Head slider having groove on medium-opposed surface and recording medium drive employing the same
View Patent ↗A medium-opposed surface of a slider body is opposed to a recording medium. A rail is defined on the medium-opposed surface. A groove is defined on the medium-opposed surface between the trailing end of the rail and the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface. A lubricating agent is forced to flow into the groove based on the meniscus effect. Airflow acting on the medium-opposed surface serves to lead the lubricating agent along the groove to the edge of the medium-opposed surface. The lubricating agent is then blown over from the end of the groove at the edge of the medium-opposed surface. The lubricating agent is in this manner prevented from staying between the trailing end of the rail and the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface. The head slider is thus allowed to keep flying in a stable flying attitude.
1. A head slider comprising:
a slider body opposing a medium-opposed surface to a recording medium, the medium-opposed surface receiving airflow running downstream from a leading end to a trailing end of the medium-opposed surface;
a rail defined on the medium-opposed surface of the slider body;
an air bearing surface defined on the rail;
a transducer element exposing its front end at the air bearing surface; and
a groove defined on the medium-opposed surface between a trailing end of the rail and the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface at a position downstream of the transducer element.
2. The head slider according to claim 1 , wherein said groove extends from the trailing end of the rail to the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
3. The head slider according to claim 2 , wherein depth of the groove increases as the groove gets closer to the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
4. The head slider according to claim 1 , wherein said groove extends in parallel with the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
5. The head slider according to claim 4 , wherein depth of the groove gets larger at a location farther from a longitudinal centerline of the medium-opposed surface.
6. The head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is located at a position downstream of the air bearing surface.
7. The head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is completely defined at a position downstream of the transducer element.
8. A recording medium drive comprising:
a recording medium;
a head slider opposing a medium-opposed surface to the recording medium, the medium-opposed surface receiving airflow running downstream from a leading end to a trailing end of the medium-opposed surface;
a rail defined on the medium-opposed surface of the slider body;
an air bearing surface defined on the rail;
a transducer element exposing its front end at the air bearing surface; and
a groove defined on the medium-opposed surface between a trailing end of the rail and the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface at a position downstream of the transducer element.
9. The recording medium drive according to claim 8 , further comprising a load/unload mechanism holding the head slider at a location spaced from the recording medium when the recording medium stands still.
10. The recording medium drive according to claim 9 , wherein said load/unload mechanism includes:
a load member associated with the head slider; and
a ramp member designed to receive the load member.
11. The recording medium drive according to claim 10 , wherein said groove extends from the trailing end of the rail to the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
12. The recording medium drive according to claim 11 , wherein depth of the groove increases as the groove gets closer to the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
13. The recording medium drive according to claim 10 , wherein said groove extends in parallel with the trailing end of the medium-opposed surface.
14. The recording medium drive according to claim 13 , wherein depth of the groove gets larger at a location farther from a longitudinal centerline of the medium-opposed surface.
15. The head slider according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said grooves are provided on the medium-opposed surface.
16. The recording medium drive according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of said grooves are provided on the medium-opposed surface.
17. The recording medium drive according to claim 8 , wherein the groove is located at a position downstream of the air bearing surface.
18. The recording medium drive according to claim 8 , wherein the groove is completely defined at a position downstream of the transducer element.