Abstract: A smoke-barrier device for under-door gaps is taught. A basic barrier comprises a unit of expandable/compressible material covered by one end of a length of fire-resistant and smoke and gas impermeable material, and is sized to completely seal the mandated gap beneath doors in the event of a fire. Another style includes magnetic material on the other end of the length of fire-resistant, moisture and gas impermeable material to further adhere the barrier to a metal door. Intumescent material may be fixed on the central part of the length of fire-resistant, moisture and gas impermeable material. The device is sized to fit commercial and private doors spaces and is offered in a kit including tape to place about top and sides openings of a door, luminescent tape to be placed on a window in the room, and a flashlight of various styles. The fire-resistant material may also be water impermeable.

Abstract: Two-sided and two-sided mirrored fire barriers having each of their two sides tested, rated, and certified for use in common spaces, such as spaces shared between two rooms are taught. Two-sided barriers require only one barrier and one installation, instead of the two presently needed. Two-sided barriers may have different construction and composition on each side; whereas each side of a mirrored fire barrier is a mirror image of the other. All two-sided barriers include top-mounted, bottom-mounted, and side-mounted barriers, gas and moisture impermeable barriers, and barriers shaped to fit into the expansion joint spaces created when a plurality of expansion joints intersect. The barriers are disposed to various sizes, lengths, widths, and depths, in addition to variations in shape, content, number and composition of layers, materials, and attachment means required to accommodate the variety of sizes and shapes of expansion-joint spaces and the desired rating, in terms of hours.

Abstract: Multi-directional, one-piece, tested and rated, inside-mount fire barriers requiring no splicing to fit into expansion joint corner-type spaces are presented. Accompanying low-cost, re-useable, size-adjustable installation tools designed for one-step, drop-in, installation of each style barrier, are also taught. To insure a tight-fit between each installed barrier and the building units forming the joint space, spreader press-fit tools which, if desired, may serve as fire barriers covers are taught. Described herein is a barrier that needs no splicing to be installed into a T-shaped joint space that is created by the convergence of three building structures. The present invention contemplates inside-mounted, one-piece barriers shaped to fit cross-shaped and various L-shaped expansion spaces. L-shaped fire barriers include barriers having a horizontal and a vertical arm that can occur in various configurations and barriers having two horizontal arms.

Abstract: Fire-barriers systems, including pre-assembled intersection and straight-line fire-barriers having either male-coupling ends, female-coupling ends or both types provide for the elimination of on-site cutting and construction for easy, rapid, and safe one-step, drop-in installation and coupling. Both the intersection and straight-line fire-barriers are constructed as single-piece continuous units for use in intersection spaces formed by intersection of expansion-joint-spaces and in straight-line architectural expansion-joint-spaces to prevent migration of gases, flame, and smoke throughout a building. Indirect attachment of the layers to each other and to their solid support brackets provides for no continuous opening throughout the barriers preventing passage of smoke, fire, and gases therethrough. Each style barrier is provided with an optional one-step, one-person, drop-in, reusable, width adjustable installation tool.

Abstract: Multi-layered, fire-barriers each sized and shaped for installation into accepting intersection-spaces formed by the spaced-intersection of at least two expansion-joint spaces that occur between two adjacent spaced structural building units, each of said expansion-joint spaces defined by a plane, said plane defined by a set of three non-colinear points with each point defined by a set of x, y, z coordinates from the same coordinate system with no two of said coordinate sets being identical. The fire-barriers are shaped for use in 2-way planar, L-shaped expansion-joint spaces, T-shaped, cross-shaped, V-shaped, and vertical/horizontal L-shaped corner expansion-joint spaces, for example, and may comprise at least one layer of: protective cloth, insulating blanket, intumescent material, and mechanically supporting layer.

Abstract: A method of forming CMOS circuitry integrated with MEMS devices includes bonding a wafer to a top surface layer having contacts formed to CMOS circuitry. A handle wafer is then removed from one of the top or bottom surfaces of the CMOS circuitry, and MEMS devices are formed in a remaining silicon layer.

