Abstract: A disc-cleaning device wherein a cleaner having a cleaning portion for wiping the surface of a disc provided on the under surface thereof and a knob on the top surface thereof is housed in a case made by securing a cover to a support for the disc so that said cover can be opened and closed. The cover has a recess on the inside thereof into which the knob is received. The support has a disc-supporting depression in which the disc fits, and a mat is laid in the disc-supporting depression to support the underside of the disc. Notches are made at either side of the disc-supporting depression in which the disc fits, and the edge of the disc fitted into the disc-supporting depression projects from both of the notches. A brush member is removably attached to the cover.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a digitally encoded disc by moving a circumferential wiping surface in a circular path across the periphery of the disc toward the middle of the disc, and again outwardly toward the periphery of the disc. This is accomplished by having a gear drive connection between a rotatable disc support member and a rotatable wiping member positioned above and offset to one side of the support member. Rotation of the cleaning member causes a relatively slower rotation of the support member so that all parts of the disc are properly cleaned.

Abstract: A device of the prior art has an elongated arm, on the underside of which is a porous cleaning pad that cleans a phonograph record when the arm is rotated around the record. The novel device is similar, but has a small reservoir pivotably mounted in the handle. To use the novel device, one fills the reservoir with cleaning fluid and pivots it to dump the fluid which saturates the cleaning pad. Then one rotates the arm to clean the record, repeating this procedure for each record side to be cleaned.

Abstract: A device for removing a chip produced during cutting of information into a record carrier, particularly a metallic record carrier, wherein the cut chip is removed by means of suction air and the magnitude or pressure of this suction air is controlled in dependence on the depth recording component of the recording.

Abstract: A disc or record cleaning device especially for laser-read discs having digital recordings is provided in a disc storage container and incorporates a cleaning member with which the disc or record is brought into contact so as to clean the disc by a relative movement with respect to the cleaning member. The cleaning member is a fibrous pad and is either fixed and the disc rotated or the disc is held stationary and the cleaning pad rotated or translated. The storage container is provided by sections movable relative to one another, either articulated about a common pivot or translatable. The relative movement of the sections is coupled to move the disc and cleaning member relatively for cleaning the disc.

Abstract: Debris suppression is effected in a sealed disk unit, of the kind having a generally enclosed record element/cover sheet inter-space, by controlling the temperature gradient across the inter-space so that thermophoretic forces, exerted by air molecules, drive ablative debris particles toward the cover sheet.

Abstract: A disc cleaning device is provided in an apparatus for transferring information to or from a disc, which apparatus includes a base, means for rotating the disc, and means for transferring information to or from the disc, the information transferring means held by an arm movably mounted on the base, the disc cleaning device comprising means for cleaning the disc mounted rotatably on the arm, means for operatively associating the disc cleaning means with a surface of the disc when the information transferring means is in an inoperative mode, and means for disassociating the disc cleaning means from the surface of the disc when the information transferring means is in an operative mode.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive apparatus for treating a floppy disk with conditioning fluid in order to clean, lubricate and destaticize the floppy disk is described. The apparatus comprises a means for grasping the floppy disk about its center and rotating it, fluid absorbing pads which are moveable into and out of contact with the magnetic surfaces of the floppy disk through the read/write opening in the floppy disk envelope by mechanical means and a means for dispensing fluid to the pads. In one preferred embodiment, the mechanical rotation of a lever causes the floppy disk to be grasped and released through the cooperation of an axial cam and a pin riding on the cam. Rotation of the lever also moves the pads into and out of contact with the floppy disk. In a second preferred embodiment, a timer provided with a gear wheel controls an axial cam for grasping and releasing the floppy disk and a radial cam which moves the pads into and out of contact with the floppy disk.

Abstract: A phonorecord cleaner is comprised of a handle member journalled for relative rotational movement with a phonorecord contact member, the latter including a phonorecord contact face having a wiping surface which is substantially equal to the radial dimension of the grooved recording band of a phonorecord, wherein movement of the cleaner in an arcuate path corresponding generally to the orientation of the spiral groove pattern maintains uniform contact of the wiping surface across the recording band of the phonorecord. A positioning member is preferably included to center the cleaner over the recording band and maintain proper orientation of the wiping surface with respect thereto during the cleaning operation.

