Magnetic disk apparatus with offset head assemblies

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk apparatus in which two magnetic heads having single magnetic elements can access the identical tracks on the magnetic disks which the two magnetic heads face.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk apparatus in which the management of magnetic assemblies, having single magnetic elements is simplified.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a head assembly which can be attached to an access arm in an offset positional relationship with another similar head assembly.
According to the present invention, there is provided a magnetic disk apparatus comprising magnetic disks, access arms, and head assemblies each including a magnetic head arranged to face the magnetic disk and a flexible arm attached to the access arm to support the magnetic head, each magnetic head having two parallel rails and a head element having a gap and formed at a position adjacent to one of two rails, and two head assemblies being attached to one access arm on either side thereof with the gaps of the head elements facing outwardly, two head assemblies being arranged at offset positions from each other so that the position of the gap of one head element coincides with the position of the gap of the other head element.
In this arrangement, the flexible arms are attached to the access arm at offset positions from each other so that the position of the gap of one head element coincides with the position of the gap of the other head element.
Therefore, it is possible that two magnetic heads supported by the common access arm can access the identical tracks of the respective magnetic disks, by using one kind of magnetic heads having single head elements arranged adjacent to one of the rails.