Abstract: A disc head slider is provided, which includes a slider body having a disc-opposing face with leading and trailing slider edges and a slider length measured between the leading and trailing slider edges. The disc-opposing face has a bearing surface and a recessed area which is recessed from the bearing surface. A convergent channel is recessed within the bearing surface and has a leading channel end open to fluid flow from the recessed area, channel side walls, a trailing channel end closed to the fluid flow, and a channel length measured between the leading and trailing channel ends. The trailing channel end is located rearward of a midpoint along the slider length and the channel floor is vertically contoured relative to the bearing surface along at least a portion of the channel length.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider including a first air bearing surface formed on the bottom of the slider body at the upstream position so as to extend in the lateral direction of the slider body, and a pair of second air bearing surfaces formed on the bottom of the slider body separately from the first air bearing surface at downstream positions spaced in the lateral direction so as to define an air stream passage therebetween. The second air bearing surfaces serve to generate positive pressures that are spaced apart at downstream positions where a transducer element is embedded in the slider body, so that the slider's stiffness to rolling action can be enhanced. The cooperation of the front and rear rails enables for the creation of a higher negative pressure.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider for eliminating the fluctuations of contact forces between a magnetic head and a recording disk due to changes in atmospheric pressure or shocks includes a plurality of fluid force generating faces positioned at a plurality of different height levels. The magnetic head slider includes a positive pressure generation area and a contact pad provided on a top level along the air flow direction due to rotation of the magnetic disk. The contact pad supports the magnetic head. A squeeze pad area is provided at a middle height level between the top level and the low level of the surfaces to traverse the low level of the surfaces for suppressing fluctuations of contact forces between the magnetic head and the magnetic disk medium.

Abstract: An angle &thgr;1 made between a supporting surface S of a slider and an imaginary plane C in which a first border line and a second border line of a tapered surface lie, and an angle &thgr;2 made between the supporting surface S of the slider and an imaginary plane D in which a first border line and a second border line of a tapered surface lie, respectively fall within a range of not less than 5 degrees but not more than 14 degrees.

Abstract: An air bearing slider capable of reducing to the utmost variations in its flying height, irrespective of its movement along the radial direction of the storage disk. A larger positive pressure (or lift) can be generated at the air bearing surface when the air bearing surface receives an air stream running along the front raised surface and the front wall during rotation of the storage disk. Even when the air stream approaches from different directions, it still reaches the air bearing surface through the constant area of the front raised surface and the front wall. Accordingly, variations in the direction of the air stream fail to cause variations in the positive pressure at the air bearing surface, so that variations in the flying height of the slider can be reduced to the utmost irrespective of its radial movement along the storage disk.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider including a first air bearing surface formed on the bottom of the slider body at the upstream position so as to extend in the lateral direction of the slider body, and a pair of second air bearing surfaces formed on the bottom of the slider body separately from the first air bearing surface at downstream positions spaced in the lateral direction so as to define an air stream passage therebetween. The second air bearing surfaces serve to generate positive pressures that are spaced apart at downstream positions where a transducer element is embedded in the slider body, so that the slider's stiffness to rolling action can be enhanced. The cooperation of the front and rear rails enables for the creation of a higher negative pressure.

Abstract: An air bearing surface for use on a magnetic read/write head. The air bearing surface provides a stable flight profile while exhibiting exception load/unload characteristics through the use of a plurality of pads providing high pressure areas as well as a central cavity providing a sub-ambient pressure to counter the high pressure areas. The channel is set a predetermined distance from the leading edge of the air bearing, the predetermined distance being greater than with prior art designs. A channel extends from the leading edge to the cavity to allow airflow into the cavity. The channel and the set back of the cavity both act in conjunction to facilitate unloading of the air bearing by preventing excessive sub ambient pressures.

