Abstract: According to one embodiment, a head slider, includes: a slider body; an insulating nonmagnetic film configured to be laminated on an air outflow side end face of the slider body; a magnetoresistive effect film configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film; first and second wiring patterns configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and connected to the magnetoresistive effect film; a third wiring pattern configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and connected to the first and second wiring pattern in parallel to the magnetoresistive effect film; and a switch element configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and change conductivity of the third wiring pattern between conduction and non-conduction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a head suspension unit includes: a head suspension; a thin plate body of a flexure attached to a surface of the head suspension and holding an insulating layer on the surface thereof; a wiring pattern formed on a surface of the insulating layer and forming a hollow conductor defining a hollow space extending along the surface of the insulating layer; and an insulating material filling the hollow space.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a head testing method, includes: positioning a protrusion against a flexure at a backside of a head slider fixed onto the flexure so that the protrusion receives the head slider from behind the head slider; positioning the head slider on a surface of a rotating magnetic disk so that the head slider faces a surface of the rotating magnetic disk, and reading magnetic information from the magnetic disk by an electromagnetic conversion element of the head slider; and outputting the magnetic information read by the electromagnetic conversion element through the wiring pattern.

Abstract: A medium-opposed surface of a slider body is hemisected into first and second areas by the centerline extending in the longitudinal direction of the slider body. The second area is designed to generate a positive pressure larger than that generated at the first area when a load acting on the slider body in a direction toward a recording medium decreases. The head slider of the type is allowed to enjoy the imbalance of the lift on the slider body. This imbalance can be utilized to intentionally induce increases in the roll angle and the pitch angle of the slider body. The increase in the roll and pitch angles causes disappearance of the lift and the negative pressure generated at the medium-opposed surface. The head slider can reliably be distanced from the moving surface of the recording medium solely with the assistance of the airflow acting on the medium-opposed surface.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a head slider, includes: a slider body; an insulating nonmagnetic film configured to be laminated on an air outflow side end face of the slider body; a magnetoresistive effect film configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film; first and second wiring patterns configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and connected to the magnetoresistive effect film; a third wiring pattern configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and connected to the first and second wiring pattern in parallel to the magnetoresistive effect film; and a switch element configured to be buried in the nonmagnetic film and change conductivity of the third wiring pattern between conduction and non-conduction.

Abstract: A groove is formed on the surface of a base plate in a head suspension unit. A flexure extends from a load beam and received in the groove of the base plate. The flexure is thus allowed to extend outward from the contour of the base plate at a position closest to the rear end of the base plate. The area of the flexure is significantly reduced outside the contour of the base plate as compared with the case where the flexure extends outward from the contour of the base plate at a position closer to the front end of the base plate. Vibration of the flexure is suppressed. Even when a jig is urged against the base plate, the flexure is reliably prevented from being damaged. Simultaneously, a sufficiently large contact area is ensured between the base plate and the jig.

Abstract: A head assembly for writing or reading information to or from a recording medium. The head assembly includes a suspension having an electrode pad; a mounting member placed on the suspension; a head mounted on the mounting member and having an electrode, for writing or reading information; and a first bonding member made of a hot-melt adhesive and fixing the electrode to the electrode pad.

Abstract: A ramp loading unit includes a holding part that holds, outside a recording medium, a lift tab connected to a suspension that supports a head used to record information in or reproduce the information from the recording medium, and a sliding part to which the lift tab elastically contacts in loading the head onto the recording medium and in unloading the head from the recording medium, wherein the sliding part includes an inclined part that projects at least partially above the recording medium, inclines relative to a surface of the recording medium, and partially changes an inclination angle of the inclined part.

Abstract: A head support unit includes a head used to record information in or reproduce the information from the recording medium, a suspension that supports the head, and a lift tab that is connected to the suspension, and slides on a sliding surface of a ramp loading unit which holds the head outside the recording medium in loading the head onto the recording medium and in unloading the head from the recording medium, wherein the lift tab inclines from a connection part with the suspension relative to a surface of the recording medium, and a contact position between the lift tab and the sliding surface moves on the lift tab as the suspension moves.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a head suspension which can position a head accurately, an information storage apparatus with a high recording density, and a lead which contributes to implementation of the head suspension and information storage apparatus. The present invention includes either a lead having a base made of a long metal sheet on which at least one of a crease, a ridge, and a groove is provided and multiple wires installed on the base along the length of the base and connected to the head, or a lead having multiple bases made of long metal sheets, and multiple wires installed on each of the bases along the length of the bases, where the bases are bonded together.

Abstract: A medium-opposed surface of a slider body is hemisected into first and second areas by the centerline extending in the longitudinal direction of the slider body. The second area is designed to generate a positive pressure larger than that generated at the first area when a load acting on the slider body in a direction toward a recording medium decreases. The head slider of the type is allowed to enjoy the imbalance of the lift on the slider body. This imbalance can be utilized to intentionally induce increases in the roll angle and the pitch angle of the slider body. The increase in the roll and pitch angles causes disappearance of the lift and the negative pressure generated at the medium-opposed surface. The head slider can reliably be distanced from the moving surface of the recording medium solely with the assistance of the airflow acting on the medium-opposed surface.

