Method for producing a head core slider

Claim 1

A method of producing a head core slider for a rigid magnetic disk drive, comprising the steps of: preparing a first ferrite block from which a slider body is to be formed, and a second ferrite block from which a yoke portion is to be formed, and butting together said first ferrite block and said second ferrite block into an integral ferrite bar which defines a closed magnetic path having a magnetic gap; forming an etching mask on a surface of said integral ferrite bar, said etching mask having a pattern which corresponds to a configuration to be formed on said surface of said integral ferrite bar, said configuration including (a) a pair of parallel air bearing portions provided on said slider body which are spaced apart from each other in a first direction (b) a track portion formed integrally with at least one of said pair of parallel air bearing portions, so as to extend from one of opposite ends of said air bearing portion in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said track portion having a second width smaller than a first width of each of said air bearing portions in said first direction and (c) a protrusion provided on said yoke portion which extends from one end of said track portion remote from said air bearing portion in said second direction, said protrusion having a third width which is smaller than said first width and larger than said second width; etching at least said surface of said integral ferrite bar, via said etching mask, so as to produce said configuration corresponding to said pattern of said etching mask, such that said pair of air bearing portions, said protrusion, and said track portion have a same predetermined height; and cutting the etched integral ferrite bar into a plurality of pieces each of which serves as said head core slider, such that each of said pieces which have said slider body, said yoke portion and said track portion is provided with a narrow stepped portion which surrounds at least said track portion and said protrusion, said stepped portion having a surface which is spaced apart from top surfaces of said track portion and said protrusion in a third direction perpendicular to said first direction and said second direction, by a distance corresponding to said predetermined height.

Claim 2

A method of producing a head core slider for a rigid magnetic disk drive, comprising the steps of: preparing a first ferrite block from which a slider body is to be formed, and a second ferrite block from which a yoke portion is to be formed, and butting together said first ferrite block and said second ferrite block into an integral ferrite bar which defines a closed magnetic path having a magnetic gap; forming an etching mask on a surface of said integral ferrite bar, said etching mask having a pattern which corresponds to a configuration to be formed on said surface of said integral ferrite bar, said configuration including (a) a pair of parallel air bearing portions provided on said slider body which are spaced apart from each other in a first direction (b) a track portion formed integrally with at least one of said pair of parallel air bearing portions, so as to extend from one of opposite ends of said air bearing portion in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said track portion having a second width smaller than a first width of each of said air bearing portions in said first direction and (c) a protrusion provided on said yoke portion which extends from one end of said track portion remote from said air bearing portion in said second direction, said protrusion having a third width which is smaller than said first width and larger than said second width; etching at least said surface of said integral ferrite bar, via said etching mask, so as to produce said configuration corresponding to said pattern of said etching mask, such that said pair of air bearing portions, said protrusion, and said track portion have a same predetermined height; and cutting the etched integral ferrite bar into a plurality of pieces each of which serves as said head core slider, such that each of said pieces which have said slider body, said yoke portion and said track portion is provided with a narrow stepped portion which surrounds at least said track portion and said protrusion, said stepped portion having a surface which is spaced apart from top surfaces of said track portion and said protrusion in a third direction perpendicular to said first direction and said second direction, by a distance corresponding to said predetermined height.

Claim 3

A method of producing a head core slider for a magnetic disk drive, comprising the steps of: butting together a first and a second ferrite block to form a head core slider which defines a closed magnetic path having a magnetic gap; forming an etching mask on a surface of said head core slider which is interrupted by said magnetic gap, said etching mask having a pattern comprised of an area corresponding to a track portion to be formed across said magnetic gap having a width in the direction parallel to said magnetic gap which is greater than or equal to the width of said magnetic gap and areas corresponding to portions to be formed adjacent each end of said track portion, each of said portions being wider in said parallel direction than said track portion; and etching said surface of said head core to produce a configuration corresponding to said pattern.

Claim 4

A method of producing a head core slider for a magnetic disk drive, comprising the steps of: butting together a first and a second ferrite block to form a head core slider which defines a closed magnetic path having a magnetic gap; forming an etching mask on a surface of said head core slider which is interrupted by said magnetic gap, said etching mask having a pattern comprised of an area corresponding to a track portion to be formed across said magnetic gap having a width in the direction parallel to said magnetic gap which is greater than or equal to the width of said magnetic gap and areas corresponding to portions to be formed adjacent each end of said track portion, each of said portions being wider in said parallel direction than said track portion; and etching said surface of said head core to produce a configuration corresponding to said pattern.