# US 5,710,688 A · Floppy drive seal insert > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,688 A - Document ID: US5710688A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/779,210 - Filed: 1997-01-06 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1995-02-08 - Inventors: Charles P. Cihak; Om P. Lal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710688A ## CPC - G11B 23/00: Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus {; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture (processes involving a single technical art and for which provision exists elsewhere, see the relevant class, e.g. B29, B41M, B05D, C08L, F16N)} - G11B 33/005: {Means for locking the disc or cassette receiving slot, e.g. dummy cassettes locked in the slot} - G11B 33/14: Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust - 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 A seal device that when inserted, impedes entrance of airborne contaminants drawn into a floppy disk drive while not in operation. Accomplished by having a body of sufficiently rigid sheet material to provide support and structure for a strip of seal material. Size of the body is configured to fit into a floppy disk drive and incorporates external stops to prevent the over insertion of the inwardly extending card portion to prevent damage to parts internal to the floppy disk drive. Thus the configuration of the body portion is such so as to not engage sensitive floppy drive internal mechanisms or require modification of the hardware of the floppy drive. The included seal strip is of sufficiently elastic solid or porous material capable of impeding airborne contaminants when bedded in a floppy disk drive port orifice with that strip being of sufficient size to encircle the card portion and to fill the mouth of the floppy disk drive. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An insertable sealing device for insertion into a disk drive when not in operation through a slot in said disk drive through which removable media is inserted and removed from said disk drive, said sealing device when in place in said slot impedes entrance of airborne contaminants into said disk drive through said slot, said sealing device comprising: a T-shaped body of a rigid sheet material shaped to mate with a selected disk drive design, said T-shaped body portion defining two regions thereof: a first region that is narrower and thinner than the width and height, respectively, of the slot of said disk drive and that is disposed to be inserted into said disk drive through said slot, said first region being the stem of the T and being shorter than the distance from said slot to the rear of said disk drive; and a second region that is wider than the width of said slot of said disk drive and that is not disposed to be accepted by said disk drive, said second region being the cross-bar of the T-shape with the edge thereof extending away from the intersection of said first and second regions forming a stop surface to limit the distance that said first region can be inserted through said slot into said disk drive; and a sealing sleeve surrounding said first region of said body and spaced apart a selected distance from said stop surface of said second region to position said sealing sleeve in said slot of said disk drive to seal said slot when said stop surface contacts said disk drive, said sealing sleeve being elastic and in ample quantity to fill said slot of said disk drive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An insertable sealing device as in claim 1 wherein the portions of the second region that extend beyond the width of said first region are folded downward to form tabs with the edge of said tabs extending away from the intersection of said first and second regions forming a stop surface to limit the distance that said first region can be inserted into said slot of said disk drive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An insertable sealing device as in claim 1 wherein a selected length of the portions of the cross-bar of the second region that extend beyond the width of said first region are folded downward to form tabs with the edge of said tabs together with the remaining portion of said cross-bar that extend away from the intersection of said first and second regions forming a three dimension stop surface to limit the distance that said first region can be inserted into said slot of said disk drive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An insertable sealing device as in claim 1 wherein said first region is shorter than the length of a disk to be accepted by said disk drive to prevent the extension of said first region to delicate parts within said disk drive when said sealing device is inserted into said disk drive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An insertable sealing device as in claim 1 wherein said sealing sleeve is non-porous to prevent air flow into and out of said disk drive through said slot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An insertable sealing device as in claim 1 wherein said sealing sleeve is porous to capture and prevent entry of airborne particles into said disk drive through said slot.