Abstract: A head slider in a magnetic disk drive wherein provisions are made to facilitate the evaporation of lubricant adhering to the slider and thereby substantially reduce the chance of the fly height of the slider becoming unstable due to a lubricant drop. A head element, a heat generating element, and a multilayered heat conducting structure formed from multiple layers stacked along a longitudinal direction of the slider, with at least one layer extending up to portions near both lateral sides of the slider, are embedded into a nonmagnetic insulating layer formed in an air exit end portion of the slider. The heat generated by the heat generating element is efficiently conducted throughout the nonmagnetic insulating layer to heat the entire structure of the nonmagnetic insulating layer. As a result, the lubricant adhering to any portion of the nonmagnetic insulating layer is efficiently heated, causing the lubricant to evaporate or flow.

Abstract: A head slider includes a medium opposing surface configured to oppose a recording surface of a magnetic recording medium, a head element provided on the medium opposing surface, and an outlet end surface provided on a downstream side of the head element in a direction in which the magnetic recording medium moves relative to the head element, and extending substantially in a perpendicular direction from the medium opposing surface. The outlet end surface has a surface free energy greater than a surface free energy of the medium opposing surface.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic recording medium that records information, a magnetic head slider flying over a surface of the magnetic recording medium to read or write information from or to the magnetic recording medium, a rear rail having a rear ABS and a rear stepped bearing surface on an air outflow side from which air flows out from the magnetic head slider, the rear stepped bearing surface being deeper than the rear ABS, and at least one closed vibration attenuation groove that is formed on the rear ABS of the rear rail with a depth greater than the rear ABS and has the rear stepped bearing surface on an air inflow side.

Abstract: A receiver receives an acoustic wave in an atmospheric pressure measuring apparatus. Since a variation in the intensity of an acoustic wave reflects a variation in the atmospheric pressure, the atmospheric pressure can be measured based on the intensity of the acoustic wave received at the receiver. The atmospheric pressure can in this manner easily be measured with a simplified structure.

Abstract: A canister includes a casing made of a material including a polyamide resin. The casing includes a charge port to let in fuel vapor, a purge port to let out desorbed fuel and an atmospheric air port to let in air. Granular adsorbing agent and granular heat storing agent are held in the casing. The adsorbing agent includes a granular activated carbon. The granular heat storing agent is mixed with the granular activated carbon in the casing, and the granular heat storing agent including the material of the casing.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider includes a magnetic head element for reading or writing data from or into a magnetic recording medium. The magnetic head slider flies over the magnetic recording medium by an air flow generated by rotation of the magnetic recording medium. The magnetic head slider includes a slider substrate including a center pad for supporting the magnetic head element, the center pad having a sliding surface opposing the magnetic recording medium and a side surface at a downstream side of the air flow, the slider substrate including a concave portion having a bottom surface recessed from the sliding surface; and an insulating layer covering the side surface of the slider substrate, the insulating layer having an edge surface adjacent to the bottom surface of the concave portion, the edge surface having substantially the same plane with the bottom surface of the concave portion.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure measuring apparatus allows a transmitter to transmit an acoustic wave for measurement of the atmospheric pressure. Air propagates the acoustic wave. A receiver receives the acoustic wave. Since the intensity of the acoustic wave changes to follow the variation of the atmospheric pressure, the atmospheric pressure can be measured based on the intensity of the acoustic wave received at the receiver. The atmospheric pressure is in this manner measured with such a simplified structure.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider disposed opposite to a surface of a magnetic disk, includes a slider main body, a magnetic head element that reads and reproduces data from the magnetic disk, and a vibration absorbing unit that absorbs vibrations generated due to contact between any portion of the slider main body and the surface of the magnetic disk, and that is provided on the slider main body at a predetermined position.

Abstract: Provided is a new apparatus for measuring a flying height of a head requiring none of a specific magnetization pattern, that is, ahead flying height measurement apparatus for use within a disk drive including a reading head, including: a signal replay unit 300 for replaying a signal from the reading head; filter units 320 and 322, being connected to the signal replay unit, for filtering the replayed signal; amplitude detection units 330 and 332, being connected to each of the filter units, for detecting a maximum amplitude or a representative value close thereto from the filtered replayed signal; and a calculation unit 340 for calculating a flying height of the reading head within the disk drive by using the maximum amplitude, or the representative value close thereto, which is detected by the amplitude detection unit.

Abstract: Lubricant on a rotating recording medium can attach to a slider, particularly on the pad formed in the proximity of the trailing edge. In the slider of this invention, lubricant is not accumulated in the vicinity of the trailing edge and can be drawn to the trailing edge and dispersed constantly. The head slider includes a center pad formed on an air bearing surface in the vicinity of the center of a trailing edge of the slider. A trailing pad is formed so as to bridge a trailing edge of the center pad and the trailing edge of the slider. The trailing pad is formed lower than a highest surface of the center pad and higher than a lowest surface of the slider.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider disposed opposite to a surface of a magnetic disk, includes a slider main body, a magnetic head element that reads and reproduces data from the magnetic disk, and a vibration absorbing unit that absorbs vibrations generated due to contact between any portion of the slider main body and the surface of the magnetic disk, and that is provided on the slider main body at a predetermined position.

