Author: claimsbot

What we claim is:

1. A self-chilling beverage container assembly comprising:
a bottle having a neck portion with an end surface and a circumferential exterior thread about the neck;
a cartridge support member of a generally dome-shaped configuration, and having a base end with an outwardly extending flange thereon, the cartridge support member projecting inside the neck portion of the bottle and having its base end flange in engagement with the end surface of the bottle neck;
a refrigerant cartridge inside the bottle, having an end surface engaging with and supported by the cartridge support member;
a bottle cap having an interiorly threaded circumferential wall and a bottom wall, the bottom wall having a central opening therein, the interiorly threaded circumferential wall of the bottle cap engaging the exterior threads of the bottle neck;
a sealing member disposed within the central opening of the bottle cap and extending thereacross; and
an elongated cartridge piercing mechanism having one end portion adjustably attached to the bottle cap, an intermediate portion extending through the seal member, and an operating end positioned in close proximity to the interengaging portions of the cartridge support member and refrigerant cartridge;
whereby upon adjustment of the cartridge piercing mechanism inwardly relative to the bottle cap its operating end opens the refrigerant cartridge and thereby releases the refrigerant to cool the beverage contained in the remaining portion of the bottle.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall of the bottle cap neck portion and the associated end portion of the cartridge piercing mechanism have interengaging threaded surfaces.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the refrigerant cartridge has a sealing membrane closing its end adjacent the cartridge support member.
4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the operating end of the cartridge piercing mechanism carries a needle point for piercing the sealing membrane of the refrigerant cartridge.
5. A portable self-chilling beverage container assembly comprising:
a bottle having a neck portion, and a bottle cap removably closing the neck;
a hollow cartridge support structure projecting through the neck portion of the bottle and hence into the bottle interior, having a base end releasably secured to the neck of the bottle;
an elongated cartridge piercing mechanism having one end attached to a central portion of the bottle cap, and an operating end with a needle point thereon extending interiorly of the bottle;
a refrigerant cartridge inside the bottle, having an end opening that is closed by a sealing membrane, the associated end of the refrigerant cartridge being supported by the cartridge support structure; and
the central portion of the bottle cap being movable in a direction inwardly of the bottle for concurrently forcing the cartridge piercing mechanism further inwardly of the bottle so that the needle point pierces the sealing membrane of the refrigerant cartridge and thereby releases the refrigerant to cool the beverage contained in the remaining portion of the bottle.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the neck of the bottle is exteriorly threaded and the bottle cap is interiorly threaded.
7. The assembly of claim 5 which further includes a rotatable threaded mechanism associated with the central portion of the bottle cap for driving the cartridge piercing mechanism inwardly.
8. The method of chilling a beverage for drinking purposes when ice and refrigerator are not available, comprising steps of:
selecting an open-topped container for the beverage;
selecting a refrigerant cartridge having an end opening that is closed by a sealing membrane;
inserting the refrigerant cartridge into the container with the sealing membrane of the cartridge facing the container top;
supporting the refrigerant cartridge in a fixed position within the container;
selecting an elongated cartridge piercing mechanism having a needle point on one end thereof, and then inserting the cartridge piercing mechanism into the container such that its needle point is adjacent the sealing membrane of the cartridge;
filling the container with the beverage;
adjustably securing the other end of the cartridge piercing mechanism to the open end of the container while concurrently securely closing the open end of the container so as to retain the beverage therein; and
when it is desired to cool and drink the beverage, adjustably moving the other end of the cartridge piercing mechanism toward the interior of the container so as to force the needle point of the cartridge piercing mechanism into the sealing membrane of the refrigerant cartridge and thereby release the refrigerant to cool the beverage in the container.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the needle point of the cartridge piercing mechanism is made of steel and the membrane closing the refrigerant cartridge is made of a soft metal.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of selecting decoupling capacitors for a packaged semiconductor chip, comprising:
grouping at least some chip leads on the packaged semiconductor chip into at least two regions;
for each of the regions, determining a first lead count for the chip leads in a first lead category in that region;
for each of the regions, determining a second lead count for the chip leads in a second lead category, if any, in that region;
for each of the regions, determining a third lead count for the chip leads in a third lead category, if any, in that region;
for each lead category in each of the regions, determining a total switching current for that lead category in that region based on the lead count for that lead category in that region;
for each lead category in each of the regions, determining a total decoupling capacitance value for that lead category in that region based on the total switching current for that lead category in that region, a maximum allowable voltage ripple selected for that lead category, and a voltage rise time selected for that lead category;
determining how many decoupling capacitors may be allocated to each of the regions;
for each of the regions, allocating a number of the decoupling capacitors for that region to each lead category;
for each lead category in each of the regions, dividing the total decoupling capacitance value for that lead category in that region by the number of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category in that region to obtain a desired individual capacitance value for each of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category in that region; and
