Patents by Inventor Joel Patrick Melito

Joel Patrick Melito 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: 11530769
    Abstract: A reactor pressure vessel includes a reactor pressure vessel body, a nozzle structure connected to the reactor pressure vessel body, a conduit structure connected to the nozzle structure, and a restraint device attached around a portion of the conduit structure. The restraint device includes collar parts that have cross sections corresponding to respective segments of a periphery of the portion of the conduit structure, brackets attached to the nozzle structure, and rods connecting the brackets to the collar parts. The collar parts are connected end-to-end to each other such that a cross section of the collar parts connected to each other corresponds to the periphery of the portion of the conduit structure. The collar parts are pinned to each other. The brackets spaced apart from each other around a periphery of the nozzle structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Gerald Alan Deaver, Randy Morris Brown, Lorne Eugene Nix
  • Patent number: 11232874
    Abstract: A flow restrictor nozzle for a pressurized vessel of a nuclear reactor may comprise a nozzle body including an inlet face and an outlet face. The nozzle body may define a plurality of internal flow paths extending from the inlet face to the outlet face. Each of the plurality of internal flow paths may include a convergent section, a throat section, and a divergent section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Randy Morris Brown, Zhe Zhang, Robin D. Sprague, Adrian M. Mistreanu, Gerald A. Deaver
  • Publication number: 20200116286
    Abstract: A reactor pressure vessel includes a reactor pressure vessel body, a nozzle structure connected to the reactor pressure vessel body, a conduit structure connected to the nozzle structure, and a restraint device attached around a portion of the conduit structure. The restraint device includes collar parts that have cross sections corresponding to respective segments of a periphery of the portion of the conduit structure, brackets attached to the nozzle structure, and rods connecting the brackets to the collar parts. The collar parts are connected end-to-end to each other such that a cross section of the collar parts connected to each other corresponds to the periphery of the portion of the conduit structure. The collar parts are pinned to each other. The brackets spaced apart from each other around a periphery of the nozzle structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Gerald Alan Deaver, Randy Morris Brown, Lorne Eugene Nix
  • Patent number: 10520100
    Abstract: A pyrotechnic-actuated valve assembly may include an insert body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet. The insert body is formed of a first alloy. A shear structure is bonded to the outlet of the insert body so as to close the flow path. The shear structure is formed of a second alloy. The second alloy of the shear structure is bonded to the first alloy of the insert body so as to form a hermetic seal. The dual-alloy nature of the valve assembly allows a relatively clean shearing of the shear structure during actuation, thus reducing or preventing the occurrence of deformation and/or material fragments in the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventor: Joel Patrick Melito
  • Patent number: 10473255
    Abstract: A reactor pressure vessel includes a reactor pressure vessel body, a nozzle structure connected to the reactor pressure vessel body, a conduit structure connected to the nozzle structure, and a restraint device attached around a portion of the conduit structure. The restraint device includes collar parts that have cross sections corresponding to respective segments of a periphery of the portion of the conduit structure, brackets attached to the nozzle structure, and rods connecting the brackets to the collar parts. The collar parts are connected end-to-end to each other such that a cross section of the collar parts connected to each other corresponds to the periphery of the portion of the conduit structure. The collar parts are pinned to each other. The brackets spaced apart from each other around a periphery of the nozzle structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Gerald Alan Deaver, Randy Morris Brown, Lorne Eugene Nix
  • Publication number: 20190189297
    Abstract: A flow restrictor nozzle for a pressurized vessel of a nuclear reactor may comprise a nozzle body including an inlet face and an outlet face. The nozzle body may define a plurality of internal flow paths extending from the inlet face to the outlet face. Each of the plurality of internal flow paths may include a convergent section, a throat section, and a divergent section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Randy Morris Brown, Zhe Zhang, Robin D. Sprague, Adrian M. Mistreanu, Gerald A. Deaver
  • Publication number: 20180180188
    Abstract: A pyrotechnic-actuated valve assembly may include an insert body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet. The insert body is formed of a first alloy. A shear structure is bonded to the outlet of the insert body so as to close the flow path. The shear structure is formed of a second alloy. The second alloy of the shear structure is bonded to the first alloy of the insert body so as to form a hermetic seal. The dual-alloy nature of the valve assembly allows a relatively clean shearing of the shear structure during actuation, thus reducing or preventing the occurrence of deformation and/or material fragments in the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventor: JOEL PATRICK MELITO
  • Publication number: 20170184244
    Abstract: A reactor pressure vessel includes a reactor pressure vessel body, a nozzle structure connected to the reactor pressure vessel body, a conduit structure connected to the nozzle structure, and a restraint device attached around a portion of the conduit structure. The restraint device includes collar parts that have cross sections corresponding to respective segments of a periphery of the portion of the conduit structure, brackets attached to the nozzle structure, and rods connecting the brackets to the collar parts. The collar parts are connected end-to-end to each other such that a cross section of the collar parts connected to each other corresponds to the periphery of the portion of the conduit structure. The collar parts are pinned to each other. The brackets spaced apart from each other around a periphery of the nozzle structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Melito, Gerald Alan Deaver, Randy Morris Brown, Lorne Eugene Nix