Abstract: Provided is a holographic optical pickup apparatus which can be reduced in thickness and production cost while having a beam shaping unit. To be specific, in a holographic optical pickup apparatus based on a holographic memory technique, a beam shaping prism for extending a short axis of light with elliptical cross section emitted from a light source is disposed between a spatial light modulator (SLM) and an objective lens. Thereby, a light beam incident on the spatial light modulator (SLM) has an elliptical cross section and is small in diameter, so that the spatial light modulator can be reduced in size and cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical pickup apparatus which can prevent an offset to a focus signal and can satisfactorily correct spherical aberration generated by difference in substrate thickness while achieving the formation of a thinner type of the apparatus. In the present invention, a parallel flat plate for correcting spherical aberration generated by difference in thickness of a transmissive substrate to the first and second recording layers of an optical disk is arranged between a beam splitter and a collimator, and in addition, the spherical aberration is corrected by inserting and removing the parallel flat plate, or switching and inserting another parallel flat plate having a different thickness to an optical path.

Abstract: An easy-to-manufacture spindle motor has an aligning mechanism whose precision is equal to that of cutting of metallic materials without entailing an extra cost. The aligning mechanism is in contact with the center hole of a disk-shaped recording medium and comprises a turntable and an aligning member that has a sliding portion which can be slidably fitted into a guide portion disposed on the turntable. At least one of respective sliding faces of the guide portion disposed on the turntable and the aligning member is configured of a metallic component, and parts other than the metallic component or components of the turntable and/or aligning member are configured of resin materials.

Abstract: Provided is an information recording and reproducing device and an information recording and reproducing system, which comprise an external apparatus connection detector for detecting an electrical connection to an external apparatus. In a case where the external apparatus connection detector detects the connection to the external apparatus, ejection of an optical disk is prohibited. In a case where the connection to the external apparatus is not detected, the ejection of the disk is permitted. Accordingly, problems such as destruction of data occurring when the disk is ejected at a printing time can be prevented.

Abstract: Provided is an information recording/reproduction apparatus capable of achieving a reduction in power consumption without impairing quality of recorded information. The information recording/reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording/reproduction circuit for recording information stored in a memory onto a disk or reproducing the information from the disk through an intermittent operation, and a switching circuit for switching a proportion of an execution time of the recording or reproduction in a cycle of recording or reproducing the same data amount in the intermittent operation, wherein the switching circuit performs the switching based on pickup image information obtained from an image pickup element, and the switching circuit performs the switching based on a focus signal obtained from the pickup image information.

Abstract: It can be determined whether a disc is a single-layer disc or a multilayer disc without causing reproducing deterioration while only a main body of the disc is used without being contained in a cartridge. More specifically, when disc type determination is performed, an intensity of laser light (reproducing light quantity) irradiated to the disc is set to a first light quantity for reproducing information from the disc having a signal recording surface of a single layer.

Abstract: An optical disk device is provided which can realize size and cost reduction and which includes: an optical pick-up; a drive source; a drive member for moving the optical pick-up by utilization of a drive force generated by the drive source; and a striking member for striking against the drive member, wherein abutment between the striking member and the drive member results in loss of synchronism of the drive source and a predetermined position of the drive member is determined. An optical component for use in the optical disk device is also provided.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes a lens unit which is composed of a first lens group having at least one lens and a second lens group having at least one lens. The first lens group and the second lens group are supported by support members which are engaged with each other. The first lens group and the second lens group are slid in an optical axis direction to change a relative positional relationship between the lens groups, thereby correcting spherical aberration caused in a recording surface of an optical recording medium.

Abstract: A thin bridge part provided in an aperture of a disc cartridge is located farther from a optical pickup than a surface of a disc, which is the surface to be irradiated with a light beam in a state in which the disc cartridge is mounted to the information recording/reproducing device. A optical pickup is retracted into a position opposite to an end surface of the thin bridge part at the time of mounting and removing the disc. According to the constitution, a small-sized information recording/reproducing device is realized while preventing an objective lens from colliding against a disc or a cartridge case at the time of mounting and removing the disc.

Abstract: The magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention comprises: a magnetic head of which one end is fixed and of which the other end is free and provided with a magnetic field generating portion for applying a magnetic field onto a magneto-optical recording medium; an optical pickup, provided opposite the magnetic head with the recording medium between them, for irradiating a portion applied with a magnetic field from the magnetic head with a light beam; and a member for regulating displacement of the magnetic head in a direction parallel to a magneto-optical recording medium surface.

Abstract: An aligning device for a disk recording medium capable of reducing eccentricity using a simple structure, without an increase in cost, is provided. An aligning member has a tapered portion that contacts with a center hole of a disk, and fits with a guide portion that is fixed to a turntable with a sliding gap therebetween. The sliding gap between the aligning member and the guide portion is formed such that a leading end side sliding gap of the turntable in the sliding direction of the aligning member differs from a trailing end side sliding gap of the disk side in the sliding direction. The leading end side sliding gap is formed smaller than the trailing end side sliding gap. The amount of eccentricity of the disk becomes smaller according to this structure.

Abstract: An easy-to-manufacture spindle motor having an aligning mechanism whose precision is equal to that of cutting of metallic materials without entailing an extra cost is to be provided. An aligning mechanism which is in contact with the center hole of a disk-shaped recording medium and comprises a turntable and an aligning member whose aligning member has a sliding portion which can be slidably fitted into a guide portion disposed on the turntable, wherein at least one of the respective sliding faces of the guide portion disposed on the turntable and the aligning member is configured of a metallic component, and other parts than the metallic component or components of the turntable and/or aligning member are configured of resin materials.

Abstract: Provided is an information recording and reproducing device and an information recording and reproducing system, which comprise an external apparatus connection detector for detecting an electrical connection to an external apparatus. In a case where the external apparatus connection detector detects the connection to the external apparatus, ejection of an optical disk is prohibited. In a case where the connection to the external apparatus is not detected, the ejection of the disk is permitted. Accordingly, problems such as destruction of data occurring when the disk is ejected at a printing time can be prevented.

Abstract: The magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention comprises: a magnetic head of which one end is fixed and of which the other end is free and provided with a magnetic field generating portion for applying a magnetic field onto a magneto-optical recording medium; an optical pickup, provided opposite the magnetic head with the recording medium between them, for irradiating a portion applied with a magnetic field from the magnetic head with a light beam; and a member for regulating displacement of the magnetic head in a direction parallel to a magneto-optical recording medium surface.