for each lead category in each of the regions, selecting an actual decoupling capacitor for each of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category in that region, wherein each of the actual decoupling capacitors has an actual individual capacitance corresponding to the desired individual capacitance value for that allocated decoupling capacitor of that lead category in that region, and wherein each of the actual decoupling capacitors of that lead category has a self-resonance frequency selected based on an operating frequency of the chip leads in that lead category.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
selecting at least one bulk capacitor for at least one of the regions.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
for at least one of the regions, selecting a bulk capacitor having a bulk capacitance of about or greater than ten times the total decoupling capacitance value for that region.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first lead category comprises core supply voltage leads.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second lead category comprises a first group of inputoutput supply voltage leads.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the third lead category comprises a second group of inputoutput supply voltage leads, and wherein the third lead category has a different operating frequency than the second lead category.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the lead categories has a different operating frequency.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the lead categories have different supply voltage levels.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the lead categories have different switching current levels.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the total switching current is a total peak switching current.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected voltage rise time for each lead category is an estimated voltage rise time based on specifications for the packaged semiconductor chip.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected maximum allowable voltage ripple for each lead category is an estimated maximum allowable voltage ripple based on specifications for the packaged semiconductor chip.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected self-resonance frequency for the actual decoupling capacitors is about the same as the operating frequency of the chip leads in that lead category.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of chip leads yields a number of regions selected from a group consisting of two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual individual capacitance is about equal to or greater than the desired individual capacitance value for that allocated decoupling capacitor of that lead category in that region.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of chip leads into regions is based upon considering switching frequencies of the leads.
17. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising the method of claim 1.
18. A method of assembling a computer system comprising the method of claim 1.
19. A method of selecting decoupling capacitors for a packaged semiconductor chip, comprising:
grouping at least some chip leads on the packaged semiconductor chip into at least two regions;
determining a first lead count for the chip leads in a first lead category in a selected region;
determining a second lead count for the chip leads in a second lead category, if any, in the selected region;
for each lead category in the selected region, determining a total switching current for that lead category in the selected region based on the lead count for that lead category in the selected region;
for each lead category in the selected region, determining a total decoupling capacitance value for that lead category in the selected region based on the total switching current for that lead category in the selected region;
allocating a number of decoupling capacitors to each lead category of the selected region;
for each lead category in the selected region, dividing the total decoupling capacitance value for that lead category by the number of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category in the selected region to obtain a desired individual capacitance value for each of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category in the selected region; and
for each lead category in the selected region, selecting an actual decoupling capacitor for each of the decoupling capacitors allocated for that lead category, wherein each of the actual decoupling capacitors has an actual individual capacitance corresponding to the desired individual capacitance value for that allocated decoupling capacitor of that lead category in the selected region.
20. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising the method of claim 19.
21. A method of assembling a computer system comprising the method of claim 19.

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a driver’s seat contained in a cabin that accommodates in width only one person, said cabin being mounted on an inclinable chassis comprising a driver protection structure,
balancing means connected to said chassis for balancing the vehicle when cornering or when on a ground sloping relative to a horizontal direction, by simultaneous inclination of said chassis and of at least front wheels of said vehicle relative to the ground, said balancing means allowing said chassis and wheels to incline at an angle of inclination having a value different from an ideal inclination angle value, such that a resultant of forces as applied to the a center of gravity of said chassis passes between said wheels while maintaining vehicle balance,
means for locking said inclination when the vehicle is at rest or moving at reduced speed,
and means for limiting said inclination to a maximum value such that, on horizontal ground and at said maximum inclination, the vehicle at rest does not roll over.
2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balancing means comprise a servomechanism controlling said inclination of said chassis and wheels.
3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said servomechanism forms further said means for locking said inclination.
4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which said balancing means comprise means for varying, as a function of a speed of the vehicle, a force magnitude which the driver has to exert to bring about said inclination, said function being such that at low speeds the force is greater than at high speeds.
5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balancing means comprise a cam pivoted at one end to said chassis, and two damper springs, each having one end attached on one or other side of said chassis to one of axle arms while the other ends of said two damper springs are pivoted directly to the cam.