Abstract: A preferred example of a pre-assembled, moisture, water, and gas impermeable fire-barrier system for use in expansion-joint spaces includes a fire-barrier having a first multi-layer of outermost protective cloth layer overlain by an insulation blanket overlain by stainless steel foil, a second multi-layer, overlaying and fixedly attached to the first multi-layer, containing an insulation blanket, overlain by a limited layer of intumescent material, overlain by impermeable silicon cloth to completely or partially surround the barrier, and a first attachment apparatus for attaching a first long edge of the fire-barrier to a building unit and a second attachment apparatus for attaching the opposing second long edge to an opposing spaced building unit, which attachment apparatus may be fixedly attached to the barrier, and where the barrier system may be fitted with a drain aperture and a drainage hose emanating from the aperture, the hose protected from the heat of a fire.

Abstract: A preferred example of a pre-assembled, impermeable fire-barrier system for use in expansion-joint spaces between spaced building units includes a fire-barrier having a first multi-layer of outermost protective cloth layer overlain by an insulation blanket overlain by stainless steel foil, a second multi-layer, overlaying and fixedly attached to the first multi-layer, containing an insulation blanket overlain by impermeable silicon cloth, overlain by a limited layer of intumescent material, and a first attachment apparatus for attaching a first long edge of the fire-barrier to a building unit and a second attachment apparatus for attaching the opposing second long edge to an opposing spaced building unit, which attachment apparatus may be fixedly attached to the barrier, and where the barrier system is fitted throughout with a drain aperture and an drainage hose emanating from the aperture, the hose protected from the heat of a fire.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Malaria antigen-carrier conjugate, which comprises a carrier protein and a plurality of Plasmodium antigen polypeptides. Each of the antigen polypeptides is a wild-type antigen protein of Plasmodium or a derivative of the wild-type antigen protein, and each of the antigen polypeptides may be the same, or different. The plurality of Plasmodium antigen polypeptides are covalently linked to the carrier protein. The present invention further provides a vaccine against malaria, which comprises the conjugate absorbed on an aluminum adjuvant.

Abstract: Bottom mounted (anchored) fire barrier systems include UL 2079 and ASTM 1399 tested and certified fire barrier/retainer structures, especially useful for floor/floor, wall/floor, and wall/wall expansion joint spaces formed by spaced opposing pre-cast concrete building units of 4½ inches thickness. The use of this system in structures using pre-cast building units provides room for installation of mandated rubber boots into the limited expansion joint space. Each fire barrier has affixed to its outside long edges a metal retainer that is structured for holding the barrier correctly and tightly positioned to the building unit surfaces first for secure and tight anchoring and then for providing support for the barrier to prevent leakage of gas, flame, smoke, and heat during a fire. Providing for ease of installation there is a reusable installation tool, an optional guard unit, male/female connections between barrier sections, and a splice connector butt to connections.

Abstract: Multi-directional, one-piece, tested and rated, inside-mount fire barriers requiring no splicing to fit into expansion joint corner-type spaces are presented. Accompanying low-cost, re-useable, size-adjustable installation tools designed for one-step, drop-in, installation of each style barrier, are also taught. To insure a tight-fit between each installed barrier and the building units forming the joint space, spreader press-fit tools which, if desired, may serve as fire barriers covers are taught. Described herein is a barrier that needs no splicing to be installed into a T-shaped joint space that is created by the convergence of three building structures. The present invention contemplates inside-mounted, one-piece barriers shaped to fit cross-shaped and various L-shaped expansion spaces. L-shaped fire barriers include barriers having a horizontal and a vertical arm that can occur in various configurations and barriers having two horizontal arms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diffusion resistor that is formed in the substrate. A diffusion region is formed within the substrate that contains a first and second contact region. These contact regions extend downward from the surface of the substrate. A third contact is located within the diffusion region between the first and second contacts. This contact also extends downward from the surface of the substrate. These contacts are connected to metal layers. The first and second contacts form the two ends of the diffusion resistor. The third contact forms a Schottky diode such that application of a voltage to this contact forms a depletion region within the diffusion region. The depletion region changes in size depending on the voltage applied to the third contact to change the resistance of the depletion resistor.

Abstract: Multi-layered, multi-directional, multi-dimensional and planar fire barriers for use in flue-like spaces formed by angled intersections of architectural expansion joints comprise a plurality of fire resistant material layers. The fire barriers are shaped for use in 2-way planar L-shaped expansion joint spaces, T-shaped, cross-shaped, V-shaped, and vertical/horizontal L-shaped corner expansion joint spaces, for example. A fire barrier may comprise at least one mechanically supporting layer; at least one insulating layer, and at least one layer of intumescent material, wherein the insulating layer is disposed between the mechanical support layer and the intumescent layer and the layered barrier is protected by an underlying protective cloth.

