Disk drive with means to play either side of a disk.

摘要

A disk drive according to a first embodiment includes a pickup (3) movable along a radial direction of a disk (1) and a reversing mechanism (12) for moving the pickup from one side of the disk to the other side by rotating the pickup about an axis (11) corresponding to the radial direction of the disk. In a second embodiment, there may be only one pickup, which can reverse sides of the disk, or a pickup (11a,11b) on each side of the disk. The pickup(s) are moved along guide rails (215,216) on each side of the disk and the guide rails are supported by base members (127,128). Each base member is rotatable, and there is a linking arm (31) which links the two base members together so that rotation of one will cause rotation of the other. Thus, only one rotating mechanism is required. In a third disk player according to the invention, a pickup (41) and a rack (51) are both supported on a slider (57) for moving the pickup along the surface of a disk. The rack has three toothed surfaces including a first surface for engaging a first feed screw (52), a second surface for engaging a second feed screw (54) and a third surface for engaging a third feed screw (53). In a fourth embdiment, a disk player includes either a single, reversible pickup (305) or a pickup (305,306) on each side of a disk. If the player does not detect information on the lower surface of the disk, the upper surface of the disk is played back if there is information thereon. When the disk is a video disk having information on both sides, the player can play both sides and plays side A first when no side has been selected.