An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least .two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump configured to be placed inside a body of subject. The blood pump includes an impeller, a frame disposed around the impeller, and a distal-tip portion disposed distally with respect to the frame. A duckbill valve is disposed entirely within a distal most 10 mm of the distal-tip portion. The duckbill valve defines a wide inlet and a narrow tip that defines a slit therethrough. The duckbill valve is proximally facing, such that the wide inlet faces a distal end of the distal-tip portion and such that the narrow tip faces away from the distal end of distal-tip portion. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump configured to be placed inside a body of subject, the blood pump including an impeller configured to pump the subject's blood by rotating, and an axial shaft upon which the impeller is disposed. Proximal and distal radial bearings are configured to stabilize the axial shaft radially during rotation of the impeller. An atraumatic distal-tip portion is disposed distally with respect to the impeller, the atraumatic distal-tip portion including an inflatable portion. A purging fluid is pumped toward the distal-tip portion, such as to (a) purge the distal bearing, and (b) inflate the inflatable portion of the distal-tip portion. Other applications are also described.

A fan wheel including a fan wheel hub with fan blades supported rotatably on the fan wheel hub so as to extend radially therefrom, and a fan wheel drive accommodated in the fan wheel hub so as to be rotatable relative thereto within a limited angular range and connected to the fan blades for a corresponding rotation of the fan blades about their longitudinal axes, whereby the flow direction of the fan wheel is reversible by an inertia-based rotation of the fan wheel relative to the fan wheel drive.

Apparatus and methods are described, including a left-ventricular assist device that includes an impeller, and a frame disposed around the impeller, the frame having a length of more than 25 mm when disposed in a non-radially constrained configuration. A rigid axial shaft extends from a proximal end of the frame to a distal end of the frame. A motor is disposed outside a body of a subject, and drives the impeller to pump blood within the subject's body, by rotating. A drive cable extends from outside the subject's body to the axial shaft. The drive cable imparts rotational motion from the motor to the impeller by rotating. The drive cable is a flexible cable comprising a plurality of coiled wires. Other applications are also described.

A windmill-type electric ceiling fan having a fan blade assembly which is light weight, exhibits improved air flow, and quieter operation. The ceiling fan has a hub attached to a motor shaft which depends from a ceiling support. A series of fan blades are each attached at an inward end to the hub and are supported radially by an elongated leading edge member, a trailing edge member and an outer edge member. The fan blade include panels which are constructed of fabric that is secured to leading edge and trailing edge members configured to dispose the pitch of the fan blades at an efficient and quiet angle.

Apparatus and methods are described including a ventricular assist device that includes a tube. A proximal portion of the tube traverses a subject's aortic valve, and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's left ventricle. A blood pump is disposed within the distal portion of the tube and pumps blood through the tube from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by pumping the blood into the tube via one or more blood inlet openings that are defined by the tube and that are configured to be disposed within the subject's left ventricle, and by pumping blood out of the tube via one or more blood outlet openings that are defined by the tube and that are configured to be disposed within the subject's aorta. The one or more blood outlet openings have teardrop shapes. Other applications are also described.

The present invention relates to a plurality of airfoil rim wings, and/or fan-like blades which may be flat or take the form of airfoil wings in a preferred embodiment are attached to an automobile's wheel rims for the extraction of air pressure buildup within the wheel wells during forward movement to improve overall performance, styling and brake cooling. The airfoil rim wings, and/or fan-like blades may either be adhered to a wheel surface or individually or collectively fastened to wheels' hub using open-ended lug nuts, and securing lug bolts. Further, the airfoil rim wings, and/or fan-like blades may be arranged to specific concavity and angel of attack using twistable beveled washers on both sides of the airfoil rim wings, and/or fan-like blades.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

An impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blade plates. The hub includes a hub body and a plurality of installation portions disposed on the hub body. Each blade plate includes a plurality of fan blades and a folding portion. The folding portion is connected to one end of each fan blade. The folding portions are respectively installed at the installation portions.