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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical head apparatus suitable for use
in an optical disc unit.
In an optical data recording/reproducing apparatus, in which a
predetermined recording medium (optical disc) is irradiated with a light
beam to record or reproduce data, it is necessary to focus the light on
the disc, for a light spot to trace a track on the disc and to move the
light spot toward the inner and outer circumferences. Therefore, the
optical head apparatus is arranged so that it can achieve such focus
control, tracking control and (radial) carriage control.
FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of a conventional optical head
apparatus, which is applied to the compact disc player or optical video
disc player or the like. As illustrated, an objective lens 2 is mounted on
the upper surface of a substantially cylindrical armature 1. A post 3 is
fixed upright on a carriage 11 to support the armature 1 so that the
latter may vertically move or slide, and rotate. A focusing coil 4 is
wound about the outer peripheral wall of the armature 1, and tracking
coils 5 are stuck onto the focusing coil 4. Yokes 7 are fixed to the
carriage 11 and permanent magnets 6 are attached thereto. Additional yokes
8 are fixed to the carriage 11. The yokes 8 and magnets 6 are respectively
disposed inside and outside of the armature in such a way that they may
oppose each other with the coils 4 and 5 interposed therebetween. An
optical system 9 emits a laser beam 10 and is mounted on the carriage 11.
Slide portions 12 are formed at the end portions of the carriage 11 and
guide shafts 13 are inserted therethrough. An access (carriage) motor 14
rotates a screw 15. The screw 15 engages with a receiver portion 17 fixed
to the carriage 11. A mirror 16 is fixed to the carriage 11.
The laser beam 10 emitted from a light source (not shown) such as a
semiconductor laser or the like, which is incorporated into the optical
system 9, is reflected by the mirror 16 to be directed into the objective
lens 2, which in turn converges the incident light for irradiation onto a
disc (not shown). The light reflected by the disc returns along the same
path to be directed to the optical system 9. The optical system 9
incorporates photodiodes (not shown) to detect the light reflected from
the disc.
A focus error signal is generated from the outputs of the photodiodes and
is supplied to the coil 4. Since the coil 4 is disposed within the
magnetic field of the magnets 6, when a current corresponding to the focus
error signal flows, an electromagnetic force will be generated. As a
result, guided by the post 3, the armature 1 (hence the objective lens 2)
moves in the vertical direction (i.e., focusing direction). In this way,
the focusing control is achieved.
Meanwhile, the tracking error signal generated from the outputs of the
photodiodes is supplied to the coils 5. Since the coils 5 are also
disposed within the magnetic field of the magnets 6, when the current
flows, an electromagnetic force is generated. This electromagnetic force
causes the armature 1 to be rotated in the clockwise or counterclockwise
direction, with the post as a fulcrum. As a result, the tracking control
is achieved.
Furthermore, when the data recording/reproducing position is moved in the
direction of its inner or outer circumference, a carriage (radial) error
signal is input to the access motor 14. At this time, the screw 15 is
rotated by the motor 14. Since the receiver portion 17 engages the screw
15, guided by the shaft 13, the carriage 11 is moved radially of the disc
with the result that carriage (radial) control is achieved.
As seen above, the optical head unit of FIG. 2, in which not only the
optical system 9 but also the magnetic circuit and the like are loaded on
the carriage 11, weighs as much as 50 g, and the average access speed with
respect to a predetermined track is on the order of 300 ms, which is slow.
FIG. 3 shows another conventional optical head unit, in which the
above-mentioned drawbacks are eliminated. As illustrated, a carriage 21
has slide portions 22 on its opposite end portions, and is supported by a
pair of guide shafts 23 extending in the direction of the optical disc, so
that the carriage can move along the guide shafts 23.
An armature 24 is mounted to the carriage 21, and an objective lens 25 is
attached to the armature 24. A slide shaft 27 is fixed to the carriage 21
and is inserted through a slide portion 26 fixed to the armature 24. Coils
28 are for tracking and radial servo control of the carriage. Focusing
coils 29 are stuck on the coils 28.
Yokes 31 are inserted through the respective coils 28, and permanent
magnets 30 are disposed to generate magnetic fields extending to the yokes
31. Closed magnetic circuits are formed by the permanent magnets 30 and
the yokes 31.
