Abstract: A multi-tip nano-probe apparatus and a method for probing a sample while using the multi-tip nano-probe apparatus each employ located over a substrate: (1) an immovable probe tip with respect to the substrate; (2) a movable probe tip with respect to the substrate; and (3) a motion sensor that is coupled with the movable probe tip. The multi-tip nano-probe apparatus and related method provide for improved sample probing due to close coupling of the motion sensor with the movable probe tip, and also retractability of the movable probe tip with respect to the immovable probe tip.

Abstract: A holding mechanism used in a measuring device includes a first groove, a second groove, and a pair of holding members holding the detection device by being attached to first and second sides in a length direction of a scale frame. The pair of holding member include a plate-like main body, a first hook portion engaging with the first groove, a second hook portion engaging with the second groove, and a projecting tab projecting from the main body and positioned at a gap. The pair of holding members are displaced from first and second sides toward the detection device along the length direction of the scale frame and the projecting tab is inserted into the gap, and thereby the projecting tab biases the scale frame and the detection device in mutually separating directions.

Abstract: A motion inducing system for playing sounds over a gramophone is provided. An electrical signal such as that from a digital music player is converted to lateral movement of a surface using a linear motion transducer. The lateral movement moves the stylus of a gramophone, and the music from the digital music source is played over the horn of the gramophone.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch panel configured to be displaceable in vertical direction and to be urged upwardly toward an original position in a non-depressed state, a depression start detector that detects a start of a depression manipulation of the touch panel while the touch panel is depressed and displaced downward, a determination manipulation detector that detects a determination manipulation based on the touch panel is displaced to a position which is lower than a position where the depression start detector detects the start of the depression manipulation, and a decision unit that stores the touch position when the depression start detector detects the start of the depression manipulation, and thereafter decides that the determination manipulation has been conducted at the stored touch position when the determination manipulation detector detects the determination manipulation.

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 apparatus comprising: a spindle motor configured to drive a turntable on which an optical disc is loaded to rotate; a first substrate on which a first support member rotatably supporting a rotation shaft of the spindle motor is fixed, and on which a second support member is formed at a position adjacent to the spindle motor; a second substrate; an optical pickup device; and a guide member configured to guide the optical pickup device in a radial direction of the optical disc loaded on the turntable, one end of the guide member being supported by the second support member on the first substrate and fixed to a fixing member on the second substrate, and the other end of the guide member being fixed to the fixing member on the second substrate.

Abstract: A disk device of the present invention includes a switch 132 for mechanically detecting a displacement of an optical pickup 114, provided on a movable body 115, to a disk inner peripheral position and for switching its internal state. The switch 132 also detects the inner peripheral positions of a minidisk and a compact disk. The disk device also includes a movable member 131, which switches the internal state of the switch 132 when the movable body 115 is displaced to the disk inner peripheral position. The displacement of the optical pickup 114 to the inner peripheral position on a minidisk or a compact disk is detected based on the internal state of the switch 132 and the flow direction of current supplied to the motor 116 for driving the movable body 115.

Abstract: The remaining vibrations of the main unit of an optical carriage are detected though the tracking signals, and then piezoelectric devices in the said optical carriage are pressed against the braking bars penetrating through it, only for a very short time, at the moment at the centre of the waveforms produced by the tracking signals.

Abstract: A disk device of the present invention includes a switch 132 for mechanically detecting a displacement of an optical pickup 114, provided on a movable body 115, to a disk inner peripheral position and for switching its internal state. The switch 132 also detects the inner peripheral positions of a minidisk and a compact disk. The disk device also includes a movable member 131, which switches the internal state of the switch 132 when the movable body 115 is displaced to the disk inner peripheral position. The displacement of the optical pickup 114 to the inner peripheral position on a minidisk or a compact disk is detected based on the internal state of the switch 132 and the flow direction of current supplied to the motor 116 for driving the movable body 115.

Abstract: An optical pickup records data on, and reproduces data from, an optical disk contained in a cartridge having a window. The pickup comprises a movable assembly including an objective lens, a support mechanism supporting the movable assembly to allow the movable assembly to move in a radial direction of the optical disk, and drive mechanism for driving the movable assembly in the radial direction of the optical disk. One part of the movable assembly, and one part of the support mechanism and/or the drive mechanism are arranged within the window of the cartridge.

Abstract: An optical pickup feeding apparatus which eliminates the reference axis and compressed coil spring or the reference axis and parts such as as used heretofore or the reference axis and parts such as fixing parts as used heretofore and moreover has improved assembling efficiency.

