US 6,477,012 B1Granted

Flying negative pressure air bearing slider with dual negative pressure pockets and side transducer

AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

InventorsKi-Ook Park, Keung Youn Cho

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Abstract

An air bearing slider that flies above a surface of a recording disk during relative rotation of the recording disk. A plurality of projections extend along the side of the slider body, and a plurality of negative pressure air cavities are formed between the projections. The projections act as pneumatic bearings, creating supporting positive forces for supporting the slider. The negative pressure air cavities create negative forces for pulling the slider down. The positive and negative forces on the center of mass of the slider are balanced to provide a more stable, static, and dynamic flying attitude for the slider. The resulting pressure profile of the slider has high pressure near the leading end, relatively low pressure in the middle, and relatively high pressure near the trailing end. This ensures minimum spacing between the slider and the disk that is very insensitive to roll parameters.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A negative pressure air bearing slider, comprising:

a slider body for flying above a surface of a recording disk during relative rotation of the recording disk, the slider body having a principal surface for confronting the disk surface, the principal surface having a lead portion, a rear portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the lead portion is spaced upstream of the rear portion relative to a longitudinal direction of the slider body which is coincident with a tangential rotational direction of the recording disk, and wherein the first side portion is spaced from the second side portion relative to a lateral direction of the slider body;
first and second projections extending from the lead portion of the principal surface of the slider to a midpoint of the slider, the first and second projections being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body;
a first cross bar formed between the first and second projections;
third and fourth projections extending from the midpoint of the principal surface of the slider to the rear portion of the slider, the third and fourth projections being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body;
a second cross bar formed between the third and the fourth projections;
and
a transducer mounted on one of the first through fourth projections so as to be suspended over the disk surface while the disk is rotating,
wherein the first cross bar and the first and second projections define a first negative pressure air cavity for the slider body, and
wherein the second cross bar and the third and fourth projections define a second negative pressure air cavity for the slider body.

6 more elements

A negative pressure air bearing slider, comprising:

a slider body for flying above a surface of a recording disk during relative rotation of the recording disk, the slider body having a principal surface for confronting the disk surface, the principal surface having a lead portion, a rear portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the lead portion is spaced upstream of the rear portion relative to a longitudinal direction of the slider body which is coincident with a tangential rotational direction of the recording disk, and wherein the first side portion is spaced from the second side portion relative to a lateral direction of the slider body;
first and second primary projections extending from the lead portion of the principal surface of the slider to the rear portion of the slider, the first and second primary projections being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body, the first and second primary projections each including a front section proximate to the lead portion, a rear section proximate to the rear portion, and a middle section between the front and rear sections, the middle section being more narrow than either of the front or rear sections;
a primary cross bar placed between the front sections of the first and second primary projections;
first and second secondary projections, being smaller in length than the first and second primary projections, being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body, and being placed proximate to the middle sections of the first and second primary projections;
a secondary cross bar placed between the first and second secondary projections, in the direction facing the lead portion;
and
a transducer mounted on one of the first and second projections so as to be suspended over the disk surface while the disk is rotating,
wherein the primary cross bar and the first and second primary projections define a primary negative pressure air cavity for the slider body, and
wherein the secondary cross bar and the first and second secondary projections define a secondary negative pressure air cavity for the slider body.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.