A laser beam 33 is emitted from an optical system 32, passed through a
light transparent portion 34 formed at the slide portion 26 and the slide
shaft 27, reflected at a mirror 35 disposed in the slide portion 27 and
fixed onto the carriage 21, directed to the objective lens 25 and focused
and irradiated onto the optical disc. Light reflected from the disc
follows the same path in the opposite direction to be incident onto the
optical system 32.
In the same way as the case described above, when the focus error signal is
supplied to the coils 29, since the coils 29 are disposed within the
magnetic field between the magnets 30 and the yokes 31, an electromagnetic
force is generated with the result that the armature 24, with the
objective lens 25, is moved in the vertical or focusing direction. At this
time, the slide portion 26 is guided by the slide shaft 27 so that the
armature 24 smoothly moves in the vertical direction. The height of the
coils 28 are selected to be sufficiently higher than that of the yoke 31,
so as to permit the vertical movement of the armature 24 required for
focusing.
The coils 28 are driven in response to the tracking error signal and the
carriage error signal. Since the coils 28 are also disposed within the
same magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets 30, an
electromagnetic force is generated so that the armature 24, with the
objective lens 25 and carriage 21, moves along the guide shafts 23, and
hence in the tracking and carriage-servo direction.
Since the optical system 32 in the apparatus of FIG. 3 is not loaded on the
carriage 21 the entire carriage 21 can be made to weigh about 10 g. As a
result, the average access time can be shortened to about 70 ms.
However, in the apparatus of FIG. 3, since the carriage 21 is moved not
only for carriage control, which is a rough access conducted for the seek
operation, but also for tracking control, which is a fine access on the
order of microns, the load imposed during tracking is greater than in the
apparatus of FIG. 2. Further, the friction on the slide portion 22 when it
is moved produces a hysteresis phenomenon. Moreover, the mass distribution
of the carriage 21 can cause an imbalance in the driving force of the
coils 28, and the frequency characteristic changes depending on the amount
of its movement. Consequently, with specific reference to the frequency
characteristic, gain can suddenly be changed or the phase can be disturbed
in the high range of bandwidth, thus making it difficult to achieve a
precise tracking servo action.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing circumstances, and
its first object is to eliminate the above-described drawbacks.
A second object of the invention is to achieve a faster access.
A third object of the invention is to enable a precise tracking control.
The optical head apparatus according to the invention is for recording or
reproducing information onto or from an optical disc, and comprises:
a guide member extending in a direction parallel with the radial direction
of the optical disc;
a carriage movable along the guide member;
an armature mounted on the carriage so that it can rotate about the pivotal
axis perpendicular to the surface of the optical disc;
an objective lens fixed to the armature at a distance from the axis and
positioned to traverse the tracks on the optical disc when the armature
rotates;
said objective lens moving in a substantially radial direction of the disc
when the carriage moves along said guide member;
a pair of guide yokes fixed relative to the guide member and extending in
parallel with the member; and
a pair of tracking and carriage-servo coils wound to surround the guide
yokes and not to be fixed to the guide yokes, and having a hollow through
which the guide yokes loosely extend;
the tracking and carriage servo coils being fixed to the armature;
a magnetic field means for creating magnetic lines of force perpendicular
to the guide yokes and parallel with the surface of the optical disc so
that the coils an electromagnetic force in the direction parallel with the
guide yokes is created when a current is made to flow through the coils;
and
a drive circuit for supplying currents to the tracking and carriage-servo
coils in such directions as to apply, to the tracking and carriage-servo
coils, electromagnetic forces in parallel with each other thereby to drive
the armature along the guide yokes or in such directions as to apply, to
the tracking and carriage-servo coils, electromagnetic forces in
antiparallel with each other to rotate the armature about the pivotal axis
.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical head apparatus according to the
present invention;
FIG. 1A is an elevational view of the optical head apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first example of a conventional optical
head apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second example of a conventional optical
head apparatus;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a coil according to the present
invention;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an optical system according to the present
invention;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a driving circuit according to the present
invention;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a focusing coil according to the present
invention;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a carriage and tracking coil according to
the present invention; and
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the carriage and the tracking servo action
.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of the optical head apparatus according
to the invention.