Abstract: A movable platform is mounted on opposing guide rails within a disk drive. A head actuator and spindle motor are mounted on the movable platform. The platform moves on the guide rails from a forward position to a rearward position upon insertion of a disk cartridge into the disk drive. As the platform moves toward the rearward position, the elevation of the platform changes in order to bring the spindle motor into engagement with the hub of the disk cartridge. A latch member is pivotally mounted on one of the guide rails for latching the platform in its forward position when the disk drive is not in use.

Abstract: A disc recognizing method prevents a leaf spring of a pickup from being deformed in an optical disc playback apparatus including a pickup transfer for moving a pickup and a plurality of starting point detecting switches for recognizing a type of a seated disc. The method includes a disc recognizing step of recognizing the seated disc by virtue of an on state of a first starting point detecting switch which corresponds to the starting point of a laser disc when a playback mode is selected, a disc recognizing step of recognizing the seated disc by virtue of an on state of a second starting point detecting switch which corresponds to a compact disc, and a disc recognizing step of recognizing the seated disc by inwardly transferring the pickup for a predetermined period of time when a focusing operation fails after the first starting point detecting switch has been turned on.

Abstract: In a head driving device having an optical head for erasing, recording and reproducing information, a carriage adapted to move in a radial direction of a disk as an information recording carrier together with the optical head, and voice coils attached to the carriage and imparting a thrust to the carriage in cooperation with a magnetic circuit, wherein tracking for a disk track deflection is performed by only a linear actuator comprising the magnetic circuit and the voice coils, a working center line of forces applied to the voice coils is set as so as to extend on the disk side with respect to the center of gravity of the moving portion. By so doing, a tracking servo system does not become unstable even when the working center line of forces exerted on the voice coils and the center of gravity of the moving portion are deviated from each other.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to systems and methods for storing digital video information on an optical recording medium comprising the steps of moving the optical recording medium in a first direction, sinusoidally scanning a beam of light over the moving optical recording medium in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction to establish a scan path over the optical recording medium, and periodically deflecting the sinusoidal scanning beam in the first direction to linearize at least a portion of the scan path. By linearizing at least a portion of the scan path, two traces can be made per cycle of a primary sinusoidal deflection, thereby doubling scanning efficiency.

Abstract: In a disk player/recorder apparatus, a radial access mechanism is disclosed in which a first guide rod is positioned on a mounting plate accurately with respect to the information storage medium. A head assembly engages the first guide rod through bushings which provide stringent tolerance requirements. The position of the head assembly is accurately controlled by the position of the first guide rod and the tolerances on the bushings. A second guide rod coupled to the mounting plate and a single bushing also supports and guides the head assembly, however, the tolerances on the components associated with the second guide rod are less stringent. Coupled to each of the guide rods is a bracket with a permanent magnet coupled thereto. The permanent magnets interact with the coils of linear motors coupled to the head assembly. The linear motors are arranged to minimize torque on the head assembly. The brackets and the guide rods form magnetic circuits for the associated permanent magnets and linear motors.

Abstract: Guide parts and driving parts are independently provided for an optical head and a magnetic bias field generator, and a relative position control part controls the relative positions of the two so that the both can access recording medium tracks individually. Furthermore, a magnetic pattern track for use as the detection signal of the absolute position of the magnetic bias field generator to the magneto-optical recording medium is formed on the magneto-optical recording medium itself, and a positioning control part of the magnetic bias field generator using this magnetic pattern track is provided, so that the positioning control of the absolute position of the magnetic bias field generator with respect to the magneto-optical recording medium may be realized.

Abstract: A moving coil, linear positioning transducer actuator suitable for optical recording and playback devices is constructed by forming the actuator frame, magnetic pole pieces and the magnetic core of the moving coil from a single piece of ferrous material and wherein the path of the moving coil and transducer are substantially collinear. The transducer is supported by parallel rails which are mounted to the frame.

Abstract: A pickup feeding apparatus is comprised of a first rack provided on a pickup supporting member supported so as to become movable along a guide shaft, a second rack provided slidably relative to the first rack, a drive force transmitting gear for transmitting a driving force of a driving source to the first and second racks, a spring member for spring-biasing one of the first and second racks to the other along the guide shaft of the first and second racks in such a direction that gear teeth of a gear of the drive force transmitting means which are meshed with the first and second racks are gripped. A disc player is also disclosed, in which a disc drive motor and a pickup feeding motor are provided on the same chassis and the disc drive motor is located on the chassis at the position above the pickup moving locus fed by the pickup feeding device.

Abstract: The disclosed electro-mechanical transducing element has an elongated shape and is mechanically deformable in response to a supplied electrical signal. One or more electrically conductive portions are formed to run along the direction of elongation to form one or more electrical paths for one or more electrical members which are to be affixed to a portion or portions near the free end of the elongated element. According to a disclosed embodiment the electrical member or members are mechanically moved through mechanical deformation of the element. Electrical lead wires are connected to the electrically conductive portions at the first end of the element opposite the free end, thereby eliminating the influence of the lead wires on the deformation performance of the element.

