Optical disc apparatus

Abstract

Optical disc apparatus ( 1 ) comprising a supporting assembly ( 7 ), a spindle motor ( 9 ), optical means associated with the supporting assembly for scanning an information surface of the optical disc mounted on the spindle of the spindle motor, a focusing lens assembly ( 29 ), a swing arm assembly ( 41 ) comprising a generally elongate swing arm structure ( 43 ) mounting said focusing lens assembly at a free end, the swing arm assembly being pivotally movable about a swing axis ( 47 ) spaced away from said free end and directed generally perpendicularly to the swing arm structure, first pivoting means ( 65 ) for enabling focusing movements of said focusing lens assembly, and second pivoting means ( 53 ) for enabling said pivotal scanning movements of the swing arm assembly, and further comprising movable magnetic focusing means ( 55,57 ) provided near said free end of the swing arm assembly for driving said focusing lens along its focusing axis and movable magnetic scanning means for driving said swing arm assembly pivotally about said swing axis, the optical disc apparatus further comprising stationary magnetic focusing means ( 75,77 ) associated with the supporting assembly and stationary magnetic scanning means ( 75,77 ) associated with the supporting assembly, the stationary magnetic focusing means and the stationary magnetic scanning means both being provided near the free end of the swing arm structure. The swing arm structure is rigid from the free end up to at least adjacent the swing axis, and the first pivoting means are provided at or adjacent the second pivoting means.

1 . Optical disc apparatus ( 1 ;  125 ;  215 ) for recording and/or reproducing information on/from an information surface ( 3 ; 129 ; 217 ) of a rotatable optical disc ( 5 ;  127 ;  219 ), comprising: 
 a supporting assembly ( 7 ;  131 ;  221 );    a motor ( 9 ;  133 ;  223 ) for rotating the optical disc ( 5 ;  127 ;  219 ) about a spindle axis ( 13 ;  134 ;  227 );    optical means ( 21 ,  23 ,  25 , 27 ,  29 ,  33 ,  37 ,  39 ;  139 ,  141 ; 229 ) for scanning an information surface ( 3 ;  129 ;  217 ) of said optical disc ( 5 ;  127 ;  219 ), comprising a focusing lens assembly ( 29 ,  33 ;  139 ,  141 ;  229 ) having a movable focusing lens ( 33 ;  139 ;  231 ) having a focusing axis ( 35 ;  143 ;  233 ) and a swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) comprising a generally elongate swing arm structure ( 43 ;  137 ;  239 ) mounting said focusing lens assembly ( 29 ,  33 ;  139 ,  141 ;  229 ) at a free end ( 45 ; 203 ; 241 ), the swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) being pivotally movable about a swing axis ( 47 ;  145 ;  243 ) directed generally perpendicularly to the swing arm structure ( 43 ;  137 ;  239 ) and generally parallel to said spindle axis ( 47 ;  134 ;  227 ), the swing arm assembly comprising first pivoting means ( 51 ,  65 ;  147 ,  151 ;  275 AB) for enabling focusing movements of said focusing lens assembly ( 29 ,  33 ;  139 ,  141 ;  229 ) and second pivoting means ( 51 ,  53 ;  149 ,  151 ;  265 ,  269 ) for enabling pivotal scanning movements of the swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  229 ) and further comprising movable magnetic focusing means ( 55 ,  57 ;  179 A,B;  245 ) provided near said free end ( 45 ;  203 ;  241 ) of the swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) for driving said focusing lens ( 33 ;  139 ;  231 ) along said focusing axis ( 35 ;  143 ;  233 ) to focus an optical beam ( 42 ;  235 ) on the information surface ( 3 ;  129 ;  217 ), and movable magnetic scanning means ( 55 ,  57 ;  155 ;  247 ) for driving said swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) pivotally about said swing axis ( 47 ;  145 ;  243 ) for scanning the information surface ( 3 ;  129 ;  217 );    stationary magnetic focusing means ( 75 ,  77 ;  207 ;  249 ) associated with the supporting assembly ( 7 ;  131 ;  221 ) for magnetically cooperating across an intermediate air gap ( 61 ;  251 ) with said movable magnetic focusing means ( 55 ,  57 ;  179 A,B;  245 ) for generating a magnetic force vector having a vector component parallel to said focusing axis ( 35 ;  143 ;  233 ) for driving the focusing lens assembly ( 29 ,  33 ;  139 ,  141 ;  229 ) along said focusing axis ( 35 ; 143 ; 233 ) and stationary magnetic scanning means ( 75 ,  77 ;  207 ;  253 ) associated with the supporting assembly ( 7 ;  131 ;  221 ) for magnetically cooperating across an intermediate air gap ( 61 ) with said movable magnetic scanning means ( 55 ,  57 ;  155 ;  247 ) for generating a magnetic torque about said swing axis ( 47 ;  145 ;  243 ) for driving the swing arm assembly ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) about said swing axis ( 47 ;  145 ;  243 ),    wherein the swing arm structure ( 41 ;  135 ;  237 ) is rigid from the free end ( 45 ;  203 ;  241 ) up to at least adjacent the swing axis ( 47 ;  145 ;  243 ) and the first pivoting means ( 51 , 65 ; 147 , 151 ; 275 A,B) are provided at or adjacent the second pivoting means ( 51 ,  53 ;  149 ,  151 ;  265 ,  269 ).    
     
     
         2 . Optical apparatus ( 1 ;  125 ;  215 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pivoting means ( 51 ,  65 ;  147 ,  151 ) and/or second pivoting means ( 51 ,  53 ;  149 ,  151 ) comprise leaf spring means ( 65 ,  53 ;  147 ,  149 ) having a direction of high relative flexibility in the required pivoting direction only.