# US 5,710,684 A · Cleaning mechanism for a magnetic head and a method of producing a cleaning brush having brush pieces integrally molded with a resin block

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- Number: US 5,710,684 A
- Document ID: US5710684A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/588,353
- Filed: 1996-01-18
- Granted: 1998-01-20
- Earliest claimed: 1995-01-20
- Assignees: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Naoto Inoue; Kiyotaka Yamaguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710684A

## CPC

- G11B 5/41: Cleaning of heads {(of record carriers G11B23/50)}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)

## Abstract

In a cleaning mechanism for a magnetic head which mechanically cleans a recording/reproducing face of a magnetic head by using a cleaning brush, a basal portion of which is supported by a device fixing portion, a resin block is fixed to an end portion of an L-shaped brush stem of the cleaning brush, the brush stem being made of a metal plate, and a number of brush pieces which are to come into contact with the recording/reproducing face are formed integrally with the resin block.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning mechanism for a magnetic head having a recording/reproducing face, said cleaning mechanism for contacting said recording/reproducing face and comprising:
a basal portion supported by a device fixing portion connected to said magnetic head;
an L-shaped brush stem connected swingably to said basal portion, said L-shaped brush stem comprising a metal plate and having an end portion;
a resin block covering and connected to said end portion of said L-shaped brush stem; and
at least one brush piece molded integrally with said resin block, such that said resin block and said resin brush comprise a single monolithic structure, wherein said brush piece comprises a strip of flexible material positioned along a length of said resin block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said resin block and said brush piece comprise a single continuous, unbroken surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said resin block includes a plurality of brush pieces, each of said brush pieces having a same height.

### Claim 4

A magnetic head assembly comprising:
a magnetic head having a recording surface;
a resin brush connected swingably to said magnetic head for cleaning said recording surface, wherein said brush includes a stem and a resin block connected to said stem, said block including at least one resin brush piece, wherein said resin block and said at least one resin brush piece are integrally formed and comprise a single monolithic structure,
wherein said brush piece comprises a strip of flexible material positioned along a length of said block.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A magnetic head assembly as in claim 4, wherein said block and said brush piece comprise a single continuous, unbroken surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A magnetic head assembly as in claim 4, wherein said block includes a plurality of brush pieces, each of said brush pieces having a same height.

### Claim 7

A cleaning mechanism for a magnetic head assembly including a brush having a stem, said brush being made by a process comprising steps of:
placing said stem in a mold; and
injecting a flexible material in said mold to integrally form a block and at least one brush piece on an end of said stem,
wherein said mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold forming a block cavity having a shape of said block said upper mold including at least one brush void having a shape of said at least one brush piece,
wherein said block cavity and said brush void comprise a continuous opening.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 7, wherein said material comprises resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 7, wherein said block and said brush piece are formed in a single mold by injection molding such that said block and said brush piece comprise a single monolithic structure.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 7, wherein said injecting step simultaneously forms said block and said brush piece.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

A cleaning mechanism as in claim 7, wherein said stem comprises a plate having a plurality of stems and said process further comprises steps of sequentially inserting said stems in said mold and sequentially injecting said material to integrally form a block and at least one brush piece on each of said stems.