Claims
- 1. A connector for establishing electrical continuity between a plurality of conductors in a first element and a plurality of corresponding conductors in a second element, said first element having a box end and said second element having a pin end adapted to be threaded into said first element box end, said first and second elements defining, in the assembled condition, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending, central recess adapted for receiving fluid flow therethrough, said connector comprising:
- a generally annular connector box element fixedly positionable within said second element pin end, said connector box element having a plurality of circuit bands, said circit bands lying in planes perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and having a center of curvature on said longitudinal axis, said circuit bands being adapted to be connected to corresponding ones of said second element conductors;
- a generally annular connector pin element fixedly positionable within said first element box end, said connector pin element having a plurality of circuit band contacts, said circuit band contacts being adapted to be connected to corresponding ones of said first element conductors, said conductor pin element being adapted to be so positioned within said first element box end and said circuit band contacts being so arranged that in response to said first and second elements being threadably connected, said circuit band contacts are biased against corresponding ones of said circuit bands;
- means for establishing an enclosed, sealed volume surrounding said circuit bands and circuit band contacts, said enclosed, sealed volume being adapted to be occupied by a dielectric fluid; and
- means for varying the pressure of said dielectric fluid within said enclosed, sealed volume in response to pressure changes within said central recess such that the pressure differential across all sealed interfaces separating said enclosed, sealed volume from said central conduit is maintained within a preselected range.
- 2. The electrical continuity establishing apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure varying means includes a fluid reservoir, said fluid reservoir being defined by one of said conductor box element and said conductor pin element, said reservoir being a portion of said enclosed, sealed volume, and being in pressure communication with said central recess such that increasing pressure within said central conduit urges dielectric fluid into said sealed region from said reservoir.
- 3. The electrical continuity establishing apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, further including a moveable physical interface separating said reservoir from fluid communication with said central recess.
- 4. The electrical continuity establishing apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said interface includes a piston moveable within said reservoir in response to changes in the pressure within said central conduit.
- 5. An electrical connector for establishing electrical continuity between a plurality of conductors in a first threaded element and a corresponding plurality of conductors in a second threaded element, said first and second elements having mating threaded ends at which said first and second elements may be threadably joined, said first and second threaded elements defining a longitudinally extending central recess adapted for receiving fluid flow therethrough, said central recess defining a longitudinal axis, said connector comprising:
- a connector pin element and a connector box element, said pin and box elements each being adapted to be secured at a location radially within a corresponding one of the mating threaded ends of said first and second threaded elements;
- circuit bands affixed to one of said pin element and said box element, said circuit bands lying in planes perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and having a center of curvature on said longitudinal axis;
- circuit band contacts affixed to the other of said pin element and said box element, said circuit band contacts being configured and positioned so that in response to said first and second elements being threadably connected, each of said circuit band contacts is biased against a corresponding one of said circuit bands;
- said connector pin and box elements being configured to define an enclosed, sealed volume in response to said first and second threaded elements being threadably connected, said sealed volume being adapted to contain a dielectric fluid, the interface between said circuit bands and circuit band contacts being located within said enclosed, sealed volume; and,
- a dielectric fluid reservoir in said enclosed, sealed volume, said reservoir having a displaceable boundary, movement of said displaceable boundary relative to said connector pin and box elements serving to alter the volume of said sealed region.
- 6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said displaceable boundary sealingly separates a region of said connector in fluid communication with said central recess from said enclosed, sealed volume, pressure imbalances between said central recess and said enclosed, sealed volume being accommodated by displacement of said displaceable boundary.
- 7. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said displaceable boundary includes a piston, said piston forming a moveable boundary for said reservoir.
- 8. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said first and second threaded elements are portions of a drill string and bit assembly and wherein said central recess is defined by the inside diameter of a drill string and bit assembly.
- 9. The electrical connector of claim 8 further including means for introducing a supply of dielectric fluid into said enclosed, sealed volume from a position external to said drill string and bit assembly.
- 10. A drill string and bit assembly adapted for passing electrical signals between at least one adjacent pair of threadably connectable elements of said assembly, comprising:
- a first element having a longitudinal axis extending between opposed first and second ends of said first element, and being adapted to permit fluid flow from one to the other of said first element ends;
- a second element having a longitudinal axis extending between opposed first and second ends of said second element, said second element defining a conduit adapted to permit fluid flow between said second element ends, said second element first end and said first element second end having mating threads and being adapted to be threadably connected one to the other such that said first element and second element longitudinal axes are maintained in fixed colinear relationship;
- a plurality of curvilinear, insulated circuit bands positioned at an interior location on one of said first and second elements and being at a spaced distance from said threads, each of said circuit bands having a center of curvature on said longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of circuit band contacts affixed to the other of said first and second elements, said circuit bands and circuit band contacts being configured and positioned such that in response to said first and second elements being fully threaded together, corresponding circuit bands and circuit band contacts are in biased contact establishing a plurality of electrically conductive interfaces;
- a first plurality of conductors attached to said one of said first and second elements, each one of said first plurality of conductors being in fixed electrical contact with a corresponding one of said circuit bands;
- a second plurality of conductors attached to said other of said first and second elements, each one of said second plurality of conductors being in fixed electrical contact with a corresponding one of said circuit band contacts;
- means for establishing a sealed region enclosing said circuit bands and circuit band contacts, said sealed region being adapted to contain a dielectric fluid and to resist intrusion of fluids flowing through said first and second elements; and,
- a connector first portion affixed within one of said first and second elements, said circuit band contacts being positioned within said connector first portion;
- a connector second portion affixed within the other of said first and second elements, said circuit bands being positioned within said connector second portion, said first and second connector portions defining a central conduit adapted for receiving the passage of fluids therethrough, said first and second connector portions being configured and positioned such that in response to said first and second elements being threaded together, said first and second connector portions come into contact with one another in sealing relationship to establish a plurality of sealed interfaces which define said sealed region.
- 11. The assembly, as set forth in claim 10, further including means for supplying additional dielectric fluid to said sealed region in response to pressure increases external to said sealed region.
- 12. The assembly, as set forth in claim 10, further including:
- a reservoir adapted for storing dielectric fluid, said reservoir being in fluid communication with said sealed region; and
- means for transferring dielectric fluid between said reservoir and said sealed region in response to changes in the pressure within said first and second elements to maintain a substantially balanced pressure across said sealed interfaces.
- 13. The assembly, as set forth in claim 10, further including a port in said drill string and bit assembly, said port being adapted for establishing fluid communication with said sealed region such that dielectric fluid can be introduced into said sealed region from a point external to said drill string and bit assembly, with said first and second elements being in the assembled condition.
- 14. The drill string and bit assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein said second element is a drill bit and said first element is that segment of the drill string connected to said drill bit.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 489,639, filed Apr. 26, 1983, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
"Downhole Measurements Through Modified Drill Pipe", E. B. Denison, ASME Paper No. 76-Pet-53, 1976. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
489639 |
Apr 1983 |
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