Patent Number: 048658006
Section: claims

1. In a fuel assembly grid inspection method, the combination comprising the steps of: (a) defining an illuminated inspection field of view;  (b) supporting a fuel assembly grid of a design having known standard measurements within the inspection field of view by using a fixture whose portions which project into the field of view to support the grid therein are substantially transparent to the field of view;  (c) viewing the grid within the field of view; and  (d) recording an image thereof to provide information about the grid from which actual measurements can be calculated and compared to the known standard measurements for the particular grid design.  maintaining a video camera and lens system pointed toward the field of view and the grid supported therein; and  moving at least one of the grid and the video camera and lens system relative to the other for viewing the grid.  (a) defining an illuminated inspection field of view;  (b) supporting within the field of view a fuel assembly grid having at least a pair of fuel rod contacting dimples disposed in each cell of a plurality thereof defined in the grid which are adapted to receive fuel rods therethrough;  (c) inspecting the pair of dimples for perpendicularity with respect to one another by viewing the dimples at separate instances from the same location within the field of view; and  (d) recording a separate image of each dimple to provide information from which actual measurements of any offset in X and Y directions of one dimple with the other can be calculated.  (a) defining an illuminated inspection field of view;  (b) positioning a fuel assembly grid support fixture about the perimeter of the field of view with portions of the fixture which project into the field of view to support a grid therein being substantially transparent to the field of view;  (c) supporting on the fixture within the field of view a fuel assembly grid of a design having known standard measurements;  (d) sensing the position of the fixture for providing information to determine the correctness thereof before proceeding with inspection of the grid; and  (e) inspecting the grid within the field of view.  viewing the grid within the field of view; and  recording at least one image thereof to provide information about the grid from which actual measurements can be calculated and compared to the known standard measurements for the particular grid design. 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said supporting step includes providing a fixture being universally adapted for supporting within the inspection field of view any one of a plurality of fuel assembly grids of different designs having different known standard measurements. 3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said viewing step includes: 4. In a fuel assembly grid inspection method, the combination comprising the steps of: 5. In a fuel assembly grid inspection method, the combination comprising the steps of: 6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said inspecting step includes: