Luis A Franco

US Patent:

7233456, Jun 19, 2007

Filed:

Nov 5, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/982488

Inventors:

Luis Franco - Gilroy CA, US
Oscar Ruiz - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B 21/02

US Classification:

360 75

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method for loading a slider that eliminates the need for a dedicated landing zone at the outer diameter of a platter. In one embodiment, a slider is lowered from a ramp, which is positioned in close proximity to the outer diameter of a platter, and positioned at an initial fly height above the platter without requiring the dedicated landing zone at the outer diameter. The slider is moved towards an inner diameter of the platter. The slider is positioned at an operating fly height above the platter when the slider reaches a certain position relative to the inner diameter.

US Patent:

6014288, Jan 11, 2000

Filed:

Jul 9, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/890181

Inventors:

Ellis Taeho Cha - Santa Clara CA
Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Michael L. Workman - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Seagate Technology, Inc. - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G11B 2121
G11B 1732
G11B 560

US Classification:

360103

Abstract:

For use in a disk drive, a head comprising a slider having a bottom air bearing surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge; a magnetic transducer mounted by the slider at the trailing edge of the slider; and a protective overcoat adhered to the air bearing surface of the slider and having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge of the protective overcoat being spaced from the trailing edge of the slider such that the minimum distance from the slider to the surface of a disk in the disk drive is between the magnetic transducer and the disk surface.

US Patent:

53880170, Feb 7, 1995

Filed:

Aug 3, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/285608

Inventors:

Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Andrew M. Homola - Morgan Hill CA
Leela Viswanathan - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 2121
G11B 1732

US Classification:

360103

Abstract:

A contact start/stop (CSS) disk file has an improved head-disk interface which has significantly reduced static friction between the head-supporting slider and the disk. The slider has a plurality of narrow skids which project from the air-bearing surface of the slider and support the air-bearing surface off the disk when the disk file is not operating. The skids are designed to not affect the flyability of the slider and contain a protective overcoat to minimize wear at the head-disk interface.

US Patent:

52853373, Feb 8, 1994

Filed:

Apr 30, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/876843

Inventors:

George L. Best - Morgan Hill CA
Moris M. Dovek - Pleasanton CA
John S. Foster - Morgan Hill CA
Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Andrew M. Homola - Morgan Hill CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 560
G11B 1732

US Classification:

360 9702

Abstract:

A data recording disk file of the liquid-bearing type has an improved head-disk interface provided by a transducer carrier with new properties. The carrier supports a conventional head for reading and writing data to the disk. The carrier has an air-bearing surface near its front end, a ski pad near its rear end, and a plurality of ski feet or struts which support the air-bearing surface off the liquid film of the disk when the disk file is not operating. The air-bearing surface is in the form of a pair of air-bearing rails located forward and outboard of the rear ski pad so that no air-bearing effect occurs in the rearward region of the carrier to assure the skiing action of the rear ski pad. The struts are separated from the air-bearing rails to not interfere with their air-bearing performance and support the rails away from the liquid film on the disk. In one embodiment there are at least three struts arranged on the carrier so that both the air-bearing rails and the ski pad are supported off the liquid film when the disk file is not operating.

US Patent:

62625721, Jul 17, 2001

Filed:

May 13, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/855142

Inventors:

Luis Padilla Franco - Gilroy CA
Erich Sawatzky - San Jose CA
Roland Eugene Imboden - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Seagate Technology LLC - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G01N 2782
G01N 2572
G01B 528
G11B 2736

US Classification:

324212

Abstract:

An improved media defect glide test head assembly which incorporates a wide thermo-resistive (TR) element suitable for detection of thermal asperities on the surfaces of magnetic recording discs. The TR element of the inventive glide test head assembly is very wide when compared to magneto-resistive (MR) elements in normal MR read/write heads. In the currently preferred embodiment, the TR element is envisioned to be as wide as is possible to fabricate on the trailing edge of an air bearing element of the glide test head assembly, to enable detection of thermal asperities across a relatively wide band of disc surface during each disc rotation, thus enabling rapid testing of the media surface. In a second aspect of the invention, the wide TR element is envisioned to be formed of nickel or other material having a large thermal resistance coefficient. In a third aspect of the invention, the wide TR element is envisioned to include intermediary taps which permit more precise mapping of the location of thermal asperities.

US Patent:

51512947, Sep 29, 1992

Filed:

Nov 19, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/795283

Inventors:

Herman E. Bleich - Morgan Hill CA
Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Ian L. Sanders - Morgan Hill CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

B05D 512

US Classification:

427 11

Abstract:

A method is described for depositing a thin protective carbon film on the air bearing surface of a slider in a magnetic recording disk file. A disk file with a conventional slider and a disk with an essentially carbon protective overcoat is cycled on and off at a frequency such that the slider is maintained in contact with the disk. Alternatively, the disk is rotated at a low constant speed so that the slider is maintained in contact with the disk. In both cases, carbon is transferred from the carbon overcoated disk to the air bearing surface of the slider such that during subsequent operation of the disk file, the disk file has excellent durability, especially when operated at relatively low humidity, as is required in those disk files which use a magnetoresistive sensor on the slider.

US Patent:

54186676, May 23, 1995

Filed:

Aug 3, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/102031

Inventors:

George L. Best - Morgan Hill CA
Moris M. Dovek - San Carlos CA
John S. Foster - Morgan Hill CA
Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Randall T. Kerth - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 560

US Classification:

360103

Abstract:

A data recording disk drive has an improved head-disk interface provided by a transducer carrier which is essentially a low-flying air-bearing slider that is also able to be in contact and near contact with the lubricant film on the disk. The slider has a front air-bearing surface in the form of a pair of equally-spaced air-bearing pads, a rear air-bearing pad, and a central nonair-bearing recessed surface which separates the front and rear air-bearing pads. The two front pads have a surface area greater than that of the rear pad and thus provide a positive pitch up of the slider. This causes the rear pad to also be pitched up so that air can flow beneath the rear pad to generate an air bearing in the rear portion of the slider. The presence of the central nonair-bearing region eliminates any lift in the central part of the slider, which allows for the low-flying height. The flying height of the rear pad of the slider above the disk is controlled by the width of the rear air-bearing pad.

US Patent:

59851635, Nov 16, 1999

Filed:

Jul 11, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/891506

Inventors:

Ellis Taeho Cha - Santa Clara CA
Luis P. Franco - Gilroy CA
Michael L. Workman - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Seagate Technology, Inc. - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G11B 5127

US Classification:

216 22

Abstract:

For use in a disk drive, a head comprising a slider having a bottom air bearing surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge; a magnetic transducer mounted by the slider at the trailing edge of the slider; and a protective overcoat adhered to the air bearing surface of the slider and having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge of the protective overcoat being spaced from the trailing edge of the slider such that the minimum distance from the slider to the surface of a disk in the disk drive is between the magnetic transducer and the disk surface. A method for manufacturing a slider with an overcoat spaced from the trailing edge of the slider includes applying a carbon overcoat to the entire bottom air bearing surface, masking, and oxygen plasma etching exposed portions of the overcoated.