Abstract: A canister includes a casing made of a material including a polyamide resin. The casing includes a charge port to let in fuel vapor, a purge port to let out desorbed fuel and an atmospheric air port to let in air. Granular adsorbing agent and granular heat storing agent are held in the casing. The adsorbing agent includes a granular activated carbon. The granular heat storing agent is mixed with the granular activated carbon in the casing, and the granular heat storing agent including the material of the casing.

Abstract: A resist film is formed on the surface of a magnetic layer on a substrate. A die is overlaid on the surface of the magnetic layer. The die includes magnetic and non-magnetic regions alternately arranged on a flat surface around a groove. The resist film is embossed so that the flat surface drives the resist film into the groove of the die. The resist film within the groove gets solidified while the die is kept in contact with the magnetic layer. A magnetic field is applied to the die in contact with the magnetic layer. A magnetic field leaked out of the magnetic regions acts on the magnetic layer. Magnetic information is thus written into the magnetic layer based on the leaked magnetic field. A recording track can be established in the magnetic layer based on the solidified resist film.

Abstract: An AC power source is connected to a write coil mounted on a head slider for determination of contact of a head slider with a storage medium. The AC power source outputs the alternating current having a specific frequency. A measuring circuit measures a sequence of indices for the alternating current supplied to the write coil. A component corresponding to the specific frequency is extracted from the sequence of the indices. This serves to eliminate components corresponding to frequencies other than the specific frequency, namely noise. A detecting circuit detects contact between the head slider and the storage medium based on a change in the amplitude of the sequence appearing at the specific frequency. The contact can thus reliably be detected between the head slider and the storage medium.

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a recording medium comprises: a recording layer having a surface uneven, for recording information; a fixed lubricant layer disposed on the recording layer, the fixed lubricant layer being arranged so as to cover the surface and having a flat surface; and a fluid lubricant layer laminated on the fixed lubricant layer, the fluid lubricant layer having fluidity.

Abstract: A head is moved in a lateral direction on the boundary between a separation track and a recording track on a recording medium. The separation track isolates the adjacent recording tracks from each other. A variation is detected in the output supplied from the head based on the recording track. Positional information indicating the position of the head is generated based on the variation. The output supplied from the head varies in response to the movement in the lateral direction, namely the elapsed time. The positional information can thus be generated based on the variation in the output. The generated positional information contributes to an accurate positioning in a facilitated manner. Moreover, information required to position the head can be omitted from the recording medium. The processes can be simplified in the production of the recording medium. The operation time can thus be shortened.

Abstract: A head slider is configured to fly a head above a recording medium with an air flow. The head slider includes a recessed portion in a surface facing the recording medium. The recessed portion is formed in a shape that does not form a region in which a shear stress due to the air flow is concentrated.

Abstract: In a fuel vapor release suppression system for a fuel tank, a main tank and a sub tank communicate with each other, and the sub tank and a canister communicate with each other. When the main tank has a higher temperature, fuel vapor of the main tank is supplied to the sub tank where the fuel vapor is liquefied. When the main tank has a lower temperature, fuel vapor of the sub tank is supplied to the main tank. At this time, low concentration fuel vapor is supplied from the canister to the main tank, thereby accelerating generation of fuel vapor corresponding to sub tank fuel vapor pressure, so that the sub tank fuel vapor pressure decreases. Therefore, liquefaction is accelerated in the sub tank when the main tank temperature increases. Thus, fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is effectively liquified irrespective of ambient air temperature.

Abstract: Firstly, in order to check the noise level of a device, DC erasure is applied to a magnetic recording medium and the magnetic recording medium is read. Then, a test signal including a first order component and a third order harmonic frequency is written into the magnetic recording medium. The written test signal is read and Fourier transform is applied to the read signal to obtain the respective amplitude of the first order and third order harmonic components. Then, it is determined whether the amplitude of the third order harmonic component is sufficiently large compared with the obtained noise level. If the amplitude is sufficiently large, the flying height of the head is estimated using both the first order and third order harmonic components. If the amplitude is not sufficiently large, the flying height of the head is estimated using only the first order component.

Abstract: A method of detecting a gap between a head and a recording medium in an information-recording/reproducing apparatus that uses the head to record and reproduce information in and from the recording medium. In the method, the gap between the head and the recording medium is alternately increased and decreased, thereby gradually reducing the gap between the head and the recording medium. A detection signal is detected from which to determine a contact between the head or a slider supporting the head and the recording medium. When it is determined that the head or the slider has contacted the recording medium, the head is stopped and moved away from the recording medium to a prescribed position, and data representing a distance the head has moved to contact the recoding medium is acquired.