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).
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Patent number: 12119528Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 18, 2023Date of Patent: October 15, 2024Assignee: CERES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Lee Rees, Stephen Phillip, Euan Freeman, Andrew Ballard, Tomasz Domanski, Eren Erturk, Alan Robertson
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Publication number: 20240287221Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2024Publication date: August 29, 2024Inventors: Robert L. Ballard, John Richard Campanelli, Patrick Cooper, Justin A. Marro, Douglas Lee Tourville, Bhavya Singhi
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Publication number: 20240220759Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2023Publication date: July 4, 2024Inventor: Kevin Lee BALLARD
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Patent number: 11740919Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Lee Ballard, Andy Butcher
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Publication number: 20220402233Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2020Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Megan Lee Carrick, Kevin Lee Ballard, Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Christopher Joseph Jones
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Publication number: 20220235480Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2020Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Kevin Lee Ballard
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Publication number: 20220024112Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventors: MiKayla Maye Henry, Kevin Lee Ballard
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Publication number: 20220019140Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: MiKayla Maye Henry, Kevin Lee Ballard
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Publication number: 20210357242Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2020Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Lee Ballard, Andy Butcher
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Publication number: 20210220107Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2019Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Anthony B. Brennan, Ryan Eugene Stoneberg, Kevin Lee Ballard
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Patent number: 9999723Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Medical Components, Inc.Inventors: Timothy M. Schweikert, Mark S. Fisher, Joshua Lee Ballard
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Patent number: 9689108Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 20, 2012Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Deflecto, LLCInventors: John Frederick Hamman, Jr., Mitchell Ross Schlatter, Patrick Jon Foley, Richard Lee Ballard
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Publication number: 20150105727Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventors: Timothy M. SCHWEIKERT, Mark S. FISHER, Joshua Lee BALLARD
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Publication number: 20140049043Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2012Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: DEFLECTO, LLCInventors: John Frederick Hamman, JR., Mitchell Ross Schlatter, Patrick Jon Foley, Richard Lee Ballard
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Publication number: 20120305262Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2012Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicants: BP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.Inventors: Adam Lee Ballard, Robert Winfield Franklin, Paul Wilhelm Gulgowski, JR., Tony Oldfield, Martin Julio Pabon
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Publication number: 20110155756Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2009Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: MERCK SERONO SAInventors: Brian, Lee Ballard, Peter, John Sprada
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Publication number: 20040182896Abstract: The points of what is new in the art of which the invention pertains:Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2003Publication date: September 23, 2004Inventor: Darin Lee Ballard
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Patent number: 6042889Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 1994Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gerald Lee Ballard, John Gerard Gaudiello