Patents by Inventor Philip Beard

Philip Beard 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: 20260249471
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic aligning and connection of solar modules and ground structures. Installation of a solar module to a ground structure can be both labor-intensive and time-intensive. The system and method performs one or more automatic operations that may be used to install the solar module to the ground structure, including automatically orienting fasteners into a predetermined orientation; automatically moving one or both of the solar module or a part of the ground structure so that the solar module and the part of the ground structure are physically contacting/aligned; and automatically fixedly connecting the solar module and the part of the ground structure together using the fasteners with predetermined orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2026
    Publication date: August 27, 2026
    Applicant: The AES Corporation
    Inventors: Diego Botelho, Scott Kalm, Nicolas Riehl, Deise Yumi Asami, John Christopher Shelton, Nathan McKerley, Philip Beard
  • Patent number: 11413482
    Abstract: Firefighting gas releasing apparatuses may include a trigger housing. A containment shell having a plurality of interfaceable shell sections may be carried by the trigger housing. The shell sections may be positional in a closed shell configuration and an open shell configuration. A shell interior may be formed by the shell sections in the closed shell configuration of the containment shell. The shell interior may be configured to contain a supply of at least one fire-suppressing gas. A plurality of shell retention members may removably engage the shell sections. A shell retention strap may releasably engage the shell retention members. The shell retention strap and the shell retention members may retain the shell sections in the closed shell configuration of the containment shell. A retainer piston may be disposed in the trigger housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventor: Philip Beard
  • Patent number: 11185724
    Abstract: Firefighting gas releasing apparatuses may include a trigger housing. A containment shell may have a plurality of shell sections pivotally carried by the trigger housing. The plurality of shell sections may be positional in a closed shell configuration and an open shell configuration. A shell interior may be formed by the containment shell in the closed shell configuration. The shell interior may be configured to contain a supply of at least one fire-suppressing gas. A selectively-actuatable shell releasing assembly may be carried by the trigger housing. The shell releasing assembly may be configured to engage the plurality of shell sections and maintain the containment shell in the closed shell configuration and disengage the plurality of shell sections for deployment of the containment shell to the open shell configuration. Firefighting gas releasing methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Philip Beard