The optical head apparatus of this embodiment is for recording or
reproducing information onto or from an optical disc D, along tracks T in
circles or in a spiral form.
The optical disc D is supported by a fixed structure or a frame,
schematically indicated by FR, of the optical head apparatus so that it
can rotate about an axis DX perpendicular to the surface of the optical
disc D.
A pair of guide shafts 43 are fixed to the frame FR and extend in a
direction parallel with the radial direction of the optical disc D.
A carriage 41 is supported by the guide shafts 43 so that it is movable
along the guide shafts 43. More specifically, the carriage 41 has a pair
of slide portions 42 formed on opposite ends of the carriage 42 and the
guide shafts 43 extend through respective holes in the slide portions 42,
as is better illustrated in FIG. 1A.
An armature 44 is mounted on the carriage so that it can rotate about a
pivotal axis PX perpendicular to the surface of the optical disc D. The
armature is supported so that it is also movable in the focusing
direction, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the surface of the optical
disc relative to the carriage.
In the illustrated example, a post 47 is fixed upright to the carriage 41
and extending toward and perpendicular to the surface of the optical disc
D.
The armature 44 is engaged with the post 47 via a bearing 46 provided at
substantially the center of the armature 44. The armature 44 is therefore
not only rotatable about the post 47, as shown by arrow R, but also
movable in the focusing direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the
post 47, as shown by arrow F.
An objective lens 45 is fixed to the armature 44 at a distance from the
axis and positioned sideways with respect to the longitudinal direction of
the guide shafts 43 and hence to the radial direction of the disc D, so as
to traverse the tracks T on the optical disc D when the armature 44
rotates.
As shown in FIG. 9, the objective lens 45 is so positioned that as the
carriage 41 moves along the guide shafts 43, the objective lens 45 moves
on a radial line 93 passing the axis DX of the disc D or on a straight
line 94 parallel with the radial line 93 and spaced apart from the radial
line 93 by a relatively small distance d. What is essential is that the
tracks T on the disc D are traversed by the light beam from the objective
lens 45 as the carriage 41 moves along the guide shafts 43. The term
"substantially radial direction" as used in the appended claims should
therefore be construed to encompass a direction along a straight line
spaced by a small distance from the radial line, and hence a situation in
which the tracks T are traversed by the light beam.
A counterbalancing weight 55 having substantially the same weight as the
objective lens 45 is attached onto the armature 44, and is spaced apart
from the post 47 by the same distance and on the opposite side of the
objective lens 45 with respect to the post 47 to achieve a balance with
the objective lens 45. As a result, an adverse effect due to an imbalance
in weight can be avoided.
A pair of guide yokes 51a and 51b are fixed to the frame FR and hence fixed
relative to the guide shafts and extending in parallel with the guide
shafts. In the illustrated example, the guide yokes 51a and 51b have a
rectangular cross section having a height h and a width w.
A pair of tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a and 48b are fixed to the
armature 44, on its ends (left and right ends as seen in FIG. 1A) opposite
to each other with respect to the post 47, and are each wound so that the
entire coil forms a square column having a rectangular hollow space inside
it, surrounding but not fixed to the guide yokes 51a and 51b.
In the illustrated example, each of the tracking and carriage-servo coils
48a and 48b has a rectangular cross section with its central hollow also
having a rectangular cross section. As shown in FIG. 4, the dimension of
the hollow of the tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a and 48b in the
direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide yokes
51a and 51b and parallel with the surface of the optical disc D, i.e., the
width W of the hollow, is larger than the corresponding dimension, i.e.,
the width w, of the guide yokes 51a and 51b, so as to permit rotation of
the armature 44 about the post 47. The dimension of the hollow of the
tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a and 48b in the direction
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide yokes 51a and 51b
and perpendicular to the surface of the optical disc D, i.e., the height H
of the hollow, is larger than the corresponding dimension, i.e., the
height h, of the guide yokes 51a and 51 b so as to permit movement of the
armature 44 in the focusing direction.
As shown in FIG. 8, the coils 48 and 49b have portions extending in the
direction perpendicular to the surface of the disc D.
