abstract: A movable enclosure contains optical components, such as an objective lens, a semiconductor laser, a mirror, and a photodetector. The movable enclosure is supported by a fixed member via a plurality of wires that are positioned in parallel. This construction allows the movable enclosure to move in a tracking direction and a focusing direction. The plurality of wires are insulated from one another to be also used as power-supplying lines and signal lines for the semiconductor laser and the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakanishi, Shoichi Takasuka, Shinichi Ijima, Akio Yoshikawa, Kazutoshi Onozawa, Kazuhiko Yamanaka, Naoki Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20020150002
    Abstract: An optical pickup compatible with an optical disc having a deflection error. The optical pickup includes a blade on which an objective lens is mounted, a focus coil and a tracking coil mounted around the blade, and a magnet and a yoke driving the blade by generating an electromagnetic force induced by the current flowing through the focus and tracking coils, wherein the magnet is displaced a predetermined distance from the center line of the blade such that the electromagnetic force acting on the blade in a focus direction is asymmetrical. The structure of the optical pickup causes an intentional radial rolling of the blade to make the optical axis of the objective lens approximately perpendicular to the recording surface of the disc. Therefore, the optical pickup is effective for a focus control on a disc having a deflection error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Jung-Gug Pae, Jong-uk Kim
  • Patent number: 6462893
    Abstract: In the lens driving apparatus of a disk player, a pair of magnets 20 for generating magnetic fields are fixed to a pair of yokes 21, respectively to generate a magnetic gap therebetween. The pair of yokes 21 are oppositely arranged on and fixed to a plate-like actuator base 10 by plural screws 12 through a fixing member 11. A movable portion 50 is movably hung by four supporting wires 32 (or plate screws) on a supporting base 31 that is fixed to the actuator base 10. The movable portion 51 is arranged within the above magnetic gap. In such a configuration, the apparatus for a disk player can shift a natural resonance frequency to a high frequency and can be operated at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Katsumi Ishii
  • Patent number: 6452732
    Abstract: A filter driving device has a first optical filter, a second optical filter and a rotary driving member. The rotary driving member is arranged such that, when the rotary driving, member is rotated in a predetermined direction, the rotary driving member drives the first and second optical filter members to bring about three filter setting states including a state in which the first optical filter is located on an optical path, another state in which the second optical filter is located on the optical path and a further state in which neither of the first and second optical filters is located on the optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadanori Okada, Naoya Kaneda