Abstract: A device is described for vacuum cleaning phonograph records. The device includes a suction head with an elongated slot that is positioned immediately above the grooves on the record during use. A flexible adapter is provided for securing the suction head to the cleaning tool of a household vacuum cleaner. The suction head includes a valve for turning on and off the applied vacuum.

Abstract: A record cleaning device comprises a container body for receiving therein an adhesive material to be applied onto a surface of a record for cleaning, a slit formed in the bottom of the container body, an arm member attached to an end of the container body to be integrally formed therewith, and positioning means provided at an end of the arm member. The positioning means is located in the center of the record to be cleaned so that the container body can be rotated over the record. The cleaning device is further provided with support means situated on at least one of the bottom face of the container body and the bottom face of the arm member to form a clearance between the bottom of the slit and an upper surface of the record to be cleaned when the cleaning device is located on the record. Consequently, when the container body is turned over the record, the adhesive material can be applied uniformly onto the upper surface of the record through the slit and the clearance.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism for phonograph disc records includes a probe, and preferably a pluarality of probes arranged in line abreast relative to the direction of record rotation, for engagement within the record groove to remove particulate matter entrained therein. Previously cleaners have been brushes with fibres which inefficiently trail along the record surface. The probes maintain a bulldozing cleaning action and are preferably wire having a tip part inclined at about 90.degree. to a mounting part which is held in a carrier over the record. The carrier has means for dry cleaning such as a pad to pick up particles, or for wet cleaning including a liquid reservoir and dispensing means supported therefrom suitably from a pivoted arm. The carrier may be supported from a radially extending beam or a pivoted arm disposed in a leading attitude, in a manner permitting tracking by the probes of the record groove.

Abstract: An electrostatically activatable strip of mechanically chargeable, resilient, flexible material capable of retaining for at least twenty-five minutes, an electrostatic voltage sufficient to remove dust particles from the surface of a disk to be cleaned, the strip being softer than the disk to be cleaned. The strip is charged either by brushing or by separating it from a pressure sensitive adhesive surface. The strip is then passed over the disk to be cleaned, either manually or by mounting the strip radially across the disk and rotating the disk with respect thereto. Particularly favorable materials for the strip are silicone rubbers and latex rubbers having a Shore A durometer hardness of less than 100.

Abstract: A lens assembly is positionally adjusted for precisely focusing a light beam upon a video information disc in a video recorder-playback machine. The lens assembly includes a focusing lens supported on an air bearing within an assembly housing for movement toward and away from the disc. A current conducting coil is movable with the focusing lens and is adapted to receive an electrical current indicative of instantaneous focusing error of the light beam upon the disc. A fixed magnetic field formed by a permanent magnet mounted on the housing between opposite pole pieces comprising portions of the housing is magnetically coupled with the coil whereby variations in the current result in adjustment of the position of the focusing lens with respect to the disc to correct the focusing error.

Abstract: A record cleaning device comprises a container body for receiving therein an adhesive material to be applied onto a surface of a record for cleaning, a slit formed in the bottom of the container body, an arm member attached to an end of the container body to be integrally formed therewith, and positioning means provided at an end of the arm member. The positioning means is located in the center of the record to be cleaned so that the container body can be rotated over the record. The cleaning device is further provided with support means situated on at least one of the bottom face of the container body and the bottom face of the arm member to form a clearance between the bottom of the slit and an upper surface of the record to be cleaned when the cleaning device is located on the record. Consequently, when the container body is turned over the record, the adhesive material can be applied uniformly onto the upper surface of the record through the slit and the clearance.

Abstract: A cleaning and lubricating system is provided. The system includes an applicator comprised of a substrate carrying an excess of cleaning and lubricating compositions, and a buffing member, preferably in combination with the applicator.In operation, the applicator is wiped against a to-be-cleaned and lubricated surface of an article. This action coats the article with an excess thickness of lubricating composition. The coating is then wiped with the buffing member and the excess lubricating composition is transferred to the buffing member so that the coating on the article is now of a controlled thickness. When an excess supply of lubricating composition builds up on the buffing member portion of the system, the buffing member may then be used as a cleaning and lubricating applicator.

