Patent ID: 8087037
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a first objective lens that focuses first laser light on an information recording layer of a first optical disc in a first mounting state where the first optical disc is mounted on a turntable; a second objective lens that focuses second laser light on an information recording layer of a second optical disc in a second mounting state where the second optical disc is mounted on the turntable, the second optical disc having an information recording format different from that of the first optical disc, wherein: a lens holder that integrally holds the first objective lens and the second objective lens in an adjacent manner on the outside and inside, respectively, along a radial direction of the first optical disc in the first mounting state and of the second optical disc in the second mounting state, the lens holder being shiftable along the radial direction; a disc surface of the first optical disc in the first mounting state and of the second optical disc in the second mounting state being substantially parallel to a confronting face of the first objective lens and a confronting face of the second objective lens, that confront the disc surface; and a single minimum working distance between the disc surface and the confronting faces of both the first objective lens and the second objective lens in a direction of a rotation axis of the turntable, wherein the second objective lens overlaps the turntable along the rotation axis of the turntable, when the first objective lens focuses the first laser light to access information on the information recording layer of the first optical disc, the single minimum working distance being equal to or greater than a first length obtained by adding to a thickness of the turntable in a direction of a rotation axis thereof, a second length in a direction of the rotation axis defined taking into consideration at least one of: a first maximum error associated with a thickness of the turntable in a direction of a rotation axis thereof; a second maximum error associated with a position of a mounting face of the turntable in a direction of a rotation axis thereof, the mounting face being a face on which the first optical disc and the second optical disc are to be mounted; a third maximum error associated with a tilt of the mounting face of the turntable relative to the radial direction; and a fourth maximum error associated with the disc surface in a direction of a rotation axis thereof, due to rotational wobbling of the first optical disc in the first mounting state and the second optical disc in the second mounting state.