Abstract: A surgical system for performing gastrointestinal procedures is disclosed. The system includes an elongated body defining an endoscope lumen. The body is adapted to be inserted into the esophagus with a proximal end extending from a body orifice. A working member includes at least one side disposed suction cavity and a cutting device configured to excise a surface layer from the tissue that is captured in the suction cavity. One or more needles are also provided in the working portion, which can be used to apply suture to the captured tissue and/or to inject fluid into the captured tissue prior to excision. Particular applications may be to treat Barrett's esophagus, to treat GERD, or for performing gastroplasty in the stomach.

Abstract: A surgical system for performing gastroplasty is disclosed. The system includes an elongated body adapted to be inserted into the esophagus with a proximal end extending from a body orifice. A working member includes a pair of elongated suction cavities that capture and excise portions of the anterior and posterior stomach walls and apply sutures to the captured tissue, which, when drawn tight, serve to create a modified lumen in the stomach.

Abstract: An in-line motor and pump assembly is supported at the bottom of a fuel storage tank by a pipe and an internal concentric conduit for housing electrical conductors extending therewithin to the motor. An impeller, coaxial with the rotor of the motor, draws the fuel into an annular passageway surrounding the stator of the motor. Further passageways convey the fuel to an annular passageway defined between the pipe and the conduit for discharge external of the storage tank. A low pressure environment attendant the inflow of the fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a lower journal bearing and thrust bearing supporting a common shaft for the impeller and the motor. A high pressure environment attendant outflow of fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a journal bearing supporting the upper end of the shaft.

Abstract: An in-line motor and pump assembly is supported at the bottom of a fuel storage tank by a pipe and an internal concentric conduit for housing electrical conductors extending therewithin to the motor. An impeller, coaxial with the rotor of the motor, draws the fuel into an annular passageway surrounding the stator of the motor. Further passageways convey the fuel to an annular passageway defined between the pipe and the conduit for discharge external of the storage tank. A low pressure environment attendant the inflow of the fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a lower journal bearing and thrust bearing supporting a common shaft for the impeller and the motor. A high pressure environment attendant outflow of fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a journal bearing supporting the upper end of the shaft.

Abstract: An in-line motor and pump assembly is supported at the bottom of a fuel storage tank by a pipe and an internal concentric conduit for housing electrical conductors extending therewithin to the motor. An impeller, coaxial with the rotor of the motor, draws the fuel into an annular passageway surrounding the stator of the motor. Further passageways convey the fuel to an annular passageway defined between the pipe and the conduit for discharge external of the storage tank. A low pressure environment attendant the inflow of the fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a lower journal bearing and thrust bearing supporting a common shaft for the impeller and the motor. A high pressure environment attendant outflow of fuel is used to channel fuel for lubrication and cooling purposes to a journal bearing supporting the upper end of the shaft.

Abstract: A surgical system for performing gastrointestinal procedures is disclosed. The system includes an elongated body defining an endoscope lumen. The body is adapted to be inserted into the esophagus with a proximal end extending from a body orifice. A working member includes at least one side disposed suction cavity and a cutting device configured to excise a surface layer from the tissue that is captured in the suction cavity. One or more needles are also provided in the working portion, which can be used to apply suture to the captured tissue and/or to inject fluid into the captured tissue prior to excision. Particular applications may be to treat Barrett's esophagus, to treat GERD, or for performing gastroplasty in the stomach.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unitary sliding-vane type compressor-expander comprising a housing with a compressor inlet and outlet, and an expander inlet and outlet. A single rotor is disposed therein defining in cooperation with the housing a compression chamber on one side and an expansion chamber on the opposite side. The rotor includes a plurality of regularly spaced vanes slidingly disposed in slots about the periphery of the rotor. The bottoms of the vane slots may be vented through a passage in the housing to the inlet air, or alternatively through a groove between the vane and vane slot to the compression or exhaust chambers. Permanent magnets are used in the vanes and housing to increase or decrease the contact force between the vane tip and housing. An integral condenser-humidifier is provided in the path of the expanded gas exhausting from the turbine outlet for condensing water out of the expanded gas and returning the condensed water to the compressor-expander.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very compact, lightweight, turbomolecular pump for evacuating a chamber at volumetric flowrates of less than 10 liters per second. In one embodiment a turbomolecular pump is provided having a bladed rotor disposed within a housing, and mounted for rotation at one end on a passive magnetic main bearing and at the other end on a ball bearing. The pump is configured such that the magnetic bearing carries a majority of the rotor unbalance load. The rotor may be beneficially tapered from a larger diameter at the high vacuum end to a smaller diameter at the low vacuum end. The invention also provides a method of machining the blades of the rotor from a rotor blank using a single point tool in a two-step numerical control lathe operation. In another method of the invention, the rotor blades are individually cut using a high speed circular slitting saw by plunging the saw radially into the rotor blank.