Don't forget, Zip is also based upon the Bernoulli technology Iomega originally developed. IIRC, it's probably best described as the "ground effect" that tends to keep aircraft airborne as they approach landing. The closer the head might get to the Zip's disk's surface the greater the Bernoulli effect, so a crashed head on a Zip Drive ought to be well nigh impossible.
IIRC, there was some cross pollinating with Floptical Drive Technology thrown into the mix. This accounted for the unheard of storage density of the Zip Drive at the time of its release and made it everyone's product of the year.
jt :b&w: