Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Shaping fiber or fibered material
Reexamination Certificate
1996-03-11
2001-02-13
Echols, P. W. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Shaping fiber or fibered material
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disk cartridges for storing electronic information, and more particularly, to a disk cartridge having a fuzzed fabric liner and to a method of making the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Removable disk cartridges for storing digital electronic information typically comprise an outer casing or shell that houses a magnetic, magneto-optical or optical disk upon which electronic information can be stored. The cartridge shell often comprises upper and lower halves that are joined together to house the disk. The disk is mounted on a hub that rotates freely within the cartridge. When the cartridge is inserted into a disk drive, a spindle motor in the drive engages with the disk hub in order to rotate the disk within the cartridge at a given speed. The outer shell of the cartridge typically has an aperture near one edge to provide the recording heads of the drive with access to the disk. A shutter or door mechanism is often provided to cover the aperture when the cartridge is not in use to prevent dust or other contaminants from entering the cartridge and settling on the recording surface of the disk.
Although the cartridge shell and shutter mechanism provide some protection against contaminants entering the cartridge, some contaminants will inevitably reach the recording surface of the disk. For example, dust, smoke and other debris may enter the cartridge through the disk hub or through the cartridge shutter when the disk is inserted in a disk drive. Additionally, magnetic particles may be generated during manufacturing of the disk cartridge as well as during read/write operations in the disk drive. These contaminants can interfere with a read/write head causing errors and a potential loss of information.
To reduce the risk of read/write errors resulting from particles on the disk surface, cartridges often include one or more fabric liners within the cartridge placed in contact with the disk surface. These liners typically are formed of a mixture of non-woven fibers bonded together either thermally, with an adhesive binder, or through a hydroentangling process such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,389. A fabric liner from Veratec Data Resources Group, called the “DataProtech Liner”, is formed of a mixture of rayon (80%) and nylon (20%) fibers.
As illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,750,075, 5,006,948, 5,083,231 and 5,216,566, the fabric liners are typically affixed to the upper and lower halves of the cartridge shell between so that they lie in a plane above the respective surfaces of the disk. In each of these examples, lifters and opposing ribs are provided on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower shells to bring the fabric liners into contact with at least a portion of the disk surface. Essentially, the lifters and ribs cooperate to force the liners against the disk surface. While the use of lifters and/or ribs ensures that the fabric liner contacts the disk surface and wipes unwanted particles from the disk, the force with which the liners are pressed against the disk creates a significant amount of drag on the disk as it rotates within the cartridge. Increased drag requires a corresponding increase in the strength of the disk drive spindle motor. Additionally, the increased contact pressure between the liners and the disk increases wear on the disk surface.
Accordingly, there is a need for a removable disk cartridge having a liner that provides adequate wiping of the disk to remove unwanted particles, but that creates much less drag on the disk and does not require lifters and/or ribs in the cartridge shell. The liner should also be low cost and easy to manufacture. The present invention satisfies these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a disk cartridge having a fuzzed liner and a method of making the same. The disk cartridge comprises a rotatable disk having upper and lower surfaces and an outer casing for rotatably housing the disk. The casing comprises upper and lower shells that mate to form the casing. Each of the upper and lower shells has an inner surface disposed in facing relation to a respective surface of the disk. The cartridge has a head access opening on its front peripheral edge, and the upper and lower shells have grooves formed therein to provide sufficient space for the magnetic heads of a disk drive to move across the surface of the disk. A non-woven fabric liner comprising a plurality of bonded fibers is attached to the inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells. A main body of the fabric liner lies against the inner surface of the shell and is spaced a predetermined distance from the corresponding surface of the disk. A region of the fabric liner is subjected to a fuzzing process in which the bonded fibers in that region are loosened to form a region of upstanding fibers that extend from the main body of the liner to the surface of the disk. The upstanding fibers wipe the surface of the disk while the main body of the liner remains spaced from the disk thereby reducing drag. In a preferred embodiment, a second non-woven fabric liner is attached to the inner surface of the other of shells.
Preferably, the spacing between the main body of the fabric liner and the recording surface of the disk is in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 mm, and the fabric liner comprises a mixture of rayon and nylon fibers. The fabric liner preferably is attached to the inner surface of the shell by an adhesive. Additionally, the inner surfaces of the upper and lower shells preferably are substantially planar.
A method of assembling a disk cartridge in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing an upper shell and a lower shell adapted to mate to form an outer casing of the disk cartridge; (b) affixing a non-woven fabric liner to an inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells, wherein the non-woven fabric liner comprises a plurality of fibers bonded together and defining a main body of the liner; and (c) fuzzing a region of the fabric liner by loosening the fibers in that region to create a region of upstanding fibers on the main body of the liner; and (d) rotatably mounting a disk between the upper and lower shells and joining said upper and lower shells to form said outer casing, wherein the main body of the liner is disposed in facing relation to a surface of the disk and is spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the disk. The upstanding fibers in the fuzzed region of the liner, however, extend from the main body of the liner to the surface of the disk so as to contact the surface of the disk as the disk rotates within the casing. The fuzzed region wipes the disk of unwanted contaminant while providing very little drag on the disk as it rotates within the cartridge.
Preferably, the step of fuzzing a region of the liner comprises (a) placing the fabric liner in contact with the bristles of a brush; and (b) moving the bristles over the surface of the fabric liner in the designated region for a predetermined period of time. The bristles of the brush act to loosen the fibers in that region to create a region of upstanding fibers that extend outward from the main body of the fabric liner.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become evident hereinafter.
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patent: 5122919 (1
Hales Ronald F.
Hodapp Theodore D.
Ma Yiping
Miller Wayne
Echols P. W.
Iomega Corporation
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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