Abstract: Unitary void-maintaining geocomposites, and drainage systems utilizing those geocomposites, are provided for location below a road surface or below a large structure such as a building, retaining wall or parking lot. In some embodiments, the geocomposites include at least one fluid-transmissible layer, preferably a geotextile, attached adjacent an upper or lower surface, or both surfaces, of a polymer-based core element. In other embodiments, the core element is constructed such that no geotextile layer is needed. Characteristic of the core element is high transmissivity, that is, a high rate of horizontal flow of gases or liquids through the core. Characteristic of the at least one fluid-transmissible layer is high permittivity, that is, a high rate of vertical transmission of liquids and gases through the geotextile layer and into the core element. Also characteristic of fluid-transmissible layers of the invention is high exclusivity with respect to solid materials.

Abstract: A woven or non-woven screen mesh disc impregnated at spaced locations along its circumference with a dose of powdered medicament. The disc is selectively indexed so as to present the impregnated doses of medicament seriatim between a pair of holes in an upper and lower pressure plate in an inhalator. Air is forced through the holes in the pressure plates and the encapsulated screen mesh to entrain a dose of the powdered medicament, which is then inhaled through a mouthpiece, by the patient-user. Because the powdered medicament is impregnated into the screen mesh, the air impinging upon the mesh and the powdered medicament will cause the medicament to break up as it is pressed up against and passed through the mesh infrastructure to aerosol or atomize the same so that the medicament is presented in appropriate particle sizes for maximum benefit when inhaled.

Abstract: A carrier impregnated at spaced locations along its circumference with a dose of powdered medicament. The carrier is selectively indexed so as to present the impregnated doses of medicament seriatim between a pair of holes in an upper and lower pressure plate in an inhalator. Air is forced through the holes in the pressure plates and the encapsulated dose on the carrier to entrain a dose of the powdered medicament, which is then inhaled through a mouthpiece, by the patient-user. The powdered medicament is embedded in and across interstices in the carrier formed by intersecting and sometimes offset depressions on each surface of the carrier, providing corners and surfaces to cause the medicament entrained in the air stream to break up as it is pressed up against and passed through the carrier infrastructure to aerosol or atomize the same so that the medicament is presented in appropriate particle sizes for maximum benefit when inhaled.

Abstract: A dry powder inhalator for delivering a precise dose of a medicament contains a mesh disc impregnated with a series of spaced, medicament doses about the disc periphery. The inhalator is armed by manually retracting a finger pull extending downwardly from the bottom of the inhalator housing or rotating the bottom of the housing. The user inserts a mouthpiece on the housing into the mouth and inhales. This causes a chamber in the housing under a diaphragm to evacuate, thereby pulling the diaphragm down onto a knock out lever. The pivoting of the lever enables release of a piston into a cylinder which first compresses, and then dispenses a reduced volume of air at high pressure in a burst up through the medicament disc. When the burst of air hits the impregnated disc, the dose is forced out of the mesh's interstices, producing a cloud of the drug in its powdered form, which is inhaled by the user.

Abstract: Movement of the cover relative to the housing spring loads and latches a piston carrier in the armed position. Inhalation causes a passageway door to open, releasing the carrier latch to permit the carrier to be moved toward the canister by the spring. The piston moves with the carrier, due to a fluid connection therebetween, applying a compression force on the spring loaded canister valve stem and causing it to dispense the inhalant through an opening in the piston which functions as a nozzle. After the inhalant is dispensed, the carrier fluid vents permitting the spring of the canister valve stem to move the piston relative to the carrier, and thus release the force applied to the valve stem by the piston. The sensitivity of the toggle linkage between the door and the carrier latch is adjustable. The linkage can be manually tripped for testing purposes.

Abstract: A safety box having a cover slidably receiving a tray. Vertical and horizontal rails are provided on the interior of the sidewalls of the cover which cooperate with laterally extending lugs on the sidewalls of the tray to preclude movement of the tray relative to the cover unless the cover is bowed by utilizing a vertical force to it to flare the vertical rails away from the lugs, enabling the tray to slide relative to the cover without interference of the lugs with the vertical rails. The horizontal rails contact the lugs and retard sliding movement of the tray relative to the cover when the box is opened to keep the tray and cover assembled. Lateral flanges are also provided on the cover for frictional engagement with the bottom of a track on the tray to impede flexing of the cover unless a substantial force is applied to the cover.

Abstract: Upon inhalation of air from the interior of a housing, a flexible diaphragm-type valve exposed to the ambient air surrounding the housing is moved inwardly due to the difference in ambient air pressure to that in the housing to expose the interior of the housing to the ambient air which is then drawn into the housing. Upon movement of the valve, it strikes a lever connected to a toggle linkage arrangement, causing the lever to pivot to break the toggle linkage, enabling a coil spring to extend and move a dispensing nozzle into contact with the valve stem of a medicant-containing, aerosol valve actuated, bottle. The valve stem is urged upwardly by the nozzle and moved into the interior of the bottle dispensing a dose of the medicant to be mixed with the inhaled air, which is inhaled by the user.

Abstract: Upon inhalation of air from the interior of a housing, a flexible diaphragm-type valve exposed to the ambient air surrounding the housing is moved inwardly due to the difference in ambient air pressure to that in the housing to expose the interior of the housing to the ambient air which is then drawn into the housing. Upon movement of the valve, it strikes a lever connected to a toggle linkage arrangement, causing the lever to pivot to break the toggle linkage, enabling a coil spring to extend and move downwardly a medicant-containing bottle relative to the valve stem of an aerosol valve. The valve stem is urged upwardly relative to a nozzle and moved into the interior of the bottle dispensing a metered dose of the medicant to be mixed with the inhaled air, which is inhaled by the user until the valve automatically closes by extension of the valve stem relative to the nozzle.

Abstract: A perforated panel hook construction having a hinged, fold-over locking flap extending downwardly from a free end thereof. The flap is provided with a peg adapted to be inserted in a hole in a perforated panel in interfering engagement with a mounting pin for the hook to firmly secure and lock the hook in place on the perforated panel.