US 2002/0159193 A1 · Head assembly having leading edge step scheme for tuned air entrainment

Abstract

An improved head assembly having a leading edge step scheme for tuned air entrainment for improved head performance in higher capacity disk drives. The head assembly having a tuned leading edge step scheme improves the performance of the heads by controlling the entrainment of air thereby forming a desired air bearing between a disk surface and the longitudinal rails of each slider of the head assembly thereby forcing the storage media to comply in an advantageous way (e.g., conform) to cause intimacy at the sensor. The improved head assembly having a leading edge step scheme allows the flying characteristics of the head to be controlled by providing a first rail including a sensor for interfacing with the disk media and having a bleed leading edge step that does not entrain air well and a second rail not having a sensor and having a structured leading edge step that entrains air better than the bleed leading edge step of the first rail. The second rail having a good leading edge step for entraining air includes a structured or shaped leading edge step formed between a pair of air dams for trapping and entraining air therebetween. The first rail having a poor leading edge step for entraining air as compared to the second rail allows the sensor to interface (e.g., contact) with the disk media, while the second rail having a good leading edge for the entrainment of air allows the second rail and the balance of the slider to fly over the surface of the disk. This helps to improve the performance of the head assembly for higher capacity disk drives. In addition, the present invention provides for forming one leading edge step differently from the other and for varying the shape and dimensions of the leading edge step to control the flying characteristics of the head assemblies.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A head assembly for interfacing with a storage medium on a disk, comprising:

a first slider having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side, and a second side, said first slider comprising:
(i) a first rail, extending longitudinally along said first side of said first slider, and having a bleed leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said first rail for reducing an air bearing under said first rail;
(ii) a second rail, extending longitudinally along said second side of said first slider, and having a structured leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said second rail for improving an air bearing under said second rail;
(iii) a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first rail of said first slider for communicating with said storage medium;
and
a second slider aligned with said first slider and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side, and a second side, said second slider comprising:
(i) a first rail, extending longitudinally along said first side of said second slider and having a bleed leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said first rail for reducing an air bearing under said first rail, said first rail of said second slider being aligned with said second rail of said first slider;
(ii) a second rail, extending longitudinally along said second side of said second slider, said second rail of said second slider being aligned with said first rail of said first slider, and having a structured leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said second rail for improving an air bearing under said second rail;
(iii) a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first rail of said second slider for communicating with said storage medium;
and
wherein said bleed leading edge step and said structured leading edge step of said first and said second sliders provide a tuned leading edge step scheme for an improved head performance by forcing said storage medium to comply in an advantageous way to cause intimacy at said sensor.

8 more elements

A disk drive for receiving a disk cartridge that has a storage medium that has a first surface and a second surface, comprising:

an actuator for communicating with said cartridge and said storage medium;
a head assembly mounted on said actuator, comprising:
a first slider having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side and a second side, said first slider having tuned leading edge steps comprising:
(i) a first rail, extending longitudinally along said first side of said first slider, and having a bleed leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said first rail for reducing an air bearing under said first rail;
(ii) a second rail, extending longitudinally along said second side of said first slider, and having a structured leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said second rail for improving an air bearing under said second rail;
(iii) a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first rail of said first slider for communicating with said storage medium;
and
a second slider aligned with said first slider and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side, and a second side, said second slider having tuned leading edge steps comprising:
(i) a first rail, extending longitudinally along said first side of said second slider and having a bleed leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said first rail for reducing an air bearing under said first rail, said first rail of said second slider being aligned with said second rail of said first slider;
(ii) a second rail, extending longitudinally along said second side of said second slider, and having a structured leading edge step formed proximate said leading edge of said second rail for improving an air bearing under said second rail, said second rail of said second slider being aligned with said first rail of said first slider;
(iii) a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first rail of said second slider for communicating with said storage medium;
wherein said disk cartridge is inserted so that said first surface of said storage medium is proximal to said first slider and said second surface of said storage medium is proximal to said second slider, said tuned leading edge steps functioning to deflect said storage medium toward said sensor thereby improving communications between said actuator and said storage medium when said storage medium is rotated between said first and said second slider.

9 more elements

A disk drive that has an improved magnetic head assembly for interfacing with a removable magnetic disk cartridge that has a magnetic media and a spindle motor for rotating said magnetic media when said disk cartridge is inserted into said disk drive, comprising:

a first slider that has a tuned leading edge step scheme including a bleed leading edge step formed in a first longitudinal rail, a structured leading edge step formed in a second longitudinal rail, and a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first longitudinal rail for interfacing with said magnetic media;
a second slider that has a tuned leading edge step scheme including a bleed leading edge step formed in a first longitudinal rail, a structured leading edge step formed in a second longitudinal rail, and a sensor disposed proximate a trailing edge of said first longitudinal rail for interfacing with said magnetic media;
and
an actuator on which said first slider and said second slider are mounted, said first slider being disposed above said second slider, said sliders being aligned so that said first longitudinal rail of each slider is aligned with said second rail of said other slider;
said magnetic media being disposed between said sliders when inserted into said disk drive and when rotated by said spindle motor said bleed leading edge steps and said structured leading edge steps of said tuned leading edge step scheme of each slider act to deflect said storage medium toward said sensor of said first rail to improve communications between said sliders and said magnetic media thereby improving the performance of said head assembly.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Head assembly having leading edge step scheme for tuned air entrainment

Life of this patent

Head assembly having leading edge step scheme for tuned air entrainment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24