Abstract: A magnetically levitated blood pump having a single inlet for accepting blood and tangential volute. The pump includes an impeller formed on a hub that is suspended radially by permanent magnet bearings and axially adjusted via and thrust coil. The hub is rotated by an axial gap permanent magnet DC motor having motor magnets mounted on the hub adjacent to the impeller, a stator formed in the area opposite to the motor magnets, and motor coils formed on the stator. The axial air gap of the motor is formed in the impeller blade path. The motor may have two separate stator members. The current in the thrust coil is controlled by feedback of the impeller axial position measured by sensors. The pump components are compactly configured within a housing.

Abstract: A buckling device to be used in athletic foot-gear, typically ski-boots. The buckling device includes a pivoting clasp affixed to one of two ski-boot flaps, an adjustment section, a linearly adjustable loop, and a hook section affixed to the second of two ski-boot flaps. The adjustment section includes three alternative types of actuation including a knob, a swivel-key, and a ratchet, each being able to actuate gearing in order to provide tension adjustment of the loop around a given hook on the hook section. An optional protective hook-cover is also provided.