Method and apparatus for maintaining constant flying height via magnetic interaction

Method for controlling the flying height of a head in a rigid disk system comprising the steps of:

• suspending said head above a circularly rotatable disk having an inner diameter and an outer diameter between which information is recorded;
• moving said head along a path between said inner and outer diameters to selectively access said information;
• locating a first magnetic field generator in association with said head;
• locating a second magnetic field generator in association with said disk;
• generating a first magnetic field with said first generator which is substantially perpendicular to said disk;
• generating a second magnetic field with said second generator of polarity opposite to said first magnetic field and which is substantially perpendicular to said disk;
• applying a force to urge said head toward said disk;
• and
• varying the magnitude of at least one of said magnetic fields to maintain the head a substantially uniform height above said disk at least along a portion of said path via magnetic repulsion occurring as a consequence of the interaction of said first and second magnetic fields.

Apparatus for controlling the flying height of a head in a disk system comprising:

• a circular platter having a substantially planar top surface;
• means for rotating said circular platter at a selected rotational speed;
• an annular layer of material disposed on said platter for storage of binary data, said layer extending on said platter between an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said layer having a top surface;
• means for reading binary data stored on said annular layer, said reading means having a lower surface;
• means for supporting said reading means above said platter top surface, said reading means being mounted to said supporting means at a mounting location such that said reading means lower surface is adjacent said layer top surface;
• said supporting means being selectively movable such that said reading means traverses a path at least between said layer outer diameter and said layer inner diameter;
• means for providing a magnetic field to maintain said reading means lower surface a selected height above said layer top surface at least along a portion of said path;
• said magnetic field providing means including a layer of material on said platter operative to produce a magnetic field upon application of an electrical current to said layer.

Apparatus for controlling the flying height of a head in a disk system comprising:

• a circular platter having a substantially planar top surface;
• means for rotating said circular platter at a selected rotational speed;
• an annular layer of material disposed on said platter for storage of binary data, said layer extending on said platter between an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said layer having a top surface;
• means for reading binary data stored on said annular layer, said reading means having a lower surface;
• means for supporting said reading means above said platter top surface, said reading means being mounted to said supporting means at a mounting location such that said reading means lower surface is adjacent said layer top surface;
• said supporting means being selectively movable to permit said reading means to traverse a path at least between said layer outer diameter and said layer inner diameter;
• means for providing a magnetic field to maintain said reading means lower surface a selected height above said layer top surface at least along a portion of said path;
• said means for providing a magnetic field including a coil disposed on said platter operative to produce a magnetic field upon electrical energization of said coil.

Apparatus for controlling the flying height of a head in a disk system comprising:

• a circular platter having a substantially planar top surface;
• means for storing data on said platter at least between a first diameter and a second diameter of said platter;
• means for reading said data, said reading means having a lower surface;
• means for supporting said reading means above said platter top surface, said reading means being mounted to said supporting means at a mounting location such that said reading means lower surface is adjacent said layer top surface;
• said supporting means being selectively movable to permit said reading means to traverse a path at least between said first and second diameters;
• first means associated with said supporting means for generating a first magnetic field of a selected polarity, said first magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to said planar top surface of said platter;
• second means associated with said disk for generating a second magnetic field of a selected polarity, said second magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to said planar top surface;
• means for controlling at least one of said first and second magnetic field generating means to maintain said reading means lower surface a selected height above said platter top surface at least along a portion of said path by magnetic interaction between magnetic fields generated by said first and second means for generating.