US 5,267,104 A · Liquid-bearing data recording disk file with transducer carrier having rear ski pad at the head-disk interface

Abstract

A data recording disk file of the liquid-bearing type has an improved head-disk interface provided in by a transducer carrier with new properties. The carrier supports a conventional head for reading and writing data to the disk. The carrier has an air-bearing surface near its front end, a ski pad near its rear end, and a plurality of ski feet or struts which support the air-bearing surface off the liquid film of the disk when the disk file is not operating. The air-bearing surface is in the form of a pair of air-bearing rails located outboard of the rear ski pad so that no air-bearing effect occurs in the rearward region of the carrier to assure the skiing action of the rear ski pad. As operational speed is approached the air-bearing lifts the struts off the disk and the rear ski pad is the sole ski foot on the liquid film. The rear ski pad has a convexly shaped leading edge which is wider than its trailing edge to minimize static friction and lubricant thinning during skiing, and the angle between the leading and trailing edges of the pad is selected to enable the pad to ski over the wide ranges of carrier-disk velocity which occur as the carrier moves from disk ID to OD.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A data recording disk file comprising:

at least one data disk having a liquid film thereon;
a motor connected to the disk for rotating the disk;
a transducer for writing data to or reading data from the disk;
a transducer carrier having a disk side, a front end and a trailing end, said transducer being located near said trailing ends, the carrier comprising an air-bearing surface on the disk side near the front end, a liquid-bearing ski surface on the disk side near the trailing end and shaped to have its leading edge wider than its trailing edge, and a plurality of struts to support the air-bearing surface away from the disk when the disk is not rotating;
an actuator for moving the carrier generally radially across the disk so the transducer may access different regions of data on the disk;
means connecting the carrier to the actuator for urging the ski surface of the carrier into contact with the liquid film on the disk during rotation of the disk;
and
means for supporting the motor and actuator.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Liquid-bearing data recording disk file with transducer carrier having rear ski pad at the head-disk interface

Life of this patent

Liquid-bearing data recording disk file with transducer carrier having rear ski pad at the head-disk interface

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14