Magnetic head assembly with contact-type head chip mounting and electrically connecting arrangements

摘要

A magnetic disk drive has a magnetic disk and a magnetic head assembly mounted on an arm. The assembly is utilized in the recording and reproducing of data on and from a recording/reproducing surface of a magnetic disk. The magnetic head assembly includes a support body for connecting the magnetic head assembly to the arm and a head chip attached to the support body. The head chip is configured and arranged for making substantially continuous sliding contact with the recording/reproducing surface of the magnetic disk during recording/reproducing. The head chip includes a wafer base, a read/write element for recording/reproducing data from the recording/reproducing surface of the magnetic disk. The read/write element is formed from a plurality of thin film layers superposed upon the wafer base and the head is elongated in a direction generally perpendicular to a plane generally defined by the recording/reproducing surface.