Abstract: A data storage media may have at least a multi-layer recording lamination with a predetermined coercivity. The multi-layer recording lamination can be configured to record at least one servo format mark for a plurality of data tracks with a solid immersion mirror and program a data bit on the multi-layer recording lamination with a near field transducer.

Abstract: Provided is an objective lens driving unit in which a wire holder is coupled to a circuit board. In a conventional objective lens driving unit, a connection between a wire holder and a circuit board may deteriorate over time due to a deterioration of the connection. According to various aspects, a wire holder may be directly coupled to a circuit board by insert molding, thus improving the connection between the wire holder and the circuit board over time.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for focusing a laser beam on an optical disc. According to various aspects, the apparatus may include an objective lens which has a numerical aperture below what is standardized for the optical disc. In addition, a collimating lens which is used to focus a laser beam on the objective lens may be positioned at a fixed location. Despite the fixed location, the apparatus may support data recording/reproducing on multiple layers of the optical disc.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes: an optical disk apparatus; a receiver which receives a command indicating that a tray provided in the optical disc apparatus is ejected; a power supply module which supplies electric-power to each of modules of the information processing apparatus; and a power supply controller which controls supply of electric-power to each of the modules from the power supply module. When the supply of electric-power to each of the modules is stopped, the power supply controller continues the supply of electric-power to the optical disc apparatus during a certain time. When the power supply controller receives the command within the certain time, the power supply controller ejects the tray and stops the supply of electric-power to the optical disc apparatus.

Abstract: An optical disc driving device has a metallic exterior casing and an internal unit to be housed in the exterior casing. The internal unit further includes an optical pickup unit for performing recording or reproduction of information signals on an optical disc, and a printed wiring substrate on which a connector electrically connected to the optical pickup unit and serving for transmission and reception of electrical signals from and to external electronic equipment via an external-connection cable is mounted. The exterior casing has an opening for allowing the connector project outside, and the connector is connected to the external-connection cable in a direction that orthogonally crosses with a projecting direction of the connector from the opening, and the external-connection cable extends from the connector along a surface of the exterior casing.

Abstract: Provided is a reliable optical pick-up which can prevent deterioration of a performance of a component, shortening of a service life or malfunctioning due to heat generation of an laser driver IC, wherein a metallic pattern is provided on a flexible printed board, having an area wider than the external shape of the laser driver IC and having an exposed outer surface, and made of the same material as that of a wiring pattern. It is preferable to bend the flexible printed board in a mounting part for the laser driver IC so that the metallic pattern is faced to and superposed with a surface of the flexible printed board on the side remote from the surface on which the laser driver IC is mounted.

Abstract: An optical disc driving device has a metallic exterior casing composed of a first casing and a second casing and an internal unit to be housed in the exterior casing. The internal unit includes an optical pickup unit having an optical pickup part that moves in radial directions of an optical disc to perform recording or reproduction of information signals on the optical disc. At a portion where the optical pickup part moved radially outward of the optical disc makes a closest approach to, in either one of the first casing or the second casing opposed to the first casting, a protrusion for electrically connecting the first casing and the second casing to each other is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a photodetector unit including a photodetector integrated circuit (PDIC). The photodetector may reduce a height of a conventional optical pickup by improving the input/output terminals of the PDIC and accordingly improving the contact points and wires of a corresponding printed circuit board (PCB).

Abstract: A stepping-motor-driving circuit for an optical pickup: includes a control-signal-generating circuit to generate a plurality of control signals for supplying driving currents to driving coils having a plurality of phases during energized periods, with a de-energized period therebetween; a plurality of output circuits to supply the currents to the respective coils, in response to the signals; an induced-voltage-detecting circuit to compare a voltage generated each in the coils with a threshold voltage during the de-energized period; a threshold-voltage-setting circuit; and a determining circuit to determine whether a collision state is present where the pickup reaches an end of a movement range, based on an induced-voltage-detecting-circuit-detection result, the threshold voltage set at a voltage between a voltage generated each in the coils during the de-energized period when the stepping motor stops or rotates in the state, and a voltage generated therein in the de-energized period when no collision state is

Abstract: An optical disc driving device having a metallic exterior casing and an internal unit to be housed in the exterior casing, the internal unit further including an optical pickup unit for performing recording or reproduction of information signals on an optical disc, and a printed wiring substrate on which a connector electrically connected to the optical pickup unit and serving for transmission and reception of electrical signals from and to external electronic equipment via an external-connection cable is mounted, wherein the exterior casing has an opening for allowing the connector to be projected outside, the connector is so provided as to be connected to the external-connection cable in a direction that orthogonally crosses with a projecting direction of the connector from the opening, and the external-connection cable is so provided as to extend from the connector along a surface of the exterior casing.

Abstract: An optical pickup assembly that has flexible beams that support an objective lens for adjustment in a focusing direction and a tracking direction. The flexible beams are used to support and move the objective lens. A controller operates electromagnetic actuators that move the flexible beams.

Abstract: A method and system for providing energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads are described. The heads include sliders having leading and trailing edges. An EAMR transducer for each head is fabricated on a front face of a substrate that corresponds to the trailing edge of the slider. An overcoat layer that includes transducer and laser contact(s) is provided on the transducer. A laser for providing light to the transducer is provided on each slider. The laser is electrically coupled to the laser contact(s) and electrically insulated from at least part of the transducer contacts. The laser is enclosed in a capping layer, which has a laser-facing surface including a laser cavity, via(s), a trailing surface, and pads on the trailing surface. The laser cavity encloses the laser between the overcoat and capping layers. The via(s) provide electrical connection to the transducer contacts. The substrate is separated into the heads.

Abstract: A method for reducing a number of input terminals of an APC circuit is provided, where the APC circuit is arranged to control an optical pickup unit (OPU) within an optical storage device. The method includes: utilizing at least one switching module to ground one of a first and a second input terminals of the APC circuit at a time; and utilizing the switching module to electrically connect an APC front end within the APC circuit to a non-grounded input terminal of the first and the second input terminals, in order to receive a detection signal of a photo diode of the OPU through the non-grounded input terminal at the time. An associated APC circuit is also provided.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a disc rotation mechanism 2 for allowing an optical disc 1 having an information recording face to be placed thereon and rotating the optical disc 1; an optical pickup 3 including an engaging section and irradiating the information recording face with a light beam to perform at least one of information recording and information reproduction; a base main body 13 for rotatably supporting the optical pickup and having the disc rotation mechanism; a driving source 5, supported by the base main body, for generating a force for rotating the optical pickup; and a driving force transmission mechanism 610 supported by the base main body, including a worm, and engaged with the engaging section to transmit a driving force of the driving source to the optical pickup, thereby rotating the optical pickup.

Abstract: An optical collimator assembly used in an optical pickup device and an optical pickup device are provided. The optical collimator assembly may include a collimating lens, a lens holder for supporting the collimating lens, a piezoelectric element coupled to the lens holder and including a female screw portion disposed along a central axis in one direction and a plurality of pairs of piezoelectric bodies disposed symmetrically with one another around the central axis and for causing deformation in a direction that crosses the central axis, and a male screw type transfer screw coupled to the female screw portion of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an optical read/write device for reading and/or writing an optical disk includes a rack disposed between the worm gear and the optical pickup head for transferring motion from the worm gear to the optical pickup head. The rack includes a fastening portion for fixing the rack to the optical pickup head, an engaging portion, a spring placed between the fastening portion and the engaging portion for pressing the engaging portion to engage with the worm gear, and a connecting portion. The connecting portion is configured for connecting the fastening portion and the engaging portion and preventing the engaging portion from disengaging from the worm gear.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive are described. The EAMR disk drive includes a slider, at least one EAMR transducer on the slider, and at least one laser coupled with the slider. The slider has a slider back side, a trailing face, and an intersection. The trailing face and the slider back side meet at the intersection. The trailing face makes an angle different from ninety degrees with the slider back side at the intersection. The laser(s) have an optical axis and are optically coupled with the trailing face of the slider. The optical axis is substantially perpendicular to the intersection and parallel to the slider back side.

Abstract: An optical disc device comprising: a controller for reading data from an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers, wherein: the controller, in shifting a focus of the laser light from a first layer to a second layer, performs a first change that changes a setting on the high frequency signal to a predetermined value at which the high frequency signal is superimposed to suppress peak power of the drive signal if a light density of the second layer is higher than a light density of the first layer; the controller shifts the focus from the first layer to the second layer; and the controller, after the focus has been shifted, performs a second change that changes the setting on the high frequency signal to a predetermined value at which the high frequency signal is superimposed to increase the peak power of the drive signal.

