Galvanomirror and optical disk drive using the same

• US 5,740,150 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasahara, Akihiro, Sekimura, Masayuki, Uchimaru, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Huber, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US08/753,323
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 369/112, 369/119, 369/44.14, 369/44.15, 369/44.16, 369/44.17, 369/44.19, 369/44.21, 369/44.22
• US Class Current: 369/119
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/08564 using galvanomirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0901 for track following only G11B7/0925, G11B7/094, G11B7/0941, G11B7/0943, G11B7/0945, G11B7/0946, G11B7/0948 take precedence

Abstract

An optical disk drive has a drive unit for driving a disk and an optical head for focusing a laser beam onto the disk. The optical head has a light source for emitting the laser beam, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the emitted laser beam, and a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the disk. The galvanomirror has a rocking portion being electrically chargeable, and one surface of the rocking portion having a reflection surface for reflecting the laser beam. The rocking portion is rockably supported by first end portions of supporting portions. Second end portions of the supporting portions are connected to a second plate (fixing portion). The second plate has an opposed portion opposed to the other surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed. Electrically chargeable electrodes are provided on the opposed portion of the second plate, for electrostatically driving the rocking portion thereby reflecting the laser beam at a desired angle. The other surface of the rocking portion is provided with recess portions for reducing an air pressure caused when the rocking portion is rocked.

Claims

1. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween; and

an electrically chargeable electrode provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member for reflecting said laser beam at a desired angle by electrostatically driving said rocking portion,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a recessed passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked.

2. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said passage is defined by an irregular portion provided on at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member.

3. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said passage extends in parallel to the axis of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

4. The optical disk drive according to claim 3, wherein said passage includes a curved portion gradually curved away from said axis of rocking movement from a central part to both end parts of said rocking portion.

5. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said passage extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

6. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said passage comprises a first passage portion provided on one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member, and a second passage portion provided on said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member,

said first passage portion extends substantially in parallel to the axis of rocking movement of said rocking portion, and

said second passage portion extends in a direction perpendicular to said first passage portion.

7. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said passage is defined by recess portions and projection portions provided on said opposed surface of said fixing member at regular intervals, and said electrode has a slit for exposing said recess portions of the passage to said rocking portion.

8. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said reflection surface of said rocking portion is formed by mirror-processing said rocking portion itself.

9. The optical disk drive according to claim 8, wherein said rocking portion is formed of a semiconductor material.

10. The optical disk drive according to claim 9, wherein said semiconductor material contains silicon.

11. The optical disk drive according to claim 10, wherein said reflection surface is formed in parallel to a (110) plane of silicon.

12. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said rocking portion and said support portion are formed of the same material as one body.

13. The optical disk drive according to claim 12, wherein said rocking portion and said support portion are formed of a semiconductor material.

14. The optical disk drive according to claim 13, wherein said semiconductor material contains silicon.

15. The optical disk drive according to claim 14, wherein said support portion has a linear shape along a (111) plane of silicon.

16. The optical disk drive according to claim 1, wherein said galvanomirror further comprises a restriction portion, coupled to said fixing portion, for restricting an angle of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

17. The optical disk drive according to claim 16, wherein said restriction portion elastically comes into contact with said rocking portion, to restrict said angle of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

18. The optical disk drive according to claim 17, wherein said restriction portion comes into contact with a side face of said rocking portion to restrict said angle of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

19. The optical disk drive according to claim 16, wherein said restriction portion is provided on said opposed surface of said fixing member and comes into contact with said rocking portion to restrict said angle of rocking movement of said rocking portion.

20. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween;

first and second electrodes provided at positions on said opposed portion of said fixing member, which positions are symmetric with respect to an axis of rocking movement of said rocking portion; and

a control unit for charging said first and second electrodes to have a same polarity and for changing potentials of said first and second electrodes with respect to a potential of said rocking portion to electromagnetically move said rocking portion about said axis of rocking movement,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a recessed passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked.

21. The optical disk drive according to claim 20, wherein said control unit charges said first and second electrodes to have a same potentials and to have predetermined potential differences with respect to said rocking portion.

22. The optical disk drive according to claim 20, wherein said rocking portion is grounded.

23. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween; and

an electrically chargeable electrode provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member for reflecting the laser beam at a desired angle by electrostatically driving said rocking portion,

wherein a length of said support portion in a direction parallel to said reflection surface of said rocking portion is less than a length of said support portion in a direction perpendicular to said reflection surface,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a recessed passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked.

24. The optical disk drive according to claim 23, wherein said reflection surface of said rocking portion is formed by mirror-processing said rocking portion itself.

25. The optical disk drive according to claim 24, wherein said rocking portion is formed of a semiconductor material.

26. The optical disk drive according to claim 25, wherein said semiconductor material contains silicon.

27. The optical disk drive according to claim 26, wherein said reflection surface is formed in parallel to a (110) plane of silicon.

28. The optical disk drive according to claim 23, wherein said rocking portion and said support portion are formed of the same material as one body.

29. The optical disk drive according to claim 28, wherein said rocking portion and said support portion are formed of a semiconductor material.

30. The optical disk drive according to claim 29, wherein said semiconductor material contains silicon.

31. The optical disk drive according to claim 30, wherein said support portion has a linear shape along a (111) plane of silicon.

32. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said second surface opposing said fixing member; and

an electrically chargeable electrode provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member for reflecting said laser beam at a desired angle by electrostatically driving said rocking portion,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked, said passage being provided within a peripheral edge of said second surface of said rocking portion when provided on said rocking portion, said passage being provided within an outer peripheral edge of said fixing member when provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member.

33. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said second surface of said rocking portion opposing said fixing member;

first and second electrodes provided at positions on said opposed portion of said fixing member, which positions are symmetric with respect to an axis of rocking movement of said rocking portion; and

a control unit for charging said first and second electrodes to have a same polarity and for changing potentials of said first and second electrodes with respect to a potential of said rocking portion to electromagnetically move said rocking portion about said axis of rocking movement,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked, said passage being provided within a peripheral edge of said second surface of said rocking portion when provided on said rocking portion, said passage being provided within an outer peripheral edge of said fixing member when provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member.

34. An optical disk drive having a drive unit for driving a storage medium and an optical head, driven relative to the storage medium, for focusing a laser beam onto the storage medium, a galvanomirror for correcting a light passage of the laser beam, a lens for focusing the laser beam from the galvanomirror onto the storage medium, and light receiving means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the storage medium, said optical head including a light source for emitting the laser beam, said galvanomirror comprising:

a rocking portion having first and second surfaces, said rocking portion being electrically chargeable, said first surface having a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam;

a support portion having first and second end portions for rockably supporting said rocking portion, said first end portion being connected to said rocking portion;

a fixing member connected to said second end portion of said support portion and having an opposed portion opposed to said second surface of the rocking portion with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said second surface of said rocking portion opposing said fixing member; and

an electrically chargeable electrode provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member for reflecting said laser beam at a desired angle by electrostatically driving said rocking portion,

wherein a length of said support portion in a direction parallel to said reflection surface of said rocking portion is less than a length of said support portion in a direction perpendicular to said reflection surface,

wherein at least one of said second surface of said rocking portion and said opposed portion of said fixing member is provided with a passage for reducing an air pressure caused when said rocking portion is rocked, said passage being provided within a peripheral edge of said second portion of said rocking portion when provided on said rocking portion, said passage being provided within an outer peripheral edge of said fixing member when provided on said opposed portion of said fixing member.