Did You Know...
...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7340387 | Control rod driving simulator for verification of control rod driving mechanism control system of atomic power plant A control rod driving simulator has a control rod driving unit having a plurality of coil members vertically mounted therein, a control rod mounted vertically movably through the centers of the coil members, a cart having a reserve tank storing cooling water, a cool... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7328624 | Probe for measuring parameters of a flowing fluid and/or multiphase mixture A probe 10,170 is provided that measures the speed of sound and/or vortical disturbances propagating in a single phase fluid flow and/or multiphase mixture to determine parameters, such as mixture quality, particle size, vapor/mass ratio, liquid/vapor ratio, ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7308069 | Device and method for controlling the exterior aspect of fuel rods for nuclear reactors The invention concerns a device (1) for controlling the exterior aspect of fuel rods (2) for nuclear reactors, said device comprising optical means (40) having at least one camera (42, 42′) and linked to an image acquisition and process... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7308068 | Device and method for controlling the exterior aspect of fuel rods for nuclear reactors The invention concerns a device (1) for controlling the exterior aspect of fuel rods (2) for nuclear reactors, said device comprising optical means (40) having at least one camera (42, 42′) and linked to an image acquisition and process... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7280141 | Fixed pattern noise subtraction in a digital image sensor A fixed pattern noise subtraction method in a digital imaging system incorporating a digital image sensor includes: acquiring a reference image of the digital image sensor when the digital image sensor receives no illumination, storing a reference value of an operat... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7266421 | System for controlling lifting and remote handling units located in a confined enclosure The control system is used to control manipulation equipment (41) and carrying equipment (43) confined in a containment (40) inaccessible to operators and to perform maintenance operations related to electronic circuits for onboard equipment enc... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7106359 | Subsurface video observation system A video observation system, useful for location of fish and other plant and animal life underwater, comprises a solid state imager having substantial sensitivity to infrared radiation; video signal generating means for generating a video signal corresponding to the ... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7092477 | BWR inspection manipulator A reactor service manipulator delivery system supported on a remotely operated trolley that travels on top of a track attached to the steam dam of a BWR shroud. The trolley has a mast and pulley system designed to manipulate a TV camera for inspection of various rea... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7054793 | Device and method for generating a virtual model of an installation The invention relates to a method and a device for generating a virtual installation model (2) as an image of a real installation (1). As a database therefor, digital picture data (4) representing pictures of a real installation (1) on th... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6955100 | Method and arrangement for inspection and requalification of vehicles used for transporting commodities and/or hazardous materials In order to improve the safety with which commodities (including regulated hazardous materials) can be shipped by rail around the country in tank cars and the like, each tank and associated undercarriage and structure is inspected and requalified according to an exh... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6668034 | Method of inspecting an operation of sealed closure by welding the end of a filling channel traversing the upper plug of a nuclear fuel rod A method of inspecting an operation of sealed closure by welding an end opening of a filling channel axially traversing an upper plug for closing the cladding of a fuel rod for a nuclear reactor, the cladding of the rod containing a plurality of pellets o... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6665363 | Method of inspecting the welding of a sealed closure plug of a nuclear reactor fuel element Before welding, the plug and the sleeve of the fuel rod being in the welding position at the welding station, the sleeve and the plug of the fuel rod are rotated about their common axis with the aid of rotation means, images are taken along the periphery ... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6639959 | Guide tube camera inspection fixture and method of use A guide tube inspection camera fixture for inspecting internal surfaces of nuclear reactor control rod guide tubes is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the guide tube camera fixture includes a base plate, a unit-body tower having a first end and a sec... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6636577 | Laser induced fluorescence water measurement system for nuclear reactors A water monitoring system for a nuclear reactor is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the water monitoring system includes a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end, with the first end configured to optically couple to the reactor cooling... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6594333 | Thermal load reducing system for nuclear reactor vessel The present invention is used to reduce thermal load itself, being the cause to generate stress, which develops near liquid surface in a nuclear reactor wall and to contribute to further improvement of safety. A partition member (5) is arranged above a co... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6526114 | Remote automated nuclear reactor jet pump diffuser inspection tool An inspection apparatus for inspecting welds in a nuclear reactor jet pump includes a probe subassembly rotatably and linearly movably coupled to a frame structure configured to attach to a top flange of the reactor pressure vessel. The probe subassembly ... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6459748 | Floating ultrasonic testing end effector for a robotic arm An end effector for supporting an ultrasonic testing probe on a robot arm having a robot mounting bracket for use in a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. The end effector has a wrist assembly with a rotatable wrist axle. The wrist assembly is coupled to the... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6434207 | Inspection method and apparatus for piping Nuclear fuels are taken from a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, a rail for running is mounted under the reactor pressure vessel drain piping in parallel with a horizontal portion of the reactor pressure vessel drain piping inside a pedestal positioned on ... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6145583 | Inspection device A device for inspecting the interior of steam generators capable of visually inspecting interior of tubes in steam generators, including upper portions steam generator tubes, tops and bottoms of support plates, wrapper-to-support plate welds, and other in... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6104772 | Method and apparatus for introducing a self-propelled in-pipe manipulator into a pipeline A method and an apparatus introduce a self-propelled in-pipe manipulator into the interior of a pipeline. A hollow body receives the in-pipe manipulator, is open at least at one end surface and is positioned at an opening of the pipeline, from where the i... | 08/15/2000 |
