Read/write and tunnel erase magnetic head assemblies.

摘要

A magnetic head assembly for reading and/or writing a track of magnetic information on a moving magnetic medium and for tunnel erasing adge portions of the track comprises a central data transfer magnetic core including a pair of core portions (20, 22) providing a data transfer gap (30) on an active face (26) of the head assembly with a read/write coil (32) on one of the core portions. An erase core includes a pair of erase core portions (36, 42).extending along and in contact with one of the write core portions, another pair of erase core portions (34, 40) respectively in alignment with the erase core portions (36, 42) and providing therewith erase gaps (38, 44) on the active face of the head assembly that extend transversely of the direction of movement of the magnetic medium on the active face and a bridging core portion (46) between the erase core portions (38, 44) on which an erase coil (48) is disposed. The two erase gaps are in series with each other in a magnetic circuit which shares a segment in common with the magnetic circuit of the data transfer gap at 22, but the two natural flux flows in the common segment are substantially mutually perpenducular.