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US 2009/0211768 A1Published application
System and method for deploying optical fiber in a well
AssigneeSabeus, Inc.
InventorAgop Cherbettchian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for deploying an optical fiber within the bore or a well using a linear traction to push the optical fiber, typically encased in a protective sheath, down an instrumentation tube to place an optical fiber sensor at a desired location with the bore of the well.
Claims16
A system for installing an optical fiber in a well bore, comprising:
- a flexible drive means rotatably mounted around a pair of sprockets, at least one of which is driven by a motor;
- a pair of opposing walls located on either side of the flexible drive means, each of the pair of opposing walls having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a ramped portion;
- and
- a plurality of gripping assemblies mounted on the flexible drive means, each gripping assembly having a moveable gripping arm having a first end operatively connected to a roller and a second end configured to grip an optical fiber, the gripping assemblies being mounted on the flexible drive belt in pairs such that the roller of each gripping assembly of a pair of gripping assemblies is oriented outward so as to engage the ramped portion of one of the opposing walls as the flexible drive means rotates around the sprockets to depress the roller and moving the gripper arm so that the second end of the gripper arm engages the optical fiber.
1 more element
A linear traction engine for imparting motion to a metal micro-tube without imparting different velocity between the micro-tube and clamping components of the engine, comprising:
- a flexible drive means rotatably mounted around a first sprocket and a second sprocket, at least one of which is driven by a motor;
- a pair of opposing walls located on either side of the flexible drive means, each of the pair of opposing walls having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a ramped portion;
- and
- a plurality of gripping assemblies mounted on the flexible drive means, each gripping assembly having a moveable gripping arm having a first end operatively connected to a roller and a second end configured to grip an optical fiber, the gripping assemblies being mounted on the flexible drive belt in pairs such that the roller of each gripping assembly of a pair of gripping assemblies is oriented outward so as to engage the ramped portion at the proximal end of one of the opposing walls as the flexible drive means rotates around the sprockets to depress the roller and moving the gripper arm so that the second end of the gripper arm engages the optical fiber when the gripping assembly is moving in a linear direction, the engagement with the optical fiber being maintained as the gripping assemblies move along the opposing walls until the gripping assembly reaches a ramp located at the end of the opposing wall, the distal ramp located such that the gripping arm of the gripping assembly disengages from the optical fiber before the movement of the gripping assembly is deflected from the linear direction by the second sprocket.
1 more element
A method for installing an optical fiber encased in a protective sheath into a well bore, comprising:
- mounting an optical fiber encased in a protective sheath in a linear traction engine;
- guiding a distal end of the optical fiber encased in the protective sheath within a proximal opening of an instrument tube;
- and
- pushing the optical fiber encased in the protective sheath into the instrument tube using the linear traction engine.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.