Abstract: A slide (19) is driven by a gear mechanism (21) to position a scanning device (15) in a radial direction relative to the record carrier between an innermost track 3) and an outermost track (4), a stop (38) of the slide (19) abutting against a fixed stop (39) on the apparatus when the scanning device (15) is positioned at the outermost track (4). The gear mechanism (21) comprises a pinion (24) driven by a motor (20) and two gear racks (26, 27) which are tensioned relative to one another by a spring (25) and driven by the pinion, one of the gear racks (27) being fixed to the slide (19). When the slide (19) abuts against the fixed stop (39) the gear rack (27) is not in mesh with the pinion (24) and at least one end tooth (40) of the other gear rack (26) is situated in a range where it can mesh with the pinion (24).

Abstract: A carriage assembly for use with an optical recording disc for optical recording and reproduction relative to the disc comprises a frame, an optical lens for projecting and receiving a light beam for the optical recording and reproduction, a carriage movably supported in the frame for supporting the optical lens relative to the disc, a vertical guide arrangement for permitting a movement of the optical lens relative to the carriage in a vertical direction relative the disc surface, a vertical drive arrangement for driving the optical lens in the vertical direction relative to the carriage, a radial guide arrangement for permitting said carriage to move in a radial direction of said optical disc, and a radial drive arrangement for driving the carriage in the radial direction of the disc.

Abstract: A carriage assembly for a disc operating apparatus comprising a frame, a carriage movably supported in the frame relative to the disc, an optical lens or magnetic head mounted on the carriage for recording and reproducing information on the disc, and a radial guide arrangement permitting movement of the carriage in a radial direction relative to the disc. The assembly also comprises a radial drive arrangement including an electromagnetic coil mounted to the carriage and a permanent magnet mounted to the frame. The permanent magnet is electromagnetically coupled with the electromagnetic coil for driving the carriage in the radial direction of the disc. The electromagnetic coil includes two sections which sandwich the carriage and are shaped to come into contact with each other at both sides thereof, whereby the cross section of the electromagnetic coil is hexagonal in a plane parallel to a surface of the disc. As a result, the dimensions in the radial direction of the carriage assembly are decreased.

Abstract: An optical disk player is provided, which includes a drive chassis provided with: a spindle motor for driving a turntable on which an optical disk is supported; a photopickup with a rack which is movable while being guided in the direction of approaching/separating with respect to the turntable; and a feed motor for applying a driving force to the rack. The rack is disposed on an operating line crossing the spindle motor, and an end portion of the rack is positioned within the area of a corner portion of a quadrilateral circumscribed in the outer circumference of the optical disk when the photo-pickup is moved to a position remotest from the turntable, thus, no hindrance is created by the thus projected portion of the rack because that area is a dead space of the player.

Abstract: A control system for a linear tracking arm in a record player. A signal representative of a tracking error angle of the arm is, after A/D conversion, supplied to a microprocessor for producing a control signal which controls an arm drive device so that the tracking error angle constantly remains zero. For invalidating an offset quantity possibly produced in the output of a tracking error angle detecting sensor due to changes in the characteristic thereof, a signal produced by the sensor when the arm is lifted in precedence to the playback operation is stored in a memory of the microprocessor. During the playback, the tracking error angle is detected with reference to the stored value. An average moving speed of the arm is measured for discriminating transient increasing in the speed of the arm caused by eccentricity of the disc from the increasing of the speed caused by the arm entering a lead-out groove of the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reading information on an optically readable rotating disc (3) comprises a slide (6)which can be driven in a radial direction in order to move an objective (1) arranged on the slide along the disc. The objective is driven directly in the radial direction by radial drive means (33) which act directly, i.e. not via the bearing means (21, 22), on the objective.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting position of a reproducing transducer in a rotary recording medium reproducing apparatus which reproduces an information signal recorded in a rotary recording medium by a reproducing transducer which is transferred towards the radial direction of the rotary recording medium, comprises a single photo-detector having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, provided in a manner so as to be transferred unitarily with the reproducing transducer, a light interrupting plate provided at a fixed part of the rotary recording medium reproducing apparatus, for operating together with the photo-detector, and a position detection signal producing circuit for producing a position detection output signal according to an output of said photo-detector, to indicate that the reproducing transducer has passed a position corresponding to the outermost peripheral position and the innermost peripheral position of the recorded region in the rotary recording medium.

