Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a leading slider edge, a trailing slider edge, a bearing surface, a back surface, which is opposite to the bearing surface, and a length measured from the leading slider edge to the trailing slider edge. First and second discrete pads extend normally from the bearing surface. The first pad is located forward of a midpoint along the length, and the second pad is located rearward of the midpoint and forward of the slider trailing edge. A recess is formed in the back surface and has a recess floor, which defines a load point surface located between the first and second pads along the length.

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.

Abstract: A slider for supporting transducer elements for a data storage system including at least one pressure relief trench formed in the raised bearing proximate to a contact interface position of the slider and disc surface. The trench is sized to reduce capillary pressure of the meniscus relative to disjoining pressure of a lubricant film layer on the disc surface to limit the area or expansion of a film bridge or meniscus between the bearing surface of the slider and disc surface.