Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Chiaki Aikawa

Hiraku Abe

Takamichi Fuke

Yuichi Hishi

Takashi Watanabe

Minoru Uehara

A star-shaped coupler for distributing the light signal emitted by any one of input-output devices among the other devices is disposed among these devices. The coupler comprises a plurality of single-core optical fibers for branching purposes. Each one end of those branching fibers whose number is less than the number of the input-output devices by one is bound together and is opposed to the end surface of the output single-core fiber for one of the input-output devices. The other end surfaces of the branching fibers are opposed to their respective end surfaces of the input single-core fibers for the other input-output devices. The end surfaces of the output fibers for the other input-output devices are connected with the end surfaces of the input fibers through the branching fibers. The other ends of the branching fibers which are opposed to their respective end surfaces of the input fibers are bound together to form bound portions corresponding to the input fibers.

Star-shaped coupler

A disk recording-reproducing device having a carriage with a read/write head, a screw shaft to shift the carriage with an engaging element through coupling between a spiral groove of the screw shaft and the engaging element, and a stepping motor to rotate the screw shaft. The spiral groove is composed of a number of groove portions each with a straight bottom whose angle of lead is substantially zero degree that are displaced successively, circumferentially and axially. Preferably, the screw shaft has plane portions for its positioning, and a rotor of the stepping motor has magnetization points being set correspondingly to the lines of the groove portions.

Growing community of inventors

Furukawa, Japan

Chiaki Aikawa