Deforming a portion of a nut threaded on a guide tube end plug to lock the nut to a lower end fitting of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 12002593
APP PUB NO 20220215973A1
SERIAL NO

17690793

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

See full text

An apparatus including a lower end fitting having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a counterbore defined therebetween, an opening extending from the counterbore to the top planar surface, and a lock recess that extends both radially outwardly from the counterbore and extends inwardly into the lower end fitting from the bottom planar surface. The apparatus includes a guide tube having a lower end and an end plug configured to connect with the lower end of the guide tube. The end plug has a threaded shaft sized to pass through the opening of the lower end fitting, and a female lock nut has a deformable side wall configured to be swaged into the recess of the lower end fitting. The lock recess remains visible as viewed from the bottom planar surface of the lower end fitting when the female lock nut is fully disposed in the counterbore.

Loading the Abstract Image... loading....

First Claim

See full text

Family

Loading Family data... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
BWXT MPOWER INC11525 N COMMUNITY HOUSE ROAD SUITE 600 CHARLOTTE NC 28277

International Classification(s)

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Johnson, Mary W Amherst, US 5 6
Ullmann, Julius M Forest, US 7 13
Walton, Lewis A Forest, US 24 162

Cited Art Landscape

Load Citation

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cite Landscape

Load Citation

Maintenance Fees

Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee due date
3.5 Year Payment $1600.00 $800.00 $400.00 Dec 4, 2027
7.5 Year Payment $3600.00 $1800.00 $900.00 Dec 4, 2031
11.5 Year Payment $7400.00 $3700.00 $1850.00 Dec 4, 2035
Fee Large entity fee small entity fee micro entity fee
Surcharge - 3.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months $160.00 $80.00 $40.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable $700.00 $350.00 $175.00
Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional $1,640.00 $820.00 $410.00