Abstract: An optical head includes (1) a stationary optical unit fixed to a body of the optical disk drive, (2) a rotary arm rotatable along a surface of the optical disk, which carries an object lens which converges the light on the optical disk, and (3) a light-introducing system which directs the light from the light source module to the rotary arm so that the light proceeds in the rotary arm to reach the object lens.

Abstract: An optical disc drive is provided with a light source unit that emits a collimated light beam, and a carriage mounting an objective lens for converging the collimated light beam on a recording surface of an optical disc. The carriage is movable in a direction traversing data tracks of the optical disc. The optical disc drive is further provided with a lens actuator mounted on the carriage. The lens actuator has a movable unit capable of moving the objective lens in first and second directions, independently. The first direction is a direction of an optical axis of the objective lens, and the second direction is a direction on a plane parallel to the data recording surface of the optical disc. A magnetic head is mounted on the movable unit of the lens actuator. The magnetic head is capable of applying a magnetic field onto the data recording surface of the optical disc when data is to be recorded on the optical disc.

Abstract: A magnetic head up/down mechanism for an magneto-optical disc drive is provided with a magnetic head supporting member mounting a magnetic head. The supporting member is attached to one end of an elongated plate spring member. A moving system is further provided to move the plate spring member together with the supporting member so that the magnetic head is located either an operative position or a retracted position. The operative position and the retracted position are located between an objective lens of the disc drive and the data recording surface of a magneto-optical disc loaded in the magneto-optical disc drive.

Abstract: A rectangular shutter leaf is swingably provided to an opening of a front panel of a disk drive device, a cartridge being inserted or discharged through the opening. The shutter leaf is supported to, and swingable about, one side of the shutter leaf. A resilient skirt is provided on all sides of the shutter leaf except the supported side, and extends toward the periphery of the opening. When the shutter leaf is parallel to the front panel and substantially closes the opening, the resilient skirt covers a clearance between the shutter leaf and the opening, preventing the entry of debris or dust into the interior of the disk drive device through the opening.

Abstract: An optical disk drive includes two object optical systems, two carriages which respectively carry the object optical system and are movable along surfaces of an optical disk. Separated from the carriages, a separate optical unit (including a laser source module) is provided. A beam path selection system is provided for selectively introducing the beam from the laser source module to one of the object optical systems.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotation amount detecting system for detecting a rotation amount of a deflection mirror, which is rotatable about an rotation axis, employed in an optical disc drive. The rotation amount detecting system is provided with a light emitting system that emits a light beam to the deflection mirror. The light beam has a line-like cross section extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. Further, a detecting system is provided to receive the beam reflected by the deflection mirror and determines the rotation amount of the deflection mirror in accordance with the received beam.

Abstract: A detecting system for detecting a rotation angle of a deflecting mirror is disclosed. The detecting system is provided with a laser diode, an objective lens, and a deflection mirror therebetween. The deflection mirror is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis to change the position, on an optical disc, at which a laser beam emitted by the laser diode is incident. Further, a beam splitter is provided to split the light beam into a first beam directed to the optical disc via the deflection mirror, and a second beam that is directed to a reflection surface of the deflection mirror. The second beam reflected by the reflection member is not directed to the optical disc but received by a detector which determines the rotation angle of the deflection mirror in accordance with the received second beam.

Abstract: A galvano mirror unit includes a galvano mirror, a rotor to which the galvano mirror is mounted, a stator that rotatably supports the rotor about a rotation axis, a pair of center pins provided to the stator, and a pair of receive members provided to the rotor. The receive members respectively receive the center pins. The rotor is pivoted by the engagement of the center pin and the receive member.

Abstract: A galvano mirror unit including a galvano mirror, a mirror holder holding the galvano mirror, and a hinge member which swingably supports the mirror holder. The hinge member includes a support plate and a base. The support plate has a thinner portion extending across the support plate in one direction, so that the thinner portion divides the support plate into first and second sections. The first section is fixed to the mirror holder, while the second section is supported by the base. The mirror holder is swingable about the thinner portion, due to an elastic deformation of the thinner portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disc drive. The optical disc drive is provided with an arm member carrying an objective optical system and a light emitting system. The arm member is rotatable about an axis at one end portion thereof. On the other end portion of the arm member, the objective optical system is mounted. A detecting system is further provided for receiving light reflected by the optical disc via the objective optical system. The detecting system detects data related to an orientation of a beam spot formed by the reflected beam on its light receiving surface. Further provided is a control system which determines a current position of the arm member based on the data related to the orientation of the beam spot.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical system for an optical disc drive. The head is provided with a laser source, an objective optical system, and a deflection mirror provided between the laser source and the objective optical system. As the deflection mirror is rotated, the angle of incidence of the beam incident of the objective optical system changes so that a fine tracking is performed. When the deflection mirror is rotated, based on the rotation amount and a distance between the deflection mirror and the objective optical system, the deflection mirror is moved in a direction along which the laser beam is incident so that the laser beam deflected by the deflection mirror is incident on the objective optical system substantially at the same position regardless of rotation amount of the deflection mirror.

