Seagate Technology Incorporated

Robert E Chapin

Richard A Strom

Peter Crane

Gordon Merle Jones

Marc Ronshaugen

Mark Allen Herendeen

Richard Jonathan Goldsmith

A head structure for a lapping assembly including a lapping control feature is disclosed. The lapping control feature includes a raised contact surface elevated from a front surface of the head structure of the lapping assembly. A relative position of the workpiece and raised contact surface are aligned to control workpiece thickness and other lapping parameters. In illustrated embodiments, the relative position of the workpiece and raised contact surface are aligned via an adjustment mechanism on the head structure. In illustrated embodiments, the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a position of the workpiece relative to the raised contact surface.

Lapping device with lapping control feature and method

A flexure assembly comprising a flexure stack comprising a plurality of individual webs connected together with a force in an x-direction to produce a friction in a z-direction orthogonal to the x-direction between the plurality of webs, the friction holding the plurality of webs in engagement. In some embodiments, the flexure assembly includes a second flexure stack fixedly spaced from the first stack comprising a second plurality of individual webs connected together with a second force in the x-direction to produce a second friction in the z-direction between the second plurality of webs. The flexure assembly may be used, for example, for supporting a workpiece such as a slider row bar in a lapping machine.

Flexure assembly

A disc head slider for communicating with a rotating disc includes a slider body with leading and trailing slider edges, inside and outside slider edges relative to the disc, and a center line which extends from the leading slider edge to the trailing slider edge. A center rail is positioned substantially along the center line and includes inside and outside rail edges, a bearing surface and an edge step surface which is raised from the slider body and recessed from the bearing surface. The edge step surface extends along at least one of the inside and outside rail edges and has a greater area along the inside rail edge than the outside rail edge.

Disc head slider having center rail with asymmetric edge steps

A self-loading slider supports a transducer proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. The first and second side rails form coplanar air bearing surfaces. A cross rail extends between the first and second side rails to form a negative pressure cavity between the cross rail, the trailing edge and the first and second side rails. First and second trailing edge reliefs are formed within the first and second side rails, respectively. Each relief extends into a portion of the side rail from the negative pressure cavity, at the trailing edge to form first and second rail end portions adjacent the first and second side edges. The first and second rail end portions extend the air bearing surfaces to the trailing edge of the slider.

Air bearing slider with relieved rail ends

A negative pressure air-bearing slider comprises a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second raised side rails are positioned along cross rail extends between the first and second raised side rails. The raised cross rail has a leading edge and a trailing edge. A negative pressure cavity extends from the raised cross rail toward the trailing edge and between the side rails. A choke is positioned within the raised cross rail, which widens from the leading edge of the raised cross rail toward the trailing edge of the raised cross rail.

Negative pressure air bearing slider with a choke for restricting air

A negative pressure air-bearing slider includes a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second raised side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. A raised crossed rail extends between the side rails. A negative pressure cavity extends from the cross rail to the trailing edge and is positioned between the side rails. A first isolation channel is disposed between the negative pressure cavity and the first side rail. A second isolation channel is disposed between the negative pressure cavity and the second side rail. The first and second isolation channels converge together toward the leading edge and communicate with the leading edge.

Negative pressure air bearing slider having converging isolation channels

A slider supports a transducer proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second edges. First and second raised side rails are positioned along the first and second edges, respectively, to form a pair of air bearing surfaces. The first and second side rails each includes a trailing edge relief positioned adjacent the trailing edge. The trailing edge reliefs are recessed from the air bearing surfaces and are raised from the slider body. The trailing edge reliefs have depths which are suitable for forming subambient pressure regions at the trailing edge.

