U.S. Philips Corporation

Wilhelmus J Smits

Gerardus H Somers

Johann R Van Beek

Eduard E Gillissen

Helmut J Gassen

Eugene L Raemaekers

Apparatus for recharging a battery, comprising a compartment which holds the battery so that its electrical terminals are in contact with a pair of electrodes. The electrodes are connectable to the poles of a controllable source of electrical energy. In the compartment a ferromagnetic body is positioned so as to be subjected to mechanical stress in response to mechanical deformation of the battery. An electrical device monitors the magnetic permeability .mu. of the ferromagnetic body by measuring the self-inductance of a coil surrounding at least a portion of the ferromagnetic body. The .mu. of the ferromagnetic body changes by magnetostrictive effects arising from mechanical stress of the ferromagnetic body in response to mechanical deformation of the battery (5) during charging. Expansion of the battery can be used as an indicator that charging has been completed, and that the battery should be disconnected from the source of electrical energy.

Apparatus for recharging a battery

Method of manufacturing a magnetic head having a tape contact face (5) with transducing gaps, which method starts from a substrate (1) on which a magnetic head structure is formed layer by layer. A magnetic head structure comprises magnetoresistive elements (E1-E11) connected each to first connection faces (13a, 13b) by means of at least two first connection tracks (11a, 11b), and flux guides (19a, 19b) for cooperating with the magnetoresistive elements. An electrically conducting uninterrupted layer (27) extending parallel to the tape contact face to be formed is provided during formation of the magnetic head structure, which layer is interrupted locally when the tape contact face is being formed so as to define spatially separated electric conductors for biasing at least one magnetoresistive element. Each electric conductor is connected to second connection faces (17a, 17b) by means of at least two second connection tracks (15a, 15b).

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Wilhelmus J Smits