Abstract: Multi-dimensional, multi-layered, fire barriers for use in multi-dimensional architectural expansion joints may comprise a plurality of fire resistant material layers and the method for making such barriers is taught. The layers comprising the fire barriers may be connected together by stitching with high temperature thread, by stapling, by pins and bolts, by adhesive, or by any other bonding method. The fire barriers may be designed, for example, for use in a corner junction expansion joint, in a “T”-shaped expansion joint, or in a 4-way expansion joint, for example. A fire barrier may comprise: at least one protective and mechanically supporting layer; at least one insulating layer, and at least one layer of intumescent material, wherein the insulating layer is disposed between the mechanical support layer and the intumescent layer. The fire barriers may be provided completely ready to install or ready to assemble, as desired.

Abstract: Multi-dimensional, multi-layered, fire barriers for use in multi-dimensional architectural expansion joints may comprise a plurality of fire resistant material layers and the method for making such barriers is taught. The layers comprising the fire barriers may be connected together by stitching with high temperature thread, by stapling, by pins and bolts, by adhesive, or by any other bonding method. The fire barriers may be designed, for example, for use in a corner junction expansion joint, in a “T”-shaped expansion joint, or in a 4-way expansion joint, for example. A fire barrier may comprise: at least one protective and mechanically supporting layer; at least one insulating layer, and at least one layer of intumescent material, wherein the insulating layer is disposed between the mechanical support layer and the intumescent layer. The fire barriers may be provided completely ready to install or ready to assemble, as desired.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diffusion resistor that is formed in the substrate. A diffusion region is formed within the substrate that contains first and second contact regions extending downward from the surface of the substrate. Third and fourth contacts are also located within the diffusion region between the first and second contacts and define a conduction channel therebetween. This contact also extends downward from the surface of the substrate. These contacts are connected to metal layers. The first and second contacts form the two ends of the diffusion resistor; the third and fourth contacts connect to N+p? diodes such that application of a voltage to these contacts forms respective depletion regions within the diffusion region. The depletion regions change in size depending on the voltage applied to their respective contact, thereby changing the resistance of the depletion resistor.

Abstract: Carrying bucket that can be converted to a support stand for an umbrella. A 5 and ½ gallon bucket having a rotatable handle can be used to carry supplies such as towels, food and beverages from one remote location such as an automobile parking lot to a beach location. At the beach location, the bucket is placed on a ground surface where an umbrella stand can be attached to the bucket so that the bucket functions as an above ground ballast anchor to support the umbrella in an upright position.

Abstract: A multiplierless IIR filter incorporates power-of-two coefficients to perform shift operations to reduce space and increase speed. To optimize performance, a genetic algorithm generates the power-of-two coefficients. The filter architecture includes shift registers to receive input samples and previous outputs. A shifter stage is employed to perform shift operations for the input samples and previous outputs based on corresponding power-of-two coefficients. Products are added by parallelism and sequential pipelining to produce an output.

Abstract: A modular fluid control system, comprising: a control module for receiving parallel electronic control signals as a plurality of data streams, the control module including a control unit configured to convert the data streams of the parallel electronic control signals to serial electronic control signals, each including a plurality of data pulses as control instruction signals, and an electrical connector; a plurality of valve modules, each valve module including at least one valve operable to control the flow of pressurized fluid; and a plurality of manifold modules connectable in series to the control module and connected to respective ones of the valve modules, each manifold module including a fluid supply conduit to provide a common manifold for receiving pressurized fluid, first and second electrical connectors for connection with ones of the connectors of adjacent manifold modules and the connector of the control module to provide an electrical bus for transmission of the serial control signals and powe

Abstract: A modular fluid control system, comprising: a control module for receiving parallel electronic control signals as a plurality of data streams, the control module including a control unit configured to convert the data streams of the parallel electronic control signals to serial electronic control signals, each including a plurality of data pulses as control instruction signals, and an electrical connector; a plurality of valve modules, each valve module including at least one valve operable to control the flow of pressurised fluid; and a plurality of manifold modules connectable in series to the control module and connected to respective ones of the valve modules, each manifold module including a fluid supply conduit to provide a common manifold for receiving pressurised fluid, first and second electrical connectors for connection with ones of the connectors of adjacent manifold modules and the connector of the control module to provide an electrical bus for transmission of the serial control signals and powe