Patent · US Expired

Electromagnetic lens actuator for optical disk drive

US5442606A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
25References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 1994
Grant dateAug 15, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 13, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B7/0935
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for the dynamic positioning of an objective lens in an optical disk drive comprises a housing, a lens unit movable in a focusing and a tracking direction, a magnetic circuit mounted to the lens unit for creating a first magnetic field, a pair of current conducting coils mounted to the housing and arranged orthogonal to the first magnetic field, and a flexure for flexibly supporting the lens unit in the housing. An active region comprising at least half of the coil creates the second magnetic field in response to current passing therethrough to interact with the first magnetic field and apply a force to the lens unit. This efficient coil arrangement allows for a small, lightweight dual-purpose magnetic circuit which substantially reduces the weight of the lens positioning apparatus. The housing is a one-piece injection molded ceramic component which maximizes stiffness and minimizes weight to improve the performance of the apparatus.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.