Flying head slider and magnetic disk apparatus

Abstract

A pair of side pads, which are arranged to face each other by having a negative pressure generating part in the direction orthogonal to an air flow direction of a slider therebetween, are made to have three or more steps, respectively. Of the respective surfaces having the plural steps, the surfaces having a highest height respectively are not subject to a milling, and the respective surfaces of having plural steps are made to gradually have a deeper cavity depth as the surface comes closer to the air inflow end. Further, it is also effective for improving the efficiency in positive pressure generation to surround the second side pad region partially by the region of the surface being not subject to the milling, and to surround the third side pad region partially by the second surface region.

1 . A flying head slider, comprising:
 a slider body facing to a disk;   a leading pad to generate positive pressure, the leading pad arranged on an air inflow side of the slider body, the leading pad including a first surface;   a trailing pad to generate positive pressure, the trailing pad arranged on an air outflow side of the slider body, the trailing pad including a second surface;   a pair of side pads to generate positive pressure, the pair of side pads arranged on the slider body in a direction orthogonal to an air flow direction, each of the pair of side pads including third, fourth, and fifth surfaces; and   a cavity area to generate negative pressure, the cavity area arranged on the slider body, and including a sixth surface,   wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces are substantially parallel to each other,   the first, second and third surfaces have substantially the same depths and are closer to the disk than each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces,   the sixth surface is deeper than each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth surfaces, and   the fourth and fifth surfaces are at different levels.   
   
   
       2 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the third, fourth, and fifth surfaces are arranged in the air flow direction in a descending order, and the fourth surface is deeper than the third surface and the fifth surface is deeper than the fourth surface. 
   
   
       3 . The flying head slider as set form in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third surface are non-milling surfaces. 
   
   
       4 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a region of the fourth surface is partially surrounded by a region of the third surface. 
   
   
       5 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an air outflow edge of the third surface is arranged on an air inflow side against an air outflow edge of the first surface. 
   
   
       6 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first and third surfaces are connected to each other. 
   
   
       7 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the leading pad and the trailing pad. 
   
   
       8 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the pair of side pads. 
   
   
       9 . The flying head slider as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the pair of side pads. 
   
   
       10 . A magnetic disk apparatus comprising a flying head slider, the flying head slider comprising:
 a slider body facing to a disk;   a leading pad to generate positive pressure, the leading pad arranged on an air inflow side of the slider body, the leading pad including a first surface;   a trailing pad to generate positive pressure, the trailing pad arranged on an air outflow side of the slider body, the trailing pad including a second surface;   a pair of side pads to generate positive pressure, the pair of side pads arranged on the slider body in a direction orthogonal to an airflow direction, each of the pair of side pads including third, fourth, and fifth surfaces; and   a cavity area to generate negative pressure, the cavity area arranged on the slider body, and including a sixth surface,   wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth surfaces are substantially parallel to each other,   the first, second and third surfaces have substantially the same depths and are closer to the disk than each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces,   the sixth surface is deeper than each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth surfaces, and   the fourth and fifth surfaces are at different levels.   
   
   
       11 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the third, fourth and fifth surfaces are arranged in the airflow direction in a descending order, and the fourth surface is deeper than the third surface and the fifth surface is deeper than the fourth surface. 
   
   
       12 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the first, second, and third surfaces are non-milling surfaces. 
   
   
       13 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein a region of the fourth surface is partially surrounded by a region of the third surface. 
   
   
       14 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein an air outflow edge of the third surface is arranged on an air inflow side against an air outflow edge of the first surface. 
   
   
       15 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the first and third surfaces are connected to each other. 
   
   
       16 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the leading pad and the trailing pad. 
   
   
       17 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the pair of side pads. 
   
   
       18 . The magnetic disk apparatus as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the cavity area is arranged between the pair of side pads.