Abstract: In a method of pre-contact detection and active damping of air bearing vibrations in a hard disk drive, a slider is isolated from ground. The slider is then capacitively coupled with a hard disk of the hard disk drive via a thermal fly-height control (TFC) heating element. An alternating current (AC) signal is applied to the slider via the TFC heating element to control the amplitude of the slider.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has self-limiting wear contact type air-bearing sliders that support the read/write heads. The magnetic elements of the read/write head extend into and are surrounded by a wearable pad that protrudes beyond the air-bearing surface of the slider. The end of the protrusion pad and the ends of the magnetic elements are covered by a corrosion-resistant overcoat that protects the magnetic elements during slider fabrication and disk drive assembly. The overcoated protrusion pad sliders are assembled into the disk drive in a special environment, typically air with humidity controlled below a level above which corrosion of the magnetic elements would occur. The drive is then hermetically sealed and the drive is operated with the protrusion pads in contact with the disks until the overcoats and a portion of the pads are worn or burnished away.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has self-limiting wear contact type air-bearing sliders that support the read/write heads. The magnetic elements of the read/write head extend into and are surrounded by a wearable pad that protrudes beyond the air-bearing surface of the slider. The end of the protrusion pad and the ends of the magnetic elements are covered by a corrosion-resistant overcoat that protects the magnetic elements during slider fabrication and disk drive assembly. The overcoated protrusion pad sliders are assembled into the disk drive in a special environment, typically air with humidity controlled below a level above which corrosion of the magnetic elements would occur. The drive is then hermetically sealed and the drive is operated with the protrusion pads in contact with the disks until the overcoats and a portion of the pads are worn or burnished away.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically adjusting the gram load and static attitude in a head suspension assembly comprising one or more lasers, a fiber optic switch, a measurement apparatus and a computer control means. The fiber optic switch includes a plurality of fiber optic lines which direct the output of the laser to well-defined regions on the suspensions in a disk drive. Irradiation of the suspension by the laser causes a load change which alters the static attitude change in the slider. In the method of the present invention, the initial gram load or static attitude is measured by the measurement apparatus and the control means calculates how much energy is required to cause the change needed to achieve the desired condition. Other information, such as the type of laser to be used is also specified by the control means.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically adjusting the gram load, static attitude and the flying height of the slider in a head suspension assembly comprising one or more lasers, a fiber optic switch, a measurement apparatus and a computer control device. The fiber optic switch includes a plurality of fiber optic lines which direct the output of the laser to well-defined regions on the suspensions in a disk drive. Irradiation of the suspension by the laser causes a load change which alters the flying height, and/or a static attitude change in the slider. In the method of the present invention, the initial gram load, flying height or static attitude of the slider is measured by the measurement apparatus and the control means calculates how much energy is required to cause the change needed to achieve the desired condition. Other information, such as the type of laser to be used is also specified by the control device.