Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes. A cutting/welding station provides for cutting the tubes and welding them together.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes. A cutting/welding station provides for cutting the tubes and welding them together.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes. A cutting/welding station provides for cutting the tubes and welding them together.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes. A cutting/welding station provides for cutting the tubes and welding them together.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a laterally movable tube holder having tube holding areas and a laterally fixed tube holder having tube holding areas. Each tube holder includes clamping structure for clamping each tube placed in the respective tube holder areas and for creating a fluid free area. A spring mechanism urges the laterally movable tube holder toward the laterally fixed tube holder to maintain the clamp faces flush against each other. A clamp locking mechanism is provided to supplement the action of the spring mechanism by maintaining the clamp faces flush against each other during the loading of the tubes.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a laterally movable tube holder having tube holding areas and a laterally fixed tube holder having tube holding areas. Each tube holder includes clamping structure for clamping each tube placed in the respective tube holder areas and for creating a fluid free area. A spring mechanism urges the laterally movable tube holder toward the laterally fixed tube holder to maintain the clamp faces flush against each other. A clamp locking mechanism is provided to supplement the action of the spring mechanism by maintaining the clamp faces flush against each other during the loading of the tubes.

Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw.

Abstract: An infection control device includes a plurality of air inlets spaced around the device's peripheral skirt. A negative ion ozone generator having a plurality of spaced pointed projections is inwardly of the peripheral skirt with a ground disk inwardly of the generator. Air flows through the inlets to the generator, to the disk and to a catheter exit site.

Abstract: An ozone infection control device includes a body portion having a channel or passageway for receiving a catheter so that the catheter may extend from outwardly of the device to a catheter exit site at a central area of the device. A plurality of air inlet openings are spaced around a peripheral skirt of the device. A negative ion ozone generator having a plurality of spaced pointed projections is located within the body portion inwardly of the peripheral skirt and in the path of flow of air flowing through the inlet openings to generate ozone from the air. An oppositely charged ground disk is mounted within the body portion inwardly of the ozone generator. Air flows along a path of flow from the inlet openings to the ozone generator where ozone is created. The path of flow then extends to the ground disk and to the catheter exit site to bathe the catheter exit site with anti-microbial ozone. The flow path would then exit from the device through the catheter passageway.

Abstract: Plastic tubes are welded by first placing the plastic tubes across aligned tube slots in a pair of side by side tube holders. The tubes are clamped to create a fluid free area. The clamps in one of the tube holders are shifted laterally away from the other tube holders to increase the fluid free area of each tube. A cold cutting device cuts through the clamped tubes to create four stub ends. The four stub ends are heated/melted. The stub ends are realigned so that the one stub end in one holder is aligned with the other stub end of the other tube holder and the realigned stub ends are pressed into contact with each other to create a weld seam.

Abstract: Plastic tubes are welded by first placing the plastic tubes across aligned tube slots in a pair of side by side tube holders. The tubes are clamped to create a fluid free area. The clamps in one of the tube holders are shifted laterally away from the other tube holders to increase the fluid free area of each tube. A cold cutting device cuts through the clamped tubes to create four stub ends. The four stub ends are heated/melted. The stub ends are realigned so that the one stub end in one holder is aligned with the other stub end of the other tube holder and the realigned stub ends are pressed into contact with each other to create a weld seam.

Abstract: Blood is purified by removing the whole blood from a patient and feeding the blood into a manifold in a centrifuge. A purifying chamber is formed in the centrifuge from a plurality of co-arcuately arranged modules. The blood is supplied from the manifold to each of the modules. Each module contains a stack of dialysate membranes. Fresh dialysate is fed into the manifold and then to each of the modules. Under centrifugal force the cells are separated from the plasma. The plasma is purified by removing contaminants as a result of the action of the dialysate and membranes. The purified blood is returned to the patient by being fed back to the manifold and then to the patient. The used dialysate/contaminants are fed from the modules back to the manifold and out of the centrifuge.

