Disk drive with means to play either side of a disk

A disk drive comprising:

• first means for supporting an optical disk having first and second main sides;
• a pickup having lens means for reading information from said disk, said lens means being located at a radially inward position of a center point of said pickup with respect to a radial direction of said disk when said pickup faces said first side of said disk as when said pickup faces said second side;
• transporting means for moving said pickup along said first side in substantially said radial direction, and for moving said pickup along said second side in substantially said radial direction;
• and
• means for transferring said pickup from one of said first and second sides to the other of said first and second sides,
• wherein said disk drive further comprises:
• a member supported in said disk drive for rotation about said axis;
• a relay connected to said member;
• first means for electrically connecting said pickup to said relay;
• second means for supporting said first supporting means;
• and
• second means for electrically connecting said relay to said second supporting means.

A disk drive comprising:

• means for rotatably supporting a disk;
• a pickup disposed on one side of said disk;
• means for moving said pickup from said one side of said disk to the other side;
• a first guide for guiding said pickup disposed on said one of the disk along said disk;
• first base means for supporting said first guide;
• a second guide for guiding the pickup when it is disposed on the other side of said disk;
• second base means for supporting said second guide;
• and
• means for rotating one of said first and second base means in a plane perpendicular to said disk, said means for rotating including linking means for causing the other of said first and second base means to rotate in a plane perpendicular to said disk in response to operation of said means for rotating.

A disk drive comprising:

• means for rotatably supporting a disk having first and second main sides;
• first and second pickups disposed on said first and second sides of said disk, respectively;
• a first guide for guiding said first pickup along said first side of said disk;
• first base means for supporting said first guide;
• a second guide for guiding said second pickup along said second side;
• second base means for supporting said second guide;
• and
• means for rotating one of said first and second base means in a plane perpendicular to said disk, said means for rotating including linking means for causing the other of said first and second base means to rotate in a plane perpendicular to said disk in response to operation of said means for rotating.

A disk drive comprising:

• means for rotatably supporting a disk having first and second sides;
• carrier means for carrying a pickup;
• a rack supported on said carrier means;
• first feeding means for engaging a first surface of said rack when said carrier means is on said first side of said disk to move said carrier means along said first side;
• second feeding means for engaging a second surface of said rack when said carrier means is on said second side of said disk to move said carrier means along said second side;
• and
• third feeding means extending substantially perpendicular to said disk for engaging a third surface of said rack when said carrier means is adjacent said third feeding means.

A disk player for playing back a disk having recorded information on a first side of said disk, said disk player comprising:

• means for detecting said first side of said disk based on at least one of the presence and content of the recorded information, said detecting means including pickup means for reading the recorded information from said disk;
• means for positioning and/or actuating said pickup means for playing back the information recorded on said first side when said first side is detected;
• means for selecting one of said first and second sides of said disk for play back;
• and
• control means for actuating said means for positioning and/or actuating said pickup means for playing back the information recorded on said first side when said first side is selected and detected and when no side is selected and said first side is detected, and for actuating said means for positioning and/or actuating said pickup means for playing back the information recorded on said second side when said second side is selected and said first side is not detected.

A disk player for playing back a disk having recorded information on a first side of said disk, said disk player comprising:

• means for detecting said first side of said disk based on at least one of the presence and content of the recorded information, said detecting means including pickup means for reading the recorded information from said disk;
• means for positioning and/or actuating said pickup means for playing back the information recorded on said first side when said first side is detected;
• means for selecting one of said first and second sides of said disk for play back;
• and
• control means for actuating said detecting means to search for recorded information on one of said first and second sides of said disk and for actuating said detecting means to search for recorded information on the other side of said disk when no information is found on the one side.