The focusing coils 49a and 49b are stuck to the upper and lower corners on
the outer surface of the tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a. The
focusing coils 49c and 49d are stuck to the upper and lower corners on the
outer surface of the tracking and carriage-servo coils 48b. The focusing
coils 49a to 49d are flat and substantially rectangular are wound in
spiral form, and have portions extending in the longitudinal direction of
the guide yokes 51a and 51b, as shown in FIG. 7.
Magnetic field members, such as permanent magnets 50a and 50b, are provided
to create magnetic lines of force perpendicular to the guide yokes 51a and
51b, and in parallel with the surface of the optical disc D. As a result,
an electromagnetic force is created in the direction parallel with the
guide yokes when a current is made to flow through the tracking and
carriage-servo coils 48a and 48b, and an electromagnetic force is created
in the focusing direction when a current is made to flow through the
focusing coils 49a and 49d.
The permanent magnets 50a and 50b are rod-shaped and have a rectangular
cross section. Each of the permanent magnets 50a and 50b, extends in
parallel with a respective one of the guide yokes 51a and 51b, and is
magnetized in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of
the guide yokes 51a and 51b, and in parallel with the surface of the
optical disc D. The pole faces of the permanent magnets 50a and 50b
confront the coils surrounding the guide yokes 51a and 51b, and gaps 56a
and 56b are formed between the pole faces of the permanent magnets 50a and
50b and the confronting surfaces of the coils.
Support yokes 51c and 51d are provided to extend in parallel with the guide
yokes 51a and 51b and have a rectangular cross section having a side
surface normal to the direction of the magnetization of the permanent
magnets 50a and 50b. The permanent magnets 50a and 50b are fixed to the
above-mentioned side surfaces of the support yokes 51c and 51d. The
support yokes 51c and 51d are connected at both ends, with bent ends 51e
and 51f of the guide yokes 51a and 51b. Thus, the guide yokes 51a and 51b
with the bent ends 51e and 51f, the support yokes 51c and 51d, the
permanent magnets 50a and 50b, and the gaps 56a and 56b respectively form
closed magnetic circuits, through which magnetic flux from the permanent
magnets 50a and 50b pass.
An optical system 52, which is fixed to the frame FR and hence fixed
relative to the guide shafts 43, generating a light beam parallel with the
guide yokes 51a and 51b. As is schematically shown in FIG. 5, the optical
system includes a light source 81 comprised of a semiconductor laser or
the like, a collimate lens 82 converting light from the light source 81
into a parallel beam, a beam splitter 83, and a photodetector element,
such as photodiodes 84. By the function of the light source 81 and the
collimate lens 82, the optical system emits a light beam 53 traveling in
the direction parallel with the guide yokes 51a and 51b.
A mirror 54 is mounted on the carriage 41 and receives the light beam 53
from the optical system 52, and reflects it through 90.degree. and directs
the reflected light toward the objective lens 45. The mirror also receives
light from the optical disc D via the objective lens 45 and reflects it
toward the optical system 52.
The beam splitter 83 separates the light traveling back from the mirror 54,
from the light emitted from the light source 81.
A drive circuit DRC, shown in FIG. 6, is provided for supplying electric
currents to the tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a and 48b in such
directions as to apply, to the tracking and carriage-servo coils 48a and
48b, electromagnetic forces in parallel with (in the same direction with)
each other thereby to drive the armature 44 along the guide yokes 51a and
51b, or in such directions as to apply, to the tracking and carriage-servo
coils 48a and 48b, electromagnetic forces in antiparallel with (in
opposite direction to) each other to rotate the armature 44 about the post
47.
The drive circuit DRC comprises a signal generator 61 for generating a
carriage error signal. The signal generator 61 may include a counter for
counting the number of tracks traversed by the light beam. The dirve
circuit DRC also comprises a signal generator 63 for generating a tracking
error signal of the basis of the outputs of the photodiodes 84.
A compensating circuit 64 compensates the tracking error signal output by
the signal generator 63 to have a predetermined frequency characteristic.
A means 62 merges merging the carriage error signal and the tracking error
signal via the compensating circuit 64. In the illustrated embodiment, the
merging means 62 is in the form of a switch for selecting either the
carriage error signal or the tracking error signal.
A low-pass filter 65 and a high-pass filter 66 respectively separate the
low-frequency and high-frequency components from the outputs of the switch
62.
