Abstract: A universal cartridge magazine system and method are disclosed for storing cartridge systems. The cartridge magazine system comprising a pivoted member, a flag positioner and a sleeve designed to accept the cartridge system, the sleeve having a first side. The pivoted member has a leg and an arm, the leg having a slanted surface, wherein the pivoted member is designed to allow full insertion of the cartridge system in the sleeve if the cartridge system is inserted in a correct orientation, and wherein the pivoted member prevents full insertion of the cartridge system in the sleeve if the cartridge system is not in the correct orientation.

Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge comprising a magnetic disk medium, a casing for rotatably housing the magnetic disk medium, and dust-removing liners fixed on the inner surfaces of the casing which face both sides of the magnetic disk medium. Each of the liners has an outer circumferential portion that is not fixed on the inner surface of the casing.

Abstract: A spindle motor for use in a disk drive including a shaft and a bearing sleeve. The shaft has a larger diameter section and a smaller diameter section with a step formed therebetween. The bearing sleeve has a central cylindrical opening, the shaft being inserted into the central cylindrical opening. A bearing gap is formed between the shaft and the bearing sleeve, the bearing gap being filled with lubricating fluid. A first hydrodynamic thrust bearing is formed in the area of the step. A hydrodynamic radial bearing is formed in the area of the larger diameter section of said shaft.

Abstract: A disk drive having a magnetic recording disk with a safe zone is described. A surface texture of the safe zone induces the head to fly at a greater height than while over data zones of the disk.

Abstract: A hard disk drive slider has an air bearing surface that uses the ambient air in the disk drive as a heat source for thermal-assisted recording. Incoming air between the slider and the disk surface is pressurized to produce heat sufficient to heat the recording media. A very small thermal pad is located at the trailing end of the air bearing surface and wraps around the magnetic recording head. The thermal pad includes small pockets to contain the heated air to provide heat to the recording media. The air can be pressurized to approximately 80 atm, which is sufficient to raise the air temperature to approximately 800 degrees C. at isentropic conditions. The heated air transfers the heat energy to the recording media by conduction to elevate a disk recording layer temperature for thermomagnetic recording.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive. The head gimbal assembly includes a trace suspension assembly backing layer including a gimbal. The trace suspension assembly backing layer is formed of a conductive material having a first oxidation rate. The head gimbal assembly further includes a gimbal conductive layer disposed upon the gimbal and formed of a conductive material having a second oxidation rate lower than the first oxidation rate. The head gimbal assembly further includes a slider supported by the gimbal. The head gimbal assembly further includes a conductive compound disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider for electrically grounding the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a head for perpendicular recording that has a trailing shield and side shields that are connected to the return pole piece by two studs of ferromagnetic material. The studs extend parallel to the track direction and are located a sufficient distance away from the main pole piece to reduce the flux flow from the main pole piece to the studs. Optionally the studs can be recessed behind the air-bearing surface. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a magnetic transducer with separated read and write heads for perpendicular recording.

Abstract: A magnetic head including a lower core layer and an upper core layer, a non-magnetic gap layer and a coil layer. The upper core layer is made of an FeNiX (X being an element of one of rhenium Re and molybdenum Mo). A concentration difference of the upper core layer between a concentration of iron by weight percent and a concentration of the element X by weight percent is set to be larger at a leading edge of the upper core layer than at a position of the upper core layer more backward than the leading edge. In this arrangement, the magnetic head is provided with improved overwrite characteristics and accommodates the use of high-frequency recording signals.

Abstract: A disk drive system and method for implementing the same. The disk drive system of the present invention includes a discoid medium which rotates about its rotation axis and stores data. An actuator includes a head for reading or writing data from or in the discoid medium as it bidirectionally rotates about its bidirectional-rotation axis. The disk drive system further includes a housing which has a predetermined width and houses the discoid medium and the actuator, wherein the rotation axis of the discoid medium and the bidirectional-rotation axis of the actuator are arranged at the center in the width direction of the housing, and wherein size of the discoid medium is smaller than that of a discoid medium corresponding to a form factor of the housing.

Abstract: Generation of metallic dust due to metal-on-metal sliding contact between a case of a magnetic disk cartridge and a housing portion of a PC card type drive apparatus during insertion and ejection of the magnetic disk cartridge into and from the PC card type drive apparatus. A non-metallic coating having a low frictional coefficient and anti-wear properties is provided on surfaces of metal parts of the housing portion against which outer surfaces of the magnetic disk cartridge case slide during insertion and ejection thereof into and from the housing portion.

Abstract: A Head slider 20 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a disk-facing surface adapted to oppose a disk 400, as well as a head 22 disposed on the disk-facing surface for performing record/reproduce operations. The disk-facing surface has a cross rail 261 disposed at a predetermined distance from an upstream edge portion 36 perpendicular to the rotating direction of disk 400, and an upstream-side intermediate-level surface 32 formed to be lower than cross rail 261 and extended from the forward edge of cross rail 261 to upstream edge portion 36. A step depth H at a stepped portion 38 between cross rail 261 and intermediate-level surface 32 is set to be within a range of 5 nm to 100 nm. Thus, a disk drive is provided that is capable of record/reproduce operations while maintaining stable flight of head slider 20 when the relative speed between the head slider and disk is low and that has good shock resistance.

