Patent ID: 7038884
Filing Date: 2006-05-02
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A flying-type slider for a disk drive, said slider comprising a slider body that at least generally extends along a central, longitudinal reference axis, and that in turn comprises first and second sides that are at least generally longitudinally extending and laterally spaced relative to said reference axis, an upper surface, a lower surface projecting toward a data storage medium of the disk drive when said slider is installed in the disk drive and that comprises at least one air bearing surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge longitudinally spaced from said leading edge relative to said reference axis, wherein the data storage medium moves relative to said slider when incorporated in the disk drive in a direction at least generally from said leading edge of said slider to said trailing edge of said slider, wherein an entirety of said slider is spaced from the data storage medium during normal disk drive operations, wherein said slider further comprises a first self-blending contact pad disposed on said lower surface of said slider body, wherein an entirety of said first self-blending contact pad is spaced from said reference axis, wherein said first self-blending contact pad is softer than the data storage medium and substantially any contact between said first self-blending contact pad and the data storage medium wears away a portion of said first self-blending contact pad, and wherein an entirety of said first self-blending contact pad has a hardness of less than about 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.