Abstract: Embodiments of the invention enable the flying of a slider to be lowered and increase recording density with a simple configuration in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a magnetic disk including tracks for recording data; a magnetic head slider disposed with a magnetic head that flies over the rotating magnetic disk and records data to, or plays back data from, the magnetic disk; and a control device that controls the operation of the apparatus. Slider flying height data that vary inside the tracks are prerecorded in the tracks of the magnetic disk. The control device controls the operation of the magnetic head slider with respect to the magnetic disk on the basis of the slider flying height data recorded in the tracks.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotation mechanism for driving a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider being floated in close proximity to a surface of the magnetic disk, a recording/reproduction element for performing recording and playback of information, a drive unit for causing a distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk to change, and an arrangement to effect position determination of the magnetic head slider, wherein the apparatus has a detection unit for permitting the drive unit to gradually reduce the distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk and for detecting occurrence of contact therebetween, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in such a way as to cause, the record/reproduction element to shift in position by a fixed amount to thereby let the distance between this element and magnetic disk increase accordingly.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk drive, translational and pitching vibrations in the flying height direction of a magnetic head slider are to be damped quickly while stabilizing the flying of the magnetic head slider. In one embodiment of the present invention, a magnetic disk drive is provided with a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head slider adapted to fly over a surface of the magnetic recording medium and read or write information. The magnetic head slider includes a slider air bearing surface and a magnetic transducer. The slider air bearing surface includes a front pad having front rail surfaces and front step bearing surfaces, a rear pad having a rear rail surface and a rear step bearing surface, and a negative-pressure groove interposed between the front pad and the rear pad. A vibration suppressing groove is formed in the rear rail surface so as to be deeper than the rear rail surface and to be closed at its surround.

Abstract: A disk apparatus including: a head slider for being floated above a disk; a record/reproduction element provided at the head slider for recording and/or reproducing information on and/or from the disk; a displacer for shifting the record/reproduction element to approach closer to, or retreat farther away from, the disk; and a controller for controlling the displacer to shift the record/reproduction element in a direction to retreat rather from the disk, if the record/reproduction element has contacted the disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide Femto and below form factor magnetic head slider designs both capable of minimizing reduction of its flying height at high altitude and lower flying height sensitivity on manufacturing process tolerance. In one embodiment, the air bearing surface of a magnetic head slider includes a plurality of inlet rails respectively having inlet rail surfaces, a step bearing surface extending at a predetermined first depth from a reference plane including the inlet and the outlet rail surfaces, a negative surface extending in a plane at a predetermined second depth greater than the first depth from the reference plane, longitudinal carbon islands of a predetermined height formed on the inlet rails, and an outlet rail having an outlet rail surface flush with the inlet rail surfaces and holding a magnetic R/W head. The step bearing surface extends at a predetermined first depth from a reference plane.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider, a controller for controlling a position of the magnetic head slider, and an load/unload mechanism for loading or unloading the slider to the disk. The disk includes a track and has at least a load zone of a predetermined length in a peripheral direction thereof for performing loading of the magnetic head slider on a surface of the disk utilizing the load/unload mechanism, a specific pattern recorded in front of the load zone in the peripheral direction thereof, and a data zone provided in front of the specific pattern in the peripheral direction thereof. The controller reads out the specific pattern recorded on the disk utilizing the slider, and controls the position of the slider so as to move the slider while avoiding the load zone.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

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 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: Embodiments of the invention enable the flying of a slider to be lowered and increase recording density with a simple configuration in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a magnetic disk including tracks for recording data; a magnetic head slider disposed with a magnetic head that flies over the rotating magnetic disk and records data to, or plays back data from, the magnetic disk; and a control device that controls the operation of the apparatus. Slider flying height data that vary inside the tracks are prerecorded in the tracks of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider including: a head element which records or reproduces information on a magnetic disk, a slider having said head element, and an electric conducting film in which paired first and second parts are formed to be substantially parallel, where current flows within said first and second parts are in the opposite direction as against said slider.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider, a controller for controlling a position of the magnetic head slider, and an load/unload mechanism for loading or unloading the slider to the disk. The disk includes a track and has at least a load zone of a predetermined length in a peripheral direction thereof for performing loading of the magnetic head slider on a surface of the disk utilizing the load/unload mechanism, a specific pattern recorded in front of the load zone in the peripheral direction thereof, and a data zone provided in front of the specific pattern in the peripheral direction thereof. The controller reads out the specific pattern recorded on the disk utilizing the slider, and controls the position of the slider so as to move the slider while avoiding the load zone.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent a spacing between a magnetic head and a writing medium at low temperature from increasing to cause a writing/reading error, and to prevent the magnetic head element protruded by a temperature increase from colliding with small protrusions on a magnetic disk surface, and to prevent damage on the element, and to prevent the occurrence of thermal asperity. In order to attain the object, a magnetic head slider is provided, which includes a magnetic head element supported on a rotating magnetic disk via a gap to write or read information on the magnetic disk, and a heat source for heating the magnetic head element. A magnetic disk device is further provided, which includes a magnetic head slider.

Abstract: In a magnetic head slider of a magnetic disk apparatus, including therein a load/unload mechanism for loading/unloading the magnetic head slider 2 to the magnetic disk, on which is defined a load/unload zone 12 of a predetermined length in a peripheral direction thereof, wherein a specific command or pattern 14 is recorded in front of the load/unload zone of the magnetic disk, in the peripheral direction thereof, and a controller moves the magnetic head slider onto a track in an inside thereof, so as to avoid passing on or above the load/unload zone, when reading out this specific command recorded, and then moves it back onto that track, again, during when reading/writing data on the track lying on the same radius to that of the load/unload zone.

Abstract: In a magnetic head slider of a magnetic disk apparatus, including therein a load/unload mechanism for loading/unloading the magnetic head slider 2 to said magnetic disk, on which is defined a load/unload zone 12 of a predetermined length in a peripheral direction thereof, wherein a specific command or pattern 14 is recorded in front of the load/unload zone of the magnetic disk, in the peripheral direction thereof, and a controller moves the magnetic head slider onto a track in an inside thereof, so as to avoid passing on or above the load/unload zone, when reading out this specific command recorded, and then moves it back onto that track, again, during when reading/writing data on the track lying on the same radius to that of the load/unload zone.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotation mechanism for driving a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider being floated in close proximity to a surface of the magnetic disk, a recording/reproduction element for performing recording and playback of information, a drive unit for causing a distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk to change, and means for performing position determination of the magnetic head slider, wherein the apparatus has a detection unit for permitting the drive unit to gradually reduce the distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk and for detecting occurrence of contact therebetween, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in such a way as to cause, the record/reproduction element to shift in position by a fixed amount to thereby let the distance between this element and magnetic disk increase accordingly.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotation mechanism for driving a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider being floated in close proximity to a surface of the magnetic disk, a recording/reproduction element for performing recording and playback of information, a drive unit for causing a distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk to change, and means for performing position determination of the magnetic head slider, wherein the apparatus has a detection unit for permitting the drive unit to gradually reduce the distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk and for detecting occurrence of contact therebetween, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in such a way as to cause, the record/reproduction element to shift in position by a fixed amount to thereby let the distance between this element and magnetic disk increase accordingly.

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 suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 &mgr;sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.