Insulated drill collar gap sub assembly for a toroidal coupled telemetry system

An insulated drill collar gap sub for a toroidal coupled telementry system comprising:

• a first annular sub member operable to be connected at one end to a drill collar and form a part of the drill collar,
• said first annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at the other end thereof;
• a second annular sub member operable to form a part of a drill collar sub,
• said second annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at one end thereof operable to structurally cooperate and interengage with said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting sructure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member and said interconnecting structure formed at said one end of said second annular sub member being dimensioned to be mutually contiguous but spaced when said first annular member is structurally interengaged and extending to longitudianlly interfere with said second annular member while simultaneously forming a generally uniform space between said first and second annular sub members, said interconnecting structures comprise
• sinusoidal shaped, threadlike structures which structurally interengage;
• dielectric material positioned within and occupying the void of said generally uniform spacing between the interengaged surfaces of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a connection of structural integrity and concomitant electrical isolation;
• bearing means positioned between said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to cooperate with said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a load bearing insulated drill collar sub of enhanced structural integrity;
• a peripheral recess cut into the surface of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member at the outer peripheral interface of said first and second annular sub members;
• and
• a dielectric sheath fitted into said peripheral recess about the interface, said sheath being joined to said dielectric material between the structurally interengaged first and second annular sub members to provide an electrical isolation assmbly of enhanced electrical isolation integrity.

An insulated drill collar gap sub for a toroidal coupled telemetry system comprising:

• a first annular sub member operable to be connected at one end to a drill collar and form a part of the drill collar,
• said first annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at the other end thereof;
• a second annular sub member operable to form a part of a drill collar sub,
• said second annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at one end thereof operable to structurally cooperate and interengage with said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member having a base portion and an axially elongate portion, said axially elongate portion being fashioned with a plurality of axially extending arms symmetrically positioned about a central longitudinal axis of said first annular sub member, said arms having
• a head portion, and
• a base portion, wherein the circumferential dimension of said head portion is greater than the circumferential dimension of said base portion;
• said interconnecting structure of said second annular sub member comprises an axially elongate portion and being fashioned with a plurality of axially extending arms symmetrically positioned about a central longitudinal axis of said second annular sub member said arms having
• a head portion, and
• a base portion, wherein the circumferential dimension of said head portion is greater than the circumferential dimension of said base portion;
• and
• said head and base portions of said first annular sub member being compatibly dimensioned with respect to said head and base portions of said second annular sub member wherein the head portions of said first annular sub members interengage within the gaps between adjacent base portions of said second annular sub member and the arm had portions of said second annular sub member interengage within the gaps between adjacent base portions of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular member and said interconnecting structure formed at said one end of said second annular sub member being dimensioned to be mutually contiguous but spaced when said first annular member is structurally interengaged with said second annular member thus forming a generally uniform spacing between said first and second annular sub members;
• dielectric material positioned within and occupying the void of said generally uniform spacing between the interengaged surfaces of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a connection of structural integrity and concomitant electrical isolation;
• the diameter of said base portion of said first annular sub member is greater than the diameter of said second annular sub member and said axially elongate portion of said first annular sub member;
• and
• bearing means positioned between said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member comprising,
• an external cylindrical sleeve surrounding said axial elongate portion of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member and operably abutting at one end thereof against the base portion of said first annular sub member, and
• a retainer member abutting against the other end of said external cylindrical sleeve and being releasably connected to an exterior portion of said second annular sub member wherein said bearing means cooperates with said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a load bearing insulated drill collar sub of enhanced structural integrity.

