EP0143483A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electro-optical device
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1984-10-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-24
Abstract
Abstract An electro-optical device for reading an information disc comprises an optical system (22) which is movable relative to the disc and which is controllably supported by elongate supporting means (24, 25), the system being driven by means of at least one electro-magnetic actuator (26). The supporting means are pretensioned in the longitudinal direction by first and second magnetic pretensioning means (26B, 27A-B) which cooperate with each other via an air gap, enabling the use of very flexible supporting means, for example wires which have a low resistance to bending and a very low mass.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerard Eduard Van Rosmalen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:17
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/08; G11B7/09; G11B7/12; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/18; G02B7/182; G02B7/1821; G11B7/085; G11B7/0857; G11B7/08576; G11B7/0925; G11B7/093
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
An electro-optical device for scanning an information disc without mechanical contact, which device comprises: - a movable optical system (5; 22; 35; 58; 90) comprising at least one optical element (6; 23; 44; 59; 92), - elongate supporting means (15, 16; 24, 25; 37, 38; 65, 96, 98) which movably support the optical system, and - an electromagnetic actuator (17; 26; 51; 67; 108) comprising first actuator means (17A; 26A; 51A; 67A; 118A) and second actuator means (17B; 26B; 51B; 67B; 118B) which cooperate electromagnetically with each other via an air gap (18; -; 53; 83) for moving the optical system in a controlled manner, characterized in that there is provided a magnetic pretensioning device comprising first pretensioning means (20; 27; 51A6; 68, 82; 118A) and second pretensioning means (17B; 26B; 55; 67B1; B2; 122), which first and second pretensioning means cooperate magnetically with one another via an air gap (18; -; -; 83; 120A) and pretension said supporting means (15, 16; 24, 25; 37, 38; 65; 96, 98) in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
An electro-optical device for scanning an information disc without mechanical contact, which device comprises: - a movable optical system (5; 22; 35; 58; 90) comprising at least one optical element (6; 23; 44; 59; 92), - elongate supporting means (15, 16; 24, 25; 37, 38; 65, 96, 98) which movably support the optical system, and - an electromagnetic actuator (17; 26; 51; 67; 108) comprising first actuator means (17A; 26A; 51A; 67A; 118A) and second actuator means (17B; 26B; 51B; 67B; 118B) which cooperate electromagnetically with each other via an air gap (18; -; 53; 83) for moving the optical system in a controlled manner, characterized in that there is provided a magnetic pretensioning device comprising first pretensioning means (20; 27; 51A6; 68, 82; 118A) and second pretensioning means (17B; 26B; 55; 67B1; B2; 122), which first and second pretensioning means cooperate magnetically with one another via an air gap (18; -; -; 83; 120A) and pretension said supporting means (15, 16; 24, 25; 37, 38; 65; 96, 98) in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic pretensioning device comprises permanent-magnetic means (17B, 20; 26B, 51A6; 68; 118A).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that at least a part (17B; 26B; 51A6, 67B1, B2; 118A) of the pretensioning means also forms part of the actuator means (17; 26; 51; 67; 118).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said supporting means comprise at least one wire (24, 25; 37, 38; 65) having a low resistance to bending (Figs. 4-11).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 4, said optical system comprising a lens system (22; 35) with an optical axis (29; 36), characterized in that - the supporting means comprise two pairs (24, 25; 37, 38) of wires which extend at least substantially perpendicularly of the optical axis (29; 36), a first pair (24; 27) extending near a first end of the lens system and a second pair (25; 38) near a second end of the lens system, and - the wires of each pair are disposed at an angle (α; .-3 ) to one another (Figs. 4 - 8).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
92 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that - the first pair of wires (24; 37) meet at a first point of attachment (30; 39) - the second pair of wires (25; 38) meet at a second point of attachment (31; 42), and - the first and second points of attachment are spaced from each other and are situated on a pivotal axis (32; 43) of the lens system, which axis extends parallel to the optical axis (29; 36) of the lens system (22; 35). (Figs. 4 - 8).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
110 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that - the lens system (35) is pivotable about the pivotal axis (43) along an arc (48) whose chord (49) has a length which is at least equal to the radial dimension of the annular information area (50) of the information disc (47) to be read, and - the first actuator means (51A) extend along an arc whose centre of curvature is situated on the pivotal axis (43), and co-operate with the second actuator means (51B) via an airgap (53) which is at least substantially constant regardless of the pivotal position of the lens system (35). (Figs. 5 - 8).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 4, said optical system comprising a lens system (58) with an optical axis (70), characterized in that the supporting means comprise at least three wires (65) of equal length, which wires extend parallel to and are spaced from the optical axis (70) (Figs. 9 - 11).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that there is provided a pluralitycf wires (24, 25) which form part of the supporting means but which all form sections of a single uninterrupted length of wire (78). (Fig. 4).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that the wire or each wire comprises a plurality of separate fibres.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that the wire comprises at least fibres of a first type and a second type, the first type of fibres being made of a material which is suitable for the transmission of information signals and the second type of fibres being made of a material which is less elastic than the first material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that the wire comprises a material with a modulus of elasticity higher than that of steel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An electro-optical device as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said material is a hydrocarbon polymer.
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