Abstract: A magnetic element has a shape in which the outside portions of a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, which protrude from both side ends of a trailing-side ABS to both side ends of a slider, retreat from a magnetic functional portion G so as not to be exposed at a protecting layer. Therefore, it is possible to decrease a flying amount between the magnetic functional portion and a disk, and impart design freedom to the slider, thereby permitting the manufacture of a magnetic head having excellent corrosion resistance and adaptable to a higher recording density.

Abstract: An apparatus for a pivot assembly that can strongly and reliably fix a sleeve to an outer ring, and in addition, that can also solve the problem of out gas. Ball bearing 2 are mated to both ends of a shaft 1, and to the outer circumference of these ball bearings 2, an inner wall part 31 mates a sleeve disposed between both ball bearings 2, and the sleeve 3 was fixed by laser welding to the outer ring 22 of the bell bearings 2.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive thin-film magnetic head with high corrosion resistance for recording medium having massive capacity is provided by providing a protective film having a thickness of 40 ? or less. Since the distance between the head and the medium is remarkably reduced, the film is suitable for a recording medium having high-packing density. The magnetoresistive type thin-film magnetic head is provided, wherein the following layers are formed on at least the surface of the head facing a recording medium: (A) a lower layer composed of a thin film having the composition represented by the formula selected from the group consisting of: formula (i): SiCXHYOZNWFTBUPV (where X=0.5–26, Y=0.5–13, Z=0–6, W=0–6, T=0–6, U=0–1 and V=0–1, in terms of atomic ratio), and formula (ii): SiHYOZNWFTBUPV (where Y=0.0001–0.7, Z=0–6, W=0–6, T=0–6, U=0–1 and V=0–1); and (B) an upper layer composed of a diamond-like thin film having the composition represented by the following formula: CHaObNcFdBePf (where a=0–0.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole having a first portion with a length (W1) in a cross-track direction which continuously increases from a leading edge side to a trailing edge side, a second portion formed on a trailing edge side of the first portion, and a third portion formed on a trailing edge side of the second portion. A length (W2) in the cross-track direction of a boundary line between the second portion and the third portion is longer than W1, and a length (W3) in the cross-track direction of a trailing edge of a third portion is substantially equal to W2.

Abstract: A glass ring 2, which includes an inner peripheral surface 4, an outer peripheral surface 3 and annular contacting surfaces 5 for contact with magnetic disks and is formed in a ring shape having a rectangular vertical cross-section, is fabricated. The glass ring has at least the contacting surfaces 5 lapped and then etched to have a desired surface roughness so as to improve a surface property. Additionally, the roughened surfaces of the etched contacting surface have an electrically conductive film 6 formed thereon, providing a spacer ring.

Abstract: Faulty engagement due to low surface precision of the engaging surfaces of a center core of a disk cartridge and a drive spindle is resolved. The center core 10 is positioned on the drive spindle 20 in a state where the center core 10 is in point contact with the drive spindle 20 at a minimum of three spots upon chucking. A minimum of three protrusions 10d are provided on the bottom surface of the center core 10, and lower ends P of the protrusions 10d are in point contact with the upper surface 21a of the drive spindle 20.

Abstract: A spindle motor for use in a disk drive having a rotor assembly and a stator assembly. The rotor assembly has a hub and a rotating shaft with an outer diameter, the hub being mounted for rotation on the rotating shaft. The stator assembly has a bearing sleeve with a bottom opening, the rotating shaft being inserted into the bearing sleeve for rotation. A counter-plate is inserted into the bottom opening of the bearing sleeve thereby closing the bottom opening. A thrust plate is mounted on the rotating shaft in opposing relationship with the counter-plate, the thrust plate having an outer diameter. A fluid dynamic thrust bearing is formed between the counter-plate and the thrust plate. A ratio between the outer diameter of the shaft to the outer diameter of the thrust plate is reduced to reduce spindle motor's power consumption.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing element of a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) type that minimizes an increase in effective read track width and prevents side reading is provided. The magnetic sensing element includes a composite film, an upper shield layer, a lower shield layer, and side shield layers. The side shield layers are disposed at the two sides of the composite film in the track width direction between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider includes a slider body for flying above a surface of a recording disc during relative rotation of the recording disc. First and second projections extend from a lead portion of a principal surface of the slider body to define first and second air bearing surfaces, respectively, the first and second air bearing surfaces being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of said slider body. A third U-shaped projection extends from the principal surface and includes a curved front wall portion at least partially located between the first and second projections and first and second side wall portions extending from opposite ends of the curved front wall portion to a rear portion of the principal surface so as to define a rounded negative pressure cavity therein.