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US3378458A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Nuclear reactor fuel element

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1965-10-19
•
Granted: 1968-04-16
•
Expires: 1985-10-19
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Abstract

No abstract record available.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wilfred T Ross
  • 👤 Dominic A Venier

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 05:47
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; G21C3/33; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/16; G21C3/17; G21C3/18; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A TUBE, FIRST AND SECOND END PLUGS SEALING THE ENDS OF SAID TUBE, A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL DISPOSED IN ONE PART OF SAID TUBE THEREBY FORMING A PLENUM CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID TUBE, AND A PLENUM SPRING EXTENDING IN COMPRESSION THROUGH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER BETWEEN THE END OF SAID BODY OF FUEL AND THE INNER SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT END PLUG, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A COATING INTEGRALLY SECURED TO THE SURFACE OF SAID PLENUM SPRING AT LEAST IN THE REGION ADJACENT SAID END PLUG, SAID COATING BEING OF A MATERIAL WHICH FORMS WITH THE MATERIAL OF SAID END PLUG A EUTECTIC MIXTURE HAVING A MELTING TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE EUTECTIC MIXTURE FORMED OF THE MATERIALS OF SAID SPRING AND SAID END PLUG.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A TUBE, FIRST AND SECOND END PLUGS SEALING THE ENDS OF SAID TUBE, A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL DISPOSED IN ONE PART OF SAID TUBE THEREBY FORMING A PLENUM CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID TUBE, AND A PLENUM SPRING EXTENDING IN COMPRESSION THROUGH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER BETWEEN THE END OF SAID BODY OF FUEL AND THE INNER SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT END PLUG, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A COATING INTEGRALLY SECURED TO THE SURFACE OF SAID PLENUM SPRING AT LEAST IN THE REGION ADJACENT SAID END PLUG, SAID COATING BEING OF A MATERIAL WHICH FORMS WITH THE MATERIAL OF SAID END PLUG A EUTECTIC MIXTURE HAVING A MELTING TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE EUTECTIC MIXTURE FORMED OF THE MATERIALS OF SAID SPRING AND SAID END PLUG.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3022240A Cited
US3009869A Cited
US2983663A Cited
US2984613A Cited
US3274067A Cited
US3275525A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1971-04-16 1971-10-16 1972-04-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1975-04-16 1975-10-16 1976-04-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1979-04-16 1979-10-16 1980-04-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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