Magnetic head with mini-outriggers and method of manufacture

• US 20060056108A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Saliba, George A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/129
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00817 on longitudinal tracks only, e.g. for serpentine format recording
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49032 Fabricating head structure or component thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49041 with significant slider/housing shaping or treating

Abstract

An exemplary magnetic head assembly for use with magnetic recording media is provided. In one example, a head includes a data island associated with at least one data transducer, the data island having a width along a direction of media transport and a radius of curvature. The magnetic head further includes a mini-outrigger placed adjacent to the data island and separated by a void, wherein a width of the mini-outrigger along the direction of media transport is less than the width of the data island. Additionally, in one example, the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than the radius of curvature of the data island. The wrap angle of magnetic storage tape to the data island may be less than 3 degrees. Further, the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger may be less than one-half the radius of curvature of the data island.

Claims

1. A magnetic head for writing to and/or reading from magnetic storage media as it passes thereover, the head comprising:

a data island associated with at least one data transducer, the data island having a width along a direction of media transport and a radius of curvature; and

a mini-outrigger placed adjacent to the data island and separated by a void, wherein a width of the mini-outrigger along the direction of media transport and a radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger are less than the width and radius of curvature of the data island.

2. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein a wrap angle of storage media as supported by the mini-outrigger to the data island is less than 3 degrees.

3. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein a wrap angle of storage media as supported by the mini-outrigger to the data island is less than 1 degree.

4. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein a wrap angle of the storage media as supported by the mini-outrigger to the data island is less than 0.5 degrees.

5. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than one-half the radius of curvature of the data island.

6. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than one-third the radius of curvature of the data island.

7. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than one-quarter the radius of curvature of the data island.

8. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the data island and the mini-outrigger are separated by approximately 10 to 50 milli inches.

9. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the width of the mini-outrigger is between 3 and 8 milli-inches, and the width of the data island is between 10 and 40 milli-inches.

10. The magnetic head of claim 1, wherein the data transducer comprises a magneto resistive element.

11. The magnetic head of claim 1, further including a primary outrigger.

12. The magnetic head of claim 11, further including a mini-outrigger adjacent the primary outrigger and separated by a void.

13. A multi-island magnetic recording head for writing to and/or reading from magnetic storage media as it passes thereover, comprising:

a first data island associated with a first data transducer;

a first pair of mini-outriggers disposed on opposite sides of the first data island along a direction of tape transport;

a second data island associated with a second data transducer; and

a second set of mini-outriggers disposed on opposite sides of the second island along a direction of tape transport.

14. The head of claim 13, further including primary outriggers disposed at the leading and trailing edge of the head.

15. The head of claim 13, wherein the first pair of mini-outriggers are positioned to effect a wrap angle of magnetic storage media to the first data island of less than 3 degrees.

16. The head of claim 15, wherein the wrap angle is less than 1 degree.

17. The head of claim 15, wherein the wrap angle is less than 0.5 degrees.

18. The head of claim 15, wherein the radius of curvature of the first and second pair of mini-outriggers is less than one-half the radius of curvature of the first and second data islands.

19. The head of claim 15, wherein the first data island and each of the first pair of mini-outriggers are separated by approximately 10 to 50 milli inches.

20. The head of claim 15, wherein a width of the first pair of mini-outriggers along a direction of tape transport is between 3 and 8 milli-inches, and a width of the first data island along a direction of tape transport is between 10 and 40 milli-inches.

21. A method for manufacturing a magnetic head for use with magnetic storage media, comprising:

forming islands in a magnetic head structure to define a mini-outrigger adjacent a data island, the data island extending transverse to a direction the media advances and separated from the mini-outrigger by a void; and

removing a portion of the mini-outrigger such that the height of at least a portion of a surface of the mini-outrigger is reduced relative to a surface of the data island thereby creating a wrap angle between a magnetic storage tape and the surface of the data island.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the islands are formed in a monolithic structure.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the wrap angle is less than 3 degrees.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the wrap angle is less than 1 degree.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the wrap angle is less than 0.5 degrees.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the data island includes a radius of curvature and the mini-outrigger includes a radius of curvature, and the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than the radius of curvature of the data island.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than one half of the radius of curvature of the data island.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein removing the portion of the mini-outrigger surface comprises processing the head structure with a lapping tape.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein processing the head structure with a lapping tape comprises lapping according to a known lapping function to remove a predetermined portion of the mini-outrigger surface.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein forming comprises etching.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein forming comprises machining.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the width of the mini-outrigger along a direction of tape transport is less than 8 milli-inches.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the width of the data island along a direction of tape transport is between 10 and 50 milli-inches.