Abstract: A constrained stet has a plurality of stent retaining bands disposed about the stent which maintains the stent in a reduced diameter configuration. The stent is capable of being expanded from a reduced diameter configuration to a fully expanded configuration.

Abstract: Implant devices for filtering blood flowing through atrial appendage ostiums have elastic cover and anchoring substructures. The substructures may include reversibly folding tines or compressible wire braid structures. The devices are folded to fit in catheter tubes for delivery to the atrial appendages. The devices elastically expand to their natural sizes when they are expelled from the catheter tubes.

Abstract: An intravascular device having an elongate shaft and a proximal hub assembly. The proximal hub assembly includes an interference fit member (IFM) which forms an interference fit with a carrier tube to reduce the tendency of the device to fall out of the carrier tube during handling and to provide for easy removal of the device when ready for use.

Abstract: A delivery system for implantation of a self-expanding stent in a vessel consists of an elongate flexible catheter for delivering a self-expanding stent to a predetermined location in a vessel. The stent surrounds the flexible catheter near its distal end and is held in a delivery configuration where the stent has a reduced radius along its entire axial length by a stent retaining and release means. The stent retaining and release means is either one or more slipping sleeves which either contain the stent themselves or form a waterproof chamber with the stent being contained by water soluble bands or swelling bands. The stent retaining and release means can also be a pair of sleeves connected to hydraulic pistons, or a pair of sleeves connected to push/pull wires.

Abstract: Implant devices for filtering blood flowing through the ostium of an atrial appendage have component structures one or more of which are expandable. Devices with component structures in their unexpanded state have a compact size suitable for intra-cutaneous delivery to an atrial appendage situs. The expandable component structures are expanded in situ to deploy the devices. A device may have sufficiently short axial length so that most or almost all of the device length may fit within the ostium region. An expandable component structure in the device may include a blood-permeable filter element. The device may be deployed so that this component structure covers the ostium so as to direct the blood flow to pass through the filter element. The filter elements used in the devices may have hole size distributions selected to filter out harmful-size emboli. The filter elements may be embedded in elastic material so that hole-size distributions remain substantially unaffected by expansion of the device structures.

Abstract: A stent delivery system for delivering a stent comprising, a stent disposed on the distal end of the catheter, and an inner core, wherein the inner core is resistant to appreciable compression or accordion. The catheter further comprising a first sheath covering a portion of the inner core, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the inner core is left uncovered by the first sheath, a retractable sheath which covers at least a portion of the stent and a portion of the distal end of the inner core and a retracting means for retracting the distal sheath to release the stent.

Abstract: A tubular fibrous blanket is formed using a rotary fiberizer which produces a tow of substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers and a suction chamber with an annular, vertically extending, collection surface spaced from and surrounding the rotary fiberizer. The fibrous tow is collected on the annular, vertical collection surface or on a foraminous backing sheet passing over the collection surface in a spiral of very low pitch with succeeding portions of the tow at least partially overlapping and preferably, substantially completely overlapping preceding portions of the tow to form the tubular blanket. The tubular fibrous blanket and the backing sheet, when used, can then be slit longitudinally and unfolded to form a flat blanket having continuous fibers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blanket.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method of forming fibers from a fiberizable material, a molten fiberizable material is introduced into a rotating fiberizing rotor and passed through a plurality of holes in an annular peripheral sidewall of the fiberizing rotor to form primary fibers from the fiberizable material. The primary fibers are introduced into hot combustion gases and pressurized air in a fiberization zone adjacent an outer surface of the annular peripheral sidewall of the rotary fiberizing rotor to attenuate and form the primary fibers into fibers of the desired diameter and length. The hot combustion gases are discharged from an annular air cooled burner and the pressurized air, which is discharged form an annular air ring, is the same pressurizes air used to cool the annular air cooled burner.

Abstract: A multi-component fiberizing disk for fiberizing a molten fiberizable material in a rotary fiberization process includes: an annular sidewall having fiberizing holes therein through which a molten fiberizable material passes to fiberize the molten fiberizable material; an upper annular flange; and a base having an annular outer peripheral edge. The annular sidewall, the upper annular flange and the base are made from at least two separate components and, preferably, from three separate components. The separate components are secured to together as the fiberizing disk by fasteners, such as bolt and nut fasteners, that permits the separate components of the fiberizing disk to be disassembled after service. The different components can be made of different metal alloys and a distribution manifold can be incorporated into the fiberizing disk for distributing the molten fiberizable material(s) within the fiberizing disk and to make bi-component fibers.

Abstract: A stent delivery system for delivering a stent comprising, a stent disposed on the distal end of the catheter, and an inner core, wherein the inner core is resistant to appreciable compression or accordion. The catheter further comprising a first sheath covering a portion of the inner core, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the inner core is left uncovered by the first sheath, a retractable sheath which covers at least a portion of the stent and a portion of the distal end of the inner core and a retracting means for retracting the distal sheath to release the stent.

