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:
Dec. 03, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2011
Michael S. Defilippis, Wilmington, NC (US);
Michael S. DeFilippis, Wilmington, NC (US);
Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC, Wilmington, NC (US);
Abstract
Example embodiments are directed to tiered tie plates and fuel bundles that use tiered tie plates. Example embodiment tie plates may include upper and lower tiered tie plates. Example embodiment tiered tie plates may have a plurality of bosses divided into groups, or tiers, having differing vertical (axial) displacement. Example embodiment fuel bundles may use tiered tie plates such that fuel rods in example bundles may originate and terminate at different vertical displacements, based upon the vertical displacement of the bosses receiving the fuel rods into the tiered tie plates. Optionally, shanks may be used to further vary fuel rod axial displacement and diameter.