Reduced lubricant accumulating slider
View Patent ↗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.
1. A reduced lubricant accumulating slider of the type having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the slider comprising:
a longitudinal centerline between the leading edge and the trailing edge;
a first air bearing surface;
a second air bearing surface;
a center portion located at least partially between the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface;
a first streamline control element for limiting stagnation and flow reversal located adjacent to a trailing edge at least partially between the first air bearing surface and the center portion; and
a second streamline control element for limiting stagnation and flow reversal located adjacent to the trailing edge at least partially between the second air bearing surface and the center portion;
wherein the first streamline control element and the second streamline control element function to reduce lubricant accumulation, and wherein the first streamline control element and the second streamline control element are rearward of the longitudinal centerline.
2. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 1 , wherein the center portion comprises a center air bearing surface.
3. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 1 , further comprising a third streamline control element in contact with the first air bearing surface and a fourth streamline control element in contact with the second air bearing surface.
4. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 1 , further comprising a recessed area between the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface.
5. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 4 , wherein each of the streamline control elements comprises a portion that is raised above a surface of the recessed area, the portion having a height relative to the recessed area that is less than or equal in height to the first and second air bearing surfaces.
6. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 1 , further comprising a third air bearing surface, wherein the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface are bridged by the third air bearing surface.
7. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 6 , wherein the third air bearing surface and the center air bearing surface are positioned at opposite ends of the slider, the center portion being positioned beyond ends of the first and second air bearing surfaces that are opposite to the third air bearing surface.
8. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 6 , wherein the first and second streamline control elements each have a first end that is positioned in relation to the center portion and a second end that extends beyond the center air bearing surface towards the third air bearing surface.
9. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 8 , wherein the first ends of the first and second control elements each conform to a shape of the center portion.
10. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 8 , wherein the second ends of the first and second control elements are arranged and configured such that a distance between the first and second control elements increases as a distance to the third air bearing surface decreases.
11. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 8 , wherein the second ends of the first and second control elements are arranged and configured such that a distance between the first and second control elements decreases as a distance to the third air bearing surface decreases.
12. A reduced lubricant accumulating slider of the type having upstream and downstream portions with airflow directed from the upstream portion toward the downstream portion comprising streamline control means located proximate to the downstream portion of the slider for limiting stagnation and flow reversal.
13. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 12 , further comprising:
first air bearing means for providing lift to the slider at operational velocity;
second air bearing means for providing lift to the slider at operational velocity; and
center transducer means for housing a transducer.
14. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 13 , wherein the streamline control means comprises a first streamline control element located in a recessed area defined in part by the first air bearing means and the center transducer means and a second streamline control element located in a recessed area defined in part by the second air bearing means and the center transducer means.
15. A reduced lubricant accumulating slider of the type having a leading edge and a trailing edge, of the type used in a disk drive, the slider comprising:
first and second air bearing surfaces;
a lowered area between the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface;
a center air bearing surface arranged and configured with a portion extending between the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface;
a first streamline control element for limiting stagnation and flow reversal having a first portion located proximate to a trailing edge between the first air bearing surface and the center air bearing surface, and a second portion located in the lowered area; and
a second streamline control element for limiting stagnation and flow reversal having a first portion located proximate to the trailing edge between the second air bearing surface and the center air bearing surface, and a second portion located in the lowered area, wherein the first streamline control element and the second streamline control element are isolated and function to reduce lubricant accumulation.
16. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 15 , further comprising a third streamline control element cooperatively connected to the first air bearing surface and a fourth streamline control element cooperatively connected to the second air bearing surface.
17. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 16 , wherein the third and fourth streamline control elements are raised above a mean plane generally defined by a surface of the lowered area and are less than or equal in height to the first and second air bearing surfaces.
18. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 15 , wherein the first and second streamline control elements are raised above a mean plane generally defined by a surface of the lowered area and are less than or equal in height to the first and second air bearing surfaces.
19. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 15 , further comprising a third air bearing surface, wherein the first air bearing surface and the second air bearing surface are connected at an end of the first and second air bearing surfaces by the third air bearing surface.
20. The reduced lubricant accumulating slider of claim 19 , wherein the first and second control elements are arranged and configured such that a distance between the first and second control elements decreases as a distance to the third air bearing surface decreases.