Pickup unit for use in an optical information record/reproduce system

A pickup unit for use in an optical information record/reproduce system comprising a plurality of optical elements including a light-emitting device and an objective lens by which the light issuing from said light-emitting device is focused as a beam spot on the recording surface of a recording medium, a retaining mechanism that holds said plurality of optical elements and which is movable in a direction parallel to said recording surface, and a tilt servo mechanism for causing the optical axis of said beam spot to intersect said recording surface at right angles, said tilt servo mechanism including a sensor mechanism for detecting the angle of inclination of said optical axis in relation to said recording surface, said retaining mechanism having a retaining member (1) that incorporates said plurality of optical elements excluding the objective lens and which provides a fixed optical system together with such optical elements, a resin-made support (50) that extends along one lateral side of said retaining member, and a sensor stay, to which said sensor mechanism is integrally attached, for supporting said sensor mechanism, said sensor stay being attached to one end of said support, in the vicinity of a movable optical system including the objective lens, such that said sensor stay is movable with respect to said recording surface such that said sensor mechanism is movable with respect to said recording surface, said support carrying a control circuit board at the other end thereof.