Head assembly with head-media spacing control
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsJorge Vicente Hanchi, Dian Song, John Stuart Wright, Andrew D. White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A head assembly including one or more transducer elements for controlling head-media spacing is disclosed. The assembly includes detection circuitry configured to receive an input detection signal responsive to the spacing between the head and the data storage media and provide an output measure indicative of the head-media spacing. The output signal is utilized by control circuitry to provide a control input to one of a plurality of transducer elements on the head to protrude a localized portion of the head to adjust head-media spacing.
Claims18
An assembly comprising:
- a head including a slider body and deposition layers on a trailing edge of the slider body, the deposition layers forming a plurality of elements on the trailing edge of the slider body, the plurality of elements including:
- a sensor element on the slider body and recessed from an air bearing surface of the slider body, the sensor element configured to provide an input detection signal responsive to spacing between the head and a data storage media;
- a read element separate from the sensor element;
- a microactuator element on the head configured to actuate a portion of the head towards the data storage media;
- detection circuitry configured to receive the input detection signal responsive to the spacing between the head and the data storage media and provide an output indicative of the head-media spacing;
- and
- control circuitry configured to provide a control input to the microactuator element to actuate the portion of the head to adjust the head-media spacing utilizing the output from the detection circuitry.
An assembly comprising:
- a sensor element, comprising a piezoelectric material, on a slider body of a head located closer to a trailing edge of the slider body than a leading edge of the slider body and the sensor element configured to provide an input detection signal responsive to spacing between the head and a data storage media;
- a read element separate from the sensor element;
- a heater element on the head configured to protrude a portion of the head to adjust the head-media spacing between the head and the data storage media;
- detection circuitry coupled to the sensor element to receive the input detection signal responsive to the spacing between the head and the data storage media and provide an output responsive to the head-media spacing;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the heater element and configured to provide a control input to the heater element to protrude the portion of the head utilizing the output from the detection circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.