| 6058153 | Preventive maintenance apparatus for structural members in a nuclear pressure vessel A preventive maintenance apparatus for structural members inside a nuclear reactor pressure vessel includes a ring-shaped guide rail having a plurality of lugs which is placed on an upper flange of a core shroud provided inside a reactor pressure vessel. ... | 05/02/2000 |
| 6049580 | Apparatus for remote dismantling of irradiated structures The proposed installation comprises an abrasive liquid jet cutting module using a mobile nozzle (25) rotatable in all directions and which also supports a sensor (37) so that it can previously recognize the position or shape of the structure to be cut, a ... | 04/11/2000 |
| 5917875 | Apparatus for inspecting nuclear fuel assemblies Apparatus for rectifying the tendency of a fuel assembly (1) to incline from the perpendicular has a top nozzle support (19) and a base assembly (18) for supporting, respectively, a top nozzle (7) and a bottom nozzle (2) of the fuel assembly. Incorporated... | 06/29/1999 |
| 5912934 | Underwater inspection system for nuclear power facilities A nuclear fuel identification system for use in nuclear power plants has an imaging system having a video camera and an array of illuminators surrounding the video camera and positioned to shine onto a nuclear fuel cell. The illuminators are sequentially ... | 06/15/1999 |
| 5887041 | Nuclear power plant component identification and verification system and method An automated system for identifying nuclear power plant components includes a camera which provides an input signal from an image of the nuclear power plant components. A digitizer generates a digitized image of the nuclear power plant components from the... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5850424 | Refueling machine with relative positioning capability A refueling machine having relative positioning capability for refueling a nuclear reactor. The refueling machine includes a pair of articulated arms mounted on a refueling bridge. Each arm supports a respective telescoping mast. Each telescoping mast is ... | 12/15/1998 |
| 5844955 | Apparatus and method for inspecting an outer jacket of a core containment in the region of a heat shield surrounding the core containment An apparatus and a method for inspecting an outer jacket of a core containment in the region of a heat shield surrounding the core containment, include a plate mounted rotatably on a bottom of a storage basin. The core containment is deposited on the bott... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5844956 | Apparatus and method for inspecting an outer jacket of a core containment in the region of a heat shield surrounding the core containment An apparatus and a method for inspecting an outer jacket of a core containment in the vicinity of a heat shield surrounding the core containment, include an annular rail to be fixed to the core containment. A carriage is disposed on the annular rail for c... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5838752 | Apparatus and method for carrying out workings at reactor bottom At a reactor bottom, varieties of work are performed by a working apparatus, the work includes inspecting, cleaning and recovering radioactive corrosion products and other foreign matters deposited or stuck onto a foot mirror of a reactor pressure vessel ... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5835547 | Method and apparatus for inspecting the rods of a nuclear reactor control cluster The apparatus for inspecting the rods of a cluster insertable in the core of a nuclear reactor comprises a body provided with sliding guide means for rods in m different orientations of the cluster, m being a submultiple of the number n of rods in the clu... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5791400 | Linear scan hot spot detection system A hot spot detection system for a rotary regenerative preheater has a linear rail system positionable between the central portion and the casing of the air preheater. The rail assembly has a pair of rails with a carriage movably mounted to each rail. The ... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5737377 | Nuclear reactor camera mast assembly and loading guide A camera mast system permits remote inspection of nuclear fuel assemblies and other components of nuclear reactors. The system includes a camera mast assembly mounted on a refueling mast which may be positioned over a selected fuel assembly in the reactor... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5680423 | Method and apparatus for detecting neutrons The instant invention is a method for making and using an apparatus for detecting neutrons. Scintillating optical fibers are fabricated by melting SiO2 with a thermal neutron capturing substance and a scintillating material in a reducing atmosp... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5624047 | Telescoping mast with zero clearance for refueling machine A telescoping mast with zero clearance which can be used in a fully automatic, relative positioning refueling machine. The telescoping mast consists of a series of nested tubes separated by spacers of unique design. Each spacer consists of an upper spacer... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5602885 | Automated girth weld inspection of nuclear fuel rods The girth welds joining the end plugs and the hollow tubes of nuclear fuel rods are inspected automatically using a technique that averages reflectance values, compares the reflectance values to standards defined as proportions of the average, and counts ... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5594764 | Automated video characterization of nuclear power plant components An automated system for determining positions of a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies organized in an array within a housing of a nuclear power plant includes a radiation hardened, underwater camera for inputting images of the nuclear fuel assemblies wi... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5586158 | Apparatus for automatically replacing nuclear fuel assemblies An automatic nuclear fuel assembly replacing apparatus has a bridge and a trolley movable in X and Y axis directions, respectively. Mounted on the trolley is a nuclear fuel grapple movable in a Z axis direction and rotatable about the Z axis. A television... | 12/17/1996 |
| 5565980 | Apparatus for the detection of surface defects An apparatus for the detection of surface defects on cylindrical objects which includes means for conveying the objects to be inspected one-by-one each on its end to a first inspection station, means for inspecting the free end of each object as it passes... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5544206 | Reactor head work station Apparatus for inspecting the nuclear reactor comprising a boom rotatably connected by a pivot point to the top of a reactor head, a mechanism for rotating the boom with respect to said pivot point, a camera affixed to said boom and being slidingly affixed... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5544205 | Device and method for checking the guide elements of a guide tube for the upper internals of a pressurized water nuclear reactor The device includes an inspection rod cluster (10) comprising a central cylindrical body (45) and a plurality of arms (46, 48) extending radially with respect to the cylindrical body (45). Guide bars (49) for the inspection rod cluster (10) in the guide e... | 08/06/1996 |
