Integrated transducer-suspension structure for longitudinal recording

Claim 2

A combination thin film magnetic head transducer and suspension system for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having oppositely facing first and second substantially vertical thin film surfaces; the first and second vertical thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap layer directly contacting the pole tip of the horizontal thin film first pole piece; a thin film second pole piece having a vertical component which has a pole tip directly contacting the second vertical thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap layer and a horizontal component magnetically isolated from but adjacent and parallel to said first pole piece said first and second pole pieces magnetically connected at a back gap region and magnetically isolated at their pole tips by said magnetic gap; a thin film coil electrically isolated from but magnetically activating said first and second pole pieces and encircling the horizontal component of said second pole piece; said first and second pole pieces configured with a wider surface at their backgap region and narrower surfaces at their pole tips; a suspension layer of a thin film layer of a resilient material at least covering said second pole piece horizontal component and electrically and magnetically isolated from said second pole piece and said coil, said resilient material extending beyond the back gap region; the pole tip of the first pole piece being horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece having a downwardly sloping portion which is adjacent to the pole tip of the first pole piece; the first pole piece narrowing in width from said sloping portion to the pole tip; and the vertical component of said second pole piece having an essentially vertical portion on an end adjacent to said magnetic gap layer and having a portion on a second end which is angled away from the essentially vertical portion to contact the horizontal component of said second pole piece.

Claim 3

A disk drive assembly comprising: a housing a rigid platter mounted in said housing having means for storing data in tracks provided thereon; means for rotating said rigid platter in said housing; an actuator arm positioned in said housing and operable to place a free end in proximity to one track of said rigid platter; means for positioning said actuator arm adjacent to a particular track on said rigid platter; a combination thin film magnetic head transducer and suspension system for longitudinal recording mounted to the free end of said actuator arm and including: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having oppositely facing first and second substantially vertical thin film surfaces; the first and second vertical thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap layer directly contacting the pole tip of the horizontal thin film first pole piece; a thin film second pole piece having a vertical component with a pole tip directly contacting the second vertical thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap and a horizontal component magnetically isolated from but adjacent and parallel to said first pole piece, said first and second pole pieces magnetically connected at a back gap region and magnetically isolated at their pole tips by said magnetic gap; said first and second pole pieces configured with a wider surface at their backgap region and narrower surfaces at their pole tips; a thin film coil electrically isolated from but magnetically activating said first and second pole pieces and encircling the horizontal component of said second pole piece; and a suspension layer of a thin film layer of a resilient material at least covering said second pole piece horizontal component and electrically and magnetically isolated from said second pole piece and said coil, said resilient material extending beyond the back gap region; the pole tip of the first pole piece being horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece having a downwardly sloping portion which is adjacent to the pole tip of the first pole piece; and the vertical component of said second pole piece having an essentially vertical portion on an end adjacent to said magnetic gap and having a portion on a second end which is angled away from the essentially vertical portion to contact the horizontal component of said second pole piece.

Claim 4

A disk drive assembly comprising: a housing a rigid platter mounted in said housing having means for storing data in tracks provided thereon; means for rotating said rigid platter in said housing; an actuator arm positioned in said housing and operable to place a free end in proximity to one track of said rigid platter; means for positioning said actuator arm adjacent to a particular track on said rigid platter; a combination thin film magnetic head transducer and suspension system for longitudinal recording mounted to the free end of said actuator arm and including: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having oppositely facing first and second substantially vertical thin film surfaces; the first and second vertical thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap layer directly contacting the pole tip of the horizontal thin film first pole piece; a thin film second pole piece having a vertical component with a pole tip directly contacting the second vertical thin film surface of the thin film magnetic gap and a horizontal component magnetically isolated from but adjacent and parallel to said first pole piece, said first and second pole pieces magnetically connected at a back gap region and magnetically isolated at their pole tips by said magnetic gap; said first and second pole pieces configured with a wider surface at their backgap region and narrower surfaces at their pole tips; a thin film coil electrically isolated from but magnetically activating said first and second pole pieces and encircling the horizontal component of said second pole piece; and a suspension layer of a thin film layer of a resilient material at least covering said second pole piece horizontal component and electrically and magnetically isolated from said second pole piece and said coil, said resilient material extending beyond the back gap region; the pole tip of the first pole piece being horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece having a downwardly sloping portion which is adjacent to the pole tip of the first pole piece; and the vertical component of said second pole piece having an essentially vertical portion on an end adjacent to said magnetic gap and having a portion on a second end which is angled away from the essentially vertical portion to contact the horizontal component of said second pole piece.

