# US 12,119,125 B2 · Nuclear dismantling apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,125 B2 - Document ID: US12119125B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/217,996 - Filed: 2021-03-30 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-31 - Assignees: Ats Corporation - Applicants: ATS Corporation - Inventors: David Taro Morikawa; Mark Johannesson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119125B2 ## CPC - G21D 1/003: {Nuclear facilities decommissioning arrangements (decontamination arrangements, treating radioactively contaminated material G21F9/00)} - B25J 5/04: wherein the guideway is also moved, e.g. travelling crane bridge type - B25J 9/0087: {Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043)} - B25J 9/045: {Polar coordinate type} - B25J 13/025: {comprising haptic means} - B25J 15/0253: {comprising parallel grippers} - B25J 18/025: {telescopic} - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G21C 19/32: Apparatus for removing radioactive objects or materials from the reactor discharge area, e.g. to a storage place; Apparatus for handling radioactive objects or materials within a storage place or removing them therefrom (disposal of waste material G21F9/00) - G21F 9/28: Treating solids - G21F 9/30: Processing (separating different isotopes of the same chemical element B01D59/00) - G21F 9/34: Disposal of solid waste - G21F 9/002: {Decontamination of the surface of objects with chemical or electrochemical processes} - Y02E 30/00: Energy generation of nuclear origin - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - G21D: NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A nuclear dismantling system for dismantling equipment contaminated with radioactive contamination, including a dismantling apparatus to be operated remotely while in a nuclear facility and a control system communicatively coupled to the dismantling apparatus to control the dismantling apparatus remotely. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nuclear dismantling system for dismantling equipment contaminated with radioactive contamination, comprising: a dismantling apparatus to be operated remotely while in a nuclear facility, including: a frame having a frame vertical axis, a mast member mounted to the frame, the mast member extending along a mast vertical axis and having a mast lower end to enter an underlying chamber; and a work arm mounted to the mast member and bearing a gripper, and wherein the mast member is moveable between a retracted position to facilitate dispensing the workpiece and an extended position having the mast lower end extending an extended distance below a frame bottom side to reach the workpiece, and wherein when the mast member is in the extended position the gripper is operable to grab a workpiece adjacent the mast lower end, and a control system communicatively coupled to the dismantling apparatus to control the dismantling apparatus remotely. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, wherein the control system is a haptic control system and is communicatively coupled to the dismantling apparatus to receive a set of haptic feedback from the dismantling apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, wherein the mast member is mounted to the frame with the mast vertical axis parallel with the frame vertical axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, further comprising a winch actuator to move the mast member between the retracted position and the extended position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The dismantling system of claim 4, wherein the mast member is a telescoping mast member including a barrel and at least one stage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dismantling system of claim 5, wherein the at least one stage includes a bottom stage, the barrel is at a mast upper end and the bottom stage is at the mast lower end, and the winch actuator is secured to the frame and to the bottom stage to raise and lower the bottom stage relative to the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, wherein the work arm is pivotally mounted to the mast lower end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a base and at least one linearly moveable carriage, each linearly moveable carriage moveable relative to the base along a linear carriage track, the mast member mounted to the at least one linearly movable carriage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The dismantling system of claim 8, wherein the at least one linearly moveable carriage includes a first carriage movable along a first linear track on the base; and a second carriage movable along a second linear track on the first carriage, the second linear track perpendicular to the first linear track and the mast member mounted to the second carriage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dismantling system of claim 9, wherein the dismantling apparatus is a stationary apparatus to be positioned adjacent a workpiece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The dismantling system of claim 1, wherein the dismantling apparatus further comprises: a transfer tray mounted to the frame adjacent the mast lower end when the mast lower end is in the retracted position to receive a workpiece from the work arm; and a disposal system mounted to the frame adjacent the transfer tray, the disposal system including a movable disposal arm to retrieve the workpiece from the transfer tray and carry the workpiece to a disposal location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dismantling system of claim 11, wherein the disposal system includes a gantry support, the disposal arm mounted to the gantry support.