A filtering device for removing particles from a bodily fluid of a patient is disclosed. The device is implantable in the patient's body and comprises a tube forming a main fluid passageway for bodily fluid, through which the bodily fluid passes when the tube is implanted, wherein the tube is sized and adapted to be fluidly connected to the bodily fluid. The device further comprises a filter connected to the tube, and a filter cleaning device for cleaning the filter.

A dust collector including a housing including an upper wall, at least one housing wall defining an inlet, and one of the upper wall and the at least one housing wall defining an outlet; a separating plate connected above the inlet and below the outlet, and defining at least one aperture; at least one vertically extending filter connected to and extending below the plate, and fluidly communicating with the at least one aperture; at least one pipe connecting the at least one vertically extending filter to the plate and extending below the plate; at least one expandable sleeve surrounding the pipe, the pipe defining at least one side aperture fluidly communicating an interior of the pipe with a space between the pipe and the sleeve; and an air injector system fluidly communicating with the aperture for injecting air into the space through the aperture to expand the sleeve.

A high temperature filter and a self-cleaning filtering system for filtering media, such as biomass materials, are provided. The filter and filtering system is particularly useful in the filtration of syngas in a plasma arc gasification process to remove char and other particles of down to a submicron size from the syngas. The filter is formed from a pleated metal mesh material including end caps secured by a high-temperature metallic paste or adhesive, such that the filter is capable of withstanding operating temperatures up to 2000 F. The system includes a backflush unit for injecting cleaning media therein to remove trapped char and other debris from the filter. At least two filtering systems can be placed in parallel so that one system can be cleaned while the other is operating. A method for filtering media is also disclosed.

A blood clot removal system for removing blood clots from the vascular system of a patient, the blood clot removal system comprising a blood clot removal device having a blood flow passageway to be connected to the patient's vascular system to allow circulation of the patient's blood through the blood flow passageway, a filter provided in the blood flow passageway for collecting blood clots occurring in the blood flowing through the blood flow passageway, and a cleaning device for moving blood clots collected by the filter out of the blood flow passageway; and a heart pump connected to the blood flow passageway.

A dust collector including a housing including an upper wall, at least one housing wall defining an inlet, and the upper wall or the housing wall defining an outlet opposite the inlet, the inlet and the outlet at a same height; a separating plate diagonally connected to the housing above the inlet and below the outlet and extending downward from the inlet, the separating plate defines at least two substantially parallel rows of staggered apertures, an entrance duct section fluidly connected to the housing and including a duct top surface oriented diagonally upward from the housing and away from the at least one housing wall; and a plurality of vertically extending filters connected to and extending below the separating plate, a center line of the inlet extending above a top portion of the filters, each of the filters fluidly communicating with a corresponding one of the first and second apertures.

An implantable drainage device is provided. The device is adapted to move body fluid from one part of the body of a patient to another part of the body.

An implantable drainage device is provided. The device is adapted to move body fluid from one part of the body of a patient to another part of the body. The invention also extends to a filter adapted to filter particles from a drained fluid.

A vacuum cleaning machine has a cannister with an inlet port and at least two outlet ports. At least two filters are disposed inside of the cannister, one in pneumatic communication through each of the outlet ports. At least two valves are disposed outside of the cannister. Each valve is in pneumatic communication between a vacuum source and an outlet port so as to permit air to be drawn by the vacuum source from the inlet port simultaneously through the filters. A controller operates the valves to switch the filters from the vacuum source to ambient air so as to permit ambient air to be sequentially intermittently drawn through corresponding valves and filters into the cannister. Preferably, the controller includes a timing mechanism for setting the delay time of the sequential valve operation and a timing mechanism for setting the intermittent time of connection of each filter to ambient air.

A surgical method of implanting an implantable drainage apparatus. The method comprising the steps of cutting the skin of a patient, inserting the implantable drainage apparatus into the body of the patient, the implantable drainage apparatus comprising a drainage device, an energy source adapted to supply energy to the drainage device, a connecting tube connected to the drainage device, a bellows adapted to generate a suction and a motor connected to the bellows, being adapted to compress the bellows to move fluid out of the bellows and at the same time pre-tension the bellows, placing the drainage device at a placement area in the patient's body, placing the connecting tube at a treatment area in the patient's body.

An apparatus for moving a fluid to or from a cavity on a body of a human or mammal patient. The apparatus comprising a fluid movement device, an energy source adapted to supply energy to said fluid movement device and at least one connecting tube having a tube end. The at least one connecting tube being connected to the fluid movement device. The apparatus further comprises, a flexible patch. The fluid movement device and the at least one connecting tube forms a fluid moving arrangement adapted to be implanted inside the body of the human or mammal patient. The fluid movement device is adapted to move fluid from a treatment area via the at least one connecting tube to a delivery area. The flexible patch comprises a net structure adapted to be overgrown by human fibrotic tissue hen implanted in the patient.