Claim 5

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component, the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the second pole piece having an angled portion which is integral with the vertical component of the second pole piece, the angled portion angling from the vertical component and making direct engagement with an exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and, the exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece having been exposed by a process of lapping the top portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer.

Claim 6

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component, the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the second pole piece having an angled portion which is integral with the vertical component of the second pole piece, the angled portion angling from the vertical component and making direct engagement with an exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and, the exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece having been exposed by a process of lapping the top portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer.

Claim 7

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component, the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the top portion of the thin film magnetic gap layer having an aperture opposite an end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the vertical component of the second pole piece being connected to the end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece through said aperture.

Claim 8

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component, the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the top portion of the thin film magnetic gap layer having an aperture opposite an end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the vertical component of the second pole piece being connected to the end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece through said aperture.

Claim 9

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece: the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece being magnetically connected at a back gap; a thin film suspension of resilient material covering the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece between the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer and the back gap and continuing a distance past the back gap away from the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece; the thin film magnetic gap layer having an aperture opposite an end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the vertical component of the second pole piece being connected to the end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece through said aperture.

Claim 10

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece: the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece being magnetically connected at a back gap; a thin film suspension of resilient material covering the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece between the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer and the back gap and continuing a distance past the back gap away from the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece; the thin film magnetic gap layer having an aperture opposite an end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the vertical component of the second pole piece being connected to the end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece through said aperture.

Claim 11

A disk drive including the thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording of claim 5, the disk drive including: a housing; means mounted in the housing for rotating a magnetic disk; an actuator mounted in the housing; and the thin film suspension being mounted on the actuator so that the pole tips of the first and second pole pieces can be placed in a transducing relationship with respect to the magnetic disk.

Claim 12

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece being magnetically connected at a back gap; a thin film suspension of resilient material covering the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece between the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer and the back gap and continuing a distance past the back gap away from the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece; the second pole piece having an angled portion which is integral with the vertical component of the second pole piece, the angled portion angling from the vertical component and making direct engagement with an exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece having been exposed by a process of lapping the top portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer.

Claim 13

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording comprising: a horizontal thin film first pole piece having a pole tip; a thin film second pole piece having a horizontal component and a substantially vertical component the vertical component having a pole tip opposite the pole tip of the first pole piece; a substantially vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having top and bottom portions; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer being sandwiched between the pole tip of the first pole piece and the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer having first and second thin film surfaces, the first and second thin film surfaces being made by a process of thin film deposition without lapping; the first thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the first pole piece and the second thin film surface of the bottom portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer directly engaging the pole tip of the vertical component of the second pole piece; the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece being magnetically connected at a back gap; a thin film suspension of resilient material covering the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece between the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer and the back gap and continuing a distance past the back gap away from the first pole piece and the horizontal component of the second pole piece; the second pole piece having an angled portion which is integral with the vertical component of the second pole piece, the angled portion angling from the vertical component and making direct engagement with an exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece; and the exposed end of the horizontal component of the second pole piece having been exposed by a process of lapping the top portion of the vertical thin film magnetic gap layer.

Claim 14

A thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording as claimed in claim 7 including: the pole tip of the first pole piece being horizontal and substantially perpendicular to the vertical component of the second pole piece; and the first pole piece having a downwardly sloping portion which is adjacent to the pole tip of the first pole piece.

Claim 15

A disk drive including the thin film magnetic head for longitudinal recording of claim 8, the disk drive including: a housing; means mounted in the housing for rotating a magnetic disk; an actuator mounted in the housing; and the thin film suspension being mounted on the actuator so that the pole tips of the first and second pole pieces can be placed in a transducing relationship with respect to the magnetic disk.