Moveable disk wiper apparatus and method
AssigneeCastlewood Systems, Inc.
InventorsLong Nguyen, Venkat R. Koka, Frank Morris, Syed Iftikar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for increasing the reliability of removable storage media by dynamically reducing particulate contaminants from magnetic disks. The apparatus and methods include using wipers which slidingly engage both sides of the magnetic disk as the disk rotates, in order to reduce particulates. In some embodiments, the wiper can be coupled to a swing-type actuator or to any resilient member which can be moved over the surface of the magnetic disk.
Claims23
An apparatus for increasing the reliability of a removable magnetic disk, the apparatus comprising:
- a resilient member movable over a surface of the removable magnetic disk, the resilient member comprising a data transfer head;
- means for reducing the particulate contamination of both sides of the magnetic disk, the reducing means being positioned laterally of and coupled to the resilient member;
- and
- means for urging the reducing means towards the magnetic disk, wherein the reducing means is configured to move over the removable magnetic disk prior to the data transfer head moving over the magnetic disk.
An apparatus for removing particulates from a magnetic disk, the apparatus comprising:
- an actuator arm movable over a magnetic disk, wherein the actuator arm comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
- at least one data transfer head positioned adjacent the distal end of the actuator arm;
- a top wiper and a bottom wiper, the wipers coupled to the actuator arm and positioned proximal of the data transfer head, the wipers each having a cleaning material disposed on a portion of each wiper;
- and
- means for urging the filter material towards a surface of the magnetic disk, wherein said wipers are configured to move over the magnetic disk prior to the data transfer head moving over the magnetic disk.
A method for removing particulates from both sides a magnetic disk comprising:
- providing an actuator arm comprising data heads and a plurality of movable wipers having a particulate trapping region, wherein the wipers are positioned laterally from the actuator arm and coupled thereto;
- and
- passing the actuator arm and wipers over at least a portion of a disk, wherein the wipers are moved over the magnetic disk prior to the data heads moving over the magnetic disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.