Abstract: A magnetic head slider mounted on a magnetic disk unit for supporting a magnetic head that writes and reads information to and from a magnetic disk is constructed such that a depth ?s1 from the surfaces of leading and trailing pads, which come into contact with a medium surface when the disk is at rest, to stepped surfaces formed on the air inflow side of the leading pads, a depth ?s2 from the contact surfaces to stepped surfaces formed on the air inflow side of the trailing pad and a step depth ?s3 from the contact surfaces to the surfaces of side rails are in a relation of ?s1??s2??s3. With this arrangement, the slider can follow the waved medium surface at a low flying height with a small flying height fluctuation, thus realizing high density recording, high reliability and reduced cost of the magnetic disk unit.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider includes a magnetic head mounting surface, a slider rail surface, a step air bearing surface, and a negative pressure groove. The magnetic head mounting surface is arranged in a center area with respect to a width of the slider near an air flow-out edge on the slider and mounts a magnetic head. The slider rail surface has a first depth from the magnetic head mounting surface and its width on an air flow-in side for the magnetic head is wider that its width on an air flow-out side for the magnetic head. The step air bearing surface is formed on an air flow-in side of the slider rail surface and has a second depth from the slider rail surface. The negative-pressure groove which formed on an air flow-in side of the step air bearing surface and has a third depth from the step air bearing surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention prevent the reduction of the flying height of a magnetic head slider at a high altitude and thereby to improve the reliability of a magnetic disk drive. In one embodiment, a magnetic head slider has an air inlet end, an air outlet end, and an aerodynamic structure (air bearing surface). The aerodynamic structure includes: a plurality of inlet rails respectively having inlet rail surfaces; an outlet rail having an outlet rail surface flush with the inlet rail surfaces and holding a magnetic head; a bearing surface extending at a predetermined first depth ?1 from a reference plane including the inlet and the outlet rail surfaces; a negative-pressure surface extending in a plane at a predetermined second depth ?2 greater than the first depth ?1 from the reference plane; and longitudinal lands of a predetermined height h formed on the inlet rails. The bearing surface and the inlet rail surfaces extend between the air inlet end and the lands.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, and a magnetic head slider. The slider has a magnetic head, a plurality of surfaces which are formed sequentially from an adjacent side to a magnetic disk, and a slider rail surface which is arranged near an air flow-out edge on a nearest surface of the plurality of surfaces. The slider rail surface includes a long sideways rail surface on an air flow-in side and a lengthwise rail surface on an air flow-out side. The nearest surface of the plurality of surfaces is arranged only in a center area with respect to a width of the slider near the air flow-out edge and has a width substantially less than the width of the slider. An area of the long sideways rail surface is larger than an area of the lengthwise rail surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider for sliding on the magnetic disk, which comprises: a leading edge; a trailing edge, wherein the air bearing surface has a front step bearing with submicron depth of the air bearing surface was made from said leading edge in the continuity, a rail surface made from this front step bearing in the continuity, a negative pressure recess which is more profound than said front step bearing made in the continuity from this rail surface and a side step bearing with the depth identical with said front step bearing made in the continuity from the rail surface, whereby the ratio of depth R of said recess and depth ?s of said front step bearing is R/?s ?5.

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: In a slider using thermal expansion type, being adjustable on a flying height thereof, having problems to be solved, i.e., to reduce the electric power consumption, and to lesson the heat load upon a reproducing element thereof, wherein a heating device 4 is located separating from tip portions of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3. Also, for deforming only the vicinity of the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3, so as to protrude from, the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 are surrounded by a resin film 6 of small rigidity, thereby increasing an amount of protrusion of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 per a unit of electric power, but without increasing temperature of the reproducing element 3, with an aim of the structure of cutting off the force from materials of circumferences against the deformation.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider, for sliding on a magnetic disk, which comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an air bearing surface having a front step bearing of submicron depth made from the leading edge, and a rail surface made from the front step bearing. A negative pressure recess, which is more profound than the front step bearing, is made from the rail surface, and a side step bearing with a depth identical to that of the front step bearing is made from the rail surface, wherein the ratio of depth R of the recess and depth ?s of the front step bearing is R/?s?5.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, and a magnetic head slider. The slider has a magnetic head, a plurality of surfaces which are formed sequentially from an adjacent side to a magnetic disk, and a slider rail surface which is arranged near an air flow-out edge on a nearest surface of the plurality of surfaces. The slider rail surface includes a long sideways rail surface on an air flow-in side and a lengthwise rail surface on an air flow-out side. The nearest surface of the plurality of surfaces is arranged only in a center area with respect to a width of the slider near the air flow-out edge and has a width substantially less than the width of the slider. An area of the long sideways rail surface is larger than an area of the lengthwise rail surface.