Abstract: A female urinary system comprises an appliance including a hollow open top urine receiving body having a peripheral rim for fitting under the urethra. The body includes a receiving portion which would be located below the urethra and which merges into a discharge bowl having a discharge opening leading to an integral downwardly extending discharge tube. The discharge tube preferably has a spiral groove in its outer surface to permit the tube to bend without kinking or otherwise cutting off flow through the tube. The appliance also includes a vent located at the highest portion of the appliance. The vent includes a vent hole extending completely through the wall of the appliance and a vent groove leading from the hole to the spiral groove. The central axis of the urine receiving body is at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the discharge tube.

Abstract: A female urinary system comprises an appliance including a hollow open top urine receiving body having a peripheral rim for fitting under the urethra. The body includes a receiving portion which would be located below the urethra and which merges into a discharge bowl having a discharge opening leading to an integral downwardly extending discharge tube. The discharge tube preferably has a spiral groove in its outer surface to permit the tube to bend without kinking or otherwise cutting off flow through the tube. The appliance also includes a vent located at the highest portion of the appliance. The vent includes a vent hole extending completely through the wall of the appliance and a vent groove leading from the hole to the spiral groove. The central axis of the urine receiving body is at an obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the discharge tube.

Abstract: A female urinary system includes an appliance which has a hollow urinary receiving open top body. The upper edge of the body is shaped to fit under the urethra. The body has an outlet passage for discharging urine flowing into the body from the urethra. A vaginal area locating bulb is mounted posteriorly of the body. The locating bulb has an arcuate outer surface having a contact portion which fits against the labia minora at the vestibule outwardly of the vagina. At least one longitudinal groove is provided on the posterior portion of the outer surface of the bulb from a location above the contact portion to the base of the bulb. A vent extends through the appliance from the hollow body below the upper edge to the base of the locating bulb.

Abstract: A female urinary system includes an appliance which has a hollow urinary receiving open top body. The upper edge of the body is shaped to fit under the urethra. The body has an outlet passage for discharging urine flowing into the body from the urethra. A vaginal area locating bulb is mounted posteriorly of the body. The locating bulb has an arcuate outer surface having a contact portion which fits against the labia minora at the vestibule outwardly of the vagina. At least one longitudinal groove is provided on the posterior portion of the outer surface of the bulb from a location above the contact portion to the base of the bulb. A vent extends through the appliance from the hollow body below the upper edge to the base of the locating bulb.

Abstract: Blood is purified by removing the whole blood from a patient and feeding the blood into a manifold in a centrifuge. A purifying chamber is formed in the centrifuge from a plurality of co-arcuately arranged modules. The blood is supplied from the manifold to each of the modules. Each module contains a stack of dialysate membranes. Fresh dialysate is fed into the manifold and then to each of the modules. Under centrifugal force the cells are separated from the plasma. The plasma is purified by removing contaminants as a result of the action of the dialysate and membranes. The purified blood is returned to the patient by being fed back to the manifold and then to the patient. The used dialysate/contaminants are fed from the modules back to the manifold and out of the centrifuge.

Abstract: A multi-stage cell segregation from the plasma by staged separation and rinsing processes is performed while the plasma is diverted to the dialyzer and de-watering steps are completed without the cells being present. Cleaning the plasma of the urea and other life threatening toxins and pathogens permits a faster and more thorough cleaning of the plasma and cells which in turn reduces the therapy time.

Abstract: A sterile containment welding device includes a self-monitoring heater unit upstream from the space between the tube receiving channels. The wafer is positioned in the unit and mounted for movement through the unit prior to moving through the space. The self-monitoring heater unit includes a heater which heats the wafer and a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature created by the self-monitoring heater in a rapidly alternating sequence so that the wafer is heated to a predetermined temperature before being moved into the space and contacting the plastic tube or tubes.