Transducer and method for reading and writing data from and to a medium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transducer that comprises a body and a tip extending from the body. The tip includes an exposed portion that has a consistent cross-sectional area. The present invention also relates to a method of translating data to or from a medium. The method comprises the steps of maneuvering a transducer that has an exposed tip with a consistent cross-sectional area to a particular location relative to the medium, and engaging the medium using the tip on the transducer. The transducer and method of the present invention reduce the effects of transducer wear. The optimum performance of the transducer is maintained because the consistent cross-sectional area of the tip ensures that the surface area on the end of the tip is preserved over the life of the transducer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.