Abstract: A disk drive apparatus of the present invention, includes: a movable portion, a stationary portion disposed around the movable portion, and a damping portion disposed between the movable portion and the stationary portion, for connection therebetween, the movable portion, the stationary portion, and the damping portion being disposed substantially in a plane, wherein a head for performing at least one of recording or reproducing information with respect to a disk, a head drive portion for moving the head, and a rotation drive portion for driving a disk are provided on the movable portion.

Abstract: A disc apparatus includes a turntable having surface on which a disc is to be placed and being rotatable around a rotation axis; a disc holding mechanism which can be in a first state of holding the disc on the turntable so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis and a second state which is different from the first state; a first contact member; and a moving mechanism for relatively moving the first contact member and the turntable with respect to each other.

Abstract: A disk storage magazine in which the number of stored disks per unit volume can be increased. A pair of disk holding members (4), which are bent into a bellows shape by the number of stored disks, are arranged substantially in parallel with a direction in which disks (1) come off on both sides of a magazine case (2). When the disk storage magazine is opened, the disk (1) is held by valley portion of the folded portions of the disk holding members (4), and held between tapered faces on opposite sides of the valley portion. When the disk storage magazine is closed, the disk holding member (4) is bent until the tapered faces holding the edge of surface of the disk (1) become substantially in parallel with the disk surface, and fixes and holds the disks (1) in a state of touching and pressing the disks (1). Thereby, clearances in the stacking direction between the disk (1) and the disk holding member (4) can be eliminated.

Abstract: To improve the accuracy in holding a disc and to reduce unwanted vibration occurring when the disc is rotated at a high speed (the whirling of a turn table and a rotor), a spindle motor for rotating a disc comprises a turn table (3) that holds a disc (1) to rotate it, a rotor (4) that applies rotational driving force to the turn table, and a rotating shaft (5) provided on the rotation axis of the rotor, wherein the rotating shaft is fixed on the rotation axis of the turn table using a first support member, and the turn table and the rotor are supported by a second support member consisting of a filler filled in a predetermined gap (9).

Abstract: An object lens driving device of the present invention includes a movable section, supporting sections for supporting the movable section and a base for holding the supporting sections. The movable section includes an object lens for recording and/or reproducing optical information to and/or from a disk-shaped recording medium, a lens holder for holding the object lens and at least four permanent magnets adhered to the lens holder. The supporting sections include at least four metal wires substantially parallel to each other, each wire having a first end fixed to the lens holder and a second end connected to the base, and elastic deformable elements connected to the base and having connecting sections thereof connected to the second end of each respective metal wire.

Abstract: The swing centers of guide shafts in inclination adjustment of an optical head are set to be on a plane which is perpendicular to a predetermined radial direction of an optical disk and has thereon the rotation axis of a disk motor. When the inclination adjustment of the optical head is conducted, relative gap variation between the optical head and the optical disk does not occur, and the inclination adjustment is realized within a movable range of an objective lens. The inclination angle of the optical head in a radial direction of the optical disk is adjusted by simultaneously moving upward or downward ends of two guide shafts, and the inclination angle of the optical head in a tangential direction of the optical disk can be adjusted by moving upward and downward one end of at least one of the guide shafts.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a stepping motor driving apparatus having a rotor and a stator in n (an integer equal to or larger than 2) phases for moving a moving body is provided. The stepping motor driving apparatus includes a driver for selectively supplying to the stator a first current pattern for rotating the rotor at a first pitch and a second current pattern for rotating the rotor at a second pitch different from the first pitch based on a drive switching signal. The driver switches the first current pattern and the second current pattern at a point where a torque generated by the first current pattern is equal to a torque generated by the second current pattern and supplies the first current pattern or the second current pattern to the stator.

