Abstract: An organohydridosiloxane polymer having a cage conformation, between approximately 0.1 to 40 mole percent carbon-containing substituent, and a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0 is disclosed. Each silicon atom of the cage polymer is bonded to at least three oxygen atoms and to either a hydrogen atom or an organic substituent. By providing such a caged structure having essentially no hydroxyl or alkoxy substituents, either on the polymer backbone or at terminal silicon atoms, essentially no chain lengthening polymerization can occur in solution. Such organohydridosiloxane resins having a molecular weight in the range from about 400 to about 200,000 atomic mass units were formed using a dual phase solvent system and either a solid phase or a phase transfer catalyst to assist the condensation of hydridotrihalosilane with at least one organotrihalosilane.

Abstract: A bidirectional current blocking switch is disclosed. The switch includes a four-terminal MOSFET in which there is no source-body short. The voltages applied to the source and drain terminals are both higher than the voltage applied to the body terminal (for an N-channel) device so that the source-body and drain-body junction of the MOSFET never become forward-biased. The switch of this invention is particularly useful for switching a cascaded set of batteries in a portable computer.

Abstract: A reusable, evacuable enclosure comprising a bag with an opening in which to place compressible articles, such as clothing or linen, and a one-way valve in a surface of the bag. Compressible articles may be placed in the bag and sealed from the surrounding environment by placing a seal across the opening. The excess air in the bag may then be removed by placing a cylindrical attachment of a household vacuum cleaner over the one-way valve. Once the excess air is extracted, a cap is placed over the valve to ensure a permanent seal. Removal of excess air reduces the size of the compressible article and inhibits the growth of insects and bacteria, which may damage the contents of the bag. Moreover, the enclosure is impervious to moisture, and so inhibits the growth of mildew.

Abstract: An input buffer capable of operating at a first power supply voltage level or a second power supply voltage level with the operating voltage level selectable during manufacture. At least one shortable transistor is disposed between the power supply voltage input and a buffer circuit which is connected between an input and an output of the buffer circuit. When the first voltage is the intended operating voltage the at least one shortable transistor is shorted. The first operating voltage level meets the requirements of a CMOS device and the second operating voltage level meets the requirements of a TTL device. The shortable transistor can be either a p-channel or an n-channel transistor and the short can be done by a metal layer short, a polysilicon short, a depletion implant, or with vias during manufacture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid evaporation inhibitor which is suitable for use in high temperature applications; e.g., above 70.degree. C. The evaporation inhibitor liquid comprises a mixture of an alkane, a non-volatile oil, preferably a vegetable oil and a surfactant. The alkane is present in the mixture in an amount sufficient to provide a density which promotes floating on an aqueous medium and to cover an aqueous medium. The non-volatile oil is present in the mixture in an amount sufficient to inhibit evaporation of the mixture at temperatures above 70.degree. C. The surfactant is present in the mixture in an amount sufficient to maximize the contact surface area between the evaporation inhibitor liquid and the aqueous medium.

Abstract: A linear motion rolling contact bearing assembly includes a rail having a U-shaped transverse cross section and a pair of guide grooves defined on the opposite side walls of the rail and a slider which is received in the U-shaped rail to travel along the rail. The slider is preferably provided with a pair of endless circulation paths located side-by-side each of which is provided with a plurality of rolling members. A part of each of the endless circulation paths is defined as a load path section which is located opposite to the corresponding one of the pair of guide grooves and where the plurality of rolling members are partly exposed to come into engagement with the pair of guide grooves of the rail to provide a rolling contact between the slider and the rail. The slider is also provided with a feed-in port for each of the pair of endless circulation paths, and thus the rolling members may be fed into the endless circulation paths through the feed-in ports.