Patent ID: 6411468
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A negative pressure air bearing slider, comprising:a slider body for flying above a surface of a recording disk during relative rotation of the recording disk, the slider body having a principal surface for confronting the disk surface, the principal surface having a lead portion, a rear portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the lead portion is spaced upstream of the rear portion relative to a longitudinal direction of the slider body which is coincident with a tangential rotational direction of the recording disk, and wherein the first side portion is spaced from the second side portion relative to a lateral direction of the slider body; first and second projections extending from the lead portion of the principal surface of the slider to a midpoint of the slider, the first and second projections being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body; a first cross bar formed between the first and second projections; third and fourth projections extending from the midpoint of the principal surface of the slider to the rear portion of the slider, the third and fourth projections being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the slider body; a second cross bar formed between the third and the fourth projections; and a central island formed between the second cross bar, the third and fourth projections, and the rear portion of the slider; a transducer mounted on the central island so as to be suspended over the disk surface while the disk is rotating, wherein the first cross bar and the first and second projections define a first negative pressure air cavity for the slider body, and wherein the second cross bar and the third and fourth projections define a second negative pressure air cavity for the slider body.