Described herein are appliances such as a vacuum cleaners having an air flow passage and a fan assembly provided in the air flow passage. The fan assembly includes (a) a first motor comprising a first rotor, a first stator, and a first rotatable output shaft drivingly connected to the first rotor; and (b) a second motor comprising a second rotor, a second stator, and a second rotatable output shaft drivingly connected to the second rotor. The first rotatable output shaft is driving connected to the second stator; and a fan blade drivingly connected to the second rotatable output shaft. Also described herein are methods of energizing a fan assembly of a portable appliance.

A fluid pump assembly is used in combination with a container having a wall. The pump assembly comprises a first casing disposed outside the container in contact with the wall, a first magnetic assembly mounted to the first casing and operatively associated with a drive motor, a second casing disposed inside the container in contact with the wall, and a second magnetic assembly mounted to the second casing and operatively associated with an propeller. The first magnetic assembly includes a rotatable magnetic drive member drivingly coupled to the drive motor. The magnetic drive member is magnetically coupled to the magnetic driven member through the wall for imparting a rotary driving force of the drive motor to the propeller. Furthermore, the second casing is detachably connected to the second side of the wall of the container solely by magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic assemblies.

Blood pumps discussed herein may be suitable for use as a ventricular assist device (VAD) or the like. The blood pumps cause minimal blood damage, are energy efficient, and can be powered by implanted batteries for extended periods of time. Further, these pumps are also beneficial because they may improve the quality of life of a patient with a VAD by reducing restrictions on the patient's lifestyle. The blood pumps can provide radial and axial stability to a rotating impeller that is driven by a separate rotor. Both radial and axial stability can be provided, at least in part, by one or more permanent magnetic couplings between the rotor and the impeller and/or one or more permanent magnetic bearings between the pump housing and the impeller.

A pumping device includes a single-use device and a reusable device. The single-use device is to be inserted into the reusable device and includes two pump units in series, one behind the other. Each pump unit includes a rotor for a bearingless motor, and can be magnetically levitated and driven without contact for rotation about an axial direction. The reusable device includes a stator for each rotor which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about the axial direction. Each stator is a bearing and drive stator with which the rotor can be magnetically driven and levitated without contact with respect to the stator. An independent control device is provided for each stator, and can independently activate a respective stator.

A fluid pump assembly is used in combination with a container having a wall. The pump assembly comprises a first casing disposed outside the container in contact with the wall, a first magnetic assembly mounted to the first casing and operatively associated with a drive motor, a second casing disposed inside the container in contact with the wall, and a second magnetic assembly mounted to the second casing and operatively associated with an propeller. The first magnetic assembly includes a rotatable magnetic drive member drivingly coupled to the drive motor. The magnetic drive member is magnetically coupled to the magnetic driven member through the wall for imparting a rotary driving force of the drive motor to the propeller. Furthermore, the second casing is detachably connected to the second side of the wall of the container solely by magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic assemblies.

The present invention provides a fluid circulation system generally comprising a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting electrical energy through the wall of an aquarium or other container, and a receiver for receiving the electrical energy and transmitting it to a drive assembly, which circulates the water or other fluid throughout the aquarium, through the use of either a propeller or impeller.

A universal pump assembly mounts, interchangeably, on a canned motor or on an adapter having an outer magnet assembly rotated by a motor. The pump assembly has a casing with an inlet and an outlet, and an impeller rotatable within the casing to pump fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The pump assembly can have either a mounting ring for attachment to the canned motor, or a containment shell having a cup with an inner magnet assembly and a mounting ring extending from the cup for attachment to the adapter. Mounting features of the mounting ring may be threaded holes or internally threaded posts as non-limiting examples.

A ventricle assist device comprising a device body with a housing having an inlet and an outlet. A centrifugal pump is disposed in a portion of the housing. The inlet is adapted to allow a flow of blood into the device body housing and an outlet adapted to allow the flow of blood from the device body housing. The flow of blood from the device body housing is primarily directed into the left ventricle, and the inlet and the outlet are positionable in a ventricle.

A blood pump rotor for an intravascular blood pump includes a distal portion having a rotor hub. A distal end of the rotor hub extends beyond a most distal portion of at least one blade formed on the hub. A proximal portion comprises permanent magnets arranged to form a modified Halbach array generating a magnetic field with a first magnetic flux in a proximal direction that is greater than a second magnetic flux in the distal direction. The array is arranged so that: (a) at least one axial magnetized magnet has a most proximal point that is a different distance from said distal end as compared to a most proximal point of at least one circumferential magnetized magnet, (b) at least one axial magnetized magnet has a physical dimension that is different from a corresponding physical dimension of at least one circumferential magnetized magnet, or (c) a combination thereof.

Blood pumps discussed herein may be suitable for use as a ventricular assist device (VAD) or the like. The blood pumps cause minimal blood damage, are energy efficient, and can be powered by implanted batteries for extended periods of time. Further, these pumps are also beneficial because they may improve the quality of life of a patient with a VAD by reducing restrictions on the patient's lifestyle. The blood pumps can provide radial and axial stability to a rotating impeller that is driven by a separate rotor. Both radial and axial stability can be provided, at least in part, by one or more permanent magnetic couplings between the rotor and the impeller and/or one or more permanent magnetic bearings between the pump housing and the impeller.