Landing pads for air bearing sliders and method for making the same
US5796551A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 16, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 16, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/54
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Air bearing sliders having landing pads to provide a smooth contact surface during shock or loading and unloading. The contact surface is smoother than the etched surface area of the slider. The air bearing slider includes a support structure, an air bearing surface disposed on the support structure above the etched surface area and facing the moving recording medium, for providing a pressurization plane for providing lift to the slider, and a landing pad, coupled to the support structure, for providing a contact surface, wherein the contact surface of the landing pad is smoother than the etched surface area. The contact surface of the landing pad may be below or within the pressurization plane of the air bearing surface. A landing pad may be disposed at an outer corner of the slider to provide a smooth contact surface during skew conditions. The landing pad may also be formed in conjunction with the formation of air bearing surface features such as TPC steps, stepped tapers or trailing edge rail shaping.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.