Patent ID: 7801011

Claim:
An optical pickup device comprising: a laser source which emits a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength; first and second objective lenses which cause the laser beam to converge onto a recording medium; a polarization beam splitter which is disposed between the laser source and the first and second objective lenses; first and second optical systems which guide the two laser beams split by the polarization beam splitter to the first and second objective lenses respectively; first and second optical elements which are disposed in the first and second optical systems respectively, the first and second optical elements being moved in optical axis directions of the laser beams to adjust optical characteristics of the laser beams respectively; a first actuator which supports a first holder holding the first optical element while the first holder can be displaced in the optical axis direction of the laser beam; a second actuator which supports a second holder holding the second optical element while the second holder can be displaced in the optical axis direction of the laser beam; a driving portion which imparts a driving force to the first actuator; a transfer mechanism which transfers the driving force to the second actuator such that a drive stroke is smaller than that of the first actuator; and a wave plate which is inserted in and retracted from an optical path between the laser source and the polarization beam splitter to change the polarization direction of the laser beam incident to the polarization beam splitter, wherein the first and second optical elements are moved in a direction in which the wave plate is inserted and retracted, the wave plate is disposed in a support portion integral with the first holder, the first actuator moves the first holder in both a first stroke for optical characteristic adjustment with the first optical element and a second stroke exceeding the first stroke, the first holder is moved between the first stroke and the second stroke to insert and retract the wave plate in and from the optical path, the polarization direction of the laser beam incident to the polarization beam splitter is adjusted such that the laser beam is guided to the first optical system, when the first holder is located in the first stroke, and the second holder is located in the stroke for optical characteristic adjustment with the second optical element while the polarization direction of the laser beam incident to the polarization beam splitter is adjusted such that the laser beam is guided to the second optical system, when the first holder is located in the second stroke.