Patent ID: 6388974
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A recording medium driving apparatus capable of accommodating simultaneously a disk-shaped first medium not housed in a cartridge case and second medium formed of a disk housed in a cartridge case, said first and second media being retained at two vertically shifted positions in a frame member, and information being recorded and/or reproduced on and/or from said first and second media by using a common optical pickup, said recording medium driving apparatus comprising:a driving unit which can be moved vertically and horizontally with respect to said frame member and on which at least said optical pickup and a transporting mechanism for transporting said optical pickup are mounted; wherein said driving unit vertically and horizontally moves in said frame member thereby to selectively oppose said optical pickup to either of said first and second media while said first and second media are simultaneously retained in said two vertically shifted positions, allowing information to be recorded on and/or reproduced from either of the first and second media.