Humidity control in a removable data cartridge
Removable cartridges employ a labyrinth-type seal design which features multiple seals for a very effective barrier to outside contaminants. The sealing mechanism of the cartridge is specifically designed so moisture and other contaminants are blocked from entering the cartridge, resulting in high resistance to corrosion and guarding against the potentially adverse effects of air borne particulate and infiltration of detrimental external gasses. Because no seal is perfect, the cartridge incorporates a charcoal desiccant inside each cartridge to provide additional protection from moisture, corrosion and out-gassing. The disk design also includes a robust recirculation filter on each cartridge to filter the air inside the cartridge each time the disk spins, effectively removing any airborne contaminants that make it past the cartridge seal.
1 . A method for controlling humidity in a removable information storage cartridge comprising:
including an absorbent filter in the housing of a cartridge; and
removing excess humidity from the air in the housing with the absorbent filter.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising spinning a disk within the housing to circulate the air around the absorbent filter.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent filter includes a desiccant.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the desiccant is silica gel.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent filter includes activated carbon.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the absorbent filter to a housing of the cartridge using pressure sensitive adhesive.
7 . A removable information storage cartridge comprising:
a housing defining an internal chamber;
information storage media disposed within the internal chamber;
an absorbent filter within the internal chamber.
8 . The removable information storage cartridge of claim 7 , further comprising a motor attached to the information storage media, wherein the motor rotates the information storage media within the internal chamber to circulate the air about the absorbent filter.
9 . The removable information storage cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent filter includes a desiccant.
10 . The removable information storage cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the desiccant is silica gel.
11 . The removable information storage cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent filter includes activated carbon.
12 . The removable information storage cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the absorbent filter is attached to the housing using pressure sensitive adhesive.