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:
Aug. 06, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2007
Matthias Rudolph, Weisendorf, DE;
Hans-peter Fuchs, Nürnberg, DE;
Erhard Friedrich, Eckental, DE;
Areva GmbH, Erlangen, DE;
Abstract
A fuel element for a nuclear reactor has a fuel rod bundle, at least one spacer with cells defined by at least one web section made from a first material and several guide tubes each running through a cell and axially fixed thereto made from a second material. The first and second materials have differing thermal expansion coefficients. The connection between the guide tube and the spacer is embodied as follows: first and second projections are directly or indirectly fixed to the guide tube. The first projections are disposed in a first axial position and the second projections are arranged at a second axial position and the projections each engage in an opening through the web section to give an axially-acting undercut.