IP Library Granted Patent US 8,169,744
Granted Patent B2
US 8,169,744 · App. 12/324,624 · Granted May 1, 2012

Slider having a lubricant-accumulation barrier

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,169,744
App. No.
12/324,624
Granted
May 1, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A slider resistant to lubricant accumulation. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation includes a positive-air-pressure portion of the slider configured to levitate the slider above a magnetic-recording disk and a negative-air-pressure portion of the slider configured to bring the slider into proximity with the magnetic-recording disk at a fly height sufficient for writing data to and reading data from the magnetic-recording disk. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation also includes a lubricant-accumulation barrier disposed in proximity to a trailing edge of the slider. The lubricant-accumulation barrier is configured to reduce lubricant accumulation on the slider.

Claims (45)

1. A slider resistant to lubricant accumulation, comprising:

a positive-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to levitate said slider above a magnetic-recording disk;

a negative-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to bring said slider into proximity with said magnetic-recording disk at a fly height sufficient for writing data to and reading data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a lubricant-accumulation barrier disposed in proximity to a trailing edge of said slider, wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous with an outside diameter edge and an inside diameter edge of said slider and is discontinuous with respect to a trailing-edge center pad of an air-bearing surface said lubricant-accumulation barrier configured to reduce lubricant accumulation on said slider.

2. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 1 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is configured to reduce reverse airflow over said lubricant-accumulation barrier.

3. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 1 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

4. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 1 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is discontinuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

5. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 1 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier further comprises:

a trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion; and

a trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion.

6. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 5 , wherein said trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion and said trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion are symmetrically disposed with respect to said trailing-edge center pad of said air-bearing surface.

7. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 1 , wherein lubricant-accumulation barrier has a depth between about 150 nm and about 600 nm below an outer-most surface of a disk-facing side of said slider.

8. A hard-disk drive comprising:

a magnetic-recording disk rotatably mounted on a spindle;

an arm; and

a head-gimbal assembly attached to said arm, said head-gimbal assembly comprising:

a magnetic-recording head for writing data to and reading data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a load beam attached at a gimbal portion of said load beam to a slider resistant to lubricant accumulation, said slider including said magnetic-recording head integrally attached at a trailing-edge portion of said slider;

wherein said slider resistant to lubricant accumulation comprises:

a positive-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to levitate said slider above said magnetic-recording disk;

a negative-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to bring said slider into proximity with said magnetic-recording disk at a fly height sufficient for writing data to and reading data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a lubricant-accumulation barrier disposed in proximity to a trailing edge of said slider, wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous with an outside diameter edge and an inside diameter edge of said slider and is discontinuous with respect to a trailing-edge center pad of an air-bearing surface, said lubricant-accumulation barrier configured to reduce lubricant accumulation on said slider.

9. The hard-disk drive recited in claim 8 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is configured to reduce reverse airflow over said lubricant-accumulation barrier.

10. The hard-disk drive recited in claim 8 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

11. The hard-disk drive recited in claim 8 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is discontinuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

12. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 8 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier further comprises:

a trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion; and

a trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion.

13. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 12 , wherein said trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion and said trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion are symmetrically disposed with respect to said a trailing-edge center pad of said air-bearing surface.

14. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 8 , wherein lubricant-accumulation barrier has a depth between about 150 nm and about 600 nm below an outer-most surface of a disk-facing side of said slider.

15. A head-gimbal assembly, comprising:

a magnetic-recording head configured for writing data to and reading data from a magnetic-recording disk; and

a load beam attached at a gimbal portion of said load beam to a slider resistant to lubricant accumulation, said slider including said magnetic-recording head integrally attached at a trailing-edge portion of said slider;

wherein said slider resistant to lubricant accumulation comprises:

a positive-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to levitate said slider above said magnetic-recording disk;

a negative-air-pressure portion of said slider configured to bring said slider into proximity with said magnetic-recording disk at a fly height sufficient for writing data to and reading data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a lubricant-accumulation barrier disposed in proximity to a trailing edge of said slider, wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous with an outside diameter edge and an inside diameter edge of said slider and is discontinuous with respect to a trailing-edge center pad of an air-bearing surface, said lubricant-accumulation barrier configured to reduce lubricant accumulation on said slider.

16. The head-gimbal assembly recited in claim 15 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is configured to reduce reverse airflow over said lubricant-accumulation barrier.

17. The head-gimbal assembly recited in claim 15 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is continuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

18. The head-gimbal assembly recited in claim 15 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier is discontinuous from an outside-diameter side of said slider to an inside-diameter side of said slider.

19. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 15 , wherein said lubricant-accumulation barrier further comprises:

a trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion; and

a trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion.

20. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 19 , wherein said trailing-edge inside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion and said trailing-edge outside-diameter lubricant-accumulation-barrier portion are symmetrically disposed with respect to said trailing-edge center pad of said air-bearing surface.

21. The slider resistant to lubricant accumulation recited in claim 15 , wherein lubricant-accumulation barrier has a depth between about 150 nm and about 600 nm below an outer-most surface of a disk-facing side of said slider.

Assignments (7)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040826/0821 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2012
From: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 029341/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2009
From: DORIUS, LEE K.
To: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 022257/0387 →