Abstract: There is provided a head gimbal mechanism 2 including a slider 10 placed between a recording medium D and a beam 11 and having a device generating near-field light, gimbal means 12 for fixing the slider to the tip of the beam 11 at a state that it can rotate about two axes which are parallel to the surface of the recording medium and are orthogonal to each other, and a flexible optical waveguide 13 composed of a basic waveguide section 21 placed along the beam and a bent waveguide section 21 that is bent in the Z-direction substantially orthogonal to the surface of the recording medium from the tip of the basic waveguide and connecting to the slider in non-contact with the beam and the gimbal means, the optical waveguide 13 guiding the luminous flux to the slider, wherein the basic waveguide section is placed at a state that at least a predetermined length on the bent waveguide section side relative to the beam is not fixed to the beam.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus, comprising a tray 2, attached to be insertable within housings 9 and 10, and within the housings are included a disc motor 3, an optical pickup 4 and a moving mechanism thereof, and also a unit mechanism chassis 5 for moving the optical pickup thereon and a controller substrate 71 disposed below the unit mechanism chassis for controlling the optical pickup, and further, a wide-width flexible cable 8 for electrical connection between the controller substrate and the optical pickup, wherein the optical pickup mounts laser units 41, 42 and 43 including three (3) pieces of elements, each emitting a laser light different in the wavelength thereof, a penetrating portion 2b and a wall portion 2e are provided in a part of left bottom surface of the tray, while forming a cutoff portion 55 in a part of the chassis, thereby guiding the airflow generated accompanying with rotation of the optical disc onto the optical pickup, with certainty.

Abstract: An optical device integrated head having high light utilizing efficiency by decreasing the propagation loss caused from an optical source to a recording medium, conducting by mounting according to compact active alignment method for efficiently guiding a light generated from a laser device to the top end of a head, in which a light source device mounted on a submount has a mirror portion having an inclinated surface to at least a portion of one edge thereof for reflecting an output light from the optical source device at the inclinated surface, a structural member including a lens structure for further allowing a light to pass through the submount, and an optical waveguide disposed passing through a slider for mounting the submount, and the optical source and the slider are positioned by using active alignment of light in a chip-on carrier structure having the optical source device mounted on the submount.

Abstract: An optical disk drive according to the present invention includes: an optical pickup 6 including a light source 23 that radiates a light beam 21 to irradiate an optical disk 100, at least one objective lens 22 for converging the beam 21, and an actuator that can move the lens 22 perpendicularly to the disk 100; a transport stage 11 for displacing the pickup 6 in a disk radial direction; a rim detecting section 30 for sensing if the irradiated position of the beam 21 has passed an outer edge of the disk 100 while the pickup 6 is being displaced from an inner area of the disk toward the outer edge thereof to conduct a seek operation; and a control section 40 for getting the lens 22 retracted away from the disk 100 by the actuator and getting the pickup 6 displaced toward the inner area of the disk by the transport stage 11 if the irradiated position of the light beam 21 has been sensed to have passed the outer edge of the disk 100.

Abstract: A transducer assembly for a data storage system comprises a first transducer for directing electromagnetic radiation onto a storage medium adjacent to a write pole, and a second transducer for directing electromagnetic radiation onto a storage medium adjacent to a read sensor. A data storage apparatus that includes the transducer assembly is also included.

Abstract: A power transmission member is provided with which it is possible to lessen the impact force produced when the head of a disk device hits part of a base member or the like. The power transmission member is a power transmission member of a mechanism for moving a head, used for recording on or reproducing from a disk, relative to a base member in a disk device, comprising a fixed component for attaching to a head, a power transmission component for receiving drive from a motor serving as a drive source, a linking component for linking the fixed component and the power transmission component, and a contacting component. The contacting component is fixed to the power transmission component, and comes into contact with part of the base member, or part of a member fixed to the base member, at least one end of the movement range of the head.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling position of a pick-up head of an optical drive, including manipulating the position of the pick-up head as a primary variable in a cascade control scheme, and manipulating current flowing through the pick-up head as a secondary variable in the cascade control scheme.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording method is provided for implementing information recording on a recording magnetic film of a magnetic recording medium rotated around a rotation center. The method includes the steps of: illuminating a recording region in the magnetic film with a laser beam for locally heating the recording region; and applying a recording magnetic field to the heated recording region. The power of the laser beam illuminating the recording region is selected in accordance with the distance between the rotation center and the recording region.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a correction coefficient holding unit configured to hold a correction coefficient which is a ratio between the position of a control target at a start time of control operation, and a detection signal indicating the control result of the control target; an initial-value-compensation matrix holding unit configured to hold an initial-value-compensation matrix for performing compensation of the initial value of a control computing unit for computing control output for controlling the control target from the detection signal based on the position and speed of the control target; and an initial-value generating unit configured to correct the position and speed of the control target at a start time of control operation with the correction coefficient, and employ the position and speed of the control target after correction, and the initial-value-compensation matrix to generate an initial-value-compensation value for compensating the initial value of the control computing u

