WO1988003692A1

WO1988003692A1 - Cleaning disk

Info

Publication number: WO1988003692A1
Application number: PCT/GB1987/000772
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian Malcolm Kerman
Original assignee: PARROT Corp Ltd
Current assignee: PARROT Corp Ltd
Priority date: 1986-11-08
Filing date: 1987-11-02
Publication date: 1988-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-08
Also published as: GB8626738D0

Abstract

A cleaning disk for cleaning read/write heads of a floppy disk drive comprises a disc (2) of cleaning material in a transparent jacket (3). On account of the transparency of the jacket, the state of cleanliness and deterioration of the cleaning disc can be perceived.

Description

CLEANING DISK

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning disk.

Background of the Invention

A so-called "floppy disk" comprises a disc of flexible magnetic medium for recordal of data and a jacket enclosing the disc for its protection. Data is read from or written onto the disc by read/write magnetic heads which have access to the disc via usually oblong head access apertures in the jacket.

Close approach of the heads to the disc is essential for reliability. Such close approach requires that both the disc and the heads be clean. So-called "cleaning disks" exist which are used in place of an ordinary floppy disk and comprise a disc of cleaning material within an opaque jacket. Although a small portion of the cleaning disc is visible through the head access aperture, it gives only a minor visual impact regarding the state of the cleaning disc, i.e. the amount of dirt absorbed by it and its capacity for further use before replacement.

The Invention The object of the invention is to provide an improved cleaning disk.

The cleaning disk of the invention comprises a disc of cleaning material and a jacket or shell of translucent or transparent material. The translucent/transparent jacket or shell enables the state of the cleaning disc to be appreciated from a quick glance, since the majority of the dirt which it absorbs is magnetic material which has deposited on the heads from floppy discs. This dirt is normally dark brown and is immediately apparent. An added advantage is that incipient deterioration of the cleaning disc can be seen. The cleaning disc is preferably a lamination of a central nylon sheet with outer laminae of non-woven textile material sold under the trade mark SANTARA by Dupont or similar material. After exce¬ ssive or incorrect use, the textile material can become worn out with the result that the disc drive heads can be damaged, but this can be avoided with the transparent/ translucent jacket allowing inspection of the cleaning disc.

The Drawing

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the sole figure is a view of a cleaning disk of the invention.

The Embodiment

The illustrated cleaning disk 1 has a disc 2 of clean¬ ing material, namely a central nylon core sheet with SANTRA non-woven textile material sandwiching the core sheet. The disk has a jacket 3 of transparent polyvinylchloride sheet material, through which the disc 2 - and its textural pattern 4 - are visible. The jacket is of 0.25 mm printing grade pvc material having a matt surface. It has the normal features of a standard 5 1/4" floppy disk, namely a central drive aperture 5, a head access aperture 6 and an index aperture 7 in each of its faces. Marginal tabs 8 are folded and adhered to close the jacket in the conventional way. The cleaning disc itself has an index hole 9 and a central aperture 10.

_ Although the invention has been described in connection with a 5 1/4" floppy disk, it is applicable to other sizes, e.g. 8", 3 " or 3", whether the jackets or shells are of flexible or rigid plastics material. In use the cleaning disk is inserted into a disk drive in place of a magnetic medium floppy disk. Rotation of the disc of cleaning material cleans from the read/write heads magnetic medium dirt. This discolours the disc of cleaning material which is white when new. Thus when the cleaning material^' is heavily discoloured, with as much magnetic medium dirt as it is likely to be able to absorb, this state can be readily assessed by visual inspection through the jacket and the cleaning disk discarded in place of a new one. Further should the outer laminae show incipient delamination or deterioration such as to expose the read/ write heads to contact with the central nylon sheet which could damage them, this can be seen and the cleaning disk discarded in place of a new one.

Claims

1. A cleaning disk comprising:- a disc of cleaning material and a jacket or shell of translucent or transparent material through which the state of cleanliness of the disc of cleaning material can be seen.

2. A cleaning disk as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jacket is of transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet material.

3. A cleaning disk as claimed in claim 2, wherein the polyvinylchloride sheet material is matt-surface printing grade sheet material.

4. A cleaning disk as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim

3. wherein the disc of cleaning material is a lamination of a central nylon sheet with outer laminae, one on each face of the central sheet, of non-woven textile material.

5. A cleaning disk as claimed in claim 4, wherein outer laminae of non-woven textile material are white in colour when new.