All The Claims

1. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit die with a wirebonded wire, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate, an active device in or over said semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect metal layer over said semiconductor substrate, an intermetal dielectric layer over said first interconnect metal layer, a second interconnect metal layer over said intermetal dielectric layer, and a passivation layer over said second interconnect metal layer, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer exposes a first pad of said second interconnect metal layer;
forming a second pad over said semiconductor substrate, wherein said second pad is connected to said first pad through said first opening in said passivation layer, and wherein said forming said second pad comprises forming a gluebarrier layer over said first pad and over said passivation layer, forming a seed layer on said gluebarrier layer, forming a photoresist layer on said seed layer, wherein a second opening in said photoresist layer exposes said seed layer, electroplating a copper layer on said seed layer exposed by said second opening in said photoresist layer, wherein said copper layer has a thickness greater than 1 micrometer, electroplating a nickel layer on said copper layer in said second opening, wherein said nickel layer has a thickness greater than 0.5 micrometer, electroless plating a gold layer on said nickel layer in said second opening, wherein said gold layer has a thickness greater than 0.1 micrometer, after said electroless plating said gold layer, removing said photoresist layer, etching said seed layer not under said gold layer, and etching said gluebarrier layer not under said gold layer; and
wirebonding said wirebonded wire to said second pad, wherein a contact area between said second pad and said wirebonded wire is directly over said active device.
2. The method of claim 1, after said providing said semiconductor substrate, further comprising forming a polymer layer on said passivation layer, followed by said forming said second pad on said polymer layer.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises sputtering a titanium-containing layer over said first pad and over said passivation layer.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises sputtering a chromium-containing layer over said first pad and over said passivation layer.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first opening has a width between 40 \u03bcm and 100 \u03bcm.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises a sputtering process.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said seed layer comprises a sputtering process.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer and an oxide layer.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said seed layer comprises copper.
10. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit die with a wirebonded wire, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate, an active device in or over said semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect metal layer over said semiconductor substrate, an intermetal dielectric layer over said first interconnect metal layer, a second interconnect metal layer over said intermetal dielectric layer, and a passivation layer over said second interconnect metal layer, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer exposes a first pad of said second interconnect metal layer;
forming a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises depositing a photosensitive polymer on said passivation layer;
forming a second opening in said polymer layer, wherein said second opening exposes said first pad;
forming a second pad over said polymer layer, wherein said second pad is connected to said first pad through said second opening and said first opening, and wherein said forming said second pad comprises forming a gluebarrier layer over said first pad and over said polymer layer, forming a seed layer on said gluebarrier layer, forming a photoresist layer on said seed layer, wherein a third opening in said photoresist layer exposes said seed layer, electroplating a copper layer on said seed layer exposed by said third opening, wherein said copper layer has a thickness greater than 1 micrometer, electroplating a nickel layer on said copper layer in said third opening, wherein said nickel layer has a thickness greater than 0.5 micrometer, electroless a gold layer on said nickel layer in said third opening, wherein said gold layer has a thickness greater than 0.1 micrometer, after said electroless plating said gold layer, removing said photoresist layer, etching said seed layer not under said gold layer, and etching said gluebarrier layer not under said gold layer; and
wirebonding said wirebonded wire to said second pad, wherein a contact area between said second pad and said wirebonded wire is directly over said active device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said passivation layer comprises a nitride layer and an oxide layer.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises forming a polyimide layer on said passivation layer.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises forming a benzocyclobutene (BCB) layer on said passivation layer.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises a sputtering process.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said seed layer comprises a sputtering process.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises a spin-coating process.
17. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises sputtering a titanium-containing layer over said first pad and over said polymer layer.
18. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises sputtering a chromium-containing layer over said first pad and over said polymer layer.
19. The method of claim 10, wherein said seed layer comprises copper.
20. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit die with a wirebonded wire, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate, an active device in or over said semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect metal layer over said semiconductor substrate, an intermetal dielectric layer over said first interconnect metal layer, a second interconnect metal layer over said intermetal dielectric layer, and a passivation layer over said second interconnect metal layer, wherein a first opening in said passivation layer exposes a first pad of said second interconnect metal layer, and wherein said passivation layer comprises an oxide layer and a nitride layer wherein said nitride layer is over said oxide layer;
forming a polymer layer on said passivation layer, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises depositing a photosensitive polymer on said passivation layer;
forming a second opening in said polymer layer, wherein said second opening exposes said first pad;
forming a second pad over said polymer layer, wherein said second pad is connected to said first pad through said second opening and said first opening, and wherein said forming said second pad comprises forming a gluebarrier layer over said first pad and over said polymer layer, forming a first copper layer on said gluebarrier layer, electroplating a second copper layer on said first copper layer, wherein said second copper layer has a thickness greater than 1 micrometer, electroplating a nickel layer on said second copper layer, wherein said nickel layer has a thickness greater than 0.5 micrometer, forming a gold layer on said nickel layer, wherein said gold layer has a thickness greater than 0.1 micrometer, etching said first copper layer not under said gold layer, and etching said gluebarrier layer not under said gold layer; and
wirebonding said wirebonded wire to said second pad, wherein a contact area between said second pad and said wirebonded wire is directly over said active device, wherein the position of said contact area from a top view is different from that of said first pad.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises forming a polyimide layer on said passivation layer.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises forming a benzocyclobutene (BCB) layer on said passivation layer.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein said forming said polymer layer comprises a spin-coating process.
24. The method of claim 20, wherein said forming said gluebarrier layer comprises a sputtering process.
25. The method of claim 20, wherein said forming said first copper layer comprises a sputtering process.

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 valve in which a valve disc and a valve seat are brought into close contact via an annular sealing member composed of an elastic material and provided at said valve disc or said valve seat, wherein
the valve is substantially circular in structure about the central axis;
said valve disc comprises a first surface that is orthogonal to the central axis facing said valve seat and a first peripheral surface connected to said first surface,
said valve seat comprises a second surface that is orthogonal to the central axis facing said first surface and an annular protrusion protruding from said second surface toward said first peripheral surface in a position facing said first peripheral surface,
the annular protrusion has a second peripheral surface that is connected to the second surface and is configured to face the first peripheral surface,
the first peripheral surface is composed of a tapered peripheral surface,
the second peripheral surface is composed of an inversely tapered peripheral surface,
said sealing member is provided at one of said first surface and said second surface and configured so that said sealing member can be brought into close contact with the other of said first surface and said second surface,
the sealing member is positioned radially inward of the tapered peripheral surface and the inversely tapered peripheral surface in the direction of the central axis of the valve and is wholly integrated into the first or second surface,
the sealing member is positioned at a downstream side from the tapered peripheral surface and inversely tapered peripheral surface in a flow direction of fluid, and
a flow passage between said first peripheral surface and said annular protrusion comprises a flow passage that is set to have a cross section area that is preferentially reduced with respect to that of a flow passage between said first surface and said second surface during the closing of the valve.
2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein in said flow passage that is set to have a reduced cross section area, the ratio of reduction of the cross section area that follows the closing operation of said valve disc is larger than that in the flow passage between said first surface and said second surface.
3. The valve according to claim 1, wherein
said annular protrusion has a second peripheral surface that is connected to said second surface and can face said first peripheral surface; and
said flow passage that is set to have a reduced cross section area is at least part of the flow passage between said first peripheral surface and said second peripheral surface.
4. The valve according to claim 3, wherein said
first peripheral surface is composed of the tapered peripheral surface,
and said second peripheral surface is composed of the inversely tapered peripheral surface inclined toward said valve disc.
5. The valve according to claim 4, wherein the relationship R1<R2 is satisfied, where R1 stands for a distance to the crossing section of said first surface and said tapered peripheral surface and R2 stands for a distance to the crossing section of said second surface and said inversely tapered peripheral surface.
6. The valve according to claim 4, wherein the relationship \u03b81>\u03b82 is satisfied, where \u03b81 stands for an inclination angle of said tapered peripheral surface with respect to the axis center of said valve disc and \u03b82 stands for an inclination angle of said inversely tapered peripheral surface with respect to the axis center of said valve disc.
7. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the relationship H3<H4 is satisfied, where H3 stands for a distance between said first peripheral surface and said annular protrusion and H4 stands for a distance between said first surface and said second surface.
8. The valve according to claim 7, wherein the reduction ratio of H3 is set to become higher than the reduction ratio of H4 during closing operation of said valve disc.
9. The valve according to claim 1, wherein
said annular protrusion has a second peripheral surface that is connected to said second surface and can face said first peripheral surface, and
an annular surface connected to said second peripheral surface and parallel to said second surface.
10. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said first surface and said second surface are parallel to each other.
11. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said sealing member protrudes from one of said first surface and said second surface toward the other.
12. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the flow direction of fluid that passes said throttle section is configured to comply with the closing direction of the valve disc.
13. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the tapered peripheral surface maintains a first substantially constant angle relative to a closing direction of the valve, and the inversely tapered peripheral surface maintains a second substantially constant angle relative to the closing direction.
14. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member protrudes from the valve disk or the valve seat.
15. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve is an electromagnetic valve.
16. The valve according to claim 1, wherein fluid flows from a position that is radially outward toward a position that is radially inward with respect to the central axis.

What is claimed is:

1. A sound-making device comprising a sounding support including an elongate floor portion having a pair of margins defining width of said floor portion and further including a pair of wall portions extending from said margins respectively and terminating in edges respectively, an air passage defined between said wall portions, and a reed disposed to vibrate against said edges to produce sounds as air passes through said air passage.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a game call.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein each of said wall portions is generally uniformly thin.
4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said reed extends width-wise beyond both of said wall portions.
5. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a housing, said reed having an end portion which is secured in said housing at a position which is raised above said edges of said sounding support wall portions.
6. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a generally tubular housing which has a pair of end portions, the call further comprising a generally tubular mouthpiece extending from one of said housing end portions, each of said sounding support and said reed having an end portion secured in said housing, and said sounding support and said reed extending from said respective end portion into said mouthpiece.
7. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a generally tubular housing, said sounding support further including a semi-cylindrical end portion, and the device further comprising a semi-cylindrical wedge which is shaped to mate with said sounding support end portion to wedgingly secure said sounding support end portion within said housing, and said reed having an end portion which is received between said wedge and said sounding support end portion.
8. A sound-making device comprising a sounding support including an elongate floor portion and a pair of generally uniformly thin wall portions extending from said floor portion and terminating in edges respectively, an air passage defined between said wall portions, and a reed disposed to vibrate against said edges to produce sounds as air passes through said air passage.
9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the device is a game call.
10. A device according to claim 8 wherein said reed extends width-wise beyond both of said wall portions.
11. A device according to claim 8 further comprising a housing, said reed having an end portion which is secured in said housing at a position which is raised above said edges of said sounding support wall portions.
12. A device according to claim 8 further comprising a generally tubular housing which has a pair of end portions, the call further comprising a generally tubular mouthpiece attached to and extending from one of said housing end portions, each of said sounding support and said reed having an end portion secured in said housing, and said sounding support and said reed extending from said respective end portion into said mouthpiece.
13. A sound-making device comprising a housing, a sounding support having a first portion which is secured in said housing and a second portion which extends from said first portion, an air passage, and a reed having an end portion which is secured in said housing, said reed disposed relative to said air passage to vibrate against said second portion of said sounding support to produce sounds, said reed end portion being secured in said housing at a position which is raised above said second portion of said sounding support.
14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the device is a game call.
15. A device according to claim 13 wherein said position is raised above said second portion a distance of at least about 0.005 inch.
16. A device according to claim 13 wherein said sounding support second portion includes a pair of wall portions which terminate in edges against which said reed vibrates.
17. A sound-making device comprising a housing having a passage therethrough for air passage through the call, a sounding support having a first portion secured in said housing passage and a second portion which extends from said first portion, a reed having an end portion which is secured in said housing and a portion which is disposed relative to said air passage to vibrate against said sounding support to produce sounds, said first portion of said sounding support have surface upon which said end portion of said reed is received, and said second portion of said sounding support being disposed below said surface.
18. A device according to claim 17 wherein the device is a game call.
19. A device according to claim 17 wherein said sounding support second portion is disposed below said surface a distance of at least about 0.005 inch.
20. A device according to claim 17 wherein said housing is generally tubular and has a pair of end portions, the call further comprising a generally tubular mouthpiece extending from one of said housing end portions, said second portion of said sounding support and said reed vibratory portion extending into said mouthpiece.

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

That which is claimed is:

1. An expandable stent and delivery system comprising:
an elongated core member having proximal and distal sections;
a proximal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member;
an intermediate cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member and generally positioned on said core member distally from said proximal cylindrical member and spaced apart from said proximal cylindrical member to form a first gap having a longitudinal length;
a distal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member and generally positioned on said core member distally from said intermediate cylindrical member and spaced apart from said intermediate cylindrical member to form a second gap having a longitudinal length;
an expandable stent having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis, said stent including at least one proximal leg taking the form of an elongated projection and extending proximally from the proximal end of said stent, said stent also including at least one distal leg taking the form of an elongated projection extending distally from the distal end of said stent, said stent further including at least one anchor member attached to said proximal leg and taking the form of an extension having a longitudinal length less than the longitudinal length of said first gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent, said stent also including at least one anchor member attached to said distal leg and taking the form of an extension having a longitudinal length less than the longitudinal length of said second gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent, said stent mounted on said intermediate cylindrical member and positioned such that said anchor members interlock within said gaps; and
a deployment catheter having a lumen extending therethrough and disposed about said core member such that said deployment catheter constrains said expandable stent about said intermediate cylindrical member causing said anchor members to be maintained in said gaps and thereby causing said stent to be interlocked onto said core member.
2. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said intermediate cylindrical member takes the form of a flexible cylindrical sleeve having proximal and distal ends.
3. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 2, wherein said flexible cylindrical sleeve includes reinforcement members taking the form of rings and located at the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve such that said reinforcement members resist deformation of the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve.
4. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said elongated core member is tapered such that the proximal section of said core member has a diameter which allows said core member to be pushed through a blood vessel and the distal section of said core member has a diameter less than the diameter of the proximal section of said core member.
5. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said expandable stent includes two proximal legs taking the form of elongated projections and extending proximally from the proximal end of said stent.
6. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 5, wherein said expandable stent includes two anchor members attached to said proximal legs and taking the form of extensions having longitudinal lengths less than the longitudinal length of said first gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent.
7. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said expandable stent includes two distal legs taking the form of elongated projections and extending distally from the distal end of said stent.
8. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 7, wherein said expandable stent includes two anchor members attached to said distal legs and taking the form of extensions having longitudinal lengths less than the longitudinal length of said second gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent.
9. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said proximal cylindrical member takes the form of a flexible coil.
10. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 1, wherein said distal cylindrical member takes the form of a flexible coil.
11. An expandable stent and delivery system comprising:
an elongated core member having proximal and distal sections;
a proximal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member;
a distal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member and generally positioned on said core member distally from said proximal cylindrical member and spaced apart from said proximal cylindrical member to form a gap having a longitudinal length;
an expandable stent having a longitudinal axis, said stent including an anchor member attached to said stent and taking the form of an extension having a longitudinal length less than the longitudinal length of said gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent, said stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member and positioned such that said anchor member interlocks within said gap; and
a deployment catheter having a lumen extending therethrough and disposed about said core member such that said deployment catheter constrains said expandable stent about at least one cylindrical member causing said anchor member to be maintained in said gap and thereby causing said stent to be interlocked onto said core member.
12. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one cylindrical member takes the form of a flexible cylindrical sleeve having proximal and distal ends.
13. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 12, wherein at least one flexible cylindrical sleeve includes reinforcement members taking the form of rings and located at the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve such that said reinforcement members resist deformation of the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve.
14. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 11, wherein said elongated core member is tapered such that the proximal section of said core member has a diameter which allows said core member to be pushed through a blood vessel and the distal section of said core member has a diameter less than the diameter of the proximal section of said core member.