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device, which is provided with a magnetic head slider mounted with a magnetic head and a magnetic disk, and of which the magnetic head slider has the possibility of contacting the magnetic disk at the vicinity of the magnetic head. The magnetic head slider has the size of 1.25 mm or less in length, 1 mm or less in width and 0.3 mm or less in thickness, and the friction force exerted between the magnetic head slider and the magnetic disk is 10 mN or less. The magnetic head comprises four substantially parallel surfaces and the depth from a first surface which is the most adjacent surface to the magnetic disk to a second surface is 10 nm to 50 nm, the depth from the second surface to a third surface is 50 nm to 200 nm, and the depth from the third surface to a fourth surface is 400 nm to 1 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider in which a leading pad is projected in a thicknesswise direction of the slider, in comparison with a trailing pad so as to reduce vibration caused by contact between a flat medium surface of a disc and the slider carrying thereon a magnetic head, to reduce variation in flying height caused by wavy unevenness of the medium surface, and to reduce variation in atmospheric pressure around the slider, thereby it is possible to enhance the recording density and the reliability of the magnetic head slider while reducing the costs thereof. Further, a magnetic disc unit using the above-mentioned magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A magnetic disk unit includes a magnetic disk attached to a spindle so as to be rotatable, a slider having a magnetic head for reading/writing data onto/from the magnetic disk, a suspension for providing the slider with a predetermined load, and an actuator arm for positioning the slider attached to the suspension on the magnetic disk. A first pad including the magnetic head and second pads including no magnetic heads are disposed on an air bearing surface of the slider. During rotation of said magnetic disk, a part of the first pad keeps in contact with the magnetic disk. A load point of the suspension with respect to the slider is positioned between a leading edge of the slider and a position located at a distance equivalent to substantially 0.42 times a whole length of the slider from the leading edge of the slider.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device having a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider with a magnetic head mounted thereon and having a first surface, a second surface, a third surface and a fourth surface which are formed sequentially from an adjacent side to the magnetic disk, and a gap of a magnetic head arranged on the first surface. A relation of d1<d2<d3 is established where d1 is a depth from the first surface to the second surface, d2 is a depth from the second surface to the third surface, and d3 is a depth from the third surface to the fourth surface. The magnetic head slider has a floating pitch attitude of at least 50 micro-radians with respect to the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider having a plurality of surfaces which are formed sequentially from an adjacent side to a magnetic disk, and a slider rail surface, which is arranged near an air flow-out edge on a nearest surface of the plurality of surfaces including a long sideways rail surface on an air flow-in side and a lengthwise rail surface on an air flow-out side, has a magnetic head. An area of the long sideways rail surface is larger than an area of the lengthwise rail surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider for sliding on the magnetic disk, which comprises:

Abstract: Employed is a structure for moving by a micro-actuator not a read/write element but an air-bearing surface pad. The air-bearing surface pad is arranged nearer to the leading end than the read/write element. This arrangement allows the read/write element portion to have a sufficient size, making it possible to mount the currently used read/write element and associated wiring structure. The individual adjustment of a flying height leads to the increased recording density. Moving the read/write element away from the disk during loading/unloading operations can enhance reliability.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider has a magnetic head mounting surface holding a magnetic head, to be kept closest to a magnetic disk when the magnetic head slider is in operation, a slider rail surface contiguous with a surface, on the side of an air inlet end, and opposite sides of a portion, near an air outlet end, of the magnetic head and extending near to the air outlet end, a step bearing surface formed at least on the side of the air inlet end of the slider rail surface, and a negative-pressure groove formed so as to surround the step bearing surface. The magnetic head mounting surface is typically formed on an alumina protective film protecting the magnetic head. The variation of the flying height of the magnetic head slider with respect to a rolling direction is reduced and a proximity ability to approach the magnetic disk is improved.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider mounted on a magnetic disk unit for supporting a magnetic head that writes and reads information to and from a magnetic disk is constructed such that a depth &dgr;s1 from the surfaces of leading and trailing pads, which come into contact with a medium surface when the disk is at rest, to stepped surfaces formed on the air inflow side of the leading pads, a depth &dgr;s2 from the contact surfaces to stepped surfaces formed on the air inflow side of the trailing pad and a step depth &dgr;s3 from the contact surfaces to the surfaces of side rails are in a relation of &dgr;s1≦&dgr;s2≦&dgr;s3. With this arrangement, the slider can follow the waved medium surface at a low flying height with a small flying height fluctuation, thus realizing high density recording, high reliability and reduced cost of the magnetic disk unit.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device having a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider with a magnetic head mounted thereon and having a first surface, a second surface, a third surface and a fourth surface which are formed sequentially from an adjacent side to the magnetic disk, and a gap of a magnetic head arranged on the first surface. A relation of d1<d2<d3 is established where d1 is a depth from the first surface to the second surface, d2 is a depth from the second surface to the third surface, and d3 is a depth from the third surface to the fourth surface. The magnetic head slider has a floating pitch attitude of at least 50 micro-radians with respect to the magnetic disk.