Patents by Inventor Elbert C. Minnick, III

Elbert C. Minnick, III has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10916355
    Abstract: A shipping container comprises a tubular or cylindrical shell having a closed end and an open end, a top end-cap removably secured to the open end of the tubular or cylindrical shell, and at least one fuel assembly compartment defined inside the shell. Each fuel assembly compartment includes elastomeric sidewalls and is sized and shaped to receive an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly through the open end of the shell. The shipping container may further include a divider component, for example having a cross-shaped cross-section with ends of the cross secured to inner walls of the shell, and the divider component and the inner walls of the shell define the fuel assembly compartments. To load, the shipping container is arranged vertically and an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly is loaded through the open end of the shell into each compartment, after which the open end is closed off by securing the top end-cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Minor, Laurence L. Losh, Elbert C. Minnick, III, Charles Sanders
  • Publication number: 20180082761
    Abstract: A shipping container comprises a tubular or cylindrical shell having a closed end and an open end, a top end-cap removably secured to the open end of the tubular or cylindrical shell, and at least one fuel assembly compartment defined inside the shell. Each fuel assembly compartment includes elastomeric sidewalls and is sized and shaped to receive an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly through the open end of the shell. The shipping container may further include a divider component, for example having a cross-shaped cross-section with ends of the cross secured to inner walls of the shell, and the divider component and the inner walls of the shell define the fuel assembly compartments. To load, the shipping container is arranged vertically and an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly is loaded through the open end of the shell into each compartment, after which the open end is closed off by securing the top end-cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Minor, Laurence L. Losh, Elbert C. Minnick, III, Charles Sanders
  • Patent number: 9831006
    Abstract: A shipping container comprises a tubular or cylindrical shell having a closed end and an open end, a top end-cap removably secured to the open end of the tubular or cylindrical shell, and at least one fuel assembly compartment defined inside the shell. Each fuel assembly compartment includes elastomeric sidewalls and is sized and shaped to receive an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly through the open end of the shell. The shipping container may further include a divider component, for example having a cross-shaped cross-section with ends of the cross secured to inner walls of the shell, and the divider component and the inner walls of the shell define the fuel assembly compartments. To load, the shipping container is arranged vertically and an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly is loaded through the open end of the shell into each compartment, after which the open end is closed off by securing the top end-cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: BWXT mPower, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Minor, Laurence L. Losh, Elbert C. Minnick, III, Charles Sanders
  • Publication number: 20140224705
    Abstract: A shipping container comprises a tubular or cylindrical shell having a closed end and an open end, a top end-cap removably secured to the open end of the tubular or cylindrical shell, and at least one fuel assembly compartment defined inside the shell. Each fuel assembly compartment includes elastomeric sidewalls and is sized and shaped to receive an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly through the open end of the shell. The shipping container may further include a divider component, for example having a cross-shaped cross-section with ends of the cross secured to inner walls of the shell, and the divider component and the inner walls of the shell define the fuel assembly compartments. To load, the shipping container is arranged vertically and an unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly is loaded through the open end of the shell into each compartment, after which the open end is closed off by securing the top end-cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Babcock & Wilcox mPower, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Minor, Laurence L. Losh, Elbert C. Minnick, III
  • Patent number: 5406599
    Abstract: A weld fixture for receiving and aligning the fuel rod contact points of a nuclear fuel bundle spacer grid. Two plates are provided with intersecting unequally spaced slots that define polygons on one side of each plate. Both plates have bores therethrough substantially at the slot intersections and in the slots adjacent the outer edges of the plates. Bores are provided through both plates in polygons that correspond to fuel assembly guide tube and instrument tube locations. These positions receive guide cell pins during use, some of which are hollow and are used to bolt the plates together over the spacer grid strips. Bores in each plate through the defined polygons receive alignment pins. Guide rods receive and align the plates through corner bores in each plate. The slots and pins in the facing plates align the critical fuel rod contact points in the spacer grid during the intersection welding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: B&W Fuel Company
    Inventors: Garrett Johnson, Jr., Raymond A. King, Elbert C. Minnick, III