Optical disk unit

An optical disk drive having a turntable for rotatably supporting an optical disc, an optical pickup for writing a data signal to an optical disc rotating on the turntable and/or reading a data signal recorded to said optical disc, a pickup drive mechanism for moving the optical pickup bidirectionally between the inside circumference side and outside circumference side of the optical disc, and a disk loading mechanism for moving an optical disc bidirectionally between a first position at which the optical disc is above the turntable, and a second position at which the optical disc is outside the disk drive, comprising:

• a first base comprising a base frame of the disk drive;
• a second base having disposed thereto said turntable and a first motor for rotationally driving said turntable, and said optical pickup and pickup drive mechanism;
• and an intermediate base disposed between the first base and the second base, being supported to move or swing vertically relative to the first base, and supporting the second base through an elastic body;
• wherein a loading drive mechanism for driving said disk loading mechanism,
• a second motor drivable in forward and reverse directions for supplying drive power to said loading drive mechanism and pickup drive mechanism, and
• a drive power transfer path switching mechanism for switching the drive power transfer path of the second motor between a path transferring power to the loading drive mechanism and a path transferring power to the pickup drive mechanism,
• are disposed on the first and/or second base;
• and
• moving said optical pickup, raising or lowering the turntable, and moving the optical disc can be substantially continuously performed in this sequence by driving said second motor continuously in a first direction of rotation,
• and these operations can be performed in reverse direction in reverse sequence substantially continuously by driving said second motor continuously in reverse of said first direction of rotation.