The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1987
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1986
Applicant:
Inventor:
Jean-Marc Cloue, Rilleux la Pape, FR;
Assignee:
Fragema, Courbevoie, FR;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G21C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
376412 ; 376413 ; 376420 ;
Abstract
A nuclear fuel rod has a sheath closed by end plugs and a stack of fuel pellets in the sheath. The stack is retained in abutment against one of the end plugs during handling of the fuel rod by a radially expandable element having a cross-sectional area in rest condition such as it frictionally engages an internal surface of said sheath. When the fuel rod is brought to the reactor operating temperature, the radially expandable element is contracted clear of frictional contact by temperature responsive means of a shape memory alloy operatively associated with said radially expandable element and having a transformation temperature above atmospheric temperature.