Downhole cables with both fiber and copper elements
AssigneeAFL Telecommunications LLC
InventorBrian HERBST
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a method of manufacturing a downhole cable, the method including, forming a helical shape in an outer circumferential surface of a metal tube, the metal tube having a fiber element housed therein, and stranding a copper element in a helical space formed by the metallic tube. Also provided is a downhole cable including, a metallic tube having a helical space in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the metallic tube has a fiber element housed therein, and a copper element disposed in a helical space formed by the steel tube. Double-tube and multi-tube configurations of the downhole cable are also provided.
Claims10
A method of manufacturing a cable, the method comprising:
- forming a helical space in an outer circumferential surface of a metal tube, the metal tube having a fiber element housed therein;
- and
- stranding a copper element in the formed helical space of the metal tube.
A cable comprising:
- a metal tube having a preformed helical space in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the metal tube has a fiber element housed therein;
- and
- a copper element stranded in the preformed helical space of the metal tube.
A method of manufacturing a cable, the method comprising:
- placing a first metal tube, and a second metal tube parallel to the first metal tube such that a first circumferential metallic surface of the first metal tube is in contact with a second circumferential metallic surface of the second metal tube, in a stranding machine;
- positioning a first copper element and a second copper element in interstitial areas of the first metal tube and the second metal tube, in the stranding machine;
- and
- stranding the first metal tube, the second metal tube, the first copper element, and the second copper element together by activating the stranding machine.
A double-tube downhole cable comprising:
- a first metal tube having a helical shape in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the first metal tube has a fiber element housed therein;
- a second metal tube parallel to the first metal tube such that a first circumferential metallic surface of the first metal tube is in contact with a second circumferential metallic surface of the second metal tube;
- and
- a first copper element and a second copper element disposed in interstitial areas of the first metal tube and the second metal tube, the first copper element stranded in a helical interstitial space of the helical shape in the circumferential surface of the first metal tube.
A multi-tube downhole cable comprising:
- a copper element;
- a plurality of metal tubes stranded around the copper element, wherein each of the plurality of metal tubes has a fiber element therein;
- and
- covering a distal end of the copper element and the plurality of metal tubes with an extrusion to form a core, the core being inserted into a metallic tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.