Patent ID: 7701812
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: G02B,G11B

Abstract:
1. An optical element driving apparatus comprising: a holder that holds a plurality of switchable optical elements for focusing light on a recording medium, said holder having a magnetic body; a supporting unit that supports said holder, said supporting unit being resiliently deformable; a focusing driving unit that drives said holder in a direction of optical axes of said optical elements, and a tracking driving unit that drives said holder in a tracking direction perpendicular to said direction of said optical axes, wherein the switching of said optical elements is performed by moving said holder by means of said tracking driving unit, so as to select one of said optical elements that focuses light on said recording medium, wherein said tracking driving unit includes: a coil fixed to said holder, first and second magnets arranged in said tracking direction so that said first or second magnet faces said coil in a state where either of said two optical elements is selected, and a third magnet disposed on a side opposite to said first and second magnets with respect to said holder so that said third magnet faces said coil in a state where either of said two optical elements is selected, and wherein said first, second and third magnets and said magnetic body of said holder cause a magnetic interaction by which said optical elements are kept at a position where one of said optical elements focuses light on said recording medium.