Patents by Inventor Steven J. Koester

Steven J. Koester 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: 12241469
    Abstract: A compressor with a fluid separator is disclosed. The compressor is configured to compressor a first fluid (e.g., a refrigerant gas) having a second fluid (e.g., a lubricant) suspended therein. The fluid separator includes a main body having at least one aperture formed therethrough and is configured to separate the second fluid from the first fluid. The fluid separator is installed in a separation chamber of the compressor, wherein the fluid separator includes at least one retention feature to militate against axial movement of the fluid separator within the separation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Brad Crenshaw, Mark Honkala
  • Patent number: 12196209
    Abstract: A passive discharge valve for a scroll compressor and method of use are disclosed. The passive discharge valve is configured to control a flow of fluid from a compression mechanism into a discharge chamber formed in a housing of the scroll compressor. The passive discharge valve comprises a main body including a common central aperture and one or more valvular conduits formed therein. The valvular conduits extend radially outwardly from the common central aperture and each has an inlet aperture in fluid communication with a discharge port of the compression mechanism and an outlet aperture in fluid communication with the discharge chamber. Each of the valvular conduits comprises a first flow path and a second flow path, wherein the second flow path intermittently intersects the first flow path to create a fluidic diode, which militates against reverse fluid flow (or backflow) during operation of the scroll compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Brad Crenshaw
  • Publication number: 20250003410
    Abstract: A fluid filter includes a body portion and a filter membrane portion. The body portion includes at least one aperture formed therein, wherein the filter membrane portion is disposed in the at least one aperture to filter contaminants from a fluid (e.g., a lubricant). The fluid filter is installed in a fluid passage of scroll compressor, wherein an axial movement of the fluid filter is restrained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2024
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Mark Elliot Honkala
  • Publication number: 20240418171
    Abstract: A passive discharge valve for a scroll compressor and method of use are disclosed. The passive discharge valve is configured to control a flow of fluid from a compression mechanism into a discharge chamber formed in a housing of the scroll compressor. The passive discharge valve comprises a main body including a common central aperture and one or more valvular conduits formed therein. The valvular conduits extend radially outwardly from the common central aperture and each has an inlet aperture in fluid communication with a discharge port of the compression mechanism and an outlet aperture in fluid communication with the discharge chamber. Each of the valvular conduits comprises a first flow path and a second flow path, wherein the second flow path intermittently intersects the first flow path to create a fluidic diode, which militates against reverse fluid flow (or backflow) during operation of the scroll compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Brad Crenshaw
  • Publication number: 20240402400
    Abstract: Approaches to stack monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) materials to develop near-perfect light absorbers (NPLAs) with only two atomic layers of TMD. Stacking TMDs may result in interlayer coupling with undesirable light absorbing behavior. The NPLAs of this disclosure stacks monolayer TMDs in such a way as to minimize TMD interlayer coupling, thus preserving TMD strong band nesting properties. Examples of approaches in this disclosure control the interlayer coupling by, for example, (a) twisted TMD bi-layers and (b) adding a buffer layer, e.g., a TMD/buffer layer/TMD tri-layer heterostructure. The NPLAs of this disclosure use the band nesting effect in TMDs, combined with a Salisbury screen geometry, to demonstrate NPLAs using only two or three uniform atomic layers of TMDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Seungjun Lee, Dongjea Seo, Sang Hyun Park, Tony Low, Steven J. Koester, Rehan Younas, Christopher Hinkle
  • Publication number: 20240384721
    Abstract: A compressor with a fluid separator is disclosed. The compressor is configured to compressor a first fluid (e.g., a refrigerant gas) having a second fluid (e.g., a lubricant) suspended therein. The fluid separator includes a main body having at least one aperture formed therethrough and is configured to separate the second fluid from the first fluid. The fluid separator is installed in a separation chamber of the compressor, wherein the fluid separator includes at least one retention feature to militate against axial movement of the fluid separator within the separation chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Brad Crenshaw, Mark Honkala
  • Patent number: 12129853
    Abstract: A fluid filter includes a body portion and a filter membrane portion. The body portion includes at least one aperture formed therein, wherein the filter membrane portion is disposed in the at least one aperture to filter contaminants from a fluid (e.g., a lubricant). The fluid filter is installed in a fluid passage of scroll compressor, wherein an axial movement of the fluid filter is restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Mark Elliot Honkala