Abstract: Moving coils of a phonograph pickup are made of a substance having magnetoresistance so that the electrical resistance of the coils are detected by means of bridge circuits. The amounts of resistance variation of the coils are used to produce a vertical component output signal and a horizontal component output signal which respectively indicate the vertical and horizontal displacements of the coils from its optimum operating point with respect to the magnetic field of the pickup. The vertical and horizontal component output signals are used to control vertical and horizontal control motors which correct the attitude of the tone arm so that the moving coils are accurately positioned at the optimum operating point irrespective of the warp and/or eccentricity of the phonograph disk.

Abstract: A servo system for a VideoDisc player stylus carrying carriage assembly is described which precludes the servo system entering a hunt mode due to the signal pickup stylus tracking an eccentric signal track. The player comprises a carriage for housing a track following signal pickup stylus compliantly mounted therein. A position detector generates an analog signal proportional to the stylus position relative to a relaxed or centered position. The position signal is converted to a bilevel signal (i.e. relatively positive and relatively negative levels), the two levels corresponding to the stylus being to the right or left of the centered position respectively. The bilevel signal is sampled at regular intervals, e.g. eight, per disc revolution. Counter circuitry counts the number of samples per disc revolution which are at the relatively positive level.

Abstract: A stylus position detecting apparatus in use for a video disc player using a disc of the groove type, detecting plates for detecting leakage components of a high frequency signal supplied from a high frequency signal source and flowing through a flylead, and for reading out a recorded signal in a disc are provided on both sides of the flylead. The leakage signal components detected by the detecting plates are detected to positive and negative directions with respect to a reference voltage. These voltages obtained by the detections are added by an adder, to find a stylus position.

Abstract: A pickup carriage drive for a video disc player comprises a selective-activated motor mounted on a pickup carriage. A drive cord is strung between a pair of anchor points disposed in the player, and has a portion wrapped around the output shaft coupled to the drive motor. The motor, when energized, drives the carriage to follow the pickup stylus across the record during playback.

Abstract: A stylus position sensor for a video disc player apparatus. An electrode secured in fixed relation to a movable stylus is disposed between first and second electrodes to form first and second variable capacitors therewith. The capacitance of the variable capacitors change in accordance with the motion of the stylus related electrode between the first and second electrodes. A time varying signal is applied through fixed impedances to the first and second electrodes, the amplitude of the signal being modulated by voltage variable impedances connected between the first and second electrodes and a point of fixed potential. The modulated signals at said first and second electrodes are coupled to the stylus related electrode and the time average of the summed signal is indicative of the position of the stylus related electrode and thereby the stylus with respect to the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a tone arm in a record playing device of the linear tracking pickup type includes a pair of guide rails; a carriage slidably mounted on the guide rails; a pickup assembly mounted on the carriage and including a support mechanism for supporting the tone arm for horizontal movement with respect to a record disc; a linear drive motor for linearly driving the carriage along the guide rails in the horizontal direction with respect to the record disc; a motor drive circuit for controlling the energization of the linear drive motor; an offset angle detecting device for detecting an offset angle of the tone arm and for generating an offset angle output in response thereto; a first switch circuit for supplying the offset angle output to the motor drive circuit when the tone arm traces the record disc to drive the linear drive motor so as to compensate for the detected offset angle; an inclination detecting circuit for detecting an inclination of the carriage with respect to the record disc an

Abstract: A linear tracking arm assembly for linearly tracking a recording medium in response to manual or automatic lead-in and return indications, which includes a linearly movable conveyer means carrying thereon a pick-up arm. The linearly movable conveyer means is driven by an electro-magnetic linear motor. An electric brake means is provided on the conveyer means, for applying a suitable brake to the electro-magnetic linear motor in accordance with a speed of the conveyer means.

Abstract: In certain video disc systems it is desirable to have a stylus position sensing apparatus. An electrode secured in fixed relation to a movable stylus is disposed between first and second electrodes to form first and second variable capacitors therewith. The capacitance of the variable capacitors change relative to the motion of the stylus related electrode between the first and second electrodes. Complementary signals are applied to the first and second electrodes, which signals are coupled proportional to the respective variable capacitances to the stylus related electrode. The algebraic sum of the signals coupled to the stylus related electrode is indicative of the position of the stylus.

Abstract: A tangential pick-up device for a gramophone turn-table comprises a pick-up head on a support connected by a floating articulation to a carriage which is driven along a radially-disposed arm by a servo-control device to hold the support in a reference position. The floating articulation of the support, e.g. by a guided pivot member, is arranged so that shocks or vibrations tend to cause pivoting of the support about two axes disposed radial and perpendicular to a disc and intersecting adjacent the pick-up needle, whereby jumping of the needle is avoided.