Patent ID: 7444652

Claim:
A protective device for protecting an interface means of a read and/or write head of a read and/or write unit from dirt, dust and shock when the read and/or write unit is not in use, the read and/or write unit comprising a receiving area for receiving a data carrier, the read and/or write head being located in or adjacent the receiving area for interfacing with the data carrier for reading from and/or writing to the data carrier, the protective device comprising: a carrier means for inserting and locating in the receiving area of the read and/or write unit, a resilient protecting means carried on the carrier means for protecting the interface means of the read and/or write head against dirt, dust and shock, the protecting means comprising a base member and a plurality of fibres extending from the base member for engaging the interface means, and a resilient mounting means resiliently mounting the base member on the carrier means with the fibres extending from the carrier means at a location which coincides in use with an inoperative position of the interface means, and the protecting means being of area when viewed in plan, so that when the read and/or write head is in the inoperative position with the read and/or write unit deactivated, the fibres of the protecting means engage and embrace the interface means with the interface means nesting in the fibres for protecting the interface means from dirt, dust and shock when the read and/or write unit is not in use.