The outputs of the low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter 66 are
supplied via resistors 67 and 69 to a non-inverted input terminal of a
first driver 71, which supplies the tracking and carriage-servo coil 48a
with a first current proportional to or otherwise in accordance with the
sum of the outputs of the low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter 66.
The outputs of the low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter 66 are also
supplied via resistors 68 and 70 to a non-inverted input terminal and an
inverted input terminal of a second driver 72, which supplies the tracking
and carriage-servo coil 48b with a second current proportional to or
otherwise in accordance with the difference between the outputs of the
low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter 66.
The driver 71 may comprise an operational amplifier, and forms, together
with the resistors 67 and 69, a first drive means which supplies the
tracking and carriage-servo coil 48a with a current determined on the
basis of the sum of the outputs of the low-pass filter 65 and the
high-pass filter 66. Similarly, the driver 72 may comprise an operational
amplifier, and forms, together with the resistors 68 and 70, a second
drive means which supplies the tracking and carriage-servo coil 48b with a
current determined on the basis of the difference between the outputs of
the low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter 66.
The direction of the currents supplied by the first and second drivers 71
and 72 are such that when the output of the high-pass filter 66 is zero
and the output of the low-pass filter 65 has a finite magnitude the
electromagnetic forces created by the tracking and carriage-servo coils
48a and 48b are in parallel with each other.
This can be achieved by having the coils 48a and 48b wound in the same
phase, having the outputs of the low-pass filter 65 supplied to the driver
71 and 72 in the same phase, having the outputs of the low-pass filter 65
and the high-pass filter 66 supplied to the driver 71 in the same phase,
and having the outputs of the low-pass filter 65 and the high-pass filter
66 supplied in opposite phases to the driver 72.
An input means 74 comprises, for example, a switch, key or the like and is
operated when a predetermined instruction is input to a control circuit 73
which comprises a microcomputer or the like.
The drive circuit DRC also includes a focusing control circuit 90 which
supplies currents to the focusing coil 49a to 49d responsive to a focusing
error thereby moving the armature 44 in the focusing direction.
The laser beam 53 emitted from the light source 81 is transformed from
diverging light into parallel light by the collimate lens 82. This
parallel light passes through the beam splitter 83 to be directed to the
mirror 54, which in turn reflects the laser beam 53 incident thereto in
the direction substantially parallel to the disc, into the direction
substantially perpendicular to the disc to direct it into the objective
lens 45, which converges the incident parallel light onto the disc for
irradiation. Since the light beam from the collimate lens 82 up the the
objective lens 45 is a parallel beam, even if the length of the optical
path from the light source 81 up to the objective lens 45 is changed
according to the position of the carriage 41, the laser beam can be
converged on the disc without being affected by it.
The laser beam reflected by the disc is directed to the beam splitter 83
via the objective lens 45 and the mirror 54. The beam splitter 83 reflects
this returned light to be directed to the photodiodes 84.
If the intensity of the laser beam emitted from the light source 81 is made
relatively large and is modulated in accordance with the signal, it is
possible to change the optical property of the surface of the disc on
which the siganl is recorded. Besides, if the intensity is made constant
and relatively weak to such an extent that the optical property of the
signal recording surface is not changed, the returned light is modulated
by the recording signal, and the reproducing signal can be obtained from
the outputs of the photodiodes 84.
In addition, if a means for applying astigmatism to the light source, such
as a cylindrical lens is disposed along the light path and the photodiodes
84 are divided into four parts (so-called astigmatic method), then the
focus error signal can be generated.
Furthermore, the generator circuit 63 computes the difference between the
outputs of the photodiodes 84 divided into two parts laterally with
respect to the track and generates the tracking error signal by means of,
for example a push-pull action.
The focus error signal is supplied to the coils 49a to 49d. The coils 49c
and 49d (also 49a and 49b), as shown in FIG. 7, for example, are connected
in such a way that the currents flowing through portions extending in the
radial direction of the disc (portions extending in the left to right
directions in the figure) are directed in the same direction over the
range confronting the air gap (magnetic gap) 56b (56a) defined between the
magnet 50b (50a) and the guide yoke 51b (51a). Consequently, if the focus
error signals of the same phase are supplied to the coils 49a and 49b
through 49c and 49d, the electromagnetic force is generated with the
result that, guided by the post 47, the armature 44 is driven in the
focusing direction F.
Since the height H of the coils 48a and 48b are set sufficiently large as
compared with the height h of the guide yokes 51a and 51b, the movement
required for the focusing is permitted.
If an input means 74 is manipulated to input an instruction to search for a
predetermined track, then a control circuit 73 turns a switch 62 to the
side of contact a. At this time, the generator circuit 61 generates and
produces a carriage drive signal corresponding to the difference between
present track and the target track. Since this signal (usually a d.c.
voltage of a predetermined level) has a relatively low frequency, most of
it passes through the low-pass filter 65. The signal which has passed
through the low-pass filter 65 is supplied to the non-inverted input
terminals of the drivers 71 and 72 via resistors 67 and 68. Consequently,
the currents of the same phase flows through coils 48 and 48b. As shown in
FIG. 8, since the coils 48 and 48b are wound vertically with respect to
the longitudinal direction of the guide yokes 51a and 51b, the
electromagnetic force is generated in the longitudinal direction of the
guide yokes 51a and 51b. Consequently, guided by the guide shafts 43, the
carriage 41 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the guide yokes 51 a
and 51b, and the objective lens 45 is moved in a substantially radial
direction.
When the present track coincides with the target track or approaches it,
the control circuit 73 turns the switch 62 to the side of the contact b.
As a result, after the tracking error signal output by the generator
circuit 63 is compensated to a predetermined frequency characteristic by
the compensating circuit 64, it is input into the low-pass filter 65 and
the high-pass filter 66 via the switch 62.
The high frequency component of the tracking error signal passes through
the high-pass filter 66. This signal is input into the non-inverted input
terminal of the driver 71 via the resistor 69 while being input into the
inverted input terminal of the driver 72 via the resistor 70.
Consequently, the coils 48a and 48b are driven with opposite phases by the
drivers 71 and 72. That is, in FIG. 1, when the coil 48a generates, for
example, the driving force in the rightward (leftward) direction, the coil
48b generates the driving force in the leftward (rightward) direction. As
a result, the armature 44 is rotated in the clockwise or counterclockwise
direction with the post 47 as a fulcrum. As shown in FIG. 9, since a
straight line 95 connecting the post 47 with the center of the objective
lens 45 at the rest position, or the position at the center of the range
of rotation of the armature is made to run substantially vertical to the
radius 93 (substantially parallel to the direction T of the track), the
objective lens 45 is rotated in the tracking direction Tr. This direction
runs substantially parallel to the radial direction R of the disc in the
range in which the rotation angle does not become so large.
At this time, since the width W of the coils 48a and 48b is set
sufficiently larger than the width w of the guide yokes 51a and 51b, the
rotation of the armature 44 for tracking is permitted.
On the other hand, the low band component of the tracking error signal is
separated (by integration) by the low-pass filter 65 and is supplied as
the carriage error signal to the drivers 71 and 72 with the same phase via
the resistors 67 and 68. Consequently, as in the above-described case, the
carriage 41 is driven is driven is the direction of radius R by the coils
48a and 48b. As a result, the light spot on the disc continuously keeps
tracking the track from the inner circumference toward the outer
circumference or in the opposite direction.
Since the mass of the movable portions including the carriage 41 which move
in the radial direction of the disc can be made to weigh about 10 g, it is
possible to achieve a frequency characteristic which is flat up to about 1
KHz. Besides, since the mass of the movable portions which move in the
tracking direction can be made to weigh about 1 g, it is possible to
achieve a frequency characteristic which is flat from 300 Hz to 6 KHz.
Consequently, the cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter 65 and the
high-pass filter 66 can be, for example, about 600 Hz. Incidentally, when
the coils 48a and 48b are wound with opposite phases (opposite
directions), the tracking error signal and the carriage error signal may
respectively be supplied in the same phase and in opposite phases.
As described above, in the present invention, the armature provided with
the objective lens is supported on the carriage so that it may slide in
the focusing direction and may rotate in the tracking direction. In
addition, the armature is driven by the carriage error signal with the
same phase and the tracking error signal with the opposite phases.
Consequently, it is possible to lighten the movable portions to that a
prompt access and a precise tracking control can be achieved.
* * * * *
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Description  |
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