An insulated drill collar gap sub for a toroidal coupled telemetry system comprising:

• a first annular sub member operable to be connected at one end to a drill collar and form a part of the drill collar,
• said first annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at the other end thereof;
• a second annular sub member operable to form a part of a drill collar sub,
• said second annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at one end thereof operable to structurally cooperate and interengage with said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member having a base portion and an axially elongate portion, said axially elongate portion being fashioned with a plurality of axially extending arms symmetrically positioned about a central longitudinal axis of said first annular sub member, said arms having
• a head portion, and
• a base portion, wherein the circumferential dimension of said head portion is greater than the circumferential dimension of said base portion;
• said interconnecting structure of said second annular sub member comprises an axially elongate portion and being fashioned with a plurality of axially extending arms symmetrically positioned about a central longitudinal axis of said second annular sub member said arms having
• a head portion, and
• a base portion, wherein the circumferential dimension of said head portion is greater than the circumferential dimension of said base portion;
• and
• said head and base portions of said first annular sub member being compatibly dimensioned with respect to said head and base portions of said second annular sub member wherein the head portions of said first annular sub members interengage within the gaps between adjacent base portions of said second annular sub member and the arm head portions of said second annular sub member interengage within the gaps between adjacent base portions of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular member and said interconnecting structure formed at said one end of said second annular sub member being dimensioned to be mutually contiguous but spaced when said first annular member is structurally interengaged with said second annular member thus forming a generally uniform spacing between said first and second annular sub members;
• dielectric material positioned within and occupying the void of said generally uniform spacing between the interengaged surfaces of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member;
• an internal flange is integrally formed within said second annular sub member;
• and
• bearing means positioned between said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member comprising,
• an internal cylindrical sleeve abutted against said internal flange and coaxially extending along the interior surface of the interconnected arms of said first and second annular sub members, and
• a retainer member abutting against the other end of said internal cylindrical sleeve and being releasably connected to an interior portion of said first annular sub member wherein a load bearing insulated drill collar sub is formed of enhanced structural integrity.

An insulated drill collar gap sub for a toroidal coupled telemetry system comprising:

• a first annular sub member operable to be connected at one end to a drill collar and form a part of the drill collar,
• said first annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at the other end thereof;
• a second annular sub member operable to form a part of a drill collar sub
• said second annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at one end thereof operable to structurally cooperate and interengage with said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member comprises a male member having an exterior castellated surface;
• said interconnecting structure of said second annular sub member comprises a female member having an interior castellated surface and being dimensioned to the interengage with said corresponding castellated surface of said male member;
• said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular member and said interconnecting structure formed at said one end of said second annular sub member being dimensioned to be mutually contiguous but spaced when said first annular member is structurally interengaged with said second annular member thus forming a generally uniform spacing between said first and second annular sub members;
• dielectric material positioned within and occupying the void of said generally uniform spacing between the interengaged surfaces of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a connection of structural integrity and concomitant electrical isolation;
• and
• bearing means positioned between said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member, said bearing means comprising,
• a collar member operably abutting against a free end of said first annular sub member and being releasably connected to an interior surface of said second annular sub member, and
• an annular disc of dielectric material positioned between the free end of said first annular sub member and said collar member.

An insulated drill collar gap sub for a toroidal coupled telementary system comprising:

• a first annular sub member operable to be connected at one end to a drill collar and form a part of the drill collar,
• said first annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at the other end thereof;
• a second annular sub member operable to form a part of a drill collar sub,
• said second annular sub member having an interconnecting structure formed at one end thereof operable to structurally cooperate and interengage with said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member;
• said interconnecting structure formed at the other end of said first annular sub member and said interconnecting structure formed at said one end of said second annular sub member being dimensioned to be mutually contiguous but spaced when said first annular member is structurally interengaged and extending to longitudinally interfere with said second annular member while simultaneously forming a generally uniform space between said first and second annular sub members;
• dielectric material positioned within and occupying the void of said generally uniform spacing between the intergaged surfaces of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a connection of structural integrity and concomitant electrical isolation;
• said interconnecting structure of said first and second annular sub members comprises sinusoidal-shaped, thread-like structures which structurally interengage;
• and
• bearing means, coated with a dielectric, positioned between said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to cooperate with said interconnecting structure of said first annular sub member and said second annular sub member to form a load bearing, insulated drill collar sub of enhanced structural integrity.