1. A tire comprising:
first and second shoulder rows of shoulder tread elements opposite respective first and second interior rows of interior tread elements within a tire tread region, the first and second shoulder rows being separated from the first and second interior rows by circumferentially extending, substantially zig-zag shaped first and second circumferential grooves, respectively, each circumferential groove defined by opposed shoulder tread elements and interior tread elements, and the first and second circumferential grooves each having a circumferentially continuous see-through central groove portion extending parallel to a circumferential centerplane of the tread;
the shoulder tread elements and interior tread elements of the first shoulder row and the first interior row each being at least partially bounded by angled lateral sides extending to the first circumferential groove, and wherein circumferentially adjacent interior tread elements being separated by a funnel-shaped lateral interior groove defined by the angled sides of the adjacent interior tread elements; and
each funnel shaped lateral groove having a mouth portion at the first circumferential groove and a groove segment extending axially inward beyond the first interior row toward a central region of the tread.
2. The tire of claim 1, wherein circumferentially adjacent shoulder tread elements in the first shoulder row are separated by a lateral spacing groove defined by the angled sides of the adjacent shoulder tread elements.
3. The tire of claim 2, wherein each spacing groove extends at one end to an edge of the tread and includes a groove mouth portion substantially aligned at the first circumferential groove opposite to a respective lateral interior groove of the first interior row.
4. The tire of claim 3, wherein the groove mouth portions of the lateral interior grooves having a circumferential width dimension within a range of 16 to 49 millimeters.
5. The tire of claim 4, wherein the groove mouth portions of the spacing grooves having a circumferential width dimension within a range of 21 to 54 millimeters.
6. The tire of claim 5, wherein the lateral grooves and the spacing grooves having a substantially common angle of inclination within a range of 7 to 31 degrees with respect to an axial direction of the tire.
7. The tire of claim 1, wherein each shoulder tread element of the first shoulder row aligns opposite and forms an aligned pair with a corresponding interior tread element of the first interior row, each shoulder tread element and corresponding interior tread element within each said aligned pair having opposed parallel end surfaces that extend at a common angle with respect to an equatorial tread centerplane.
8. The tire of claim 7, wherein the common angle of the end surfaces is within a range of 82 to 98 degrees (\u22128 to 8 from the centerplane).
9. The tire of claim 8, wherein alternating end surfaces of the first shoulder row and the first interior row tread elements are angled in opposite directions at said common angle.
10. The tire of claim 1, wherein the shoulder tread elements and interior tread elements of the second shoulder row and second interior row are circumferentially staggered and at least partially bounded by angled lateral sides extending to the second circumferential groove, and wherein circumferentially adjacent shoulder tread elements of the second shoulder row are separated by a funnel-shaped lateral shoulder groove defined by the angled sides of the adjacent second row shoulder elements.
11. The tire of claim 10, wherein each lateral shoulder groove includes a groove mouth portion communicating with the second circumferential groove, the groove mouth portion having a circumferential width dimension within a range of 24 to 56 millimeters.
12. The tire of claim 10, wherein circumferentially adjacent interior tread elements of the second interior row are separated by a lateral spacing groove extending in an axial direction from a central region of the tread to the second circumferential groove.
13. The tire of claim 11, wherein the shoulder tread elements of the second shoulder row and the interior tread elements of the second interior row each include a forked block portion adjacent the second circumferential groove, each forked block portion comprising a first tine block and a second tine block separated by a tapered blind groove, and each first and second tine block having an angled end surface facing the second circumferential groove.
14. The tire of claim 13, wherein the end surface of the first tine block and the second tine block of each forked portion angle in an opposite direction at respective angles of inclination within the range of \u22123 to 3 degrees and 16 to 34 degrees.
15. The tire of claim 14, wherein the first tine block and the second tine block of each forked portion are substantially equal in length.