Abstract: A slider having an advanced air bearing can employ control features that permit control of the flow-field streamline direction and thus enable an indirect mass transfer that flushes any accumulated lubricant out of the advanced air bearing. These control features can be located at the air bearing surface or at any recessed height from the air bearing surface. Moreover, these control features can also dislodge and move locations of flow-field stagnation.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider includes a pair of front rails having a predetermined air inlet passage interposed therebetween at the front side of the slider where air enters, a negative pressure rail disposed at the rear of the front rails and forming air outlet passages connected to the air inlet passage, and forming a negative pressure space where negative pressure is generated according to the flow of air at the rear thereof, and a rear rail disposed at the rear of the negative pressure space, where a magnetic head is installed. In the slider, a stepped portion protruding toward the air outlet passages is formed at the negative pressure rail.

Abstract: A negative pressure air-bearing slider includes a body flying in a first direction along a track of a disc where information is recorded while being raised to a predetermined height, a plurality of rails provided at the bottom of the body corresponding to a surface of the disc, an air inflow channel arranged at the bottom of the body in the first direction and having an air inflow portion at the leading end portion of the slider and an air exhaust portion at the inside of the body, and a pair of negative pressure recess portions provided at the air exhaust portion of the air inflow channel to be arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the air inflow channel. Thus, a constant flying height is maintained in the overall area of a disc. A pitch angle is maintained within an appropriate range in the overall area of a disc. The size of the roll angle is minimized in the overall area of a disc and maintained to be constant.

Abstract: A flying head slider includes a slider body. The upstream or leading end of a bottom surface on the slider body is defined along a first datum line extending in the lateral direction of the slider body. The first datum line may be set perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the slider body. The upstream or leading end of the front air bearing surface is defined along a second datum line intersecting the first datum line at a predetermined inclined angle. As the incidence angle of an airflow colliding against a step defined at the leading end of the front air bearing surface gets decreased, the pitch angle of the slider body also gets decreased in the flying head slider during flight.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a slider, a head, a head device and a read/write apparatus that are extremely effective for achieving high density writing and an increase in the storage capacity. The slider comprises a front flat surface, a first positive pressure generating portion, a second positive pressure generating portion and a first negative pressure generating portion. The front flat surface, which is provided starting at a leading edge, ends at an intermediate point along a lengthwise direction. The first and second positive pressure generating portions have flat surfaces which are essentially of equal heights and are positioned separated from each other over a distance at two sides in a widthwise direction running perpendicular to a lengthwise direction, with edges at one end located toward the leading edge forming step faces rising up from the front flat surface in a step.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing type head slider is disclosed which is for use in a disk drive and has a head element mounted thereon for reading and writing data from and onto a disk. When loaded, this head slider generates a positive pressure and a negative pressure using inflow and outflow of air due to rotation of the disk, whereby the slider flies above the disk surface with a space therebetween. On the other hand, when the slider is unloaded and retreated from the disk surface, it has a sufficient flying height by virtue of its negative pressure minimizing structure.

Abstract: A head element is made into contact with the surface of a recording medium so as to realize a float-up degree of 5 nm. Accordingly, a slider incorporating the head element for recording and reproducing data to and from the recording medium is provided thereon with a plurality of pads having step parts, and one of the plurality of pads, on which the head element is mounted, has a height which is less than that of the other pads. Thus, the pads other than the pad on which the head element is mounted are floated up while the pad on which the head element is mounted is stably made into contact with the surface of the recoding medium by means of a meniscus suction force and a damping action of lubricant applied on the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: A slider air bearing surface design which significantly reduces the fly height sensitivity to contamination in the crossbar area. A structural feature at the leading edge provides contamination protection to the air bearing surface. The slider includes a slider body having an air bearing surface formed on a lower surface, wherein the air bearing surface comprises a crossrail and a central rail extending from the crossrail toward a leading edge for diverting debris from the air bearing surface to prevent accumulation thereon. The leading central rail includes a flared edge connecting the central rail to the crossrail, wherein the flared edge expands the width of the central rail toward the crossrail. A trailing center rail extends from the crossbar toward the trailing edge, and is narrower than the leading central rail. Further, the trailing center rail may be skewed relative to the sides of the slider body.