Abstract: The medical devices of the present disclosure are filled reservoirs such as a cylinder comprised of a polymer film which contains a reservoir of active agent, plus excipient, in some cases, for disease prevention, treatment, and/or contraception. The polymer film is permeable to the active agent after subcutaneous implantation of the device into a body. The cylinder is comprised by the lamination of one or two polymer films which are ultrasonically welded to contain the drug material. The use of an ultrasonic welding process enables sealing of the polymer films to create the closed cylinder. The medical device is useful for long term disease prevention, such as prevention of HIV infection.

Abstract: An air shaft for gripping cores of rolls of paper and the like has an integral lightweight metal main shaft with axial grooves in its outside surface. Axial single sheet strips of expandable rubber are wedged in the grooves and air pressure is applied to one side. In the groove on the other side of the rubber sheet, are spacers and metal grippers, arranged in alternating fashion. The grippers are movable outwardly in response to the application of air pressure; the spacers are not. The spacers and grippers have coaxial through passages through which a flat steel ribbon extends. The steel ribbon biases the grippers to their retracted position and restricts the outward movement of the grippers to an appropriate range. An insert in the central portion of the air shaft reinforces it.