Information recording medium cleaning mechanism

• US 5,606,159 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurihara, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US08/473,954
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 235/438, 235/455, 235/475, 235/482
• US Class Current: 235/438
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0893 the arrangement comprising means for cleaning the card upon insertion
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/50 Reconditioning of record carriers; Cleaning of record carriers ; Carrying-off electrostatic chargesG11B3/58 takes precedence

Abstract

An information recording medium cleaning device includes moving the recording medium and the cleaning device relative to each other and a detection device for detecting a degree of stain caused by dust, fingerprints or oil, for example, on the information recording medium. Cleaning is performed based on the degree of stain detected on the information recording medium.

Claims

1. An information recording-reproducing system including means for cleaning an information recording medium, said system comprising:

recording-reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing information from the information recording medium;

means for moving the information recording medium and said recording-reproducing means relative to each other;

cleaning means for cleaning the information recording medium;

a brush for cleaning said cleaning means, said brush always being in contact with said cleaning means, in order to clean said cleaning means;

a dust collector for collecting dust generated when said brush cleans said cleaning means; and

a detachable frame for removably mounting said cleaning means, said brush and said dust collector as a unit.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said brush is a rotary brush.

3. An information recording-reproducing system including means for cleaning an information recording medium, said system comprising:

recording-reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing information from the information recording medium;

means for moving the information recording medium and said recording-reproducing means relative to each other;

cleaning means for cleaning the information recording medium;

a brush for cleaning said cleaning means; and

a movable member for movably mounting said brush, said movable member moving said brush between (i) a contact position in which said brush cleans said cleaning means and (ii) a non-contact position in which said cleaning means cleans the recording medium.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of springs, on which said movable member is mounted, for urging said movable member and said brush towards said cleaning means.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising rollers mounted on said movable member for contacting the recording medium to urge said movable member and said brush away from said cleaning means when said cleaning means cleans the recording medium.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein said movable member comprises a lever.

7. A system according to claim 3, further comprising a spring connected to said lever for biasing said lever in a direction, which separates said brush from said cleaning means.