Abstract

A disc cleaning device is disclosed which includes a disc support platform mounted to rotate about a first axis. This platform is adapted to support a disc to be cleaned and to center the disc to be cleaned about the first axis. An annular cleaning surface is mounted to rotate about a second axis spaced from the first axis. This cleaning surface is positioned to contact a disc to be cleaned supported on the platform. The platform and the cleaning surface are rotated such that the cleaning surface rotates at twice the angular velocity of the platform. The cleaning surface defines an effective radius equal to the separation between the first and second axes. It has been discovered that this geometry and arrangement of velocities ensures that relative movement between the cleaning surface and the disc to be cleaned is oriented substantially radially with respect to the first axis in order to provide a substantially radially oriented cleaning of at least an annular portion of the disc to be cleaned. Certain preferred embodiments include a mechanism for moving any selected one of two cleaning discs into the preferred geometry in order to allow a sequential washing and drying action with separate cleaning discs.