Lens driving device, an optical pickup including the lens driving device, and a production method for the lens driving device

An optical pickup, comprising:

• a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser beam;
• an objective lens for converging the emitted laser beam on an optical recording medium;
• a first member that holds the objective lens;
• a second member;
• a plurality of supporting members that are elastic and that each include a first connected part and a second connected part that are connected respectively to the first member and the second member so that the second member supports the first member in a manner that allows the first member to move in predetermined directions with respect to the second member;
• and
• a driving unit for driving the first member in the predetermined directions,
• wherein the plurality of supporting members each include a first bent part and a second bent part that are present between the first connected part and the second connected part, the first bent part bending in a first direction, the second bent part bending in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

A production method for producing a lens driving device that comprises:

• a body structure including (a) a first member for holding an objective lens and (b) a second member for supporting the first member via a plurality of supporting members;
• and a driving unit for driving the first member in predetermined directions with respect to the second member to move the objective lens,
• wherein the production method includes:
• a body structure producing step for producing the body structure;
• a lens affixing step for affixing the objective lens to the first member in the body structure;
• and
• a driving unit affixing step for affixing the driving unit to the body structure,
• wherein the body structure producing step includes:
• a supporting member producing substep for processing a plate to form the plurality of supporting members that each include a first bent part and a second bent part between both extremities of each supporting member, the first bent part bending in a first direction that is perpendicular to a principal plane of the plate, the second bent part bending in a second direction that is parallel to the principal plane and perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the plurality of supporting members;
• and
• an injection molding substep for molding the first member and the second member by injection molding in a manner that predetermined parts of each supporting member are embedded in the first and second members, each predetermined part being a connection part to one of the first member and the second member.

A production method for producing a lens driving device that comprises:

• a body structure including (a) a first member for holding an objective lens and (b) a second member for supporting the first member via a plurality of supporting members;
• and a driving unit for driving the first member in predetermined directions with respect to the second member to move the objective lens,
• wherein the production method includes:
• a body structure producing step for producing a plurality of body structures;
• a lens affixing step for affixing an objective lens to a first member in each of the plurality of body structures;
• and
• a driving unit affixing step for affixing a driving unit to each of the plurality of body structures,
• wherein the body structure producing step includes:
• a supporting member producing substep for processing a plate to form a plurality of sets of supporting members, each set of supporting members corresponding to one of the plurality of body structures, each supporting member including a first bent part and a second bent part between both extremities of the supporting member, the first bent part bending in a first direction that is perpendicular to a principal plane of the plate, the second bent part bending in a second direction that is parallel to the principal plane and perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the plurality of supporting members;
• and
• an injection molding substep for simultaneously molding a plurality of first and second members that correspond to the plurality of body structures by injection molding using a single set of molds in a manner that predetermined parts of each supporting member are embedded in a first member and a second member, each predetermined part being a connection part to one of a first member and a second member.