Patents by Inventor Andrew BALLARD

Andrew BALLARD 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: 20240136544
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell stack (12) comprising a plurality of stacked cell units (10), each defining an external perimeter, a housing (58) surrounding the stack (12) to define a volume around the external perimeters, and at least one electrically insulating beam (76), the beam (76) extending generally in a stacking direction of the stacked cell units (10), to extend across a multiple of the cell units (10), and located between the external perimeters thereof and the housing (58), wherein an electrical connection member (54) of the cell stack's current delivery system extends inside the electrically insulating beam (76).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Duncan Albert Wojciech Gawel, Rajan Thandi
  • Publication number: 20240092570
    Abstract: A gripping device for being suspended from a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a grid storage structure including a plurality of tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The gripping device including a frame and at least one gripping assembly mounted on the frame. The gripping assembly including at least two grippers, each gripper being configured to engage a container located below the frame. Each gripper is movable between a gripping position for gripping the container and a release position for releasing the container. The gripping device further including a single linear actuator coupled to the at least two grippers by a linkage assembly such that actuation of the single linear actuator drives the at least two grippers substantially simultaneously between the gripping and release positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Andrew NEWBOLD, Maurice BALLARD
  • Publication number: 20240047726
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an improved fuel cell stack assembly comprising a metal base plate on which is mounted at least one fuel cell stack and a metal end plate, each stack comprising at least one fuel cell stack layer that comprises at least one fuel cell and at least one electrically insulating compression gasket, wherein a skirt is attached to the base and end plates enclosing the stack and is under tension therebetween so as to maintain a compressive force through the stack, thereby obviating the need for tie-bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Lee REES, Stephen PHILLIP, Euan FREEMAN, Andrew BALLARD, Tomasz DOMANSKI, Eren ERTURK, Alan ROBERTSON
  • Patent number: 11777129
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an improved fuel cell stack assembly (10) comprising a metal base plate (20) on which is mounted at least one fuel cell stack (30) and a metal end plate (40), each stack comprising at least one fuel cell stack layer (50) that comprises at least one fuel cell (101, 102) and at least one electrically insulating compression gasket (110), wherein a skirt (130) is attached to the base and end plates enclosing the stack and is under tension therebetween so as to maintain a compressive force through the stack, thereby obviating the need for tie-bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Lee Rees, Stephen Phillip, Euan Freeman, Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Eren Erturk, Alan Robertson
  • Publication number: 20220316698
    Abstract: A steam generator for a fuel cell system having a heat exchanger (34) with at least one internal heat exchange surface, a water inflow pipe (46), a dripper head (52) with a flow passageway fluidly connected to the water inflow pipe (46). The dripper head (52) extends inside the heat exchanger (52) above the heat exchange surface for feeding water down onto the heat exchange surface for conversion into steam. The dripper head (52) has outlet holes (56) spaced along the flow passageway and between adjacent outlet (holes 56) the dripper head has a stepped profile on at least its underside to prevent droplets from adjacent holes coalescing. A fuel inflow pipe can have a section mounted coaxially to a part of the water inflow pipe (46). The fuel inflow pipe's section can surround the water inflow pipe's part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew BALLARD, Colin BENNETT, Joshua RYLEY, Martin SCHMIDT, Oliver POSTLETHWAITE, Paul BARNARD, Simone DOZIO, Tomasz DOMANSKI
  • Patent number: 11316187
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack assembly apparatus comprising a base and a stack alignment feature extending generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against it into a fuel cell stack assembly, wherein each fuel cell unit comprises a respective first alignment feature complimentary in shape to said stack alignment feature. Other features include a magnetic abutment extending generally perpendicular to said base for attracting the plurality of fuel cell units towards the stack alignment feature, and an alignment slider slidable generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against the stack alignment feature. A method of using the assembly apparatus comprises stacking fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, and attracted towards the same by virtue of the magnetic force of the at magnetic abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Ceres Intellectual Property Company Limited
    Inventors: Alan Hadleigh Robertson, Andrew Ballard, Eren Erturk, Tomasz Domanski
  • Patent number: 11271235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Jon Harman, Alan Robertson
  • Patent number: 11258088
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Jonathan Tunbridge, Jon Harman, Alan Robertson, Diana Duarte, Adam Brunton
  • Publication number: 20210098811
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack assembly apparatus comprising a base and a stack alignment feature extending generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against it into a fuel cell stack assembly, wherein each fuel cell unit comprises a respective first alignment feature complimentary in shape to said stack alignment feature. Other features include a magnetic abutment extending generally perpendicular to said base for attracting the plurality of fuel cell units towards the stack alignment feature, and an alignment slider slidable generally perpendicular to said base for aligning ferritic fuel cell units stacked against the stack alignment feature. A method of using the assembly apparatus comprises stacking fuel cell units upon each other on the base with their respective first alignment features against the stack alignment feature, and attracted towards the same by virtue of the magnetic force of the at magnetic abutment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Alan Hadleigh Robertson, Andrew Ballard, Eren Erturk, Tomasz Domanski
  • Publication number: 20200365926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew BALLARD, Tomasz DOMANSKI, Jonathan TUNBRIDGE, Jon HARMAN, Alan ROBERTSON, Diana DUARTE, Adam BRUNTON
  • Publication number: 20200365923
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved metal supported solid oxide fuel cell unit, fuel cell stacks, fuel cell stack assemblies, and methods of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew BALLARD, Tomasz DOMANSKI, Jon HARMAN, Alan ROBERTSON
  • Publication number: 20200161690
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an improved fuel cell stack assembly (10) comprising a metal base plate (20) on which is mounted at least one fuel cell stack (30) and a metal end plate (40), each stack comprising at least one fuel cell stack layer (50) that comprises at least one fuel cell (101, 102) and at least one electrically insulating compression gasket (110), wherein a skirt (130) is attached to the base and end plates enclosing the stack and is under tension therebetween so as to maintain a compressive force through the stack, thereby obviating the need for tie-bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Lee REES, Stephen PHILLIP, Euan FREEMAN, Andrew BALLARD, Tomasz DOMANSKI, Eren ERTURK, Alan ROBERTSON