Patent ID: 7719794
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A head comprising: a slider which includes a facing surface opposed to a surface of a rotatable recording medium, an inflow-side end face extending transversely to the facing surface, and an outflow-side end face extending transversely to the facing surface and is configured to be flown by an air-flow which is produced between the recording medium surface and the facing surface as the recording medium rotates; and a head portion provided on the slider and configured to record and reproduce information to and from the recording medium, the facing surface of the slider including a first direction along the air-flow and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the slider comprising a negative-pressure cavity which is defined by a recess formed in the facing surface and produces a negative pressure; a leading step portion projecting with respect to the negative-pressure cavity and situated on the inflow side of the negative-pressure cavity with respect to the air-flow; a pair of side portions projecting with respect to the negative-pressure cavity, extending in the first direction from the leading step portion toward an outflow-side end of the slider, and opposed to each other with a space therebetween in the second direction; a trailing step portion projecting with respect to the negative-pressure cavity, situated on the outflow side of the negative-pressure cavity with respect to the air-flow, and having a top surface opposed to the recording medium; a leading pad provided on an end portion of the leading step portion on the negative-pressure cavity side; and a plurality of recesses which are formed on the inflow side of the leading pad and individually open in the inflow-side end face, the leading step portion including a main step portion which is situated beside the inflow side of the leading pad and extends in the second direction, a plurality of extended step portions extending in the first direction from the main step portion to the inflow-side end face and situated between the recesses, respectively, and a bent portion which extends in the second direction from an extended end of each of the extended step portions.