External Hollow Antenna
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsMichael F. Gard, Brian K. Bailey, Richard F. Sharp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A beacon assembly located at a downhole end of a drill string proximate a boring tool. The beacon assembly transmits data to an above-ground receiver. The beacon has a housing with a housing wall located between its sensors, such as gradiometers, accelerometers, and other orientation sensors, and an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly has a protective covering made of electromagnetically transparent material.
Claims20
A beacon assembly for attachment to a downhole end of a drill string, the beacon assembly comprising:
- a housing wall;
- a sensor located within the housing wall;
- a coil electronically connected to the at least one sensor, the coil disposed outside of and about the housing wall.
A beacon assembly for attachment to a downhole end of a drill string, the drill string comprising a substantially constant first diameter, the beacon assembly comprising:
- a housing wall comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion has substantially the first diameter, and the second portion has a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter;
- an antenna located about the second portion of the housing wall;
- and
- a sensor located within the housing wall in electronic communication with the antenna.
A downhole tool coupled to a drill string comprising:
- a sensor;
- an antenna electronically connected to the sensor;
- a wall disposed between the antenna and the sensor, the wall comprising a connection point for connection to the drill string;
- a conductive, non-magnetic shield disposed between the wall and the antenna;
- and
- a non-conductive, non-magnetic tube disposed between the shield and the antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.