US4377831A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Non-abrasive magnetic head cleaning system
Assignee: Innovative Computer Products Corp
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Filing: 1981-02-13
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Granted: 1983-03-22
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Expires: 2001-02-13
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a cleaning system for flexible disk equipment or the like. The system includes a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous fibrous material which has an area substantially saturated with a liquid cleaning solution. The cleaning disk is rotatably supported within a flat jacket. The jacket includes opposed openings on either side so as to expose a portion of the cleaning disk to enable the disk to come into contact with a magnetic head or heads and its associated pressure pad if one is used. At least one of the openings is enlarged to expose a relatively large portion of the surface of the cleaning disk, so as to facilitate complete saturation of an area of the cleaning disk with a liquid cleaning solution while leaving a portion of the cleaning disk dry. The jacket containing the disk is placed within a flexible disk system which rotates the saturated disk, thus causing the magnetic head(s) and the pressure pad to be cleaned in a non-abrasive fashion with a wet, dry, wet action.
Inventors
- 👤 C. Paul Davis
- 👤 Joseph Sandor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:15
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/50; G11B23/505; G11B5/00; G11B5/41
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including at least one opening for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic head of a flexible disk system, said opening exposing at least one eighth of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of the appropriate area of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including at least one opening for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic head of a flexible disk system, said opening exposing at least one eighth of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of the appropriate area of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said cleaning disk has a cleaning solution applied thereto via said opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said cleaning solution comprises isopropyl alcohol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said cleaning solution comprises a mixture of freon and isopropyl alcohol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material is a light color, lint free and fibrous material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said opening exposes at least one-quarter of the surface of said cleaning disk and said jacket includes a smaller second opening in opposed position to said first opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said opening exposes a sector of said cleaning disk of approximately 120°.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
A magnetic head and pressure pad cleaning system for flexible disk systems comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent, fibrous material; and a flat jacket for rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more radial openings for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic heads and pressure pads of flexible disk systems, said one or more openings exposing a portion of the surface of the cleaning disk to facilitate saturation of said portion of the cleaning disk with a cleaning fluid without requiring removal of the cleaning disk from the jacket.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A magnetic head and pressure pad cleaning system for flexible disk systems comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent, fibrous material; and a flat jacket for rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more radial openings for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic heads and pressure pads of flexible disk systems, said one or more openings exposing a portion of the surface of the cleaning disk to facilitate saturation of said portion of the cleaning disk with a cleaning fluid without requiring removal of the cleaning disk from the jacket.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said openings exposes a sector of said cleaning disk of approximately 120°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the cleaning disk is white.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for cleaning magnetic heads in a disk system employing a jacket that rotatably supports a cleaning disk within its interior and has an opening therein which exposes a portion of the cleaning disk to facilitate saturation of said portion of the cleaning disk with a cleaning solution; the steps comprising: saturating a portion of said cleaning disk with a cleaning solution applied via said opening; bringing said cleaning disk into contact with said magnetic head to be cleaned; and rotating said cleaning disk to alternately contact said head with a wet portion and a dry portion of said cleaning disk.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for cleaning magnetic heads in a disk system employing a jacket that rotatably supports a cleaning disk within its interior and has an opening therein which exposes a portion of the cleaning disk to facilitate saturation of said portion of the cleaning disk with a cleaning solution; the steps comprising: saturating a portion of said cleaning disk with a cleaning solution applied via said opening; bringing said cleaning disk into contact with said magnetic head to be cleaned; and rotating said cleaning disk to alternately contact said head with a wet portion and a dry portion of said cleaning disk.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the cleaning solution employed evaporates in less than three minutes when the cleaning disk is rotated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the material employed for the cleaning disk is an absorbent and porous material; said porous nature of the material enabling foreign particles to be collected by said cleaning disk.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein between 1/8 to 1/2 of the cleaning area of the cleaning disk is saturated with cleaning solution.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
120 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a single layer cleaning disk made of an absorbent, porous and substantially non-abrasive material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket supporting said cleaning disk for rotation within the interior of the jacket, said jacket including at least one opening for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic head of a flexible disk system, said opening facilitating saturation of a portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket, said disk thereby having alternating wet and dry portions which clean the magnetic head or heads as the cleaning disk is rotated within the jacket.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
120 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a single layer cleaning disk made of an absorbent, porous and substantially non-abrasive material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket supporting said cleaning disk for rotation within the interior of the jacket, said jacket including at least one opening for exposing said cleaning disk to the magnetic head of a flexible disk system, said opening facilitating saturation of a portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket, said disk thereby having alternating wet and dry portions which clean the magnetic head or heads as the cleaning disk is rotated within the jacket.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more openings, said one or more openings exposing a total of at least one eighth of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of a predetermined portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; and a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more openings, said one or more openings exposing a total of at least one eighth of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of a predetermined portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
128 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more openings, wherein one of the openings exposes the cleaning disk to a magnetic head in a disk system, at least one of the openings exposing a portion of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of a predetermined portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket; and a cleaning fluid for application to the cleaning disk, whereby the magnetic head is cleaned with an alternating wet/dry/wet/dry action.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
128 words
A system for cleaning magnetic heads in flexible disk systems, comprising: a cleaning disk made of an absorbent and porous material, and adapted to be saturated with a liquid cleaning fluid; a flat jacket rotatably supporting said cleaning disk within its interior, said jacket including one or more openings, wherein one of the openings exposes the cleaning disk to a magnetic head in a disk system, at least one of the openings exposing a portion of the surface of said cleaning disk so as to facilitate saturation of a predetermined portion of said cleaning disk with cleaning fluid without requiring removal of said disk from said jacket; and a cleaning fluid for application to the cleaning disk, whereby the magnetic head is cleaned with an alternating wet/dry/wet/dry action.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-03-21 | 1986-09-20 | 1987-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-03-21 | 1990-09-20 | 1991-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-03-21 | 1994-09-20 | 1995-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |