Magnetic head and head gimbal assembly maintaining stable flying height in a disk drive

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a bearing surface of the head slider includes a leading step at the inflow end portion, a skirt portion at the inflow end portion, a leading pad on the leading step and including a junction extending to the skirt portion, first groove surfaces individually on the opposite sides of the junction and being continuous with a downstream central portion of the skirt portion, second groove surfaces on an upstream side of the first groove surfaces and formed deeper than the first groove surfaces, and negative-pressure grooves individually on the transversely opposite sides of the first groove surfaces between the second groove surfaces and the skirt portion and formed deeper than the second groove surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A magnetic head comprising:
 a head slider comprising a bearing surface opposed to a surface of a recording medium, and an inflow end portion and an outflow end portion for an airflow produced between the recording medium surface and the bearing surface; and 
 a recording element and a reproduction element in the outflow end portion of the head slider, 
 the bearing surface comprising a leading step at the inflow end portion, a skirt portion located at the inflow end portion and extending transversely relative to the head slider, a leading pad on the leading step and comprising a junction extending, at a transversely central portion thereof, to the skirt portion, first groove surfaces disposed individually on the opposite sides of the junction and being continuous with a downstream central portion of the skirt portion, second groove surfaces disposed on an upstream side of the first groove surfaces and formed deeper than the first groove surfaces, and negative-pressure grooves disposed individually on the transversely opposite sides of the first groove surfaces between the second groove surfaces and the skirt portion and formed deeper than the second groove surfaces. 
 
     
     
       2. The magnetic head of  claim 1 , wherein the width of each of the first groove surfaces transversely relative to the head slider ranges from 5 to 30% of an overall width of the head slider on each side of the junction. 
     
     
       3. The magnetic head of  claim 2 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a negative-pressure cavity on the downstream side of the leading step and extending transversely relative to the bearing surface. 
     
     
       4. The magnetic head of  claim 3 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a trailing step at the outflow end portion, and a trailing pad on the trailing step, comprising an outflow end located at an inflow-side gap away from an end surface of the outflow end portion. 
     
     
       5. The magnetic head of  claim 4 , wherein the recording and reproduction elements are partially exposed in the trailing pad. 
     
     
       6. The magnetic head of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a negative-pressure cavity on the downstream side of the leading step and extending transversely relative to the bearing surface. 
     
     
       7. The magnetic head of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a trailing step at the outflow end portion, and a trailing pad on the trailing step, comprising an outflow end located at an inflow-side gap away from an end surface of the outflow end portion. 
     
     
       8. The magnetic head of  claim 2 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a trailing step at the outflow end portion, and a trailing pad on the trailing step, comprising an outflow end located at an inflow-side gap away from an end surface of the outflow end portion. 
     
     
       9. A head gimbal assembly comprising:
 the magnetic head of  claims 1 ; and 
 a suspension which supports the magnetic head by means of a gimbal. 
 
     
     
       10. The head gimbal assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the width of each of the first groove surfaces transversely relative to the head slider ranges from 5 to 30% of an overall width of the head slider on each side of the junction. 
     
     
       11. The head gimbal assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a negative-pressure cavity on the downstream side of the leading step and extending transversely relative to the bearing surface. 
     
     
       12. A disk drive comprising:
 a disk recording medium; 
 a drive unit which rotates the recording medium; and 
 the magnetic head of  claim 1  configured to perform data transfer with respect to the recording medium. 
 
     
     
       13. The disk drive of  claim 12 , wherein the width of each of the first groove surfaces transversely relative to the head slider ranges from 5 to 30% of an overall width of the head slider on each side of the junction. 
     
     
       14. The disk drive of  claim 13 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a negative-pressure cavity on the downstream side of the leading step and extending transversely relative to the bearing surface.