16. A tire comprising:
first and second shoulder rows of shoulder tread elements opposite respective first and second interior rows of interior tread elements within a tire tread region, the first and second shoulder rows being separated from the first and second interior rows by circumferentially extending, substantially zig-zag shaped first and second grooves, respectively, each groove defined by opposed shoulder tread elements and interior tread elements, and the first and second grooves each having a circumferentially continuous see-through central groove portion extending parallel to a circumferential centerplane of the tread;
the tread elements of each shoulder row alternately having outwardly and inwardly formed shoulder regions adjacent to a respective tread edge; and the tread elements of the first shoulder row being separated by an inclined groove having a groove mouth portion at the first circumferential groove dimensioned in width between 21 and 54 millimeters and the tread elements of the first interior row being separated by an inclined groove having a groove mouth portion at the first circumferential groove dimensioned in width between 18 and 49 millimeters.
17. The tire of claim 16, wherein the tread elements of the second shoulder row are separated by an inclined groove having a groove mouth portion at the second circumferential groove dimensioned in width between 24 and 56 millimeters.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
I claim:
1. An integrated circuit (IC) device having an IC die wire bonded to a substrate said IC die having an array of solder bumps thereon.
2. An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:
a. an integrated circuit die comprising a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least one IC device on said upper surface,
b. an array of IC contact pads on said upper surface,
c. an array of solder bumps on said upper surface, and
d. metallization runners interconnecting said array of IC contact pads to said array of solder bumps.
3. The IC device of claim 2 wherein the said substrate is silicon.
4. The IC device of claim 2 further including an interconnection substrate supporting said semiconductor substrate, said interconnection substrate having an array of wire bonding pads, and wire bonds interconnecting the IC contact pads on said semiconductor substrate with the wire bonding pads on said interconnection substrate.
5. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) device comprising wire bonding an IC die to a substrate said IC die having an array of solder bumps thereon.
6. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) device comprising the steps of:
a. forming an array of IC contact pads on a semiconductor IC device substrate, said IC device substrate having at least one IC device thereon,
b. forming an interconnection runner interconnecting said array of IC contact pads to an array of solder bump sites,
c. forming solder bumps on said solder bump sites,
d. electrically testing said IC device by electrically contacting said solder bumps, and
e. interconnecting said IC device substrate to an interconnection substrate using wire bond interconnections.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of electrically testing said IC device includes burn-in electrical testing.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said semiconductor IC device substrate is silicon.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said interconnection runner comprises aluminum.
10. The method of claim 8 further including the step of applying under bump metallization (UBM) to said solder bump sites.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said interconnection runner and said UBM are formed in the same step.
12. A method for manufacturing an IC device comprising the steps of:
a. forming an array of IC contact pads on a semiconductor IC device substrate, said IC device substrate having at least one IC device thereon,
b. depositing a polyimide layer to cover said IC device substrate except for at least a portion of said array of IC contact pads,
c. depositing a conductive layer on said IC device substrate,
d. patterning said conductive layer to form a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions, said first plurality of regions being connected to said second plurality of regions, and said first and second plurality of regions electrically connected to said array of IC contact pads,
e. forming solder bumps on said first plurality of regions,
f. electrically testing said IC device by electrically contacting said solder bumps, and
g. interconnecting said IC device substrate to an interconnection substrate by wire bonding said second plurality of regions to said interconnection substrate.
13. A method for manufacturing IC devices comprising the steps of:
a. processing a group of IC devices by:
i. forming an array of IC contact pads on a semiconductor IC device substrate, said IC device substrate having at least one IC device thereon,
ii. depositing a polyimide layer to cover said IC device substrate except for at least a portion of said array of IC contact pads,
iii. depositing a conductive layer on said IC device substrate,
iv. patterning said conductive layer to form a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions, said first plurality of regions being connected to said second plurality of regions, and said first and second plurality of regions electrically connected to said array of IC contact pads,
v. forming solder bumps on said first plurality of regions,
vi. electrically testing said IC device by electrically contacting said solder bumps,
b. interconnecting a first portion of said group of IC devices to an interconnection substrate by wire bonding said second plurality of regions to said interconnection substrate and
c. interconnecting a second portion of said group of IC devices to an interconnection substrate by bump bonding said solder bumps on said first plurality of regions to said interconnection substrate.