Patents Assigned to Framatome
  • Lance head
    Patent number: 5873142
    Abstract: A lance tube formed of a tubular conduit having an inner end to be joined to a source of pressurized fluid, a closed distal end, a continuous wall between the inner and distal ends, and a plurality of tube discharge openings in the continuous wall; and a plurality of axially positioned fluid direction tubes within the conduit, each tube having a straight intake section generally axially aligned with the conduit and having an intake opening toward the conduit inner end, a straight discharge section having a discharge opening at one of the discharge openings in the conduit wall, and an intermediate curved section joining the intake and discharge sections, whereby fluid entering the conduit will be directed through the fluid direction conduits, and will be discharged in laminar flow from the discharge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Framatome Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott M. Theiss
  • Electrical wedge connector with collapsible rear extension
    Patent number: 5868588
    Abstract: An electrical wedge connector with a sleeve and a one-piece wedge. The wedge has a rearward extension extending at one lateral side. When the wedge is fully inserted into the sleeve, the rear end of the wedge is substantially located inside the sleeve. However, the rearward extension extends past the rear end of the sleeve to provide a grasping surface. The rearward extension is preferably collapsible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Chadbourne, Armand T. Montminy
  • Tubular wedge for an electrical wedge connector
    Patent number: 5862589
    Abstract: An electrical wedge connector having a C-shaped sleeve and a one-piece wedge. The wedge has a generally tubular wedge shape with a hollow interior, a constant wall thickness, and two conductor contacting surfaces for sandwiching conductors against an interior side of the sleeve. The wedge can be formed by deep drawing or tube forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Chadbourne, William J. Lasko, Armand T. Montminy
  • Contact strip and card connector including same
    Patent number: 5860821
    Abstract: A contact strip includes adjacent contact blade members and at least one pair of adjacent contact blade members each having a horizontal axis and a first of which blade members has a greater developed length than the second of the blade members and a distal extension extending towards the second blade member. The first blade member has a projecting region, the distal extension overlapping the second blade member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventor: Michel Pernet
  • Process for producing of a modular electrical connection element and modular electrical connection element thus obtained
    Patent number: 5857265
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing a modular connection element (C.sub.0) from independent elementary connectors (4.sub.1 to 4.sub.8), having openings. The shielding elements (5d) are made from sheet metal. The surfaces of the overall connection element (C.sub.0) thus obtained are covered by shielding elements (5d) and elementary connectors (4.sub.1 to 4.sub.8) are joined together by pushing of specific zones of shielding elements (50d to 52d) into the openings. One application of the invention would be connection elements (C.sub.0) between printed circuit mother and/or daughter boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Dominique Etiembre, Jacky Thenaisie
  • Initiator connector for airbag systems
    Patent number: 5853298
    Abstract: An airbag igniter plug including a plug housing, a removable cover latched onto the housing, and a secondary locking clip having locking arms which are inserted into grooves in the cover and which are slidable from a rear unlocking position to a front locking position. A resilient finger on the locking clip cooperates with a ramp on the cover to retain the locking clip in its unlocking or locking position. When the locking clip is moved into its locking position, its locking arms bias the locking arms at the front of the plug body outwardly so as to engage their locking catches and prevent unmating of the plug from its mating socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors Interlock, Inc.
    Inventor: Franz Pacher
  • Guide tube for a nuclear fuel assembly
    Patent number: 5852644
    Abstract: A control rod guide tube for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly consists of several mutually portions of zirconium-based alloy. They define a passage that is narrow in a bottom portion of the tube. The guide includes a top length extending over at least 70% of its total length, and a bottom length of thickness greater than that of the top length. The top of the bottom length is engaged in the top length and is welded to the top length along the terminal edge of the top length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Alain Brosset, Michel Verdier
  • Fuel assembly with consumable poison, and a method of operating a reactor
    Patent number: 5852645
    Abstract: The fuel assembly for a pressurized water reactor comprises rods distributed at the nodes of a square array and containing the fuel material. Some of the rods have a first mass concentration of gadolinium lying in the range 5% to 12%. Four to twelve additional rods (16) contain gadolinium at a concentration lying in the range 0.5% to 2%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Compagnie General des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Romary, Michel Bonniaud
  • Method and apparatus for inspecting the geometry of a guide tube
    Patent number: 5852642
    Abstract: The apparatus is for internal inspection of a guide tube of a nuclear fuel assembly and measurement of deformations of a zone of smaller diameter in a terminal portion of the tube. The apparatus has a stick whose distal portion presents, in succession, starting from a distal end of the stick-shaped means, a guiding swelling having an easy fit in the zone of smaller diameter and two projections. The first projection carries two sets of diametrically opposite strain sensors provided with conductors linking them to a proximal end of the stick. A sleeve slides in a running portion of the guide tube above the zone of smaller diameter and slides over the stick. The sleeve and said stick-shaped means have mutually cooperating abutments for limiting displacement of the sleeve towards the distal portion to a position where the sleeve surrounds the stick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Pascal Descot, Bruno Fichet
  • Miniature shielded connector with elbow contact shafts
    Patent number: 5851121
    Abstract: The connector comprises a series of metal contact shafts (1) spaced and bent into elbow configurations, embedded in an electrically insulating material (2) which is itself surrounded by a metal shielding (3). Electrically insulating material (2) is molded around contact shafts (1), shielding (3) is made up of two superposed metal blocks (4a) having on their contacting surfaces elbow channels (5a, 5b, 5c) taking up contact shafts (1) surrounded by electrically insulating material (2), these channels being formed so that shielding (3) is interrupted in one rectilinear part of the elbow formed by the channels, this interruption of shielding placing in contact insulating material (2) surrounding the contact shafts, without creating any empty space in zones (7a, 7b) where the shielding is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Jacky Thenaisie, Jacques-Henri Heulot
  • Insulation-stripping electrical contact device
    Patent number: 5848911
    Abstract: The invention concerns an insulation-stripping electrical contact device (1). Contact (1) according to the invention comprises two asymmetrical blades (10, 11), one being wider than the other. These two blades (10, 11) are positioned in two grooves (200, 201) produced in the walls of slots (21) for introduction of cable (3). The wider blade (10) is positioned in a groove (201) forming an angle with the introduction direction (.DELTA.') of cable (3) and the narrower blade (11) is positioned in a groove (200) forming an angle of 90.degree. with this same direction (.DELTA.'). For cables (3) of small section, only the wider blade (10) is bent and pressed; for cables (3) of greater section, the narrower blade (11) is pushed into its housing (200). In both cases, a wedging effect and a displacement of the cut points are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventor: Michel Garcin
  • Process and device for treatment of an aqueous effluent containing an organic load
    Patent number: 5848363
    Abstract: In order to treat an aqueous acid effluent resulting from the decontamination of a component of a nuclear power station, the effluent containing an organic load comprising an organic reducing agent and nitrate ions and at least one oxidizing compound is introduced into the effluent. The effluent is then subjected to ultraviolet radiation and the totality of the organic load is thus converted into water and carbon dioxide, as well as possibly into at least one oxide of a chemical element present in the organic load, while neutralizing the effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome
    Inventors: Pierre Guillermier, Christophe Texier, Manuel Organista
  • Electrical connector for connecting electrical conductors
    Patent number: 5842893
    Abstract: Electrical connector for connecting electrical conductors having insulating covering (14), which comprises: a receiver element (2) with edges (9) in the shape of an acute angle and with wings (10) to partially enclose the conductors (12); a wedge element (6) with active edges (28) with an equal acute angle and which can be inserted between edges (9) of element (2); and an intermediate member (4) made of an electrically conductive material; suitable for being situated between receiver (2) and wedge (6) and provided with two edges (18) that form an equal acute angle; in edges (18) there are individual wings (20) between which wedge (6) can be inserted; these wings (20) have perforating means (22) suitable for piercing conductors (12) by perforating covering (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventor: Marcel L. De Keyser
  • Dismountable fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor cooled by light water
    Patent number: 5844958
