Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes an optical pickup, and a turntable for holding an optical recording medium is placed. A protective cover is arranged between the optical recording medium placed on the turntable and the optical pickup and protects the optical pickup. A heat conducting member connects the optical pickup and the protective cover, and conducts heat generated in the optical pickup to the protective cover.

Abstract: An optical pickup device for irradiating a light from a light source onto an optical recording medium through an objective lens moved in a focal direction by an actuator, and for causing a signal detecting unit to receive a return light from the irradiated light, the optical pickup device including a threshold calculating unit 36 that obtains shape information on the optical recording medium in a diameter direction before recording and/or reproducing is performed on the optical recording medium, and that sets limits to access distances of the objective lens to the optical recording medium according to a plurality of positions of the optical recording medium in the diameter direction, respectively based on the obtained information on the shape, and a focus control unit 35 that restricts movement of the objective lens in the focal direction by the actuator based on the plurality of set limits to the access distances.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus has an LD for emitting a light beam and an optical member for irradiating an optical disc with the emitted light beam. The LD includes a stem having a first face and a second face, a heat sink joined to the first face, a lead penetrating the first and second faces, and a chip conductively attached to one end of the lead. The heat sink has an inner radius part in which an opening for housing one end of the lead and the chip is formed, and an outer radius part provided on the side opposite to the opening.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus has a simplified configuration for using a plurality of laser beams at different wavelength to reduce the size, and a laser diode chip for use therewith. An irradiation light path for leading a laser beam emitted from a light emitter to a recording medium is provided with an optical axis correcting element for passing a first laser beam and for diffracting a second laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the first laser beam to generate diffracted light which has the optical axis substantially matching the optical axis of the first laser beam. The optical axis correcting element is arranged at a position at which the center of a light intensity distribution of the first laser beam incident thereto matches the center of a light intensity distribution of the second laser beam incident thereto.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus has a simplified configuration for using a plurality of laser beams at different wavelength to reduce the size, and a laser diode chip for use therewith. An irradiation light path for leading a laser beam emitted from a light emitter to a recording medium is provided with an optical axis correcting element for passing a first laser beam and for diffracting a second laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the first laser beam to generate diffracted light which has the optical axis substantially matching the optical axis of the first laser beam. The optical axis correcting element is arranged at a position at which the center of a light intensity distribution of the first laser beam incident thereto matches the center of a light intensity distribution of the second laser beam incident thereto.

Abstract: An optical pickup device is provided with a focus error signal generating means which is adapted to calculate a first output sum signal obtained by adding together an output signal fed front one portion of the second light receiving means and an output signal fed from one portion of the third light receiving means, and to calculate a second output sum signal obtained by adding together an output signal fed from the other portion of the second light receiving leans and an output signal fed from the other portion of the third light receiving means, so as to calculate a difference between the first output sum signal and the second output sum signal, thereby producing a focus error signal.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for an information reproducing apparatus is adapted to reproduce one of at least first and second type optical record media which is loaded on the information reproducing apparatus. The first and second type optical record media have distances from surfaces to information record planes different from each other.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for an information reproducing apparatus is adapted to reproduce one of at least first and second type optical record media which is loaded on the information reproducing apparatus. The first and second type optical record media have distances from surfaces to information record planes different from each other.

Abstract: A holder is suspended on a carriage, and a magnetic circuit is disposed adjacent to the holder. The magnetic circuit has a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. A focus coil having a magnetic flux receiving portion is provided around a vertical axis of the holder. A tacking coil having a magnetic flux receiving portion is provided around a horizontal axis of the holder. Both the magnetic flux receiving portions are disposed so as not to be overlapped with each other, and disposed in parallel with one of the surface of the first and second magnetic poles. Both of the magnetic flux receiving portions are flush with each other.

Abstract: An optical pickup for reproducing information on a disc has a pickup body mounting an optical system and a yoke base mounting an actuator. The pickup body and the yoke base are made of the same magnetic material.

Abstract: An optical pickup has a suspension base, a holder suspended from the suspension base by wires in a form of a cantilever, an optical system provided in the holder and having a mirror and an objective mounted in a body, and a flexible wiring plate connected between the holder and the suspension base. Effective length of the flexible wiring plate for focusing is approximately equal to suspension effective length of the wire. The flexible wiring plate comprises a pair of horizontal planes perpendicular to focusing direction and a vertical plane perpendicular to tracking direction provided between the horizontal planes.

Abstract: An optical pickup has a suspension base, a holder suspended from the suspension base by wires in a form of a cantilever. The optical pickup is slidably mounted on a guide shaft. The guide shaft is pivoted so that an optical axis of an optical system becomes perpendicular to an optical disk. The holder is provided to be tilted in a radial plane with respect to the optical disk when the holder is moved for focusing the optical system.

Abstract: A disk drive according to a first embodiment includes a pickup movable along a radial direction of the disk and a reversing mechanism for moving the pickup from one side of the disk to the other side by rotating the pickup about an axis corresponding to the radial direction of the disk. In a second embodiment, there can be only one pickup which can reverse sides of the disk or a pickup on each side of the disk. The pickup(s) are moved along guide rails on either side of the disk and the guide rails are supported by rotatable base members. A linking arm links the two base members together so that rotation of one will cause rotation of the other. In a third embodiment, a pickup and a rack are supported on a slider for moving the pickup along the surface of a disk. The rack has three toothed surfaces including first, second, and third surfaces for engaging first, second and third feed screws, respectively.

Abstract: An optical data reading device wherein an optical pick-up head (10), which reads the light reflected from a disk data recording carrier (1) by detecting a light flux (8) onto a data track of the disk, is movable radially of the disk along a carrier (15) that is tiltable about an axis (18). The spacing between the optical pick-up head and the disk may then be kept almost constant by tilting the mounting plate and optical pick-up head in response to an output signal of a detector which detects warp of the disk.

Abstract: An information reading and reproducing apparatus in which a recording disc having an information-carrying face formed with recorded tracks is to be driven for rotation and which includes drive means operative to drive a signal pick-up means for movement radially of the disc at a velocity controlled by a velocity control device and to produce signals indicative of the locations of the pick-up spot relative to the tracks on the disc in a radial direction of the disc, the velocity control device comprising velocity detecting means operative to extract from said signals information indicative of the velocity of movement of the signal pick-up means with respect to the disc.