JPH01300482A - Objective lens cleaning means for optical information recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clean dust, etc., attached on an objective lens with simple constitution by providing a cavity part to generate a cavity continuing from the neighborhood of the objective lens to the periphery of the insertion opening of a recording medium in a recording and reproducing device at the time of loading a cleaning means at the loading position of the recording medium. CONSTITUTION:The cavity parts (1a-1c) continued from the neighborhood of the objective lens 5 in the recording and reproducing device to the periphery of the insertion opening of the recording medium of the recording and reproducing device can be formed by loading the cleaning means 1 at the loading position of the recording medium in the recording and reproducing device. At this time, a cleaning part 14a procided at the tip of a cleaning member 14 is brought into contact with the surface 5a of the objective lens 5 by inserting the cleaning member 14 with appropriate length of bar shape from the entrance hole 1a of the cavity parts (1a-1c) to the surface 5a of the objective lens 5, then, the cleaning member 14 is rotated. In such a way, it is possible to clean the objective lens 5 easily.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an optical information recording method for recording and/or reproducing information on a disk-shaped recording medium (hereinafter referred to as an optical disk) using an objective lens. The present invention relates to an objective lens cleaning means for a reproduction device.

(Prior Art) Generally, in order to record information on an information recording medium such as an optical disk or to reproduce recorded information, a light beam emitted from a light source is narrowed down to a minute spot with a diameter of about 1 μm. An information recording and reproducing device that emits light onto a recording surface is used. In this information recording/reproducing apparatus, an objective lens is often used as a lens for focusing the light beam.

In order to record information using such a device, a light beam modulated according to the information signal is narrowed down by an objective lens into a minute spot with a width of 1 to 2 μm on the recording surface of the recording medium.
, is recorded as information bits with a length of 1 to 3 μm.

To read information from this information bit, the information bit is irradiated with a light beam focused on a minute spot by an objective lens, and the reflected light or transmitted light from the recording medium is optically changed depending on the presence or absence of information. By detecting the information bits with a photodetector, a reproduction signal corresponding to the information bits is obtained.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the information recording and reproducing apparatus as described above, it is extremely important that the minute spot focused by the objective lens always accurately scans the information bit string on the recording medium. For this purpose, autofocus is required to correct the shift in focus due to warping of the recording medium, and autotracking is required to correct the shift in the irradiation position due to eccentricity of the recording medium. As a method for realizing autofocus and autotracking, there is an objective lens driving device that moves an objective lens in a focusing direction and a tracking direction.

(Since this device has a strong magnetic circuit and highly precisely machined bearings with sliding parts, it is usually fitted with a dustproof case to prevent dust from entering from the outside.

However, the objective lens is an open path for the light beam.
The surface is exposed. As a result, dust from the outside adheres to the surface of the objective lens, making it impossible to irradiate the disk with a laser beam with accurate laser power, causing problems in recording and reproducing information. .

In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to remove dust and the like adhering to the surface of the objective lens and clean the lens surface. As a cleaning method, there is a method in which a suitable leaning means is provided near the objective lens in the apparatus and the lens surface is cleaned by operating the cleaning means. Providing such a cleaning means requires a complicated mechanism, and there arises a problem that a space for accommodating the cleaning means must be secured within the apparatus, which impedes miniaturization of the apparatus.

The present invention provides an optical information recording device that does not require a cleaning mechanism in the main body of an optical disk recording/reproducing device (hereinafter referred to as an optical disk device) and can clean dirt, dust, etc. attached to an objective lens with a simple configuration. An object of the present invention is to provide an objective lens cleaning means for a reproduction device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the objective lens cleaning means of the optical information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention uses an objective lens to direct a light beam onto a disk-shaped recording medium. A cleaning means for the objective lens that can be attached to a mounting position of the recording medium of an information recording and amphibious device that records and/or reproduces information by irradiating the information, the cleaning means being mounted to the mounting position of the surface recording medium. In this case, it is characterized in that it has a continuous cavity from the vicinity of the objective lens to the vicinity of the recording medium insertion opening in the recording and reproducing apparatus.

(Function) In order to clean the surface of the objective lens, it is possible to use a cleaning rod having a cleaning part at the tip. Cleaning the lens surface is quite difficult due to the configuration of the device.

However, the cleaning means of the present invention allows the cleaning means to be installed at the recording medium mounting position in the recording and reproducing apparatus, and furthermore, by installing the cleaning means, the cleaning means can be installed in the recording and reproducing apparatus from the vicinity of the objective lens in the recording and reproducing apparatus. Since a continuous cavity can be formed up to the vicinity of the recording medium insertion [ ] in the recording and amphib apparatus, a rod-shaped cleaning member having an appropriate length can be inserted into the objective lens surface from one hole in the cavity. The objective lens can be easily cleaned by bringing the cleaning portion provided at the tip of the cleaning member into contact with the surface of the objective lens and rotating the cleaning member.