    Abstract: The fuel assembly includes an arrangement for quickly fixing the guide thimble into an opening passing through the adaptor plate of a dismountable nozzle of the assembly. This arrangement includes at least two bearing stops inside the opening of the nozzle, a bearing sleeve integral with the end of the guide thimble and a locking ring which includes stops for bearing on bearing surfaces of the stops inside the opening of the nozzle and deformable elastic parts capable of being accommodated in cavities of the opening of the adaptor plate or of the bearing sleeve, in order to place the ring in a position in which the guide thimble is locked or unlocked. The sleeve includes a rim for bearing on a bearing surface of the adaptor plate at the periphery of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Cogema
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Leroux, Pascal Burfin
  • Female electrical contact terminal of the reinforced-cage type
    Patent number: 5836793
    Abstract: Female electrical contact terminal obtained from a single electrically conducting metal sheet having a rear part enabling it to be connected to an electrical conductor and a front part in the form of a cage consisting of an end, of two upper half-walls, of two side walls, which are provided with an arrangement for guiding a male contact during its insertion and with an arrangement for fixing this cage in connection housings and having a window in each side wall, a projection carried by a finger provided in the insulator of the connection housing, and a deformation defining a shoulder which bears on the bearing surface of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Georges Chaillot, Patrice Cappe
  • Method for cleaning a tube plate of a heat exchanger from inside the bundle of the heat exchanger
    Patent number: 5833767
    Abstract: At least two pivoting jets (55a, 55b, 55c) of cleaning liquid, each directed between two successive lines of tubes substantially perpendicular to the rows of tubes, are sent, in succession, from locations situated inside the bundle of the steam generator, into a space between two successive rows of tubes so as to sweep the tube plate between a central part vertically in line with the space between the two rows of tubes and two outer parts situated at the periphery of the bundle and along the length of the space between the rows of tubes. The flow rate of cleaning liquid is at least equal to 20 1/min, per jet. The invention applies in particular to the cleaning of the tube plate of a steam generator of a pressurized-water nuclear reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome
    Inventors: Bernard Magnin, Alain Vouzelaud, Martin Bourdelet, Catherine Weber-Guevara
  • Method and apparatus for inspecting the rods of a nuclear reactor control cluster
    Patent number: 5835547
    Abstract: The apparatus for inspecting the rods of a cluster insertable in the core of a nuclear reactor comprises a body provided with sliding guide means for rods in m different orientations of the cluster, m being a submultiple of the number n of rods in the cluster, and a measurement jig carrying n/m heads (16) for eddy current examination and n/m probes (18) for ultrasound scanning placed on different guide paths. Each ultrasound probe (18) is constituted by an annular support surrounding a rod path and carrying a ring of individual transducers. The transducers are connected to a circuit for sequentially exciting the transducers in successive groups, causing the tube to be scanned circumferentially, and for electronic focusing towards the surface of a tube travelling on the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Denis Bour, Jerome Pigelet
  • Multifiber connector plug
    Patent number: 5828805
    Abstract: A multifibre connector plug (1) comprises a connector plug part (6) for receiving a plurality of optical fibres (2), a coupling body (10) and a coupling sleeve (19). The connector plug part is provided with a contact face (7) at one end, and is slidable in the coupling body. The connector plug part projects out of said coupling body with its end having the contact face. A corresponding spring means loads the connector plug part in an outward direction. The coupling sleeve (19) encloses the coupling body and is slidable on the coupling body from a coupling position into a decoupling position against the action of a spring means. Both spring means comprise a single common spring (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Danny Morlion, Jan Peter Karel Van Koetsem
  • Sealing device for an instrumentation column
    Patent number: 5828711
    Abstract: A sealing device comprising a supporting assembly (9) containing sealing members (16) supporting the instrument column (5), and an assembly (17, 18) for lifting the instrument column (5) in sealing engagement with the supporting members (16). The sealing members (16) supporting the instrument column (5) include a clamping ring (28) and at least one O-ring seal (29, 30). Axial movement of the instrument column (5) enables clamping of the inner seal (30) via the clamping ring (28). When axial movement of the instrument column (5) is restricted, the seals may be clamped by means of a suitably sized clamping ring (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Atea, Societe Atlantique de Techniques Avancees
    Inventor: Jacques Malmasson
  • Connector having additional locking
    Patent number: 5820398
    Abstract: This invention relates to a connector having a two-part casing (1, 2) whose parts are adapted to be plugged together, the first casing part (1) engaging at least to some extent by way of a collar (3) around the second casing part (2) in the plugged-together position; and an additional latchable locking means (4, 5) disposed on the two casing parts (1, 2). The additional locking means comprises: a catch projection (4) disposed on the collar surface (3); a locking arm (5) secured to the second casing part (2) and co-operating with the catch projection (4), and a slide (7) as a means for securing the locking arm, the slide (7) being movable on the locking arm (5) lengthwise thereof and prolonging the locking arm (5) into an advanced position until the locking arm engages in a stirrup (6) disposed on the collar (3) after the catch projection (4) as seen from the locking arm (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Waldemar Stabroth, Wolfgang Hoschek