Patents by Inventor Lee Ballard

Lee 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).

  • Patent number: 12119528
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Lee Rees, Stephen Phillip, Euan Freeman, Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Eren Erturk, Alan Robertson
  • Publication number: 20240287221
    Abstract: The present application relates generally to tubes, such as thin walled catheter liners with small wall thicknesses (e.g., less than 1 mm), including crosslinked fluoropolymers, e.g., crosslinked poly(tetrafluoroethylene). The disclosure further provides methods of manufacturing such tubes and systems for manufacturing such tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Robert L. Ballard, John Richard Campanelli, Patrick Cooper, Justin A. Marro, Douglas Lee Tourville, Bhavya Singhi
  • Publication number: 20240220759
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a card-shaped data carrier, such as an identification card, and includes the steps of: providing a card body with printed features and with an overlay layer disposed over the printed features; providing a press tool having a profile corresponding to a predetermined shape registered to the printed features on the card body, wherein the profile is provided by an electroformed layer; and embossing the profile of the press tool in the overlay layer. A lamination plate is provided for embossing an overlay layer of such data carrier, including a profile with a predetermined shape. The profile is registered to printed features on the card body, and the profile is provided by an electroformed layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventor: Kevin Lee BALLARD
  • Patent number: 11740919
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a processor and NIC coupled to the processor via a communication interface. The NIC includes a network port. The processor instantiates a virtual network including at least two virtual switches and a virtual machine. The NIC receives a first flow from a first virtual switch, the first flow directing data packets received on the network port and destined for the virtual machine to a second virtual switch, and receives a second flow from the second virtual switch, the second flow directing the data packets to the virtual machine. The NIC further receives a data packet on the network port, determines that the data packet is destined for the virtual machine, and routes the data packet to a virtual function associated with the virtual machine based on the first and second flows, without first routing the first data packet to either of the virtual switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Lee Ballard, Andy Butcher
  • Publication number: 20220402233
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article that protects surface textures from abrasion as a result of regular wear and tear. The article comprises a substrate comprising a first texture and a second texture, where the second texture is in a protective relationship with the first texture and protects elements of the first texture from being abraded by an external surface. The first texture comprises a first plurality of features having a first height measured from a base of the substrate and the second texture comprises a second plurality of features having a second height measured from the base of the substrate. The height of the second texture is greater than the height of the first texture. The second texture comprises a plurality of non-uniform cells; and wherein the first texture is disposed on a surface of the second texture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Megan Lee Carrick, Kevin Lee Ballard, Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Christopher Joseph Jones
  • Publication number: 20220235480
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising growing a shim by disposing a mandrel having an optional textured surface in an electrolytic bath, where the shim contains a negative image of the optional textured surface formed by electrolytic deposition of a metal; affixing the shim working-side down on a reference plane using a fixture; optically scanning the shim to reverse engineer a geometry of a non-working surface, where reverse engineering a geometry of the non-working surface includes developing a profile of the non-working surface and the thickness of the shim; and adding a material to the non-working surface of the shim via additive manufacturing to form a tool insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Kevin Lee Ballard
  • Publication number: 20220024112
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a template comprising a soluble polymer having disposed thereon a texture; where the texture comprises a pattern comprising a first plurality of spaced features; the spaced features arranged in a plurality of groupings; the spaced features within a grouping being spaced apart at an average distance of about 1 nanometer to about 500 micrometers; each feature having a surface that is substantially parallel to a surface on a neighboring feature; each feature being separated from its neighboring feature; and wherein the groupings of features being arranged with respect to one another so as to define a tortuous pathway; where the template in in the form of a free-standing film that has a maximum thickness of 1.5 millimeters and a minimum thickness that is no greater than 40 percent of the maximum thickness; where the surface area of the textured surface is at least greater than 10 cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: MiKayla Maye Henry, Kevin Lee Ballard
  • Publication number: 20220019140
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of using a template for texturing a surface comprising contacting an article surface with a template; where the template comprises a soluble polymer that has a texture disposed thereon; where the texture comprises a pattern comprising a first plurality of spaced features; the spaced features arranged in a plurality of groupings; the spaced features within a grouping being spaced apart at an average distance of about 1 nanometer to about 500 micrometers; each feature having a surface that is substantially parallel to a surface on a neighboring feature; each feature being separated from its neighboring feature; and wherein the groupings of features being arranged with respect to one another so as to define a tortuous pathway; where the template in in the form of a free-standing film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: MiKayla Maye Henry, Kevin Lee Ballard
  • Publication number: 20210357242