15. An expandable stent and delivery system comprising:
an elongated core member having proximal and distal sections;
a proximal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member;
a distal cylindrical member disposed about the distal section of said core member and generally positioned on said core member distally from said proximal cylindrical member and spaced apart from said proximal cylindrical member to form a gap having a longitudinal length;
an expandable stent having a longitudinal axis, said stent including an anchor member attached to said stent and taking the form of an extension having a longitudinal length approximately equal to the longitudinal length of said gap and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent, said stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member and positioned such that said anchor member interlocks within said gap; and,
a deployment catheter having a lumen extending therethrough and disposed about said core member such that said deployment catheter constrains said expandable stent about at least one cylindrical member causing said anchor member to be maintained in said gap and thereby causing said stent to be interlocked onto said core member.
16. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 15, wherein at least one cylindrical member takes the form of a flexible cylindrical sleeve having proximal and distal ends.
17. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 16, wherein at least one flexible cylindrical sleeve includes reinforcement members taking the form of rings and located at the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve such that said reinforcement members resist deformation of the proximal and distal ends of said cylindrical sleeve.
18. An expandable stent and delivery system as defined in claim 15, wherein said elongated core member is tapered such that the proximal section of said core member has a diameter which allows said core member to be pushed through a blood vessel and the distal section of said core member has a diameter less than the diameter of the proximal section of said core member.
19. An expandable stent and delivery system comprising:
an elongated core member having proximal and distal sections;
a plurality of cylindrical members disposed about the distal section of said core member and spaced apart to form a plurality of gaps each having a longitudinal length;
an expandable stent having a longitudinal axis, said stent including a plurality of anchor members attached to said stent and taking the form of extensions having a longitudinal length less than the longitudinal length of said gaps and inwardly projected in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of said stent, said stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member and positioned such that said anchor members interlock within said gaps; and,
a deployment catheter having a lumen extending therethrough and disposed about said core member such that said deployment catheter constrains said expandable stent about at least one cylindrical member causing said anchor members to be maintained in said gaps and thereby causing said stent to be interlocked onto said core member.
20. A method for deploying an expandable stent within a blood vessel to enhance luminal dilation of the blood vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an expandable stent and delivery system, said expandable stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member along a core member of said delivery system, said stent having at least one anchor member interlocked within at least one gap along said core member, said gap formed by spaces between a plurality of cylindrical members disposed on said core member, said delivery system including a deployment catheter disposed about said stent maintaining said stent in a constrained configuration;
inserting said expandable stent and delivery system into a blood vessel;
positioning said expandable stent adjacent to a blockage area within said vessel;
moving said deployment catheter proximally allowing said stent to begin expanding within said vessel;
further moving said deployment catheter proximally allowing said stent to fully deploy causing said vessel to increase luminal dilation; and,
removing said delivery system from said blood vessel.
21. A method for deploying an expandable stent within a blood vessel to treat an aneurysm, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an expandable stent and delivery system, said expandable stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member along a core member of said delivery system, said stent having at least one anchor member interlocked within at least one gap along said core member, said gap formed by spaces between a plurality of cylindrical members disposed on said core member, said delivery system including a deployment catheter disposed about said stent maintaining said stent in a constrained configuration;
inserting said expandable stent and delivery system into a blood vessel;
positioning said expandable stent adjacent to an aneurysm;
moving said deployment catheter proximally allowing said stent to begin expanding within said vessel;
further moving said deployment catheter proximally allowing said stent to fully deploy causing said aneurysm to be covered by said stent; and,
removing said delivery system from said blood vessel.
22. A method for resheathing an expandable stent within a blood vessel, said method comprising the steps of:
providing an expandable stent and delivery system, said expandable stent mounted on at least one cylindrical member along a core member of said delivery system, said stent having at least one anchor member interlocked within at least one gap along said core member, said gap formed by spaces between a plurality of cylindrical members disposed on said core member, said delivery system including a deployment catheter disposed about said stent maintaining said stent in a constrained configuration;
inserting said expandable stent and delivery system into a blood vessel;
positioning said expandable stent adjacent to a blockage area within said vessel;
moving said deployment catheter proximally allowing said stent to begin expanding within said vessel; and,
moving said deployment catheter distally forcing said stent back onto said cylindrical member of said delivery system; and,
relocating said expandable stent and delivery system.