Abstract: A self-propelled record cleaner comprising a cleaning brush, a drive wheel, and a battery-operated motor unit for driving both of the cleaning brush and the drive wheel in the opposite directions with respect to each other. The self-propelled record cleaner has a bearing hole adapted to receive a turntable spindle when the record cleaner is placed on a disc record mounted on the turntable. This self-propelled record cleaner can run on the disc record around the turntable spindle while brushing or cleaning dusts off from the disc record when the battery-operated motor unit is in operation. Some of components of the record cleaners are mounted in a casing at a position where they can be supported above a non-grooved area of the disc record.

Abstract: A disk complex for reducing the electrostatic forces on a record disk used for storing information, in which two recording surfaces are carried by an intermediate support member, and electrostatic force reducers are coupled with the surfaces and the support member.

Abstract: A disc player apparatus which features, inter alia, a disc and drive support structure including a turntable having a lower face adapted to receive thereon the disc to be played back and a lower disc support unit which is movable into and out of a position below the turn table for holding the disc between the turn table and the disc support unit.

Abstract: A self-propelled record cleaner comprising a cleaning brush, a drive wheel, and a battery-operated motor unit for driving both of the cleaning brush and the drive wheel in the opposite directions with respect to each other. The self-propelled record cleaner has a arm having a bearing hole adapted to receive a turntable spindle when the record cleaner is placed on a disc record mounted on the turntable. This self-propelled record cleaner can run on the disc record around the turntable spindle while brushing or cleaning dusts off from the disc record when the battery-operated motor unit is in operation.

Abstract: Accumulated foreign material on the signal pickup stylus of a video disc player tends to degrade the quality of the recovered information signal. The recovered information signal is detected and the nominal amplitude of the recovered signal is compared against a reference amplitude. The occurrence of a decrease in recovered signal amplitude below the level of the reference causes a comparator to generate a control or trigger pulse. The control pulse activates a pulse generator to produce a predetermined pulse sequence which is applied to a stylus deflection transducer to move the stylus fore and aft radially across the disc and thereby dislodge the foreign material from the pickup stylus.

Abstract: A computer tape drive and cleaner unit includes a housing for rotatably supporting a tape supply reel and tape take-up reel thereon. Guide means are provided for operatively directing the tape past a head assembly which includes read and write heads and/or an erase head. A tape cleaner apparatus is also supported on the housing and includes a replaceable cleaner element arranged in engagement with the computer tape as it is transferred between the take-up and supply reels.

Abstract: A dusting or cleaning apparatus is mounted on the cover for the apparatus and serves to clean phonograph records on the turntable by means of a brush which is mounted on guide arms and engages the record during rotation of the turntable. The apparatus, while in engagement with the record, is guided from the outer portion of the record, radially inwardly as the phonograph record turns. This is accomplished by means of the brush which is mounted for slideable movements on the guide arms and is moved radially on the phonograph record while it is turned on the turntable.

Abstract: A video disc playback system includes a circuit for detecting degradation in signals recovered from a disc and generates a control pulse responsive to the detected degradation. The degradations are of a predetermined duration and represent a predetermined percentage decrease in amplitude. A peak detecting and following circuit is connected for receiving signals recovered from the disc record. The decay rate of the peak detecting circuit is arranged to be substantially equal to a certain minimum duration of amplitude degradations that should occur before it is desired to generate the control pulse. The output signal from the detector circuit is proportioned by a divider circuit and then integrated to produce a signal which is proportional to the average of the detected signal over a relatively long period of time. The proportioned signal is applied to the reference signal terminal of a comparator circuit and the detected signal is applied to the signal input terminal of the comparator.

Abstract: An improved type of pickup cartridge comprising a stylus assembly, a cartridge body case to receive the stylus assembly therein, and pole pieces provided to support the stylus assembly in the cartridge body case, wherein a resilient member is provided in the cartridge body case to secure the friction fit of the stylus assembly. The resilient member is also grounded such that the noise due to electrostatic discharge is prevented.