Coupling mechanism
AssigneeAcoustic Data Limited
InventorMark Tolley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coupling mechanism is disclosed for coupling a wireless communication device to a locating profile in a wellbore. The coupling mechanism comprises a coupling body arranged for connection to the wireless communication device, and an anchoring unit. The coupling body includes a conical portion with a tapered outer surface. The anchoring unit has a tapered inner surface arranged to oppose the tapered outer surface of the coupling body. The coupling body and the anchoring unit are configured for relative movement to cause the anchoring unit to expand radially to grip the locating profile.
Claims20
A coupling mechanism configured to acoustically couple an acoustic communication device to a locating profile in a wellbore, the coupling mechanism comprising:
- a coupling body arranged for connection to the acoustic communication device, the coupling body comprising a tapered outer surface;
- and
- an anchoring unit comprising a tapered inner surface arranged to oppose the tapered outer surface of the coupling body,
- wherein the coupling body and the anchoring unit are configured for relative movement to cause the anchoring unit to expand radially to grip the locating profile, so as to allow transmission of acoustic energy between the acoustic communication device and the wellbore, through the coupling body and the anchoring unit, thereby to acoustically couple the acoustic communication device to the wellbore.
A method of acoustically coupling an acoustic communication device to a locating profile in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- connecting the acoustic communication device to a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism comprising a coupling body and an anchoring unit, the coupling body comprising a tapered outer surface and the anchoring unit comprising a tapered inner surface arranged to oppose the tapered outer surface of the coupling body;
- lowering the coupling mechanism and the acoustic communication device into the wellbore;
- and
- moving the coupling body relative to the anchoring unit to cause the anchoring unit to expand radially to grip the locating profile, so as to allow transmission of acoustic energy between the acoustic communication device and the wellbore, through the coupling body and the anchoring unit, thereby to acoustically couple the acoustic communication device to the wellbore.
An assembly comprising:
- an acoustic communication device configured to transmit acoustic communication signals;
- and
- a coupling mechanism configured to acoustically couple the acoustic communication device to a locating profile in a wellbore, the coupling mechanism comprising:
- a coupling body connected to the acoustic communication device, the coupling body comprising a tapered outer surface;
- and
- an anchoring unit comprising a tapered inner surface arranged to oppose the tapered outer surface of the coupling body,
- wherein the coupling body and the anchoring unit are configured for relative movement to cause the anchoring unit to expand radially to grip the locating profile, so as to allow transmission of acoustic energy between the acoustic communication device and the wellbore, through the coupling body and the anchoring unit, thereby to acoustically couple the acoustic communication device to the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.