Patents by Inventor Pascal Burfin

Pascal Burfin 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: 8867693
    Abstract: A grid (13) for supporting nuclear fuel pencils (3) for a nuclear fuel assembly (1) comprising a peripheral belt (17), the peripheral belt (17) comprising on at least one of its edges (35, 37) guide fins (33) is disclosed. The edge (35, 37) of the peripheral belt (17) has between the adjacent guide fins (33) recesses (39) towards the inside of the grid (13). The invention is applicable, for example, to pressurized water reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Areva NP
    Inventors: Pascal Burfin, Michel Bonnamour, Gilles Margier, Jürgen Stabel-Weinheimer, Mingmin Ren
  • Publication number: 20080118019
    Abstract: A grid (13) for supporting nuclear fuel pencils (3) for a nuclear fuel assembly (1) comprising a peripheral belt (17), the peripheral belt (17) comprising on at least one of its edges (35, 37) guide fins (33) is disclosed. The edge (35, 37) of the peripheral belt (17) has between the adjacent guide fins (33) recesses (39) towards the inside of the grid (13). The invention is applicable, for example, to pressurized water reactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: AREVA NP
    Inventors: Pascal Burfin, Michel Bonnamour, Gilles Margier, Jurgen Stabel-Weinheimer, Mingmin Ren
  • Patent number: 6049581
    Abstract: The top nozzle (6) of the fuel assembly includes a transverse adaptor plate (6a) penetrated by openings (8) for fastening the guide tubes (4) and by openings (9) for water to pass through. The water passage openings (9a) in the adaptor plate (6a) of the top nozzle (6) which are arranged in a central part of the adaptor plate (6a) have a triangular shape with rounded corners and are distributed regularly around at least some of the openings (8) for fastening the guide tubes (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignees: Framatome, Cogema
    Inventors: Roland Mayet, Pascal Burfin
  • Patent number: 6002736
    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: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignees: Framatome, Cogema
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Leroux, Pascal Burfin
  • Patent number: 5889832
    Abstract: The control cluster has a spider constituted by a hub connectable to a drive shaft. Fins radiate from a bottom portion of the hub and provided with vertical fingers distributed in a regular array. It also includes rods provided with plugs that are releasably fixed to the fingers. The fins, their fingers, and at least the bottom portion of the hub constituting a single-piece part obtained by molding or by electro-machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignees: Framatome, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Michel Bonnamour, Pascal Burfin
  • 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
  • Patent number: 5812624
    Abstract: Each of the square top nozzles (26) of the fuel assemblies of the core includes four locating openings (40) in the vicinity of the vertices of the nozzle. The set of locating pins (35) of the upper core plate (32) includes four pins at each of the positions of fuel assemblies which are intended to be engaged in the four openings (40) of the top nozzle (26). The locating openings (40) of the nozzle may consist of the internal bores of sleeves (36) which are fixed on the nozzle in an axial arrangement and holds the spring leaves (38) of the nozzle. The locating openings may also be machined inside four bosses, projecting at the upper part of the assembly, and each arranged in one corner of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignees: Framatome, Cogema
    Inventors: Pascal Burfin, Georges Masuy