Abstract: A sliding part of a magnetic-field generator is configured to slide above and spaced from a surface of a loaded magneto-optical disk in a floating manner. A magnetic-field generating part, which provides a magnetic field to the magneto-optical disk, includes a magnetic pole disposed on a side of the sliding part such that the magnetic pole and the sliding part are positioned adjacent to each other in a radial direction of the surface of the loaded magneto-optical disk and such that the magnetic pole is located closer to a periphery of the magneto-optical disk than the sliding part. An entire flat end surface of the magnetic pole confronting the surface of the magneto-optical disk is generally parallel to and recedes from a slide surface of the sliding part such that the entire flat end surface is spaced further from the surface of the magneto-optical disk than the slide surface of the sliding part.

Abstract: A mirror movement detecting device includes a pivotable mirror, a pivotable mirror support member, a pivotable mirror drive unit, a reflecting plate secured to the pivotable mirror, a photo-sensing unit including a light emitting diode and two photosensors disposed in the vicinity of the reflecting plate, and a detecting circuit for controlling the light output detecting an output from the photo-sensing unit. Rays of light from the photo-sensing unit are reflected by the reflecting plate movable together with the pivotable mirror to provide the reflected light, the reflected light power is controlled by the photo-sensor output, the amount of which or a change in amount of which is subsequently detected to provide an indication of the amount of movement of the pivotable mirror at a high sensitivity and without accompanying an increase in mass of the pivotable mirror.

Abstract: A mirror driving apparatus includes a rotary mirror, a support member for rotatably supporting the rotary mirror, a driving section for rotating the rotary mirror, a rotary electrode mounted on the rotary mirror or the support member, a fixed electrode disposed close to the rotary electrode and generally parallel thereto, a fixing section to which the support member and the fixed electrode are mounted, and a detecting section for detecting electrostatic capacity or a variation thereof between the rotary electrode and the fixed electrode. A mechanical vibration system, formed by the rotary mirror and the rotary mirror support member, is controlled based on the amount of rotary movement of the rotary mirror detecting as a change in capacity between the electrodes to suppress resonance of the rotary mirror. Additionally, by superposing an additional high frequency component outside the control band onto the rotary mirror control signal, the rotary mirror can be moved in fine increments.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disk unit has a first magnetic-field generator for generating a magnetic field corresponding to a frequency in a recording signal frequency band and a second magnetic-field generator for generating DC magnetic fields of both north-seeking and south-seeking poles in a non-contact manner with a loaded magneto-optical disk. The first magnetic-field generator has a slider part for sliding over a loaded magneto-optical disk in a floating manner using an aerodynamic effect. The unit further has a transfer driver for moving the first and second magnetic-field generators in a direction parallel to the loaded magneto-optical disk and a rotary plate for vertically moving the first magnetic-field generator.

Abstract: In an opto-magnetic disk type writing/reading apparatus having a magnetic head held by a suspension load beam in an air-borne floating state over a surface of the opto-magnetic disk, the suspension load beam is raised up or put down in a manner that firstly the opto-magnetic disk is revolved at a higher revolution speed than the predetermined rated revolution speed for a predetermined short period, and thereafter the revolution speed is lowered to the predetermined revolution speed after soft-landing putting down of the magnetic head to achieve a steady-state air-borne floating position.

Abstract: A tape cassette which can be recorded and played back on both sides or in opposite directions has a lid having a pair of side arms pivotally mounted on lateral sides of a cassette casing for opening and closing a front opening in the cassette casing. The lid is normally held in a closed position by means of springs which normally urge pivot pins on the side arms toward a rear side of the cassette casing. The tape cassette also has protective plates integrally projecting in a forward direction from the lateral sides of the cassette casing in covering relation to the side arms, respectively. The protective plate protects the side arms against intentional or accidental engagement with a finger or a cassette recorder, thereby preventing the lid from being easily opened. The cassette recorder for use with the tape cassette includes abutments for engaging distal ends of the protective plates for accurately positioning the tape casette as inserted in the cassette recorder.