Galvanomirror and optical disk drive using the same

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

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.

Claim 4

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

Claim 5

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.

Claim 6

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.

Claim 7

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.

Claim 8

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.

Claim 9

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.

Claim 10

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

Claim 11

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

Claim 12

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

Claim 13

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.

Claim 14

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

Claim 15

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

Claim 16

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

Claim 17

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.

Claim 18

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.

Claim 19

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.

Claim 20

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.

Claim 21

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.

Claim 22

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.

Claim 23

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.

Claim 24

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

Claim 25

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.

Claim 26

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.

Claim 27

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.

Claim 28

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

Claim 29

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

Claim 30

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

Claim 31

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.

Claim 32

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

Claim 33

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

Claim 34

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

Claim 35

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.

Claim 36

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.

Claim 37

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.

Claim 38

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.

Claim 39

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.

Claim 40

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.