EP0367510A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for near contact magnetic recording
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-10-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A rotating magnetic storage device is shown wherein the transducer (11) and media (17) are separated during operation by a thin film of low viscosity liquid lubricant that is recirculated from a reservoir (23) within the head-media enclosure. Lubricant recirculation can be effected by capillary action using a wick (22), mechanical pumping and metering or distillation techniques. As compared to devices using air bearing separation, the transducer carrying slider has very small bearing surfaces which may be in the form of narrow rails or small depending foot elements. This enables fly heights of 2 microinches using a film of one micron thickness.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Allen Gregory
- 👤 Christopher Guild Keller
- 👤 Thomas Scott Larson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:47
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/48; G11B5/58; G11B5/60; G11B5/6005; G11B15/00; G11B15/60; G11B15/62; G11B23/00; G11B23/50; G11B23/505; G11B25/00; G11B25/04; G11B25/043; G11B33/00; G11B33/14; G11B33/148; H; H02; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/13; H02J13/1317; G11B33/1406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device comprising a rotatable storage medium (17) having a magnetic data surface; a magnetic transducer (11); and means for maintaining a film of liquid lubricant on the magnetic data surface by recirculation of the lubricant over the surface, the transducer being supported adjacent the magnetic data surface during rotation of the storage medium, by the film of liquid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device comprising a rotatable storage medium (17) having a magnetic data surface; a magnetic transducer (11); and means for maintaining a film of liquid lubricant on the magnetic data surface by recirculation of the lubricant over the surface, the transducer being supported adjacent the magnetic data surface during rotation of the storage medium, by the film of liquid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the storage medium is a rigid magnetic disk.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in 1 or 2 wherein the liquid lubricant is a low viscosity lubricant maintained at a substantially uniform thickness not exceeding 5 microns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the recirculating means includes a reservoir (12) within the enclosure and means for transporting the liquid lubricant from the reservoir to the disk data surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 4 including a plurality of sumps, each connected to the transporting means, to enable the memory device to operate in a plurality of attitudes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the transporting means comprises a wick means (22) that conveys liquid lubricant from the reservoir to the disk data surface by capillary action.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 further comprising means for filtering the liquid between the reservoir and the disk data surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the filtering means is provided by the wick means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
A rotatable magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 4 the enclosure hermetically sealing the disk and the transducer from the surrounding ambient atmosphere, the transporting means comprising a liquid lubricant distribution system associated with the rotatable assembly which supports the disk and wherein the reservoir is maintained at a first temperature, and wherein a location (80) on the enclosure positioned to deliver condensed liquid to the distribution system is maintained at a second temperature which is less than the first temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 9 further comprising cooling fins (83) on the exterior surface of the enclosure at said location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a hub assembly rotatably supporting the disk, the transporting means comprising spiral channel means formed in the hub assembly and extending from the reservoir for inducing an upward flow of lubricant from the reservoir through the channel, and means for distributing liquid lubricant from the spiral channel to the surface of the disk.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the magnetic transducer comprises a slider (21) with a lower surface adapted to confront the rotating data surface from which extend forward and rearward depending feet (28, 29) terminating in bearing surfaces, the transducing gap being positioned at the rearward surface (30) of the slider and a rearward foot (28).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the slider has a triangular front foot (29) and a spaced pair of triangular rear feet (28).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
A rotating magnetic memory device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the bearing surfaces of the feet are each bounded by a first edge (33) in the direction of the disk inner diameter parallel to the axis of the slider and a second edge (34) toward the disk outer diameter that diverges from the first edge.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of writing data to and reading data from a rotating data surface, on which is maintained a film of liquid lubricant, using a transducer carrying slider that presents bearing surfaces confronting the data surface comprising the steps of recirculating the liquid lubricant over the data recording surface and flying the slider over the data recording surface by supporting the bearing surface on the film of liquid lubricant.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of writing data to and reading data from a rotating data surface, on which is maintained a film of liquid lubricant, using a transducer carrying slider that presents bearing surfaces confronting the data surface comprising the steps of recirculating the liquid lubricant over the data recording surface and flying the slider over the data recording surface by supporting the bearing surface on the film of liquid lubricant.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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