6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said springs are attached to either of said axle arms close to the respective wheel and pivoted to the cam in such a way that an axis of each of said damper springs is retained along a vertical direction.
7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balancing means comprise means for detecting a residual transverse acceleration to which the vehicle is subject and means for locking said inclination of said chassis as a function of said residual transverse acceleration in a direction of said residual transverse acceleration.
8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inclination limiting means comprise means for varying said maximum inclination as a function of a speed of the vehicle in such a way that at low speeds said maximum inclination is less than at high speeds.
9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising righting means for righting the vehicle if it is not in a vertical position.
10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means available to the driver for releasing on demand said inclination-locking means, thereby enabling the vehicle to be restored to a vertical position at rest.
11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, as equipped with at least one sliding door occupying less space around the vehicle when opened, avoiding the risk of vehicle roll-over.
12. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cabin comprises a front seat and a rear seat, one placed behind the other, to accommodate a driver in front and a passenger behind, each of the two seats having a horizontal squab and a seat back, and wherein the back of the driver’s seat pivots about an axis so that it can be placed against a body to enable said passenger to enter said rear seat.
13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a front seat and a rear seat, one placed behind the other, to accommodate a driver in front and a passenger behind, each of the two seats having a horizontal squab and a seat back, wherein the back of the rear seat can be moved translationally and placed against the back of the front seat if the passenger is not present, in order to free up more storage space in a rear of the vehicle.
14. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the back of the rear seat is advantageously fitted with a tray hinged to the rear of the seat back between a position in which it forms a floor for a luggage space covering said horizontal squab of the rear seat when the back of said rear seat is placed against the back of said front seat, and a position in which said tray is placed against the back of the seat back.
15. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said balancing means allows for inclination angles of said chassis and wheels that are less than said ideal inclination angle value.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising:
a charge accumulation unit configured to accumulate photoelectrically converted charges, the charge accumulation unit being formed on a silicon substrate;
a signal voltage detection unit configured to detect signal voltage corresponding to the charges accumulated in the charge accumulation unit, the signal voltage detection unit being formed on the silicon substrate;
a transfer transistor configured to transfer the charges accumulated in the charge accumulation unit to the signal voltage detection unit, the transfer transistor being formed on the silicon substrate; and
a pinning layer configured to pin a surface of the silicon substrate so that the surface is filled with electron holes, the pinning layer being formed directly on the silicon substrate at a gate end at which a gate electrode of the transfer transistor and the charge accumulation unit come into contact with each other on the silicon substrate.
2. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the charge accumulation unit is formed by having
an n-type semiconductor area formed in the silicon substrate so as to have a first depth, and
a p-type semiconductor area formed in the silicon substrate so as to have a second depth, the second depth being closer to the gate electrode than the first depth.
3. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the n-type semiconductor area is formed by injecting an n-type impurity ion on the silicon substrate, and
the p-type semiconductor area is formed of the pinning layer.
4. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the n-type impurity ion is injected on the silicon substrate after the gate electrode is formed on the silicon substrate.
5. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising
a side wall that covers the gate electrode, wherein
the p-type semiconductor area is formed by injecting an n-type impurity ion on the silicon substrate after the side wall is formed on the silicon substrate.
6. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the pinning layer includes one of a hafnium (Hf)-based insulating film and an aluminum (Al)-based insulating film.
7. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the pinning layer is formed directly on the silicon substrate at the gate end and on a side surface of the gate electrode.
8. The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a side wall that covers the gate electrode, wherein
the pinning layer is formed directly on the silicon substrate and on a side surface of the gate electrode, under the side wall having the gate end.
9. An electronic apparatus, comprising
a solid-state imaging apparatus, including
a charge accumulation unit configured to accumulate photoelectrically converted charges, the charge accumulation unit being formed on a silicon substrate;
a signal voltage detection unit configured to detect signal voltage corresponding to the charges accumulated in the charge accumulation unit, the signal voltage detection unit being formed on the silicon substrate;
a transfer transistor configured to transfer the charges accumulated in the charge accumulation unit to the signal voltage detection unit, the transfer transistor being formed on the silicon substrate; and
a pinning layer configured to pin a surface of the silicon substrate so that the surface is filled with electron holes, the pinning layer being formed directly on the silicon substrate at a gate end at which a gate electrode of the transfer transistor and the charge accumulation unit come into contact with each other on the silicon substrate.