Abstract: A disposal apparatus for use with a wash station and a towel dispenser includes a liquid source and a waste disposal unit arranged in fluid communication with the liquid source that (i) collects liquid from the liquid source and receives a spent towel dispensed from the towel dispenser, (ii) disintegrates the spent towel and generates a fluid vortex of liquid and disintegrated spent towel, and (iii) exhausts the fluid vortex.

Abstract: A hand washing and drying apparatus comprising a washing and drying chamber including at least one access port providing access for inserting at least one hand to be washed, a wash liquid dispenser in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing wash liquid within the washing and drying chamber, a blow dryer in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for providing a directed supply of drying air within the washing and drying chamber, a towel dispenser in communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing a towel, e.g., a disposable paper towel, within the chamber, and a waste disposal for disintegrating a spent towel dispensed from the towel dispenser and exhausting disintegrated waste through a drain. The apparatus further may include a control device for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: A hand washing and drying apparatus comprising a washing and drying chamber including at least one access port providing access for inserting at least one hand to be washed, wash liquid dispensing means in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing wash liquid within the washing and drying chamber, blow drying means in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for providing a directed supply of drying air within the washing and drying chamber, and towel dispensing means in communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing a towel, e.g., a disposable paper towel, within the chamber. The apparatus also may include vacuum disposal means for removing used towels from the washing and drying chambers and storing same. The apparatus further may include control means for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: An implantable blood pump (10) for providing either continuous or pulsatile blood flow to the heart. The pump includes a stator (16) having a cylindrical opening (14), an annular array (36 or 38) of electromagnets (40, 42) carried by the stator concentric with the cylindrical opening and lying in a plane transverse to the axis (26) of the opening, a bearing (28) carried by the stator and extending across the cylindrical opening, and a rotor (12) supported by the bearing for rotation about the axis of the cylindrical opening, the rotor being in the form of an Archimedes screw and having a permanent magnet (48) in its periphery which lies in the same plane as the array of electromagnets. A controller (44) is provided which is capable of causing the array of electromagnets to be sequentially energized to cause the rotor to rotate.