TH15604A - Methods and equipment for cleaning recording disks. - Google Patents

Abstract

The rear edge of the slider of the record disc driver is used to remove debris from the disc by gradually sweeping the dirt from the inner diameter of the disc to the outer diameter as the disc is rotated backward from its normal state. The sweeping is completed while the disc is still increasing its rotational speed and has not yet reached its lift speed. Material accumulated on the rear edge of the slider is either removed at the outer diameter of the disc or remains on the rear edge of the slider when normal operation begins.

Claims (40)

1. A data storage device consists of a disk with a data storage surface, a rotating mechanism that allows the disk to rotate controlledly in the first and second directions, and a slider supported in contact with the data storage surface of the disk. This slider transfers data energy as it passes through the disk as it rotates in the first direction, and a motion force moves the slider to remove debris from the data storage surface as the disk rotates in the second direction. 2. Data storage device as per claim 1, whereby the said slider supports a read/write head. 3. Data storage device pursuant to claim paragraph 2, in the event that the head contains a magnetic resonance converter. 4. Data storage device pursuant to claim paragraph 2, where the head contains a magnetic energy converter of a thin film. 5. Data storage device pursuant to claim clause 2, in the event that the head contains an inductive power converter. 6. Data storage device pursuant to claim paragraph 2, where the head contains an inductive film energy converter. 7. Data storage device as per claim 1, whereby the slider is made of ceramic material. 8. Data storage device as per claim 1, whereby the slider is made of serrite. 9. Data storage device as per claim 1, where the slider is coated with carbon. 10. Data acquisition device according to claim 1, whereby the slider supports a serrite transducer head for reading and writing data. 11. Data acquisition device under claim 1, where such slider has an outer rail and a back surface, and such slider also consists of a plow formed by the intersection between the surfaces of the outer rail, the surface adjacent to the core, the disc and the back surface of the slider. 12. Data storage device pursuant to claim 11, where such slider also consists of an outer and a second edge formed by the intersection between the outer edge of the slider and the surface of the outer rail adjacent to the surface of the disk. 13. Data storage devices pursuant to claim paragraph 12, where the angle of intersection between the outer edge of the slider and the outer surface of the rail is large enough and sharp enough to prevent debris on the disc surface from entering beneath the rail surface. 14. Data storage device pursuant to claim 1, where the slider has at least one rail and a plow edge formed by the collision between the surfaces of at least one rail, the surface adjacent to the disc surface and at least one side of the slider. 15. Data storage devices pursuant to claim paragraph 14, where the angle of intersection between the outer edge of the slider and the surface of the track is large enough and sharp enough to prevent dirt on the disk surface from entering beneath the track surface. 16. Data storage device as per claim 1, with additional components: a device for monitoring the error rate of the disk drive and a device for initiating disk cleaning based on that error rate. 17. Data storage device as per claim 1, with additional components: a device for monitoring the number of drive cycles (start-stop), and a device for initiating disk cleaning based on such counts. 18. Data storage device under claim 1, which also includes: - a factor for monitoring the failure rate of the disk drive; a factor for initiating cleaning based on such failure rate; a factor for monitoring the number of stop-and-go cycles of the disk drive; and a factor for initiating cleaning based on such count. 19. Data storage device consisting of a disk with a data storage surface; a device for controlling the rotation of the disk in the first and second directions; a slider supported by the data storage surface of the disk; the slider has a raking surface; and a control arm for moving the slider to rake dirt away from the data storage surface when the disk rotates in the second direction. 20. A data storage device consisting of a disk with a data storage surface, a control mechanism for the disk's rotation in the first and second directions, a slider supported by a sledge-like surface, a mechanism for moving the slider to scrape away debris from the data storage surface when the disk rotates in the second direction, a housing to support the rotational and movement mechanisms, and a cover that is hermetically sealed to the housing to prevent harmful contaminants from entering the storage device. 21. Data storage device pursuant to claim 20, where such slider is supported for reading and writing data. 22. Data storage device pursuant to claim 21, in the event that such head contains a magnetic resistance energy converter. 23. Data storage device pursuant to claim 21, where such head consists of a magnetic resistance energy converter of a thin film. 24. Data storage device pursuant to claim 21, in the event that such head contains an inductive power converter. 25. Data storage device pursuant to claim 21, where such head consists of an inductive energy converter of a thin film. 26. Data storage device as per claim 20, whereby the slider is made of ceramic material. 27. Data storage device under claim 20, whereby the slider is made of ferrite. 28. Data storage device as per claim 20, whereby the slider is coated with carbon. 29. Data storage device according to claim 20 where such slider has an outer rail and the edge of such slider is formed by the intersection of the surface of the rail in contact with the surface of the disc and the rear end of the slider. 30. Data acquisition device pursuant to claim paragraph 20, whereby the second plow is formed by the intersection of the outer edge of the sliding slide with the outer track surface. 31. Data storage device pursuant to claim paragraph 30, whereby the angle of intersection of the outer edge of the slider with the outer surface of the track is large enough to prevent dirt on the disk surface from entering beneath the track surface. 32. Data storage device pursuant to claim paragraph 20. Where the slider consists of an outer rail and an outer edge, such edge is formed by the intersection between the outer edge and the surface of the outer rail. The angle of intersection between the outer edge of the slider and the surface of the outer rail is large enough and sharp enough to prevent debris from the surface of the slider from entering beneath the rail surface. 33. Data storage device pursuant to claim 30, where the angle of intersection of the outer side of the slider with the outer surface of the track is large and sharp enough to prevent dirt on the disc surface from entering beneath the track surface. 34. Data storage device under claim 20, with additional components: a device for monitoring the failure rate of the disk drive and a device for initiating disk cleaning based on that failure rate. 35. Data storage device under claim 20, with additional components: a device for monitoring the number of drive start-stop cycles and a device for initiating disk cleaning based on such counts. 36. Data acquisition device under claim 20, with additional components: a factor for monitoring the fault rate of the disk drive counter; a factor for initiating disk cleaning based on the said fault rate; a factor for monitoring the number of start-stop cycles of the disk drive; and a factor for initiating disk cleaning based on the said count. 37. A data storage device consists of a disk with a data storage surface, a control factor that causes the disk to rotate in the first and second directions, and a slider supported in contact with the data storage surface of the disk. The slider transfers the energy of the data as it passes through the disk as it rotates in the first direction and removes debris from the data storage surface as the disk rotates in the second direction. 38. Data storage device under claim 37, which also includes factors for monitoring the drive failure rate and factors for initiating disk cleaning based on such failure rate. 39. Data storage devices under claim 37, which also include factors for monitoring the drive failure rate, factors for initiating disk cleaning based on such failure rate, factors for monitoring the drive failure rate, and factors for initiating disk cleaning based on such count. 40. A data storage device consisting of a disk with a data storage surface; a control mechanism for the disk's rotation in the first and second directions; a slider supported in contact with the disk's data storage surface, with a sledge-like edge; a motion control mechanism to move the slider and scrape away debris from the data storage surface when the disk rotates in the second direction; a housing to support the disk rotation and motion control mechanisms; a cover tightly sealed to the housing to prevent contaminants from entering the storage device; a fault rate monitoring mechanism for the disk drive; and a mechanism to initiate disk cleaning based on the fault rate.