Patents by Inventor Christopher B. Dreyer

Christopher B. Dreyer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11905833
    Abstract: A system and method of extracting frozen water from soil or a regolith and capturing the water is provided. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a water collection system to extract and collect water from regolith. The system is configured to heat the regolith in situ to a temperature at which frozen water in the regolith will vaporize. The water vapor is then captured and collected. In one embodiment, the system includes a power system to provide energy to the regolith to heat the regolith, an enclosure to trap the water vapor released from the heated regolith, and a container operably interconnected to the enclosure to collect the water vapor. In one embodiment, the system can be positioned at a production facility on the Earth, the Moon, Mars, or an asteroid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
    Inventors: George F. Sowers, Jr., Christopher B. Dreyer
  • Publication number: 20190271228
    Abstract: A system and method of extracting frozen water from soil or a regolith and capturing the water is provided. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a water collection system to extract and collect water from regolith. The system is configured to heat the regolith in situ to a temperature at which frozen water in the regolith will vaporize. The water vapor is then captured and collected. In one embodiment, the system includes a power system to provide energy to the regolith to heat the regolith, an enclosure to trap the water vapor released from the heated regolith, and a container operably interconnected to the enclosure to collect the water vapor. In one embodiment, the system can be positioned at a production facility on the Earth, the Moon, Mars, or an asteroid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
    Inventors: George F. Sowers, JR., Christopher B. Dreyer