Abstract: A bearing mechanism includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft portion and a plate portion. The rotating portion includes a sleeve including an annular portion, a cylindrical portion, an annular bottom surface, and a first communication hole. The rotating portion includes a ring member arranged to cover at least a portion of an opening of the first communication hole, and faces the plate portion via a first gap. A pumping groove array is disposed in the plate portion or the ring member. A second communication hole is disposed between the ring member and the annular bottom surface, and connected to the first communication hole. At least a portion of the opening of the second communication hole is positioned on a farther radial direction inner side than the pumping groove array.

Abstract: A slider that includes a leading edge surface; a trailing edge surface; and an air bearing surface (ABS) positioned between the leading edge surface and the trailing edge surface, wherein the trailing edge surface includes a read-write element, at least one low surface energy region and at least one high surface energy region.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a media; a head over the media; and control circuitry, coupled to the heads, configured to: select an operational head from the heads based on margin data collected under a lube waterfall condition, and perform an access to the media with the operational head.

Abstract: In order to prevent leaking of lubricant, the bearing device includes a rolling bearing 102 having an outer ring 102c and an inner ring 102a, a shaft 101 fixed to the inner ring 102a, and a sleeve 104 fixed to the outer ring 102c. A flange part 105 is formed on at least one end part of the shaft 101. The flange part 105 includes a disk part 105b extending from the shaft 101 toward an outside in a radial direction and a cylindrical part 105a extending from the disk part 105b along an axial direction. The cylindrical part 105b is disposed at an outside of the outer ring 102c, and a labyrinth gap which bends at two places is formed by gaps 107, 108 and 109.

Abstract: A first sleeve rotatably extends around a shaft. First and second flanges are fixed to the shaft. A second sleeve extending around the first sleeve is fixed thereto. A first annular member fixed to the second sleeve surrounds the first flange. A second annular member fixed to the second flange surrounds a portion of the second sleeve. A first capillary seal includes a clearance between the first flange and the first annular member. A second capillary seal includes a clearance between the second annular member and the second sleeve. Lubricant is provided in the clearances in the first and second capillary seals. The second annular member and the second sleeve are designed so that the lubricant in the clearance in the second capillary seal can be viewed from a point in a radial position which is outward of the second sleeve as seen in an axial direction.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider includes a magnetic recording part and/or a reproducing part. The magnetic head slider includes a resistance film having temperature dependence of electrical resistance, the resistance film being positioned in the vicinity of an air bearing surface or on the air bearing surface, separately from the magnetic recording part and the reproducing part. The magnetic head slider further includes a first protective film with a smaller milling rate than the resistance film, the first protective film contacting a lower surface of the resistance film in a lamination direction of the magnetic head slider and on the air bearing surface, and/or a second protective film with a smaller milling rate than the resistance film, the second protective film contacting an upper surface of the resistance film in the lamination direction of the magnetic head slider and on the air bearing surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method employing a slider having a leading edge opposing a trailing edge. A fluid bearing surface extends between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The fluid bearing surface contactingly engages a fluid stream operably imparted to the fluid bearing surface by a moving member adjacent thereto. A trailing edge pad extends from the fluid bearing surface adjacent the trailing edge. A capillary lubrication trench (CLT) is disposed entirely between a portion of the trailing edge pad and the trailing edge along a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Abstract: A hard disk drive system is provided. The hard disk drive system includes a hard disk and at least one slider structure for reading data from and writing data onto the hard disk. The hard disk includes a plurality of layers, and at least a topmost one of the plurality of layers comprises a lubricant layer. The at least one slider structure includes an air bearing surface and one or more structures for forming lubricant reservoirs. The air bearing surface includes a read/write sensor for reading and writing the data from/onto the hard disk. And the one or more structures form the lubricant reservoirs which are fluidically coupled to the air bearing surface to prevent lubricant buildup on the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A first sleeve rotatably extends around a shaft. First and second flanges are fixed to the shaft. A second sleeve extending around the first sleeve is fixed thereto. A first annular member fixed to the second sleeve surrounds the first flange. A second annular member fixed to the second flange surrounds a portion of the second sleeve. A first capillary seal includes a clearance between the first flange and the first annular member. A second capillary seal includes a clearance between the second annular member and the second sleeve. Lubricant is provided in the clearances in the first and second capillary seals. The second annular member and the second sleeve are designed so that the lubricant in the clearance in the second capillary seal can be viewed from a point in a radial position which is outward of the second sleeve as seen in an axial direction.