Abstract: A galvano mirror system includes (1) a galvano mirror, (2) a mirror holder having a front portion to which the galvano mirror is mounted and a rear portion opposing to the front portion, (3) a stator which rotatably supports the mirror holder, (4) first and second reflecting surfaces provided to the rear portion of the mirror holder, and (5) first and second photo sensors provided to the stator. Each photo sensor includes a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. A controller of the galvano mirror system detects the rotational position of the mirror holder according to on a difference in outputs of the light-receiving devices of the first and second photo sensors.

Abstract: There is provided a head of an optical data recording/reproducing device. The head is provided with a laser source, a deflector, a relay optical system and an objective lens system. The laser beam emitted by the laser source is incident on the objective lens system via the deflector and the relay optical system. The head is further provided with a rotation angle detecting system which includes a beam splitter provided between first and second relay lenses of the relay lens system, and a detector. The beam splitter divides the incident beam into a first beam directed to the second relay lens and a second beam directed to the detector. The detector has two light receiving areas, and a controller determines an amount of rotation of the deflector based on the amounts of light received by the two light receiving areas.

Abstract: Disclosed is a head of an optical data recording and/or reproducing device. The head is provided with a laser source, an objective optical system, a deflector for deflecting the laser beam emitted by the laser source towards the objective optical system. A relay optical system provided between the deflector and the objective optical system. Further, a detector is provided between the deflector and the relay optical system. The detector has a first and a second light receiving portions and an opening. The two light receiving portions are arranged in a first direction in which the laser beam is deflected by the deflector. A part of the laser beam incident on the detector is received by the first and second light receiving portions, the other passes through the opening. An amount of rotation of the deflector is detected in accordance with amounts of light received by the two light receiving portions.

Abstract: A galvano mirror system includes (1) a galvano mirror, (2) a mirror holder having a front portion to which the galvano mirror is mounted and a rear portion opposing to the front portion, (3) a stator which rotatably supports the mirror holder, (4) first and second reflecting surfaces provided to the rear portion of the mirror holder, and (5) first and second photo sensors provided to the stator. Each photo sensor includes a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. A controller of the galvano mirror system detects the rotational position of the mirror holder according to on a difference in outputs of the light-receiving devices of the first and second photo sensors.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disc drive for reading/writing data from/on an optical disc. The disc drive is provided with a laser source, an objective lens system, a deflection mirror between the laser source and the objective lens system. An incident angle of the laser beam incident on the objective lens system is changed by rotating the deflection mirror. Further, a relay lens system is provided between the deflection mirror and the objective lens system. A diffraction grating is provided between the laser source and the deflection mirror. The diffraction grating divides an incident beam into at least 0th order beam and ±1st order diffraction beams having predetermined diffraction angles. Further provided is a detecting system that receives the ±1st order diffraction beams deflected by the deflection mirror and determines a rotational position of the deflection mirror in accordance with the received ±1st order diffraction beams.

Abstract: A galvano mirror system includes (1) a galvano mirror, (2) a mirror holder having a front portion to which the galvano mirror is mounted and a rear portion opposing to the front portion, (3) a stator which rotatably supports the mirror holder, (4) first and second reflecting surfaces provided to the rear portion of the mirror holder, and (5) first and second photo sensors provided to the stator. Each photo sensor includes a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device. A controller of the galvano mirror system detects the rotational position of the mirror holder according to on a difference in outputs of the light-receiving devices of the first and second photo sensors.

Abstract: There is provided a head of an optical data recording/reproducing device. The head is provided with a laser source, a deflector, a relay optical system and an objective lens system. The laser beam emitted by the laser source is incident on the objective lens system via the deflector and the relay optical system. The head is further provided with a rotation angle detecting system which includes a beam splitter provided between first and second relay lenses of the relay lens system, and a detector. The beam splitter divides the incident beam into a first beam directed to the second relay lens and a second beam directed to the detector. The detector has two light receiving areas, and a controller determines an amount of rotation of the deflector based on the amounts of light received by the two light receiving areas.

Abstract: A disk cartridge loading system for a disk drive. The loading system includes a disk cartridge holder, a drawing mechanism, a draw-in sensor, a loading sensor, and a controller. The drawing mechanism engages a partially inserted disk cartridge to fully draw the disk cartridge into the disk drive, so that the disk cartridge is accommodated in a disk cartridge holder. A holder moving mechanism moves the disk cartridge holder to a loading position, so that at least one of a data reading operation and a data writing operation can be performed. A draw-in sensor is provided to detect the partial insertion of the disk cartridge, while a loading sensor detects when the disk cartridge is located at the loading position. A control unit controls the drawing mechanism and the holder moving mechanism, based on a first signal produced by the draw-in sensor and a second signal produced by the loading sensor.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disk drive incorporates: a structure to mount a front panel to a frame using a cartridge loading system, using a set of linearly movable control cam plates, to draw a cartridge into a cartridge holder and then to move the cartridge holder to an operating position; a timing control system for the cartridge loading system, which includes a unitary encoder cam gear including a drive gear portion to move the cam plates to lift and lower the cartridge holder, a cam groove portion to draw a cartridge into the cartridge holder, and timing encoders portions to interrupt photo sensors; a shutter mechanism to fully close a cartridge slot with a shutter, both when the drive holds a cartridge and when empty; a magnetic head vertical positioning system to position a magnetic head base against fixed reference surfaces below and a set of resilient members above; a magnetic head horizontal positioning system to first fix the magnetic head base to rotate horizontally about a point, and then to resiliently ho