Air bearing slider with relieved trailing edge

A negative pressure air bearing slider comprises a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second raised side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. The side rails each form an air bearing surface with an inside and an outside edge extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A raised cross rail is positioned near the leading edge and extends between the side rails. A negative pressure cavity is positioned between the side rails, trailing the cross rail. A first isolation channel is disposed between the first side rail and the negative pressure cavity. A second isolation channel is disposed between the second side rail and the negative pressure cavity. Intermediate surfaces extend along only a portion of the inside edges of the airbearing surfaces formed by the first and second side rails. The intermediate surfaces are recessed from the air bearing surfaces and are raised from the isolation channels.

Negative pressure air bearing slider having isolation channels with edge

A negative pressure air-bearing slider includes a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge, first and second side edges and a longitudinal axis extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. First and second side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. A raised crossed rail extends between the side rails and has a leading edge and a trailing edge. A negative pressure cavity extends from the cross rail toward the trailing edge of the slider body and between the side rails. A pair of angled channels formed in the cross rail permit relatively more air to enter the negative pressure cavity when the slider flies with its longitudinal axis at skew with respect to air flow than when the slider flies with its longitudinal axis in parallel with respect to air flow.

Negative pressure air bearing slider with spoiler channels

A self-loading air bearing disc head slider supports a transducer proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. The first and second side rails each form an air bearing surface. A cross rail is positioned at the leading edge and extends between the first and second side rails. The cross rail includes a relief or 'notch' which is recessed from the air bearing surfaces. The relief minimizes debris collection at the leading edge and reduces pitch angle. The leading edge can include a leading edge taper with a relief which communicates with the relief in the cross rail.

Self-loading air bearing slider with a relieved leading edge

A negative pressure air-bearing slider supports a transducer proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a first and second side edges. First and second raised side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. A raised cross rail is positioned near the leading edge and extends between the side rails. A negative pressure cavity trails the cross rail and is positioned between the side rails. The negative pressure cavity develops subambient pressure during flight. A raised island forms an air-bearing surface positioned at the trailing edge and between the side rails. The island has a forward edge which is raised from the negative pressure cavity and is recessed from the air-bearing surface to increase pressurization of the air-bearing surface. The air-bearing surface increases lift and slider flying height at the trailing edge at low disc speeds. At high disc speeds, the air-bearing surface has a diminished effect relative to an increased subambient pressure effect of the negative pressure cavity which provides a more even flying height over inner and outer data tracks on the disc surface.

Negative pressure air bearing slider having an air bearing surface

A negative pressure air-bearing slider comprises a slider body having a surface with a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively. The side rails each form an air-bearing surface which develops positive pressure during flight. A raised crossed rail is positioned near the leading edge and extends between the side rails. A negative pressure cavity trails the cross rail and is positioned between the side rails. A first isolation channel and a first isolation separating rail are positioned between the first side rail and the negative pressure cavity. A second isolation channel and a second isolation separating rail are positioned between the second side rail and the negative pressure cavity. The isolation channels and the isolation separating rails terminate prior to the trailing edge of the slider.

Negative pressure air bearing slider having isolation channels which

Improved configurations of Negative Pressure Air Bearing Flyers ('NPAB') for use with the rotary actuator of a 'Winchester' disk drive lessen slider roll, provide for constant, low slider flying height and a short take-off regardless of skew. One set of configurations uses two isolation channels cut into the NPAB to isolate the side rails from the central negative pressure cavity. Another set of configurations divides the negative pressure cavity into two cavities and provides openings in the leading crossbar to decrease the pressure in the cavity near the upstream rail while increasing it at the downstream rail. Another configuration provides an increased leading taper for fast take-off in combiantion with a pressure relief channel anterior the negative pressure cross rail to maintain negative pressure in the cavity.

Configuration for negative pressure air bearing sliders

An air bearing slider for supporting an electromagnetic transducer over a rotating disk. The slider comprises a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. First and second side rails are positioned along the first and second side edges, respectively, and form air bearing surfaces with inside and outside edges. The inside and outside edges converge from the leading edge to a break and diverge from the break to the trailing edge.

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Burnsville, MN, United States of America

Robert E Chapin