Optical: systems and elements – Lens – With support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-04
2001-06-12
Mack, Ricky (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Lens
With support
C369S044140
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246531
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an optical pickup suitable for use in an optical disk drive and, in particular, to an optical pickup in which an objective lens is elastically supported by a suspension member.
With reference to
FIGS. 1A-1D
, a first one of conventional optical pickups of the type will be described. The first conventional optical pickup comprises a lens holder
11
, an objective lens
12
held by the lens holder
11
, a damper base
13
, and four conductive wires
14
as a suspension member for elastically suspending the lens holder
11
to the damper base
13
. A cover
15
is connected to the damper base
13
and extends to cover the lens holder
11
. The lens holder
11
is provided with a coil unit (not shown) electrically connected to the conductive wires
14
. The cover
15
is provided with a magnet (not shown) placed adjacent to the coil unit. The cover
15
is held by a frame of a optical disk drive.
Each of the conductive wires
14
penetrates the damper base
13
to have an end portion
14
a
exposed from the damper base
13
. A flexible printed circuit (FPC)
16
is attached to the damper base
13
. The FPC
16
has a plurality of electric circuits connected to the conductive wires
14
in the manner which will later be described. The coil unit is supplied with an electric signal from a control part of the optical disk drive through the FPC
16
and the conductive wires
14
.
For connection of the suspension wires
14
to the FPC
16
, the end portion
14
a
of each of the conductive wires
14
are provisionally fixed to the damper base
13
by the use of an adhesive as illustrated in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
. When the first conventional optical pickup is thereafter assembled into a housing of the optical disk drive, the end portion
14
a
is soldered to the FPC
16
as illustrated in
FIGS. 1C and 1D
.
The first conventional optical pickup is disadvantageous in the following respects. In a production process, energizing is carried out to measure various characteristics by the use of a measuring instrument before the first conventional optical pickup is assembled into the housing. At this time, a probe of the measuring instrument is brought into direct contact with the end portion
14
a
of each of the conductive wires
14
, i.e., the terminals, which are only provisionally fixed by the adhesive. Therefore, the conductive wires
14
are inevitably applied with additional force exerted by the probe. This makes it difficult to accurately measure kinetic characteristics. Furthermore, since the conductive wires
14
are thereafter fixed to the FPC
16
by soldering, the adhesive may be melted by heat. In this event, the objective lens
12
is moved out of position.
With reference to
FIGS. 2A-2D
, a second one of the conventional optical pickups will be described. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals.
In the second conventional optical pickup, an intermediate substrate
17
is attached to the damper base
13
. The end portion
14
a
of each of the conductive wires
14
are soldered to the intermediate substrate
17
, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
. In this state, various characteristics are measured by the use of the measuring instrument. When the second conventional optical pickup is thereafter assembled into the housing, the FPC
16
is soldered to a plurality of connection lands
18
formed on the intermediate substrate
17
, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2C and 2D
.
In order to measure various characteristics before assembling, the intermediate substrate
17
is provided with test pins (not shown) which are brought into contact with the probe. With the second conventional optical pickup, the conductive wires
4
may not directly be contacted by the probe and are therefore prevented from being applied with the additional force described in conjunction with the first conventional optical pickup. However, the number of parts is increased by provision of the intermediate substrate
17
. In addition, the manhour required in the production process is also increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an optical pickup which enables accurate measurement of various characteristics of thereof without increasing the number or parts.
It is another object of this invention to provide an optical pickup of the type described, which enables easy connection of an FPC without causing an objective lens to be moved out of position.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to this invention, there is provided an optical pickup including a lens holder, an objective lens held by the lens holder, a damper base, and a suspension member for elastically suspending the lens holder to the damper base. The damper base comprises a base body having a principal insulation surface, a first conductive land attached directly to the principal insulation surface and electrically connected to the suspension member, and a second conductive land attached directly to the principal insulation surface and electrically connected to the first conductive land for being electrically connected with a flexible circuit member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5541899 (1996-07-01), Kume et al.
patent: 5666235 (1997-09-01), Izuka
patent: 10312558 (1998-11-01), None
Hori Ken'Ichi
Okano Kazuya
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Mack Ricky
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
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