Quantum Corporation

Digital Equipment Corporation

Hisashi Katao

Neville K Lee

Amit Jain

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a read/write head of a data storage disk. The cleaning apparatus comprises a mounting base mounted adjacent to the disk. The base includes a rachet mechanism for rotating a cleaning pad. The ratchet mechanism is activated by an actuator arm for positioning the read/write head as the arm moves the read/write head across a cleaning surface of the pad. A loading ramp is used to vertically position the head relative to the cleaning pad, The ratchet mechanism can be used with either a rotary or linear actuator. The cleaning pad can have a brush with bristles, or a foamed backed cloth. The cleaning pad is particularly suited for read/write heads having a grooved air-bearing surface likely to collect dust.

Cleaning apparatus for heads of data storage disks

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a read/write head of a data storage disk. The cleaning apparatus comprises a mounting base mounted adjacent to the disk. The base includes a V-shaped lever mechanism for rotating a cleaning pad. The V-shaped lever mechanism is activated by an actuator arm for positioning the read/write head as the arm moves the read/write head across a cleaning surface of the pad. A loading ramp is used to vertically position the head relative to the cleaning pad. The V-shaped lever mechanism can be used with either a rotary or linear actuator. The cleaning pad can have a brush with bristles, or a foamed backed cloth. The cleaning pad is particularly suited for read/write heads having a grooved air-bearing surface likely to collect dust.

A removable disk cartridge for use with a rotary actuated disk drive includes an enclosure having a top, a bottom, and a side connecting the top and bottom. The enclosure has a cutout formed by removal of a portion of the top, removal of a facing portion of the bottom, and removal of a portion of the side connecting the removed top and bottom portions. A disk is mounted for rotation inside the enclosure. The disk is exposed at a top surface, a bottom surface, and an edge. A door is pivotally mounted on the enclosure. The door has a top surface to shield the top surface of the disk, a lower surface to shield the bottom surface of the disk, and a side surface to shield the edge of the disk. The door has a closed position to fully seal the cutout, and the door has an open position to fully expose the cutout. Access to the top surface, bottom surface, and edge of the disk is provided by the exposed cutout.

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Shrewsbury, MA, United States of America

Hisashi Katao