Floating-type optical head having incorporated therein a floating slider and an optical device which floats with the slider, includes a light source, condensing unit and photodetector and is supported movably relative to the floating slider

• US 5,615,203 A
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited 1006 OAZA Kadoma-Shi Osaka Japan
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukakusa, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tupper, Robert S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brian E.
• Application Number:
  US08/339,666
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 360/103, 369/222, 369/13, 369/244, 369/44.22, 369/44.12, 369/44.23, 369/103, 369/109, 369/112, 369/44.14, 369/219
• US Class Current: 720/682
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0925 Electromechanical actuators for lens positioning G11B7/0857 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/122 Flying-type heads, e.g. analogous to Winchester type in magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/123 Integrated head arrangements, e.g. with source and detectors mounted on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/1353 Diffractive elements, e.g. holograms or gratings diffraction gratings per se G02B5/18; holograms per se G02B5/32; grating systems G02B27/44

Abstract

There is disclosed a floating-type optical head comprising a separated slider and an optical device, wherein at least either the optical device or the slider is moved thereby performing at least either tracking or focusing.

Claims

1. A floating-type optical head comprising:

a floating slider for floating over a medium as a result of an air flow generated on the recording surface of the medium;

an optical device comprising a light source, a light condensing means for condensing a light beam emitted by said light source onto said medium, and photo-detecting means for detecting a light beam reflected by the medium; and

a support means to which said optical device is attached, said support means elastically supporting said optical device relative to said floating slider such that said optical device is movable in at least a substantially perpendicular direction relative to the recording surface of said recording medium, wherein said device floats together with said floating slider over said recording medium.

2. A floating-type optical head according to claim 1, wherein said floating slider has a through-hole formed in its center and said support means supports said optical device movably in said through-hole.

3. A floating-type optical head according to claim 1, wherein said support means comprises an elastic element connecting said floating slider and said optical device.