High suction air bearing with pressure release

Abstract

A disk drive system includes a base, a disk stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. A ramp assembly includes a set of ramps for loading and unloading the sliders and transducing elements carried by the sliders to and from the disks in the disk stack. The ramp assembly is attached to the base. An actuator assembly is movably attached to the base of the disk drive. The actuator assembly includes one or more arms. A load spring is attached to the arm of the actuator. In some instances two load springs are attached to the arm of the actuator. A slider is attached to the load spring. Sliders have a backside surface and an air bearing surface. The air bearing surface includes an arrangement of rails and cavities which form high pressure areas and low pressure areas. An opening or passage connects the air bearing surface the backside surface of the slider. A ring of compliant material is attached to the backside surface of the slider. The ring of compliant material is located around the opening. Also associated with the actuator is a tang used primarily to unload or load the slider. The tang includes a dimple positioned to engage the ring of compliant material and to seal the opening on the backside surface of the slider. As the tang engages the ramp, the tang is moved so that the seal between the dimple and compliant ring around the opening is broken. The negative pressure area of the air bearing surface is pressurized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.