Time-of-flight-based apparatus, systems, and methods for measuring tubular goods

A system for accurately and repeatably determining OCTG length, the system comprising:

• (a) a hand-held OCTG length measuring apparatus comprising:
• (i) a hollow upper body having a first longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a sidewall connecting the first and second ends, the sidewall parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a hand grip extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the first end and including a source trigger, and a sensor housing extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the second end, the sensor housing enclosing a TOF source operatively connected to the source trigger, the sensor housing including a sensor window, the TOF source comprising a laser selected from a group consisting of lasers having an illuminance at 18 to 25 feet distance from the laser of at least 40,000 lux;
• (ii) a hollow lower body having a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a third end, a fourth end, a second sidewall connecting the third and fourth ends, the second sidewall generally parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the hollow lower body shaped to include a frontal cavity positioned generally under the sensor housing, the frontal cavity having attached thereto a pipe end alignment bracket, the pipe end alignment bracket configured to be positioned adjacent to a proximal end of a pipe or other OCTG;
• and
• (iii) the upper hollow body and the lower hollow body connected at a lower end of the hand grip and at a lower end of the sensor housing;
• and
• (b) a reflector plate configured to be placed adjacent and perpendicular to a distal end of the pipe or other OCTG.

A system for accurately and repeatably determining OCTG length, the system comprising:

• (a) a hand-held OCTG length measuring apparatus comprising:
• (i) a hollow upper body having a first longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a sidewall connecting the first and second ends, the sidewall parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a hand grip extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the first end and including a source trigger, and a sensor housing extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the second end, the sensor housing enclosing a a TOF source operatively connected to the source trigger, the sensor housing including a sensor window;
• (ii) a hollow lower body having a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a third end, a fourth end, a second sidewall connecting the third and fourth ends, the second sidewall generally parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the hollow lower body shaped to include a frontal cavity positioned generally under the sensor housing, the frontal cavity having attached thereto a pipe end alignment bracket, the pipe end alignment bracket configured to be positioned adjacent to a proximal end of a pipe or other OCTG;
• and
• (iii) the upper hollow body and the lower hollow body connected at a lower end of the hand grip and at a lower end of the sensor housing;
• and
• (b) a polarized, diamond-grade reflector plate configured to be placed adjacent and perpendicular to the distal end of the pipe or other OCTG.

A system for accurately and repeatably determining OCTG length, the system comprising:

• (a) a hand-held OCTG length measuring apparatus comprising:
• (i) a hollow upper body having a first longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a sidewall connecting the first and second ends, the sidewall parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a hand grip extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the first end and including a source trigger, and a sensor housing extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the second end, the sensor housing enclosing a a TOF source operatively connected to the source trigger, the sensor housing including a sensor window, the TOF sensor is removably inserted into a metal sensor holder inside the sensor housing and removably fastened therein so as to be vibration resistant and shock resistant;
• (ii) a hollow lower body having a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a third end, a fourth end, a second sidewall connecting the third and fourth ends, the second sidewall generally parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the hollow lower body shaped to include a frontal cavity positioned generally under the sensor housing, the frontal cavity having attached thereto a pipe end alignment bracket, the pipe end alignment bracket configured to be positioned adjacent to a proximal end of a pipe or other OCTG;
• and
• (iii) the upper hollow body and the lower hollow body connected at a lower end of the hand grip and at a lower end of the sensor housing;
• and
• (b) a polarized, diamond-grade reflector plate configured to be placed adjacent and perpendicular to the distal end of the pipe or other OCTG.

A method of determining length of OCTG, the method comprising:

• (a) aligning a TOF-based length measuring apparatus with a longitudinal axis of a pipe or other OCTG having a proximal end and a distal end, the apparatus comprising:
• (i) a hollow upper body having a first longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a sidewall connecting the first and second ends, the sidewall parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a hand grip extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the first end and including a source trigger, and a sensor housing extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the second end, the sensor housing enclosing a TOF source operatively connected to the source trigger, the sensor housing including a sensor window;
• (ii) a hollow lower body having a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a third end, a fourth end, a second sidewall connecting the third and fourth ends, the second sidewall generally parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the hollow lower body shaped to include a frontal cavity positioned generally under the sensor housing, the frontal cavity having attached thereto a pipe end alignment bracket;
• (iii) the upper hollow body and the lower hollow body connected at a lower end of the hand grip and at a lower end of the sensor housing;
• (iv) a power unit positioned inside the hollow lower body and configured to power the TOF source and associated electronics for the sensor and source trigger;
• (b) positioning a proximal end of the pipe end alignment bracket adjacent the proximal end of the pipe or other OCTG;
• (c) positioning a reflector plate adjacent and perpendicular to the distal end of the pipe or other OCTG;
• and
• (d) depressing the trigger to operate the TOF sensor and determining distance from the TOF sensor to the reflector plate.

A system for measuring length of pipe or other OCTG, the system comprising:

• (a) an apparatus comprising:
• (i) a hollow upper body having a first longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end, a sidewall connecting the first and second ends, the sidewall parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a hand grip extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the first end and including a source trigger, and a sensor housing extending generally downward from the hollow upper body near the second end, the sensor housing enclosing a 40,000 lux laser source measured at 18 to 25 feet operatively connected to the source trigger, the sensor housing including a sensor window, wherein the laser source is removably inserted into a metal sensor holder inside the sensor housing and removably fastened therein so as to be vibration resistant and shock resistant;
• (ii) a hollow lower body having a second longitudinal axis generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis, a third end, a fourth end, a second sidewall connecting the third and fourth ends, the second sidewall generally parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the hollow lower body shaped to include a frontal cavity positioned generally under the sensor housing, the frontal cavity having attached thereto a pipe end alignment bracket;
• and
• (iii) the upper hollow body and the lower hollow body connected at a lower end of the hand grip and at a lower end of the sensor housing;
• (iv) a power unit positioned inside the hollow lower body and configured to power the laser source and associated electronics for the sensor and source trigger;
• and
• (b) a polarized, diamond-grade reflector plate configured to be placed adjacent and perpendicular to a distal end of a pipe or other OCTG.