In this way, when the present cleaning means is installed, the cavity functions as a guide hole for guiding the cleaning rod from outside the apparatus to the objective lens surface inside the apparatus.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view showing a state in which a cleaning cassette, which is the cleaning means of the present invention, is loaded into an optical disk drive device, and a cleaning rod used in the above-mentioned power unit is also shown in this figure. . FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the drive device shown in FIG. 1 and the cleaning cassette loaded in this device. Figure 3 is the first
FIG. 3 is an external view of the drive device shown in the figure and the cleaning cassette/slot to be loaded into this device. Figure 4(a)-(
d) is a sectional view showing the operation of the drive device shown in FIG. 1;

The external appearance of the optical disk drive device according to this embodiment is as follows.
As shown in the figure, a cassette insertion 13 is provided on the curved surface of this drive device 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, an optical head 6 is provided in the drive device 2, and this optical head is provided with an objective lens 5, a driving means for the objective lens, and an optical unit, and is driven by a linear motor 7 as indicated by B in the figure. It has been moved to a position corresponding to the innermost recording area of the disc shown. This B position corresponds to an initial position that is a starting position for driving the optical head when recording information.

Further, within the drive device 2, a turntable 9 for holding a loaded disk and a spindle motor 8 for rotating the turntable 9 are provided.

The cleaning cassette 1 has the same external appearance as a normal disk cassette for storing optical disks, and is located at the initial position B of the two optical heads 6 from the end surface on the side of the cassette insertion slot 3 of the drive device 2 (a). A guide hole 1a is provided over a position corresponding to , and as shown in FIG.

A cleaning rod 14 shown in FIG. 7 is inserted into the guide holes 1a to 1c of the cassette l.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning rod 14 has a cleaning portion 14a at the tip thereof, and is configured such that the vicinity of the tip 4b is freely curved. The cleaning portion +4a is made of a moisture-retaining material exclusively made of polyethylene foam.

When using this cleaning rod 14, the cleaning portion 14a at the tip is impregnated with anhydrous alcohol in advance to facilitate removal of dust and the like adhering to the surface of the objective lens.

A detection hole 1a is provided at the end of the cleaning cassette l, and the CPU in the drive device 2 uses the detection hole 1a to position the cassette l at a position suitable for starting the cleaning operation. It is possible to detect whether it is loaded or not.

Regarding the operation of this embodiment, as shown in the operation explanatory diagrams in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), when cleaning the objective lens 5, the cassette 1 is inserted into the drive device 2 [from 13 to 4]. (a)), this cassette is horizontally moved to a predetermined position by a loading mechanism (not shown) (FIG. 4(b)), and then lowered until the cassette 1 is placed on the turntable 9 soil (FIG. 4). (C)). Next, the objective lens 5 is moved to the initial position B of the optical head 6 (FIG. 4(d)), and the objective lens 5 is raised to the vicinity of the guide hole a of the cassette 1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning rod 14 is inserted into the guide hole a of the cassette, and the cleaning rod 14 is pushed in so that the cleaning portion 14a at the tip comes into contact with the lens surface 5a of the objective lens 5. Thereafter, the objective lens 5 is cleaned by rotating the cleaning rod 14 near the cassette insertion port 3.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, when cleaning the objective lens surface, the cleaning means of the present invention is loaded at the optical disk loading position, and the cleaning member is inserted through the entrance hole of the cavity provided in the cleaning means. Then, the cavity accurately guides the cleaning member to the objective lens surface,
By using this cleaning member outside the apparatus, the user can easily clean the objective lens provided inside the apparatus.

Therefore, by cleaning the objective lens using the apparatus of the present invention periodically or at a time when a malfunction in recording or reproduction is likely to occur, accurate recording or reproduction of information becomes possible.

Furthermore, since the objective lens cleaning means of the present invention can be installed in the apparatus depending on the purpose of cleaning the objective lens, there is no need to provide another objective lens cleaning means in the apparatus main body, which contributes to miniaturization of the recording and reproducing apparatus. It will not be a hindrance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view showing a state in which a cleaning cassette, which is the cleaning means of the present invention, is loaded into an optical disk drive device, and a cleaning rod used in the cassette is also shown in this figure. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the drive device shown in FIG. 1 and the cleaning cassette loaded in this device. Figure 3 is the first
It is an external view of the drive device shown in the figure, and a cleaning cassette to be loaded into this device. Figure 4(a)-(d)
) is a sectional view showing the operation of the drive device shown in FIG. 1. 1...Cleaning cassette 2...Drive device 3...Cassette insertion slot 4...Flocking section 5...Objective lens 5a...Lens surface 6...Optical head 14...Cleaning rod Agent Patent attorney Jozu Yamado (!-

Claims (1)

[Claims] A means for cleaning the objective lens that can be attached to a mounting position of the recording medium of an information recording and reproducing apparatus that records and/or reproduces information by irradiating a light beam onto a disk-shaped recording medium using an objective lens, An optical information recording and reproducing device, characterized in that when the cleaning means is installed at the recording medium mounting position, there is a continuous cavity from the vicinity of the objective lens to the vicinity of the recording medium insertion opening of the recording and reproducing device. Objective lens cleaning means.