Abstract: A bearing lubricant includes a base oil containing an ester compound consisting of 2-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol and at least one of carboxylic acids having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, the ester compound being represented by the following formula (1), in which the base oil has a kinetic viscosity at approximately 40° C. of approximately 7 to 15 mPa, and has a pour point of approximately ?60° C. or less: where R1 and R2 represent hydrocarbon groups having 4 to 11 carbon atoms.

Abstract: According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a production method of a fluid dynamic bearing including: a shaft arranged along a center axis; an annular portion expanding radially outwards from the shaft; a sleeve having a top surface opposed to an under surface of the annular portion, for supporting the shaft and the annular portion in a relatively rotatable manner; and a lubricating fluid interposed between the shaft and annular portion and the sleeve, includes the step of preparing the annular portion having a substantially annular edge surrounding the center axis on the under surface; the step of applying a forming liquid for forming a solid lubricating film on the radially outer side of the edge of the under surface; and the step of evaporating a solvent of the forming liquid.

Abstract: A bearing mechanism includes a shaft, a sleeve portion, a thrust portion, and a cover portion. Lubricating oil is arranged in a communicating channel in the sleeve portion, a thrust gap between the sleeve portion and the thrust portion, and a tapered gap between an outside surface of the thrust portion and the cover portion. A lower end opening of the communicating channel is defined in an outer circumferential portion of a lower surface of the sleeve portion radially outward of the thrust gap. A radially outermost portion of the thrust portion is arranged either tangent to a wall surface of the communicating channel or closer to a central axis than the wall surface. The tapered gap is arranged closer to the central axis than a radially outermost point of the wall surface. The outer circumferential portion and the cover portion define a guide gap therebetween.

Abstract: A slider resistant to lubricant accumulation. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation includes a positive-air-pressure portion of the slider configured to levitate the slider above a magnetic-recording disk and a negative-air-pressure portion of the slider configured to bring the slider into proximity with the magnetic-recording disk at a fly height sufficient for writing data to and reading data from the magnetic-recording disk. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation also includes a lubricant-accumulation barrier disposed in proximity to a trailing edge of the slider. The lubricant-accumulation barrier is configured to reduce lubricant accumulation on the slider. The lubricant-accumulation barrier also includes a plurality of lubricant-accumulation-barrier portions disposed at a plurality of respective depths below an outer-most surface of a disk-facing side of the slider.

Abstract: A method for creating a disk drive. A slider is installed in a disk drive having at least one unlubricated disk. The slider is designed to be in initial contact. The slider is burnished to the final design point. A vapor phase lubricant reservoir system is installed in the drive either before or after the burnishing step.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head wafer includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface which are substantially parallel to each other. An electrical/magnetic transducer is provided on the first principal surface. Identification information is recorded on the first principal surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A thermal flying height adjustment slider capable of being mounted on a small-sized thin film magnetic head slider is provided wherein terminals of an energizer serving as a heater prevent corrosion of pole pieces and the number of terminals is reduced. In one embodiment, one of terminals of the energizer serving as the heater is electrically connected to the lower pole piece, so that a relay terminal for a heating device is used also as the terminal for preventing the corrosion of pole pieces.

Abstract: A method for creating a hard drive includes installing a slider in a disk drive having at least one disk lubricated with a first stage lubricant. The slider is designed to be in contact with the disk at initial use. The slider is burnished. A second stage lubricant is added to the disk after the burnishing step. The first stage lubricant provides less lubrication than the second stage lubricant, allowing the slider to be burnished in a controllable manner during the burnishing step. The second stage lubricant then provides lubrication to the disk during use by the end consumer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head wafer includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface which are substantially parallel to each other. An electrical/magnetic transducer is provided on the first principal surface. Identification information is recorded on the first principal surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A major problem in Lead Overlay design for GMR structures is that the magnetic read track width is wider than the physical read track width. This is due to high interfacial resistance between the leads and the GMR layer which is an unavoidable side effect of prior art methods. The present invention uses electroplating preceded by a wet etch to fabricate the leads. This approach requires only a thin protection layer over the GMR layer to ensure that interface resistance is minimal. Using wet surface cleaning avoids sputtering defects and plating is compatible with this so the cleaned surface is preserved Only a single lithography step is needed to define the track since there is no re-deposition involved.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of counteracting gas ingestion in a hydrodynamic bearing of a spindle motor in a data storage device comprises waiting for activity of a host connected with the data storage device to become idle. When the activity of the host becomes idle, a determination is made whether to release gas from a fluid of the hydrodynamic bearing of the spindle motor. Responsive to determining to release gas from a fluid of the hydrodynamic bearing of the spindle motor a motor spin down routine for the spindle motor is performed.