Abstract: An optical pickup includes: a laser light source which outputs an divergent beam having an elliptical far-field pattern; a beam shaping element having at least one cylindrical plane and which shapes the divergent beam outputted from the laser light source into an divergent beam having a prescribed shape in which at least the length in the major axis direction of the elliptical shape is shortened; a light collecting portion having a beam splitter which perpendicularly collects the divergent beam that is outputted from the beam shaping element and which has a prescribed shape on the recording surface of an optical disk, and a mirror or the like; and a light detecting portion The optical axis of the divergent beam is rotated so that the direction in which the major axis of the divergent beam having a prescribed shape is shortened conforms to the radial direction of an optical information recording medium.

Abstract: An information processing device for performing calibration of an optical output level control unit for controlling the optical output level of a laser beam which an emission unit emits by multiple channels controlling the current value of current supplied to the emission unit for emitting a laser beam with an optical output level according to the current value, includes a calibration unit for performing calibration processing for each of the multiple channels of the optical output level control unit wherein the emission unit is controlled to emit the laser beam with multiple different optical output levels, the optical output level control unit is controlled to detect the indicating value of the current value corresponding to each optical output level, the relation between the indicating value and the optical output level is obtained, and an indicating value corresponding to a target optical output level is adjusted according to the relation.

Abstract: A power transmission member is provided with which it is possible to lessen the impact force produced when the head of a disk device hits part of a base member or the like. The power transmission member is a power transmission member of a mechanism for moving a head, used for recording on or reproducing from a disk, relative to a base member in a disk device, comprising a fixed component for attaching to a head, a power transmission component for receiving drive from a motor serving as a drive source, a linking component for linking the fixed component and the power transmission component, and a contacting component. The contacting component is fixed to the power transmission component, and comes into contact with part of the base member, or part of a member fixed to the base member, at least one end of the movement range of the head.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing device includes: a magnetic recording medium in which a magnetic recording layer is formed in a concavo-convex pattern so that tracks are formed by convex portions of a predetermined track width and arranged in parallel in the track width direction; a heating head for heating the magnetic recording medium to partially reduce coercivity of the tracks; a recording head for applying a recording magnetic field to a heated portion of the magnetic recording medium to record magnetic data on the tracks; and a reproducing head for detecting a reproducing magnetic field of the tracks. In this configuration, an effective recording area has an effective recording width that is equal to or more than the track width, and equal to or less than a sum of the track width and a doubled value of width of concave portions between the tracks.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an optical read/write device for reading and/or writing an optical disk includes a rack disposed between the worm gear and the optical pickup head for transferring motion from the worm gear to the optical pickup head. The rack includes a fastening portion for fixing the rack to the optical pickup head, an engaging portion, a spring placed between the fastening portion and the engaging portion for pressing the engaging portion to engage with the worm gear, and a connecting portion. The connecting portion is configured for connecting the fastening portion and the engaging portion and preventing the engaging portion from disengaging from the worm gear.

Abstract: An optical disk device of the present invention has a main PC board carrying a semiconductor element and attached at the rear of a drawer to efficiently dissipate a heat generated from the semiconductor element. The drawer is formed of a material having good thermal conductivity. A thermal conductive member having good thermal conductivity is interposed between the IC desired to be dissipate heat and the drawer.

Abstract: The adverse influence of reflected light from adjacent layers as stray light on a control signal or data signal is reduced when tracking a multilayered optical disc using differential push-pull method. The reflected light from the optical disc including stray light from an adjacent layer is once condensed with a condenser lens having little aberration and is then reflected by a reflecting mirror having a partial reflecting region. The resultant reflected light, which has the influence of stray light reduced, passes through a polarization beam splitter and becomes incident on a four-quadrant detector (for main beam) and a split detector (for sub beam) via a condenser lens having astigmatic aberration.

