Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-22
2002-05-14
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
C369S258100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06388982
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to an inclination angle adjusting mechanism, in an optical disk apparatus for data recording and reproduction on and from a CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) or the like, for adjusting the inclination of a spindle motor relative to a chassis so that a rotary shaft of the spindle motor lies parallel to an optical axis of an optical pickup. More specifically, the invention relates to such an inclination angle adjusting mechanism which allows independent adjustment of the inclination angle in a track-widthwise direction and a track-tangential direction and reduces the amount of movement of a turntable upon adjustment.
For storing information in an optical disk or reproducing the information from the optical disk, it is necessary for an optical axis of an optical pickup to pass perpendicularly to a storage surface of the optical disk. For this purpose, a rotary shaft of a spindle motor of an the optical disk apparatus and the optical axis of the optical pickup need to be arranged parallel to each other. However, due to a molding error and/or an assemblage error in a chassis of the optical disk apparatus, the rotary shaft of the spindle motor and optical axis of the optical pickup may be arranged somewhat offset from the desired parallel state. Therefore, an inclination angle adjusting mechanism is installed on the chassis so that after completion of assemblage, the spindle motor can be inclined relative to the chassis to thereby place the rotary shaft of the spindle motor parallel to the optical axis of the optical pickup. The inclination angle adjustment is carried out before shipping of the resulting product.
FIGS. 2A-2D
hereof show a conventional inclination angle adjusting mechanism. A chassis
10
includes pedestals
12
,
14
fixedly disposed thereon. The pedestals
12
,
14
have inclined surfaces
12
a,
14
a
on which a motor base
18
with a spindle motor fixedly disposed thereon is placed. Part
18
c
of the pedestal
18
abuts against an inclined cam surface
37
a
at an upper end of a cylindrical cam
37
rotatably attached to the chassis
10
. A turntable
22
is mounted on a rotary shaft
20
of a spindle motor
16
. Screws
24
,
26
,
28
pass through the motor base
18
and are threaded into the chassis
10
. Around the screws
24
,
26
,
28
, springs
31
,
32
,
33
are disposed in their compressed states such that their resilient forces press the motor base
18
against the pedestal inclined surfaces
12
a,
14
a
and cam surface
37
a.
An eccentric cam
27
has an eccentric pin
29
which is engaged in a cam hole
30
of the motor base
18
. By turning the eccentric cam
27
in a direction of arrow K with the eccentric pin
29
engaged in the cam hole
30
, the motor base
18
is caused to move in a direction of arrow L while ends
18
a,
18
b
of the motor base
18
slide along the inclined surfaces
12
a,
14
a
of the pedestals
12
,
14
, thereby completing the adjustment of the inclination angle in one direction (track-tangential direction) of the spindle motor
16
relative to the chassis
10
. At this time, the pins
25
,
27
fixedly secured to the chassis
10
are engaged in recesses
18
d,
18
d
of the motor base
18
thereby inhibiting sliding movement of the motor base
18
in a direction perpendicular to the rotary shaft
20
and to the arrow L. By turning the cylindrical cam
37
in a direction of arrow M, the motor base
18
rotates about an axis N or N′ corresponding to its side portions placed in contact with the pedestal inclined surfaces
12
,
14
, thereby perfecting the adjustment of inclination angle in another direction (track-widthwise direction).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI-8-17135 shows another conventional inclination angle adjusting mechanism as illustrated in
FIG. 3
hereof. A turntable
38
is mounted to a rotary shaft
36
of a spindle motor
35
which is fixedly disposed on a motor base
40
. The motor base
40
is mounted to a chassis
41
at three points C, D and E. At point C, the motor base
40
and the chassis
41
are connected together through a screw
42
with a spacer
44
sandwiched therebetween, whereby the motor base
40
is rendered capable of tilt actions at point C as a fulcrum in all directions. At point D, the chassis
41
and the motor base
40
are connected together via a screw
48
with a spring
46
sandwiched therebetween. In correspondence with the amount of screwing of the screw
48
, the inclination angle of the motor base
40
is adjusted, using line F passing over points C and E as a tilt movement axis, in a direction around line F. At point E, the chassis
41
and the motor base
40
are connected together via a screw
52
with a spring
50
sandwiched therebetween. In correspondence with the depth or amount of screwing of the screw
52
, the inclination angle of the motor base
40
is adjusted, using line G passing over points C and D as a tilt movement axis, in a direction around line G.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI-9-223353 discloses a still another conventional inclination angle adjusting mechanism as illustrated in
FIG. 4
hereof. A spindle motor
53
includes a rotary shaft
54
to which a turntable
56
is mounted. The spindle motor
53
is fixedly disposed on a motor base
58
. The motor base
58
is supported by a chassis
60
tiltably in all directions at point H. At point I, the chassis
60
and the motor base
58
are connected together by means of a screw
64
with a spring
62
sandwiched therebetween. In correspondence with the depth of threaded engagement of the screw
64
, the inclination angle of the motor base
58
is adjusted, using a line passing over points H and J as a tilt movement axis, in a direction around the line or tilt movement axis. At point J, the chassis
60
and the motor base
58
are connected together by means of a screw
68
with a spring
66
sandwiched therebetween. In correspondence with the depth of screwing of the screw
68
, the inclination angle of the motor base
58
is adjusted, using a line passing over points H and I as a tilt movement axis, in a direction around the line.
In the conventional inclination angle adjusting mechanism shown in
FIG. 2
, the height of the turntable
22
is influenced by a bend position error in the end portions
18
a,
18
b
of the motor base
18
and positional and angular errors in the pedestal inclined surfaces
12
a,
14
a,
thereby making it difficult to ensure precision of the height of the turntable
22
. These positional and angular errors also reflect upon the track-tangential-direction position of the turntable
22
, thus causing the direction of movement of the optical axis by the feed action of the optical pickup to be offset from a direction normal to a central axis of the optical disk. In addition, since a central axis of the tilt action of the eccentric cam
27
is imaginary, difficulty is experienced in establishing the axis at one point clearly.
In the conventional inclination angle adjusting mechanism shown in
FIG. 3
, since the motor base
40
vertically swings about point C as the screws
48
,
52
are turned, the turntable
38
vertically moves largely during inclination adjustment. There is therefore a problem such that focusing cannot be achieved where a displacement range of a focus actuator of the optical pickup is small. Further, as the screw
48
is turned, the motor base
40
tilts at the oblique tilt movement axis F passing over points C and E. This causes a tilt action to arise in both tangential and widthwise directions with respect to tracks of the optical disk, thus rendering the adjustment difficult to achieve.
In the conventional inclination adjusting mechanism shown in
FIG. 4
, since the motor base
58
vertically swings about point H as the screws
64
,
68
are turned, the turntable
56
vertically moves largely. As a result, focusing cannot be achieved where a displacement range of a focus actuator of the optical pickup is small.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is t
Klimowicz William
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Yamaha Corporation
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