Patents by Inventor Leonard M. Tender
Leonard M. Tender 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).
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Patent number: 11881606Abstract: “Biocathode MCL,” designated for its main bacterial constituents (Marinobacter, Chromatiaceae, and Labrenzia), is a stable microbial community enriched from seawater that forms biofilms on the surfaces of electrodes. These biofilms are effective to perform carbon fixation without the need for external electrical power nor sunlight applied thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as repersented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Sarah M. Glaven, Lina Bird, Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20240006643Abstract: “Biocathode MCL,” designated for its main bacterial constituents (Marinobacter, Chromatiaceae, and Labrenzia), is a stable microbial community enriched from seawater that forms biofilms on the surfaces of electrodes. These biofilms are effective to perform carbon fixation without the need for external electrical power nor sunlight applied thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Sarah M. Glaven, Lina Bird, Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20210325333Abstract: A biocompatible electrochemical flow cell (eFC) for high resolution imaging of anode and cathode biofilms using laser scanning confocal microscopy employs optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated electrode configured to allow observation of the flow chamber. This enables correlation of electrochemical signatures with biofilm development in real-time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: Sarah M. Glaven, Daniel A. Phillips, Matthew D. Yates, Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20210273250Abstract: “Biocathode MCL,” designated for its main bacterial constituents (Marinobacter, Chromatiaceae, and Labrenzia), is a stable microbial community enriched from seawater that forms biofilms on the surfaces of electrodes. These biofilms are effective to perform carbon fixation without the need for external electrical power nor sunlight applied thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2020Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Sarah M. Glaven, Lina Bird, Leonard M. Tender
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Patent number: 10644341Abstract: A remotely-deployed benthic microbial fuel cell is provided, as well as a method for deploying the benthic microbial fuel cell. The remotely-deployed benthic microbial fuel cell has a mooring that includes a base unit, and a plurality of flukes mounted to a perimeter of a bottom portion of the base unit, the plurality of flukes being preconfigured to automatically move from a stored position to a deployed position. The benthic microbial fuel cell includes an anode that is mounted to the bottom portion of the base unit, and isolated from oxygenated water in an anoxic chamber by the plurality of flukes when in the deployed position. The benthic microbial fuel cell further includes a cathode that is attached to the base unit outside the anoxic chamber, where the cathode stays in oxygenated water when the remotely-deployed bottom mooring is deployed.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Jeffrey W. Book, Leonard M. Tender, Joel P. Golden, Andrew J. Quaid, Ian Martens
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Patent number: 10396386Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for generating and storing electric power in which a microbial solar cell is provided in a sealed container with photosynthetic organisms that generate reactants of the microbial fuel cell and the products of the microbial fuel cell from sunlight received through the container.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20190097250Abstract: A remotely-deployed benthic microbial fuel cell is provided, as well as a method for deploying the benthic microbial fuel cell. The remotely-deployed benthic microbial fuel cell has a mooring that includes a base unit, and a plurality of flukes mounted to a perimeter of a bottom portion of the base unit, the plurality of flukes being preconfigured to automatically move from a stored position to a deployed position. The benthic microbial fuel cell includes an anode that is mounted to the bottom portion of the base unit, and isolated from oxygenated water in an anoxic chamber by the plurality of flukes when in the deployed position. The benthic microbial fuel cell further includes a cathode that is attached to the base unit outside the anoxic chamber, where the cathode stays in oxygenated water when the remotely-deployed bottom mooring is deployed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Jeffrey W. Book, Leonard M. Tender, Joel P. Golden, Andrew J. Quaid, Ian Martens
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Publication number: 20170062860Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for generating and storing electric power in which a microbial solar cell is provided in a sealed container with photosynthetic organisms that generate reactants of the microbial fuel cell and the products of the microbial fuel cell from sunlight received through the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2016Publication date: March 2, 2017Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Patent number: 9531027Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for generating and storing electric power in which a microbial solar cell is provided in a sealed container with photosynthetic organisms that generate reactants of the microbial fuel cell and the products of the microbial fuel cell from sunlight received through the container.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Patent number: 8148019Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating power from the voltage gradient naturally found in marine sediments. A pump flows sediment porewater to an anode, and a cathode is exposed to marine water. The arrangement can power a circuit.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2005Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M Tender
