Recording medium drive including head slider having protection protuberance standing on air bearing surface

摘要

A protection film is layered over the trailing or outflow end surface of a slider body in a head slider for a recording medium drive. A head element is embedded within the protection film. The head element generates heat in response to the supply of an electric current. The heat causes thermal expansion of the protection film. The tip end of the head element thus excessively approaches the recording disk beyond the medium-opposed surface of the head slider. The flying height of a protection protuberance is set smaller than a flying height of the head element even when the protection film suffers from thermal expansion. The protection protuberance is allowed to trace an orbit closer to the recording medium than the orbit of the head element. The protection protuberance is allowed to collide against obstacles on the recording medium in front of the head element.