Patents by Inventor Kenneth E. Richter

Kenneth E. Richter 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).

  • Publication number: 20200303756
    Abstract: A deployment device involving a frame and a deployment mechanism operably coupled with the frame and configured to perform at least one of deploy and retract a plurality of surface benthic microbial fuel cell systems in at least one manner of manually, autonomously, and semi-autonomously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Andrew M. Higier, Kenneth E. Richter, Lewis Hsu, David B. Chadwick
  • Patent number: 10637090
    Abstract: A device for capturing energy, with an anode base, a rigid body, a pressure housing, a cathode array, and a wire. The anode base is connected to the rigid body, the pressure housing is connected to the rigid body, and the cathode array is connected to the rigid body. The first wire is electrically connected to the cathode array. The second wire is electrically connected to the anode base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Matthew L. Bond, Yolanda M. Arias-Thode, Kenneth E. Richter, David B. Chadwick, Lewis Hsu
  • Publication number: 20200106116
    Abstract: A device for capturing energy, with an anode base, a rigid body, a pressure housing, a cathode array, and a wire. The anode base is connected to the rigid body, the pressure housing is connected to the rigid body, and the cathode array is connected to the rigid body. The first wire is electrically connected to the cathode array. The second wire is electrically connected to the anode base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew L. Bond, Yolanda M. Arias-Thode, Kenneth E. Richter, David B. Chadwick, Lewis Hsu
  • Patent number: 10374235
    Abstract: A method for improving power production comprising the steps of providing an existing linear array benthic microbial fuel cell system having an anode and a plurality of cathodes, wherein the anode is an insulated underwater cable buried beneath seafloor sediment, and wherein the plurality of cathodes are configured to be buoyant and to rise above the sea floor, wrapping the insulated underwater cable with carbon fiber bundles and a current collector, wherein the carbon fiber is coated with a binder, securing the carbon fiber bundles and current collector with a web of synthetic fiber, fraying the carbon fiber bundles, creating exposed carbon ends on the cable and removing the binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: David B. Chadwick, Yolanda Meriah Arias-Thode, Andrew Higier, Lewis Hsu, Kenneth E. Richter, Alex G. Phipps, Gregory W. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20180097237
    Abstract: A method for improving power production comprising the steps of providing an existing linear array benthic microbial fuel cell system having an anode and a plurality of cathodes, wherein the anode is an insulated underwater cable buried beneath seafloor sediment, and wherein the plurality of cathodes are configured to be buoyant and to rise above the sea floor, wrapping the insulated underwater cable with carbon fiber bundles and a current collector, wherein the carbon fiber is coated with a binder, securing the carbon fiber bundles and current collector with a web of synthetic fiber, fraying the carbon fiber bundles, creating exposed carbon ends on the cable and removing the binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: David B. Chadwick, Yolanda Meriah Arias-Thode, Andrew Higier, Lewis Hsu, Kenneth E. Richter, Alex G. Phipps, Gregory W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9040204
    Abstract: A microbial fuel cell comprising: a first cathode; at least two anodes electrically connected to each other and to the cathode in a reconfigurable manner; and a processor operatively coupled to the anodes and configured to monitor a parameter of each anode to determine if a given anode has been oxygen-contaminated, and further configured to convert an oxygen-contaminated anode into a second cathode by reconfiguring the electrical connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Wayne P. Liu, David Bartholomew Chadwick, Kenneth E. Richter, Adriane Q. Wotawa-Bergen, Jeffrey Asher Kagan