Dual very-high density magnetic head assembly with optical servo positioning for very high density floppy disk recording and high density format compatability

A disk drive system, comprising:

• slider means for stabilizing an area of a spinning floppy disk proximate to a magnetic core;
• infrared light means for illuminating a spot of light on said stabilized area;
• optical means for focusing an image of said illuminated spot on an infrared detector and comprises a lens and a channel for establishing an optical image plane at said infrared detector that magnifies said illuminated spot;
• and
• a threaded surface within said channel that inhibits light that would otherwise bounce off the inside walls of said channel that reach said infrared detector.

A magnetic recording head assembly for use with an optical positioning servo system in a microfloppy disk drive, the assembly comprising:

• a flat metallic gimbal relieved of metal around its perimeter;
• a ceramic slider including a pair of substantially parallel air bearing surfaces having a leading edge half and a trailing edge half, the ceramic slider mounted to the gimbal;
• at least one magnetic core disposed within the slider and proximate to said leading edge half;
• means for allowing light to pass between said air bearing surfaces wherein an optical servo system may read prerecorded optical servo positioning information from a microfloppy disk in contact with the slider;
• and
• a high permeability metal ring shield comprising a mixture of conductive and non-conductive epoxy bonds between the ring shield and gimbal that electrically connect the ring shield and gimbal together and attached to the gimbal and fencing-in the slider wherein the induction of spurious electrical noise in the magnetic core(s) is reduced.

A head assembly for a dual headed disk drive system, comprising:

• a first head having a first pair of two parallel rails for riding a first surface of a flexible magnetic disk on a first surface of the first head in a ski-like manner, said first pair of rails being joined together at respective ends by first and second bridges that each have a notch that spans between said first pair of rails on said first head surface and forming an opening between them;
• a second head having a second pair of two parallel rails for riding a second surface of said flexible magnetic disk on a first surface of the second head in a ski-like manner, said second pair of rails joined together and forming a notch spanning between said second pair of rails on said first surface of the second head, said second pair of rails being positioned to pinch said flexible magnetic disk from the opposite side of said first pair of rails to hold said disk relatively rigid between said first and second pair of rails;
• a light source for directing a beam of light through said opening in the first head for reflection of a reflected beam from a point of reflection on said flexible magnetic disk, said reflected beam of light containing optical servo-positioning information recorded on said flexible magnetic disk from a point that passes under the geometric center of the first head;
• and
• a detector for receiving said reflected beam of light,
• wherein said opening formed by the first head is approximately 140 mils between said first and second bridges, 50 mils between said first and second pair of rails, and 60 mils from the bottom of each rail on said first surface of the first head.