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a processor and NIC coupled to the processor via a communication interface. The NIC includes a network port coupled to a network. The processor instantiates a virtual network including at least two virtual switches and a virtual machine. The NIC receives a first flow from a first virtual switch, the first flow directing data packets received on the network port and destined for the virtual machine to a second virtual switch, and receives a second flow from the second virtual switch, the second flow directing the data packets to the virtual machine. The NIC further receives a data packet on the network port, determines that the data packet is destined for the virtual machine, and routes the data packet to a virtual function associated with the virtual machine based on the first and second flows, without first routing the first data packet to either of the first or second virtual switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Lee Ballard, Andy Butcher
  • Publication number: 20210220107
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are patterns and pattern distributions that reduce gloss and glare in surfaces that are textured. Patterns of different sizes and orientations are disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Anthony B. Brennan, Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Kevin Lee Ballard
  • Patent number: 9999723
    Abstract: A Huber needle assembly with safety capture device includes at least a body, a needle, and a movable arm. The movable arm is pivotable relative to the body, and includes a capture hood at a distal end thereof. The capture hood is cylindrical, includes a perimeter side wall having an outer face and an inner face, and has open proximal end. The capture hood includes a slot through the perimeter side wall, providing access into an internal chamber defined by the perimeter side wall. The slot extends longitudinally over at least a portion of the length of the capture hood, and at least a portion of the slot has a width less than the outside diameter of the needle to capture a tip of the needle therein when the movable arm pivots to a safety-capture position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Medical Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. Schweikert, Mark S. Fisher, Joshua Lee Ballard
  • Patent number: 9689108
    Abstract: A connector including a first member having a cylindrical portion and a second member having a cylindrical portion that is frictionally engageable with the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Deflecto, LLC
    Inventors: John Frederick Hamman, Jr., Mitchell Ross Schlatter, Patrick Jon Foley, Richard Lee Ballard
  • Publication number: 20150105727
    Abstract: A Huber needle assembly with safety capture device includes at least a body, a needle, and a movable arm. The movable arm is pivotable relative to the body, and includes a capture hood at a distal end thereof. The capture hood is cylindrical, includes a perimeter side wall having an outer face and an inner face, and has open proximal end. The capture hood includes a slot through the perimeter side wall, providing access into an internal chamber defined by the perimeter side wall. The slot extends longitudinally over at least a portion of the length of the capture hood, and at least a portion of the slot has a width less than the outside diameter of the needle to capture a tip of the needle therein when the movable arm pivots to a safety-capture position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy M. SCHWEIKERT, Mark S. FISHER, Joshua Lee BALLARD
  • Publication number: 20140049043
    Abstract: A connector including a first member having a cylindrical portion and a second member having a cylindrical portion that is frictionally engageable with the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: DEFLECTO, LLC
    Inventors: John Frederick Hamman, JR., Mitchell Ross Schlatter, Patrick Jon Foley, Richard Lee Ballard
  • Publication number: 20120305262
    Abstract: A device for relieving pressure in a subsea component comprises a housing including an inner cavity, an open end in fluid communication with the inner cavity, and a through bore extending from the inner cavity to an outer surface of the housing. In addition, the device comprises a connector coupled to the open end. The connector is configured to releasably engage a mating connector coupled to the subsea component. Further, the device comprises a burst disc assembly mounted to the housing within the through bore. The burst disc assembly is configured to rupture at a predetermined differential pressure between the inner cavity and the environment outside the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: BP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Ballard, Robert Winfield Franklin, Paul Wilhelm Gulgowski, JR., Tony Oldfield, Martin Julio Pabon
  • Publication number: 20110155756
    Abstract: A dispenser for the delivery of medication includes: a support (9, 10) supporting an array of blister(s) (11) each containing a medication dose, the support (9, 10) having an array of through hole(s) (19, 25) below the blister(s) (11) respectively, an actuating member (13) located above the support (9, 10), the actuating member (13) being movable in translation relative to the support (9, 10), by at least one step, in a determined direction (d) parallel to the support (9, 10), and elements (29, 57) for converting each of the step(s) of translational motion of the actuating member (13) into a pressure exerted on corresponding one(s) of the blister(s) (11) towards the corresponding through hole(s) (19, 25) to expel the corresponding medication dose(s) through the corresponding through hole(s) (19, 25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: MERCK SERONO SA
    Inventors: Brian, Lee Ballard, Peter, John Sprada
  • Publication number: 20040182896
    Abstract: The points of what is new in the art of which the invention pertains:
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventor: Darin Lee Ballard
  • Patent number: 6042889
    Abstract: An electroless metal plating bath composition, a corresponding method for electrolessly depositing a metal onto a substrate surface, as well as the resulting, metallized substrate, are disclosed. The inventive bath composition includes water, a soluble source of the metal ions it is desired to chemically reduce at, and deposit onto, the substrate surface of interest, and a complexing agent for the metal ions. In addition, the bath composition includes a soluble source of any one or more of a select group of what are termed mediator ions, which group includes palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and rhodium (Rh) ions, as well as a complexing agent for the mediator ions. Moreover, the bath composition includes a chemical reducing agent, which primarily serves to chemically reduce the mediator ions at the substrate surface of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Lee Ballard, John Gerard Gaudiello