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Patent number: 8012616Abstract: An improved benthic microbial fuel cell for generating energy at the interface of aquatic sediment and seawater includes an anode electrode embedded within the aquatic sediment, a cathode electrode positioned within the seawater and above the aquatic sediment, a rig for maintaining the relative positions of the anode and cathode electrodes, electrical leads extending from the anode and cathode electrodes to a load, wherein the anode electrode comprises a bottlebrush electrode residing within a permeable tube. The apparatus is easier to deploy than previously-described fuel cells, while being lighter, more durable, and generating greater power density. Also disclosed are methods of generating power from such an apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20110104518Abstract: An improved benthic microbial fuel cell for generating energy at the interface of aquatic sediment and seawater includes an anode electrode embedded within the aquatic sediment, a cathode electrode positioned within the seawater and above the aquatic sediment, a rig for maintaining the relative positions of the anode and cathode electrodes, electrical leads extending from the anode and cathode electrodes to a load, wherein the anode electrode comprises a bottlebrush electrode residing within a permeable tube. The apparatus is easier to deploy than previously-described fuel cells, while being lighter, more durable, and generating greater power density. Also disclosed are methods of generating power from such an apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20100224246Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for generating and storing electric power in which a microbial solar cell is provided in a sealed container with photosynthetic organisms that generate reactants of the microbial fuel cell and the products of the microbial fuel cell from sunlight received through the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Inventor: Leonard M. Tender
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Publication number: 20100081014Abstract: The present invention provides a microbial fuel cell power system based on a microbe-based fuel cell such as a benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFCs). In accordance with the present invention, one or more BMFCs can be connected to one or more batteries such as a nickel metal hybrid (NiMH) or sealed lead acid (SLA) battery and can be used to charge the batteries for long-term persistent underwater use. At any time, some of the connected batteries are being charged by the BMFC, while the others are being used to power a connected device. By using electrically isolated fuel cell converters, the batteries can be charged while in circuit. With non-isolated converters, pairs of batteries can be switched between offline charging and online discharging. The battery system can be controlled by a control system that comprises a microcontroller that periodically measures system voltages and currents, swaps the batteries being charged, and records the system results for post-mission analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Robert C. Tyce, Jeffrey W. Book, Leonard M. Tender
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Patent number: 6913854Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating power from voltage gradients at sediment-water interfaces or within stratified euxinic water-columns is provided. Natural voltage gradients typically exist at and about sediment-water interfaces or in isolated water bodies. One electrode (anode) is positioned in the sediment or water just below the redox boundary and the other electrode (cathode) is positioned in the water above the redox boundary over the first electrode. The anode is lower in voltage than the cathode. Current will flow when the electrodes are connected through a load, and near-perpetual generating of worthwhile power may be sustained by the net oxidation of organic matter catalyzed by microorganisms.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2000Date of Patent: July 5, 2005Assignees: Rutgers, The State University of NJ, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Randall Alberte, Harold J. Bright, Clare Reimers, Leonard M. Tender
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Patent number: 6482639Abstract: Molecular recognition-based electronic sensor, which is gateless, depletion mode field effect transistor consisting of source and drain diffusions, a depletion-mode implant, and insulating layer chemically modified by immobilized molecular receptors that enables miniaturized label-free molecular detection amenable to high-density array formats. The conductivity of the active channel modulates current flow through the active channel when a voltage is applied between the source and drain diffusions. The conductivity of the active channel is determined by the potential of the sample solution in which the device is immersed and the device-solution interfacial capacitance. The conductivity of the active channel modulates current flow through the active channel when a voltage is applied between the source and drain diffusions. The interfacial capacitance is determined by the extent of occupancy of the immobilized receptor molecules by target molecules. Target molecules can be either charged or uncharged.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2001Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Eric S. Snow, Martin Peckerar, Leonard M. Tender, Stephanie J. Fertig, Frank K. Perkins
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Publication number: 20020012937Abstract: Molecular recognition-based electronic sensor, which is gateless, depletion mode field effect transistor consisting of source and drain diffusions, a depletion-mode implant, and insulating layer chemically modified by immobilized molecular receptors that enables miniaturized label-free molecular detection amenable to high-density array formats. The conductivity of the active channel modulates current flow through the active channel when a voltage is applied between the source and drain diffusions. The conductivity of the active channel is determined by the potential of the sample solution in which the device is immersed and the device-solution interfacial capacitance. The conductivity of the active channel modulates current flow through the active channel when a voltage is applied between the source and drain diffusions. The interfacial capacitance is determined by the extent of occupancy of the immobilized receptor molecules by target molecules. Target molecules can be either charged or uncharged.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2001Publication date: January 31, 2002Inventors: Leonard M. Tender, Martin Peckerar, F. Keith Perkins, Stephanie J. Fertig, Eric S. Snow