  • Patent number: 12098719
    Abstract: A scroll compressor including a compression mechanism assembled with a valve assembly disposed in a housing. The compression mechanism including a fixed scroll and an orbit scroll. The fixed scroll includes a recessed pocket having a first indentation with a first injection port and a second indentation with a second injection port. A double reed structure of the valve assembly is disposed in the recessed pocket of the fixed scroll. The double reed structure includes a first reed configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the first injection port and a second reed configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the second injection port. The valve assembly further includes a valve member disposed adjacent the reed structure and a valve gasket disposed between the valve member and a portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Pete Ganster, Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Steven J. Koester
  • Publication number: 20240280102
    Abstract: A scroll compressor including a compression mechanism assembled with a valve assembly disposed in a housing. The compression mechanism including a fixed scroll and an orbit scroll. The fixed scroll includes a recessed pocket having a first indentation with a first injection port and a second indentation with a second injection port. A double reed structure of the valve assembly is disposed in the recessed pocket of the fixed scroll. The double reed structure includes a first reed configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the first injection port and a second reed configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the second injection port. The valve assembly further includes a valve member disposed adjacent the reed structure and a valve gasket disposed between the valve member and a portion of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Pete Ganster, Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Steven J. Koester
  • Patent number: 12006938
    Abstract: A scroll compressor including a compression mechanism assembled with an injection valve assembly disposed in a housing. The compression mechanism including a fixed scroll and an orbit scroll. The fixed scroll includes a first borehole provided with a first injection port and a second borehole provided with a second injection port. The valve assembly includes a valve member, a double reed structure, a valve gasket, and a valve body. The double reed structure includes a first reed, an opposite second reed, and a connecting portion. The first reed is configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the first injection port and the second reed configured to selectively permit a flow of a fluid through the second injection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Pete Ganster, Steven J. Koester
  • Patent number: 11923419
    Abstract: Chemical sensors, devices and systems including the same, and related methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, a medical device is included having a graphene varactor including a graphene layer and a self-assembled monolayer disposed on an outer surface of the graphene layer through non-covalent interactions between the self-assembled monolayer and a ?-electron system of graphene. The self-assembled monolayer includes one or more pillarenes, substituted pillarenes, calixarenes, substituted calixarenes, peralkylated cyclodextrins, substituted peralkylated cyclodextrins, pyrenes, or substituted pyrenes, or derivatives of each. Other embodiments are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Xue Zhen, Philippe Pierre Joseph Buhlmann, Steven J. Koester
  • Patent number: 11908901
    Abstract: A varactor may include a gate electrode; a graphene layer; and a ferroelectric layer between the gate electrode and the graphene layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Venkata Raghava Saran Kumar Chaganti
  • Patent number: 11867596
    Abstract: Embodiments include chemical sensors, devices and systems including the same, and related methods. In an embodiment, a medical device is provided. The medical device can include a graphene varactor, including a graphene layer and a self-assembled monolayer disposed on an outer surface of the graphene layer through electrostatic interactions between a partial positive charge on hydrogen atoms of one or more hydrocarbons of the self-assembled monolayer and a ?-electron system of graphene. The self-assembled monolayer can include one or more substituted porphyrins or substituted metalloporphyrins, or derivatives thereof. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Xue Zhen, Philippe Pierre Joseph Buhlmann, Steven J. Koester, Justin Theodore Nelson
  • Patent number: 11820061
    Abstract: A printed structure including a plurality of overlying layers of elongate polymeric filaments stacked on a surface of a substrate. The elongate polymeric filaments are stacked on each other along their lengths to form a liquid impermeable, self-supporting wall. The liquid impermeable self-supporting wall forms a wall angle of about 30° to about 90° with respect to a plane of the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: Regents of the University of Minnesota, U.S. Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Michael C. McAlpine, Ruitao Su, Steven J. Koester, Joshua Uzarski
