US4464332A — Device for controlling the dimensions and spaced …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 180 words

Device for controlling the dimensions and spaced-apart relationship of rigid pieces disposed in a bundle of rows, said device comprising at least one pair of probes consisting of a first probe able to emit a light beam and of a second probe able to pick up said light beam, said probes being intended for surrounding a piece to be controlled, and for each of these pairs; means for displacing the probes transversely to the piece to be controlled; a photodetector to receive the light beam picked up by the second probe and to produce an electrical signal; and electronic means for processing this signal, furnishing information for controlling the dimensions of the piece due to the modulation of said signal, provoked by the occultation of the light beam by said piece, said occultation being obtained by the displacement of the probes transversely to this piece, wherein each probe comprises a light conduit which is supple and insertable between rows of pieces to be controlled, said electronic means then making it possible to also control the spaced-apart relationship of the pieces.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 180 words

Device for controlling the dimensions and spaced-apart relationship of rigid pieces disposed in a bundle of rows, said device comprising at least one pair of probes consisting of a first probe able to emit a light beam and of a second probe able to pick up said light beam, said probes being intended for surrounding a piece to be controlled, and for each of these pairs; means for displacing the probes transversely to the piece to be controlled; a photodetector to receive the light beam picked up by the second probe and to produce an electrical signal; and electronic means for processing this signal, furnishing information for controlling the dimensions of the piece due to the modulation of said signal, provoked by the occultation of the light beam by said piece, said occultation being obtained by the displacement of the probes transversely to this piece, wherein each probe comprises a light conduit which is supple and insertable between rows of pieces to be controlled, said electronic means then making it possible to also control the spaced-apart relationship of the pieces.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 1, wherein each light conduit is integral with a flexible blade, which is terminated by means for deflecting this light.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 2, wherein said flexible blade is surrounded by two protecting blades, themselves flexible, of which one is perforated opposite the deflecting means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 70 words

The device of claim 1, wherein each light conduit is placed in a flexible blade which is grooved for this purpose and terminated by means for deflecting light, and wherein a protecting blade, itself flexible, is on the one hand integral with the flexible blade, so that the light conduit is surrounded by said flexible blade and said protecting blade, and on the other hand perforated opposite the deflecting means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device of claim 2, wherein the deflecting means comprises a mirror inclined at 45° with respect to the axis of the light conduit and to the plane of the flexible blade.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 12 words

The device of claim 2, wherein the deflecting means comprises a prism.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device of claim 2, wherein the probes are provided with at least one channel for conducting in the vicinity of the deflecting means a fluid adapted to regularize these deflecting means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 2, wherein each light conduit comprises at least an optical fiber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 52 words

The device of claim 8, wherein the deflecting means comprise a mirror inclined at 45° with respect to the axis of the light conduit and to the plane of the flexible blade, said mirror having a very limited height, so as to limit a light beam coming out of said light conduit.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 9, wherein a transparent material is interposed between each optical fiber and said mirror.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 8, wherein said first probe is optically coupled to a laser in order to emit a light beam with a high intensity.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 78 words

The device of claim 11, wherein each light conduit comprises a bundle of optical fibers, wherein the bundle of optical fibers belonging to the first probe has a cylindrical section towards the laser and a rectangular section towards the deflecting means associated with the first probe and wherein the bundle of optical fibers belonging to the second probe has a cylindrical section towards the photodetector and a rectangular section towards the deflecting means associated with the second probe.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 56 words

The device of claim 1, wherein the dimensions and the spaced-apart relationship of the pieces of a row are controlled from reference values with the help of at least two standard pieces disposed on the path of the probes to effect control by comparison of the information concerning the pieces with that concerning the standard pieces.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 1, wherein it further comprises a retractable mechanical feeler provided to locate the first row of pieces presenting itself for control.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 1, wherein it further comprises means for guiding the probes in order to facilitate introduction thereof in the bundle of pieces.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 143 words

The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic means comprise: a circuit for amplifying and shaping the signal issuing from the photodetector; a derivative circuit for the amplified and shaped signal; an incremental coder coupled to the means for displacing the probes and furnishing electrical pulses whose number is proportional to the displacement of the probes along a row of pieces; means for counting the number of pulses corresponding to a piece and the number of pulses corresponding to the distance between two pieces, these counting means being connected to the output of the incremental coder and to that of the amplifying and shaping circuit; a memory for recording these numbers of pulses; means for controlling this memory connected to the output of the counting means and to that of the derivative circuit; and means for processing the information contained in the memory.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 12 words

The device of claim 16, wherein said processing means are display means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 132 words

The device of claim 16, wherein the counting means comprise: a first gate of AND type of which one input is connected to the output of the incremental coder and of which the other input is connected to the output of the amplifying and shaping circuit; an inverter circuit of which the input is connected to the output of the amplifying and shaping circuit; a second gate of the AND type of which one input is connected to the output of the incremental coder and of which the other input is connected to the output of the inverter circuit; and a pulse counter of which the input is connected to the output of the two gates of the AND type and of which the output is connected to the memory control means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 30 words

The device of claim 1, wherein it further comprises means for automatically controlling the probe displacement means, making it possible to effect a predetermined scanning of the bundle of pieces.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device of claim 1, wherein it further comprises safety means for stopping the displacement of the probes when there is a difficulty in introducing these probes in the bundle of pieces.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 37 words

The device of claim 1, wherein it comprises several pairs of associated probes disposed along at least one flat level perpendicular to one of the two directions, horizontal or vertical, in order to reduce the control time.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 192 words

A device for controlling the diameter and spaced-apart relationship in the pencils of a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, said pencils being disposed in a bundle of rows, said device comprising at least one pair of probes consisting of a first probe able to emit a light beam and of a second probe able to pick up said light beam, said probes being intended for surrounding a pencil to be controlled, and for each of these pairs: means for displacing the probes transversely to the pencil to be controlled; a photodetector to receive the light beam picked up by the second probe and to produce an electrical signal; and electronic means for processing this signal, furnishing information for controlling the diameter of the pencil due to the modulation of said signal provoked by the occultation of the light beam by said pencil, said occultation being obtained by the displacement of the probes transversely to this pencil, wherein each probe comprises a light conduit which is supple and insertable between rows of pencils to be controlled, said electronic means then making it possible to also control the spaced-apart relationship of the pencils.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 192 words

A device for controlling the diameter and spaced-apart relationship in the pencils of a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, said pencils being disposed in a bundle of rows, said device comprising at least one pair of probes consisting of a first probe able to emit a light beam and of a second probe able to pick up said light beam, said probes being intended for surrounding a pencil to be controlled, and for each of these pairs: means for displacing the probes transversely to the pencil to be controlled; a photodetector to receive the light beam picked up by the second probe and to produce an electrical signal; and electronic means for processing this signal, furnishing information for controlling the diameter of the pencil due to the modulation of said signal provoked by the occultation of the light beam by said pencil, said occultation being obtained by the displacement of the probes transversely to this pencil, wherein each probe comprises a light conduit which is supple and insertable between rows of pencils to be controlled, said electronic means then making it possible to also control the spaced-apart relationship of the pencils.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-08-07	1988-02-06	1988-08-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-08-07	1992-02-06	1992-08-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-08-07	1996-02-06	1996-08-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Device for controlling the dimensions and spaced apart relationship of rigid pieces disposed in a bundle

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