Abstract: An optical disk device of the present invention has a main PC board carrying a semiconductor element and attached at the rear of a drawer to efficiently dissipate a heat generated from the semiconductor element. The drawer is formed of a material having good thermal conductivity. A thermal conductive member having good thermal conductivity is interposed between the IC desired to be dissipate heat and the drawer.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic read/write head for use in magnetic data storage systems to enable writing of data to a magnetic data storage medium with the assistance of laser heating. The read/write head allows magnetic reading of data from the storage medium, and thermally assisted magnetic writing of data on the storage medium. A waveguide is provided in a write gap in the form of an optical circuit having a plurality of inputs and a single output at the air bearing surface (ABS) for concentrating laser light used for heating the storage medium during the write operation. The thermally assisted magnetic writing improves the thermal stability of the recorded data and usefulness thereof throughout a wide temperature range.

Abstract: To realize an electromagnetic field generating element, an information recording and reproducing head and an information recording and reproducing device for high frequency magnetic recording and reproducing by the optically assisted magnetic recording and reproduction using near field, which permit attenuation or delay of a magnetic field to be suppressed, the electromagnetic field generating element of the present invention generates a magnetic field in a direction parallel to the surface of a constricting section by supplying current in the conductive member, and applying a laser beam from the side of the substrate to the constricting section, and a surface plasmon is excited by an magnetic field vector vertical to the surface of the constricting section, thereby generating near field from the surface facing the interface between the substrate and the constricting section.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus and a method of performing an optical power study and detecting writing power in the optical disc apparatus. An optical pickup includes a light source to emit a laser beam according to an input optical power signal, an optical power detector to detect optical power of the laser beam using part of the laser beam, and an actuator to drive a lens to form a beam spot. To reduce the time required for the power study, a controller positions the optical pickup in a specific area of a disc and applies a predetermined range of optical power signals to the light source to perform the power study to determine its optical power characteristics using the optical power signal and the detected optical power while maintaining the actuator in a driving state in which writing and reading is possible.

Abstract: In an optical element feeding device and an optical pickup unit using the same, in order to make the device compact and light and achieve a stable operation, the device has a main shaft and a sub shaft supporting a movable frame in which an optical element is arranged in such a manner as to be movable in a direction of an optical axis, a stepping motor, a lead screw rotating on the basis of a rotation of the stepping motor, a resin nut engaging with the lead screw and being movable in the direction of the optical axis on the basis of the rotation of the lead screw, and a spring pressing the movable frame in the direction of the optical axis so as to bring the movable frame into contact with the nut, and a cushioning material is provided between the nut and the movable frame so as to connect the nut and the movable frame.

Abstract: An optical disk drive includes an optical pick-up unit having a fixed part with at least a light source, and a movable part mounted on a guide. The movable part includes a mirror, a focusing lens, and lens-moving elements. The movable part is adapted to move a focused beam along the disk. A single PCB is provided having a signal connection to the lens-moving elements on the movable part of the pick-up unit though flexible wires. The PCB serves as a mounting base for the fixed part of the optical pick-up unit, the guide, and the drive motor.

Abstract: An optical pickup head feeding device (1) for driving an optical pickup head (4) of an optical recording/reproducing apparatus (100) has a motor (11), a motor housing (12) accommodating the motor, a first cone gear (13), a transmission gear subassembly (14), and a rack (15). The first cone gear is connected to and driven by the motor. The transmission gear subassembly has a second cone gear (142) and a spur gear (141) coaxially connected together, a diameter of second cone gear being greater than that of the spur gear. The second cone gear meshes with the first cone gear, and the spur gear meshes with the rack. The rack mates with the optical pickup head. The cooperative meshing of the first cone gear, the transmission gear subassembly and the rack gives the optical pickup head feeding device a low drive transfer ratio for precise positioning of the optical pickup head.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a drive device comprising an electromechanical transducer (25) attached to one end of a drive shaft (24) and adapted to be expanded and contracted in the axial direction of the drive shaft (24) in accordance with drive voltage to thereby allow the drive shaft (24) to undergo displacement in the axial direction thereof, and an optical pick-up (14) movably supported in the axial direction of the drive shaft (24) and moved along the drive shaft (24) as the result of the fact that the drive shaft (24) is caused to undergo displacement by the electromechanical transducer (25) to apply a drive voltage higher than that at the time of steady transfer to the electromechanical transducer (25) at the time of starting.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head comprises a write pole having a pole tip adjacent to an air bearing surface, a return pole, a near field transducer positioned adjacent to the air bearing surface for producing near field radiation for heating a portion of a magnetic storage medium, wherein a thermal profile of the portion of the magnetic storage medium has a maximum gradient at a location subject to a magnetic write field produced by the write pole. A disc drive that includes the magnetic recording head and a method of recording using the magnetic recording head are also provided.

Abstract: A disk drive apparatus for a disk having helically-formed or concentric circle-like formed tracks includes a spindle motor for controlling a rotation of the disk; a pick-up device for recording or reproducing information on or from the disk; a stepping motor for moving the pick-up device in a radial direction of the disk in accordance with a drive current; a system controller for tracking a rotation speed of the spindle motor and for outputting command signals according to the rotation speed of the spindle motor; and a stepping motor controller for controlling the stepping motor by changing a slope of a rising part and a falling part of a waveform of the drive current of the stepping motor according to the command signals.

Abstract: A power transmitting device for a stepping motor comprises: a stepping motor commonly serving as a power source for a pickup moving mechanism of a light load and a power source for a disk transferring mechanism of a heavy load; switching mechanism for a switching path for transmitting the power from the motor between the first path, via which the power is transmitted to the pickup moving mechanism, and a second path, via which the power is transmitted to the disk transferring mechanism via power transmitting gear mechanisms; and transmission prohibiting mechanism for prohibiting the transmission of the power from the stepping motor to the disk transferring mechanism at the beginning of the power transmission via the second path.

Abstract: A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A record head for the thermally assisted magnetic recording on a storage medium. The head has an inductive section, which includes a magnetic circuit having a record flux guide ending in a record pole, and an optical section, which includes an optical guide ending in an optical outlet. The optical guide is arranged beside the magnetic circuit and is an optical layer transparent to a selected wavelength. The optical layer is interposed between two cladding layers, of which one is formed by the record flux guide of the magnetic circuit and the other is formed by a layer having an index of refraction smaller than the index of refraction of the optical layer. The record head makes it possible to minimize the time that elapse between the moment of maximal energy absorption in the medium and the moment of recording on the medium in a thermally assisted recording process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gear rack arrangement, which, for the compensation of backlash, comprises two gear racks (A, B) which are mutually displaceable on latch elements and are resiliently braced, and refers both to the assembly and disassembly characteristics of the gear rack arrangement and to the number of moulded elements used. Application is envisaged, in particular, for a positioning device in a recording and reproducing instrument for optical recording carriers, although the field of application is not however thereby restricted. According to the invention, an anti-detachment safeguard is provided, which is formed by an elastic boss (F). In order to prevent the detachment of a second gear rack (B) from a first gear rack (A) during the assembly or disassembly, the elastic boss (E) is provided at one end of one of the gear racks (A, B).

Abstract: An urging structure for an output shaft of a drive motor of the invention is configured by a pressing plate 31 which abuts against an end face 24a of an output shaft 24, and an urging spring 36 which urges the pressing plate in the axial direction of the output shaft 24. In the pressing plate 31, a fixing portion 32 in one end is fixed onto a chassis 21 in the vicinity of the output shaft 24, and an abutting portion 34 is disposed on the tip end of a flexible arm portion 33. A spring holding portion 35 with which an end portion of the urging spring 36 that is fixed to a spring boss 37 is to be engaged is disposed on the rear face of the abutting portion 34.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dynamically positioning the objective lens in an optical disk drive to maintain focus despite loss of perpendicularity between the light beam and the information layer of the optical disk. Loss of perpendicularity may occur as a result of any number of factors, including irregularities in the manufacture of the disk, manufacturing tolerances and assembly of the disk drive components, bearing defect frequencies, shock and vibration. Failure to maintain perpendicularity may interference with the ability of the optical pick up unit of the drive to accurately read and write. The tilt focus mechanism of the present invention utilizes a rotary actuator that positions the objective lens in three dimensions relative to the surface of the optical disk.