  • Publication number: 20230358233
    Abstract: A fluid filter includes a body portion and a filter membrane portion. The body portion includes at least one aperture formed therein, wherein the filter membrane portion is disposed in the at least one aperture to filter contaminants from a fluid (e.g., a lubricant). The fluid filter is installed in a fluid passage of scroll compressor, wherein an axial movement of the fluid filter is restrained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Steven J. Koester, Bradley Vernon Crenshaw, Mark Elliot Honkala
  • Publication number: 20230341345
    Abstract: An electrical device includes at least one graphene quantum capacitance varactor. In some examples, the graphene quantum capacitance varactor includes an insulator layer, a graphene layer disposed on the insulator layer, a dielectric layer disposed on the graphene layer, a gate electrode formed on the dielectric layer, and at least one contact electrode disposed on the graphene layer and making electrical contact with the graphene layer. In other examples, the graphene quantum capacitance varactor includes an insulator layer, a gate electrode recessed in the insulator layer, a dielectric layer formed on the gate electrode, a graphene layer formed on the dielectric layer, wherein the graphene layer comprises an exposed surface opposite the dielectric layer, and at least one contact electrode formed on the graphene layer and making electrical contact with the graphene layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventor: Steven J. Koester
  • Patent number: 11662325
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include a kinetic response system for measuring analyte presence on a chemical sensor element. The chemical sensor element includes one or more discrete binding detectors, each discrete binding detector including a graphene varactor. The kinetic response system includes a measurement circuit having an excitation voltage generator for generating a series of excitation cycles over a time period. Each excitation cycle includes delivering a DC bias voltage to the discrete binding detectors at multiple discrete DC bias voltages across a range of DC bias voltages. The kinetic response system includes a capacitance sensor to measure capacitance of the discrete binding detectors resulting from the excitation cycles. The kinetic response system includes a controller circuit to determine the kinetics of change in at least one of a measured capacitance value and a calculated value based on the measured capacitance over the time period. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Gregory J. Sherwood, Justin Theodore Nelson, Steven J. Koester
  • Patent number: 11561192
    Abstract: An electrical device includes at least one graphene quantum capacitance varactor. In some examples, the graphene quantum capacitance varactor includes an insulator layer, a graphene layer disposed on the insulator layer, a dielectric layer disposed on the graphene layer, a gate electrode formed on the dielectric layer, and at least one contact electrode disposed on the graphene layer and making electrical contact with the graphene layer. In other examples, the graphene quantum capacitance varactor includes an insulator layer, a gate electrode recessed in the insulator layer, a dielectric layer formed on the gate electrode, a graphene layer formed on the dielectric layer, wherein the graphene layer comprises an exposed surface opposite the dielectric layer, and at least one contact electrode formed on the graphene layer and making electrical contact with the graphene layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventor: Steven J. Koester
  • Publication number: 20220291198
    Abstract: Embodiments include chemical sensors, devices and systems including the same, and related methods. In an embodiment, a medical device is provided. The medical device can include a graphene varactor, including a graphene layer and a self-assembled monolayer disposed on an outer surface of the graphene layer through electrostatic interactions between a partial positive charge on hydrogen atoms of one or more hydrocarbons of the self-assembled monolayer and a ?-electron system of graphene. The self-assembled monolayer can include one or more substituted porphyrins or substituted metalloporphyrins, or derivatives thereof. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Xue Zhen, Philippe Pierre Joseph Buhlmann, Steven J. Koester, Justin Theodore Nelson
  • Patent number: 11384759
    Abstract: A valve assembly forms a check valve for a scroll compressor including a fixed scroll having a pair of injection ports fluidly coupled to a compression mechanism. The valve assembly includes a valve body having a pair of flow paths with each of the flow paths fluidly coupled to a corresponding one of the injection ports. An injection plate has a pair of injection holes. A reed structure is disposed between the injection plate and the valve body with the reed structure including a pair of reeds. Each of the reeds is configured to selectively provide fluid communication between a corresponding one of the injection holes and a corresponding one of the injection ports. A valve gasket is disposed between the reed structure and the valve body and includes a pair of flaps with each of the flaps configured to selectively contact a corresponding one of the reeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Kanwal Bhatia, Rod Callahan, Kyung Jae Lee, Steven J. Koester, Jeong Ki Seo