Objective lens driving device and optical pickup device employing the objective lens driving device

An objective lens driving device comprising:

• a stationary unit;
• a lens bobbin provided with an objective lens;
• a magnet provided on one of said lens bobbin and the stationary unit;
• a coil unit provided on the other of said lens bobbin and the stationary unit and adapted for supporting said lens bobbin for movement in a direction parallel to an optical axis of said objective lens and in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said objective lens;
• and
• an elastic supporting unit formed of a stainless material, provided between said stationary unit and the lens bobbin for supporting said lens bobbin for movement in a direction parallel to the optical axis of said objective lens and in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said objective lens, including
• a plurality of linear supporting members each having one end mounted to said lens bobbin and each having an opposite end mounted to said stationary unit
• wherein said elastic supporting unit includes a first elastic supporting part formed of two connecting pieces and a second elastic supporting part formed of two connecting pieces, each of said two connecting pieces interconnecting ends of two supporting members of said plurality of supporting members so that said two supporting members extend parallel to each other, and
• wherein said first and second elastic supporting parts are arranged parallel to each other on respective sides of said objective lens, so that said objective lens lies between said first and second elastic supporting parts.

An optical pickup device comprising:

• a light source;
• an objective lens driving device including a lens bobbin, provided with an objective lens for converging a light beam radiated from said light source, a stationary unit having an opening for guiding the light beam radiated from said light source to said objective lens, a magnet mounted on one of said lens bobbin and said stationary unit, a coil unit provided on the other of said lens bobbin and said stationary unit and adapted for causing movement of said lens bobbin in a direction parallel to an optical axis of said objective lens and in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said objective lens, and an elastic supporting unit formed of a stainless material provided between said stationary unit and the lens bobbin for supporting said lens bobbin for movement in a direction parallel to the optical axis of said objective lens and in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said objective lens;
• and
• a photodetector for detecting the light beam incident thereon via said objective lens, including
• a plurality of linear supporting members each having its one end mounted to said lens bobbin and having a respective opposite end mounted to said stationary unit,
• wherein said elastic supporting unit includes a first elastic supporting part constructed of two connecting pieces and a second elastic supporting part constructed two connecting pieces, each of said two connecting pieces interconnecting ends of two supporting member of said plurality of supporting members so that said two supporting members extend parallel to each other, and
• wherein said first and second elastic supporting pieces are arranged parallel to each other on respective sides of said objective lens, so that said objective lens lies between said first and second elastic supporting pieces.