A novel electrochemical hydrogen compressor material technology system comprising a composite polymer membrane made from a blend of inorganic and organic polymers, the preparation and the use thereof.

A push-pull micropump includes one or more pairs of channels configured to transfer one or more fluids, each channel pair having an aspiration channel and an injection channel; and an actuator configured to engage the one or more pairs of channels, wherein the actuator comprises a plurality of rolling members and a driving member configured such that when the driving member rotates, the plurality of rolling members rolls along the one or more pairs of channels to cause individually the one or more fluids to transfer through each channel pair simultaneously at different flowrates or the same flowrate, depending upon actuated lengths of the aspiration and injection channels of each channel pair, wherein an actuated length of a channel is defined by a length of the channel along which the plurality of rolling members rolls during a full rotation of the driving member.

An undulatory structure and methods for the fabrication and use thereof. The undulatory structure includes a buckled sheet and one or more work input elements for deforming the buckled sheet in an undulating manner wherein each point in a series of points on a sinuously-shaped profile of the buckled sheet travels at least partially along a figure eight-shaped path. The undulatory structure can be adapted for use as a solid-state transducer wherein the buckled sheet provides mechanical advantage without appreciable opposition from elastic restoring forces, thereby achieving improved force, displacement and efficiency characteristics.

The following description pertains to flexure structures, apparatuses comprising flexure structures, systems comprising flexure structures, methods of using flexure structures, methods of using apparatuses comprising flexure structures, and methods of using systems comprising flexure structures. The following description also pertains to methods, systems, and apparatuses for linear to rotary motion converters.

A porous membrane for use in an electroosmotic pump for pumping a fluid by electroosmotic transport, the porous membrane comprising: first and second opposite surfaces and a net fluid flow direction extending in the porous membrane between said opposite surfaces, wherein when a given amount of charge flows through the porous membrane from the first to the second opposite surface more electroosmotic transport of the fluid will occur than when the same amount of charge flows through the porous membrane from the second to the first, opposite surface.

A fluid filtration assembly includes a filter housing having a first end for fluid connection with a fluid storage vessel. A filter cartridge is disposable within the filter housing, and a plunger pump is coupled at a second end of the filter housing. The plunger pump includes a housing having a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The flexible portion has a plunger-engaging portion for coupling to the plunger of an actuator. The flexible portion selectively movable with respect to the rigid portion via the actuator. The filter cartridge can be a hollow fiber filter. The plunger pump can be configured to induce alternating tangential flow in at least a portion of the assembly. The fluid filtration assembly can be provided as a disposable single-use arrangement.

A peristaltic pump with an oscillating drive 14 and a diverter valve 5, having a cylindrical pump housing 2 and the ports 4 and 12 are arranged in a end wall. The ports 4 and 12 are alternately used as outlet and inlet, controlled by the diverter valve 5 and in dependence on the pivot direction of the pump head 7. The roller or the sliding shoe 8 constantly flattens the pump hose and in this way, forms an annular space that is distinguished into a suction and compression chamber. Due to the constant contact of the roller or the sliding shoe 8, a sudden space enlargement is prevented according to the invention.

A system for enabling the efficient evacuation of air within a food container. A bellows-enabled lid fits into a respective container in an air-tight relationship. A bellows mechanism having plural resilient members and dual one-way valves provides efficient manual operation and resulting air evacuation from the container interior. A lid-mounted release valve with associated resilient member enables efficient release of vacuum conditions within the container. Plural ornamental configurations of the container with associated bellows-enabled lid are illustrated.

A pump dispenser has a deformable pump chamber constituted by first and second part-chambers each having a respective resiliently deformable faceted chamber wall and a connecting conduit communicating between them. They may be moulded in one piece and require no separate restoring spring. The first and second part-chambers may be disposed in line between a pump body providing an inlet valve from a container and a movable actuator cap providing a valved outlet.

The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. According to one aspect, a blood pump is configured to pump blood to a dialyzer of a hemodialysis apparatus, the blood pump comprising a pneumatically actuated or controlled reciprocating diaphragm pump. In an embodiment, the diaphragm of the pump comprises a flexible membrane formed or molded to generally conform to a curved inner wall of a pumping chamber or control chamber of the pump, wherein the diaphragm is pre-formed or molded to have a control side taking a convex shape, so that any elastic tension on the diaphragm is minimized when fully extended into a control chamber of the pump. In another aspect, a system for monitoring the adequacy of blood flow in a blood line of the hemodialysis apparatus allows a controller to suspend dialysate pumping operations if the adequacy of blood flow in the blood line is sub-optimal, and to present information on a display on the quality of blood flow in the blood line.