Abstract: A major problem in Lead Overlay design for GMR structures is that the magnetic read track width is wider than the physical read track width. This is due to high interfacial resistance between the leads and the GMR layer which is an unavoidable side effect of prior art methods. The present invention uses electroplating preceded by a wet etch to fabricate the leads. This approach requires only a thin protection layer over the GMR layer to ensure that interface resistance is minimal. Using wet surface cleaning avoids sputtering defects and plating is compatible with this so the cleaned surface is preserved Only a single lithography step is needed to define the track since there is no re-deposition involved.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive having a magnetic disk, a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider for recording or reproducing data onto or from the magnetic disk and a housing. A control circuit system is provided for controlling the head slider so that the head slider is positioned on the magnetic disk plane when the magnetic disk is rotating, and the head slider is saved to outside the magnetic disk plane when rotation of the magnetic disk is stopped. A lubricant supplier is provided for supplying lubricant to the surface of the magnetic disk. The lubricant supplier contains at least a perfluoropolyether compound having any one of an alcohol group, a cyclic ether group, and an alkyl-ester group at its terminal position as a lubricant, and the lubricant contains the perfluoropolyether compound having a molecular weight sufficient to enable lubrication and no greater than 4000.

Abstract: A process for forming the P2 pole tip/yoke interface of a magnetic head that includes a second CMP polishing step that is performed on the surface of the write head wafer subsequent to the plating of the P2 pole tip thereon, and subsequent to a first CMP step. This second CMP step utilizes a relatively soft polishing pad and an acidic polishing slurry which preferentially attacks the P2 pole tip material. This results in the recession of the upper surface of the P2 pole tip relative to the dielectric layer surrounding it, and significant rounding of the upper edges of the dielectric trench in which the P2 pole tip is formed. Thereafter, when the yoke is plated onto the P2 pole tip the rounded upper edges of the dielectric trench result in a concave curved interface between the yoke and the P2 pole tip.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element on a suspension is mounted. This mounting includes electrically connecting the magnetic head slider with the suspension with ball bonding connections. Electrical property of the thin-film magnetic head element is inspected, and then the ball bonding connections are separated when it is judged that the thin-film magnetic head element has defective electrical property. Then, the magnetic head slider is detached from the suspension, and thereafter a new magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element is mounted on the suspension from which the magnetic head slider was detached.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive having a small decrease in lubricant film thickness on the surface of the magnetic disk and a superior sliding reliability between the magnetic head and the magnetic disk surface. Perfluoropolyether is supplied as the lubricant onto the surface of the magnetic disk using heat and air flow by applying perfluoropolyether onto the surface of a suspension, or impregnating perfluoropolyether into a filter. The lubricant contains perfluoropolyether having a molecular weight sufficient to enable lubrication and smaller than 4000 by at least 40%.

Abstract: A disk drive system or information handling system includes a base, a disk stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. An actuator assembly is movably attached to the base of the disk drive. The actuator assembly moves the load springs and attached slider and transducers to various radial positions on the disk. The slider is a block of material having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side rail, a second side rail, a leading tapered edge and a center island. The center island is positioned near the trailing edge and includes the read and write heads or transducer. Sliders have a backside surface and an air-bearing surface. The slider also has one or more pads positioned near the edges of the first rail, the second rail, and the leading tapered edge. The pads are positioned at least a selected distance from the trailing edge. The pads are also positioned such that they are unaligned in the sliding direction.

Abstract: A disc storage system includes a rotating disc and a transducer. The transducer is carried on a slider which is supported by an armature. The armature is used to move the slider radially across the disc surface whereby information may be read from or written to the disc surface of the transducer. The slider includes an air bearing surface which faces the disc surface. As the disc rotates, the air bearing surface causes the slider to “fly” over the disc surface. Pads are provided on the air bearing surface to improve operational characteristics of the system.