Abstract: A delivery system for implantation of a self-expanding stent in a vessel is consists of an elongate flexible catheter for delivering a self-expanding stent to a predetermined location in a vessel. The stent surrounds the flexible catheter near its distal end and is held in a delivery configuration where the stent has a reduced radius along its entire axial length by a stent retaining and release means. The stent retaining and release means is a single layer sheath retaining sleeve means for retaining the stent in its delivery configuration attached to a slipping sleeve means for releasing the stent to self-expand. A balloon may optionally be used to seat the stent in the vessel after self-expansion. The stent may also optionally be retained by water soluble or swelling bands.

Abstract: An insulated air duct includes a flexible, reinforced, inner tubular core; a layer of partially compressed flexible, resilient fibrous insulation surrounding the core; and a flexible jacket, preferably with a longitudinally extending seam, spaced outwardly from the core and enveloping the layer of partially compressed fibrous insulation. The layer of partially compressed fibrous insulation is formed from a resilient blanket of air laid, randomly oriented, entangled fibers. The resilient blanket may have a low binder content or be binderless with the fibers unbonded and, possibly, lubricated.

Abstract: A stent delivery system for delivering a stent comprising, a stent disposed on the distal end of the catheter, and an inner core, wherein the inner core is resistant to appreciable compression or accordion. The catheter further comprising a first sheath covering a portion of the inner core, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the inner core is left uncovered by the first sheath, a retractable sheath which covers at least a portion of the stent and a portion of the distal end of the inner core and a retracting means for retracting the distal sheath to release the stent.

Abstract: A tubular fibrous blanket is formed using a rotary fiberizer which produces a tow of substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers and a suction chamber with an annular, vertically extending, collection surface spaced from and surrounding the rotary fiberizer. The fibrous tow is collected on the annular, vertical collection surface or on a foraminous backing sheet passing over the collection surface in a spiral of very low pitch with succeeding portions of the tow at least partially overlapping and preferably, substantially completely overlapping preceding portions of the tow to form the tubular blanket. The tubular fibrous blanket and the backing sheet, when used, can then be slit longitudinally and unfolded to form a flat blanket having continuous fibers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blanket.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for forming composite and other fibers, individual filaments from two or more sets of continuous primary filaments of two or more heat-softenable fiberizable materials are brought together lengthwise to form pairs of continuous primary filaments. The groupings of continuous primary filaments are fed into a high energy attenuation blast where the filaments are heated, attenuated and formed into composite or other staple fibers of the heat-softenable fiberizable materials. Preferably, the individual continuous primary filaments of the groupings of continuous primary filaments are fused, adhesively bonded or otherwise joined together, prior to being introduced into the high energy attenuation blast, to prevent the individual primary filaments of the groupings of continuous primary filaments from separating in the high energy attenuation blast.

Abstract: A delivery system for implantation of a self-expanding stent in a vessel is consists of an elongate flexible catheter for delivering a self-expanding stent to a predetermined location in a vessel. The stent surrounds the flexible catheter near its distal end and is held in a delivery configuration where the stent has a reduced radius along its entire axial length by a stent retaining and release means. The stent retaining and release means is either one or more slipping sleeves which either contain the stent themselves or form a waterproof chamber with the stent being contained by water soluble bands or swelling bands. The stent retaining and release means can also be a pair of sleeves connected to hydraulic pistons, or a pair of sleeves connected to push/pull wires.

Abstract: A delivery system for implantation of a self-expanding stent in a vessel is consists of an elongate flexible catheter for delivering a self-expanding stent to a predetermined location in a vessel. The stent surrounds the flexible catheter near its distal end and is held in a delivery configuration where the stent has a reduced radius along its entire axial length by a stent retaining and release means. The stent retaining and release means is a single layer sheath retaining sleeve means for retaining the stent in its delivery configuration attached to a slipping sleeve means for releasing the stent to self-expand. A balloon may optionally be used to seat the stent in the vessel after self-expansion. The stent may also optionally be retained by water soluble or swelling bands.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus for killing insects has vertically disposed, concentrically arranged mesh electrodes interconnected by suitable switching means to a source of high voltage. The electrodes are supported at their lower ends by individual insulators establishing the lower ends of the electrodes both mutually spaced from each other as well as from the surrounding apparatus enclosure parts. These insulators are located entirely outwardly of the space between the mesh electrodes so that the region below the space between the electrodes is free of obstructions such that electrocuted insects will not be able to collect on the insulators and form an electrical short.

Abstract: The rear wheels of a rotary mower are driven off the blade shaft by a compact and cylindrical speed reducer mounted directly on the rear wheels drive axle. The speed reducer is drive connected to the blade shaft by a variable pulley-belt system to provide an adjustment in the speed of the mower along the ground, whereas start and stop of the mower is controlled by a wrap-around spring type clutch on the speed reducer.