Robotic apparatus for and method of manufacturing data storage disks

摘要

A unitary one-piece plug is insertable into a magnetic data storage blank disk by a robot arm. The plug has a relatively large flange portion and grip knob on one end, a smaller diameter entry portion on the other end which passes through a central aperture in the disk. A cylindrical portion of less diameter than the entry portion forms a circumferential slot which rests on a bottom edge of the aperture in a vertically oriented disk when the plug is left in the disk aperture and the disk is mounted in a disk carrier for disk processing. The plug flange then blocks communication from one side to the other side of the disk. When the plug is lifted in the disk aperture by a robot arm the plug slot is captured by the upper edge of the disk aperture and permits the robot arm to move the disk with its plug to and from a disk cassette. Since there is no unplugging and unplugging of plug halves and a more simple robot arrangement is possible, the generation of particles which can cause magnetic defects in the manufactured magnetic media disk is minimized.