Abstract: The present invention aims to accurately fix members together and includes: an arranging process in which a cylindrical section of a second member of which inner wall has a noncircular cross-sectional shape is inserted into a bore made in a first member and the second member is placed relative to the first member; an inserting process in which a rod-like jig of which cross-section has a noncircular shape that has the maximum external diameter larger than the minimum inside diameter in the cylindrical section of the second member is inserted into the cylindrical section of the second member; and a turning process that fixes the cylindrical section of the second member in the bore of the first member by turning the rod-like jig in the cylindrical section to forcedly widen the cylindrical section.

Abstract: A head supporting mechanism including a loading beam, a flexure and a head slider. The loading beam has a proximal portion, a distal portion and an intermediate portion defined between the proximal portion and the distal portion while at least partially overlapping with the head slider. A width of the intermediate portion is smaller than those of the head slider and the flexure. Accordingly, the flexure is exposed on opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the loading beam. When the head slider is attached to the flexure after the flexure has been mounted to the loading beam, a jig is disposed while bridging the intermediate portion of the loading beam to press the exposed part of the flexure. The distal portion and the intermediate portion have the same width and the same cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: A medium-opposed surface of a slider body is hemisected into first and second areas by the centerline extending in the longitudinal direction of the slider body. The second area is designed to generate a positive pressure larger than that generated at the first area when a load acting on the slider body in a direction toward a recording medium decreases. The head slider of the type is allowed to enjoy the imbalance of the lift on the slider body. This imbalance can be utilized to intentionally induce increases in the roll angle and the pitch angle of the slider body. The increase in the roll and pitch angles causes disappearance of the lift and the negative pressure generated at the medium-opposed surface. The head slider can reliably be distanced from the moving surface of the recording medium solely with the assistance of the airflow acting on the medium-opposed surface.

Abstract: Connecting pieces extend outward from the support plate in the opposite directions along a crossline. A flexure body is connected to the connecting pieces. A pad is fixed to the support plate at a position ahead of the crossline. A wiring pattern extends from a pad. The wiring pattern defines a first straight portion extending forward from the flexure body along a first straight line. A second straight portion extends along a second straight line intersecting with the first straight line. A curved portion connects the first straight portion to the second straight portion. The curved portion expands outward from at least one of the first and second straight lines. The support plate merely suffers from a bending at a position ahead of the imaginary crossline even if the solder generates a stress based on its shrinkage. The wiring pattern serves to absorb the stress.

Abstract: A disclosed magnetic head assembly comprises: a head slider; a flexure for supporting the head slider; and a signal wiring portion disposed on a flexure surface, the signal wiring portion transmitting recording current signals or reproduction signals. The flexure has a slider attachment portion supported by the flexure on an end portion and capable of warping and a flexure terminal portion disposed on the end portion relative to an attachment position of the head slider on the slider attachment portion and electrically connected to the signal wiring portion. The head slider is fixed on a slider attachment portion surface and has a slider terminal portion disposed on a side surface on the end portion and electrically connected to the element portion. The slider terminal portion is electrically connected to the flexure terminal portion using a joint portion and the flexure terminal portion is disposed separably from the flexure surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-safety head slider and an information storage apparatus having high operational reliability. The present invention provides a head slider equipped with a head that accesses a movable information storage medium on which information is recorded and that implements at least information reproduction, and situated close to the information storage medium. The head slider includes: a floating force generating section, opposing the information storage medium, that generates floating force upward from the information storage medium, through movement of the information storage medium; and a base section, equipped with the head, that, through floating force generated by the floating force generating section, floats from the information storage medium, the thickness in the floating direction of the base section varying along the direction of movement of the information storage medium.

Abstract: A ramp loading unit includes a holding part that holds, outside a recording medium, a lift tab connected to a suspension that supports a head used to record information in or reproduce the information from the recording medium, and a sliding part to which the lift tab elastically contacts in loading the head onto the recording medium and in unloading the head from the recording medium, wherein the sliding part includes an inclined part that projects at least partially above the recording medium, inclines relative to a surface of the recording medium, and partially changes an inclination angle of the inclined part.

Abstract: A head support unit includes a head used to record information in or reproduce the information from the recording medium, a suspension that supports the head, and a lift tab that is connected to the suspension, and slides on a sliding surface of a ramp loading unit which holds the head outside the recording medium in loading the head onto the recording medium and in unloading the head from the recording medium, wherein the lift tab inclines from a connection part with the suspension relative to a surface of the recording medium, and a contact position between the lift tab and the sliding surface moves on the lift tab as the suspension moves.