The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 05, 2009
Weidong Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Sang Hoon Kim, Berkeley, CA (US);
Charles M. Mate, San Jose, CA (US);
Weidong Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Sang Hoon Kim, Berkeley, CA (US);
Charles M. Mate, San Jose, CA (US);
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V., Amsterdam, NL;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling lubrication in hard disk drives. Hard disk drives often include lubrication on the disks to protect the disks from incidental contact with the head slider. Embodiments of the invention include lubrication control recesses on the air bearing surface (ABS) of the head slider. The recesses reduce air stagnation on the ABS and/or store excess lubrication that migrates from the disk to the head slider. By reducing build-up of lubrication and storing excess lubrication, the lubrication control recesses avoid failure that may occur as a result of the lubrication interfering with the ABS or the read/write elements of the head.