Apparatus for cleaning internal components of electronic equipment

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus with an integrated cleaning sheet for cleaning the internal working components of a piece of electronic equipment along a predetermined media path. The cleaning apparatus includes a base material having a leading end and a trailing end. A cleaning sheet is disposed proximate the leading end of the base material and is for cleaning at least one internal working component of the electronic equipment. An adhesive strip attaches the cleaning sheet to the leading end of the base material. To clean an internal component of electronic equipment, the cleaning apparatus is fed through the reading, writing or scan heads (r/w/s heads) of a piece of electronic equipment when the electronic equipment is disposed in a normally-engaged position.

1 . A cleaning apparatus with an integrated cleaning sheet, comprising: 
 a base material having a leading end and a trailing end; and    an abrasive cleaning sheet having distal and proximal ends, the abrasive cleaning sheet being disposed proximate the leading end of the base material, at least the proximal end of the abrasive cleaning sheet being adhered to the base material,    wherein the abrasive cleaning sheet is fed through reading, writing or scan heads (r/w/s heads) of a printer when the printer is disposed in a normally-engaged position to remove residue.    
   
   
       2 . The cleaning apparatus with an integrated cleaning sheet of  claim 1  wherein the base material comprises labels.  
   
   
       3 . The cleaning apparatus with an integrated cleaning sheet of  claim 1  wherein the abrasive cleaning sheet is coated with aluminum oxide.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus for cleaning the internal workings of electronic equipment when the equipment is disposed in a normally-engaged position, the apparatus comprising: 
 a printer ribbon having a leading end and a trailing end;    a cleaning sheet disposed proximate the leading end of the printer ribbon; and    an adhesive strip disposed on the cleaning sheet to adhere the cleaning sheet to the printer ribbon.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the electronic equipment is a printer.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for cleaning the internal working components of a piece of electronic equipment, comprising: 
 a base material having first and second surfaces, a leading end and a trailing end; and    an abrasive cleaning strip attached to at least one of the first and second surfaces of the base material, the abrasive cleaning strip including an adhesive disposed thereon, wherein the base material is fed through the piece of electronic equipment for cleaning and decontaminating the internal working components of the electronic equipment when the electronic equipment is disposed in a normally engaged position.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the abrasive cleaning strip is used to clean at least one of a reading, writing or scan head of a printer.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the abrasive cleaning strip is attached at the leading end of the base material.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the base material is configured as a roll of printer ribbon.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the abrasive strip includes a cleaning substrate.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the cleaning substrate is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, calcined alumina, cerium oxide, chromium oxide, diamond, ferrous oxide, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide and cubic boron nitrate minerals.