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US 9,874,083 B2Granted
Downhole probes and systems
AssigneeEvolution Engineering Inc.
InventorsAaron W. Logan, Patrick R. Derkacz, Justin C. Logan, David A. Switzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are downhole probes in which electrical interconnections between different modules are achieved without wiring harnesses. Modules may be coupled to one another and/or to bulkheads in the probe my couplings that provide substantially rigid couplings. The couplings may be configured to connect together only in one orientation. Electrical connectors may be fixed relative to components of the couplings so that the electrical connectors are automatically aligned for connection by the couplings.
Claims37
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein each of the first and second modules is substantially filled with a potting compound and the first and second electrical connectors are embedded in the potting compound.
7 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein the housing comprises first and second bulkheads coupled together by a tubular member and the first module is inside the tubular member.
7 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein at least one of the modules comprises one or more directional sensors, the one or more directional sensors are mounted at a predetermined orientation within the module by fixed mechanical coupling between a member on which the one or more sensors is mounted and a coupling of the module
- wherein the probe comprises one or more external orientation features and the one or more directional sensors have predetermined fixed orientations relative to the external orientation features.
8 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein at least one of the modules comprises one or more directional sensors, the one or more directional sensors are mounted at a predetermined orientation within the module by fixed mechanical coupling between a member on which the one or more sensors is mounted and a coupling of the module
- wherein the probe comprises one or more orientation features for fixing an orientation of the probe in a drill string section and the sensors have a fixed predetermined orientation relative to the orientation features.
8 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein at least one of the modules comprises one or more directional sensors, the one or more directional sensors are mounted at a predetermined orientation within the module by fixed mechanical coupling between a member on which the one or more sensors is mounted and a coupling of the module
- wherein a plurality of the modules each comprises at least one of the one or more directional sensors and for each of the modules the directional sensors are mounted at a predetermined orientation within the module by fixed mechanical coupling between a member on which the one or more sensors is mounted and a coupling of the module and relative orientations of the directional sensors in different ones of the modules are fixed by non-rotational couplings between the modules.
8 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein at least one of the modules comprises one or more directional sensors, the one or more directional sensors are mounted at a predetermined orientation within the module by fixed mechanical coupling between a member on which the one or more sensors is mounted and a coupling of the module
- wherein at least two of the modules each contains one of the one or more directional sensors and the one or more directional sensors are aligned to a common reference direction.
8 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein the probe comprises a gap assembly comprising two electrically-conductive portions of the probe housing separated by an electrically-insulating gap, one of the modules is rigidly coupled to the first electrically-conductive portion of the probe housing by a non-rotational coupling and an electrical connection between the module and the second electrically-conductive portion of the probe housing is made at least in part by a stiff electrically conductive rod extending through an aperture in the first electrically-conductive portion.
7 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- an elongated housing and
- first and second modules arranged in a row and fixed relative to one another within the housing, each of the first and second modules comprising one or more electrical components and being electrically connected to the other one of the first and second modules by way of an electrical connection;
- wherein the electrical connection comprises:
- a first electrical connector attached to the first module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the first module by one or more immobilized first electrical conductors;
- and
- a second electrical connector attached to the second module and electrically connected to one or more of the electrical components of the second module by one or more immobilized second electrical conductors;
- and
- the first and second electrical connectors are either directly coupled to one another or electrically connected to one another by immobilized conductors,
- the first module mechanically coupled to the second module by a non-rotational coupling, the non-rotational coupling comprises a male portion attached to one of the first and second modules and a female portion attached to the other one of the first and second modules, wherein engagement of the male portion and the female portion restricts the relative movement of the first and second modules
- wherein electrical connection between the first and second modules is provided in part by a rigidly supported electrically-conductive rod.
7 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of bulkheads including first and second terminal bulkheads at either end of the probe and at least one intermediate bulkhead between the terminal bulkheads and a tubular shell extending between the terminal bulkheads, the tubular shell interrupted by and coupled to each of the at least one intermediate bulkheads,
- a first one or more of the plurality of modules contained within a first section of the tubular shell coupled to one side of a first one of the intermediate bulkheads and a second of the plurality of modules contained within a second section of the tubular shell coupled to an opposing side of the first intermediate bulkhead,
- wherein the one or more of the plurality of modules are rigidly anchored to the housing and the second module is electrically coupled to the first one or more modules by a rotary coupling comprising a projection that extends through and is supported within a bore passing through the first intermediate bulkhead, the projection supported against transverse motion over substantially all of its length.
A rotary coupling for use in a downhole probe, the rotary coupling comprising:
- a bulkhead having a central bore, an outside of the bulkhead comprising threads for coupling the bulkhead to a tubular housing section;
- a sleeve supported within the bore, the sleeve comprising a cylindrical cavity;
- a male projection extending through the bore into the sleeve, the male projection having a first part snuggly fitted in the bore and a second part extending into the sleeve, the second part comprising a plurality of circumferential conductive bands spaced apart along the male projection wherein at least one of the circumferential conductive bands at a leading end of the second part has a diameter smaller than those located at the base of the second part;
- and,
- one or more brushes on the sleeve and arranged to contact the conductive bands.
2 more elements
A downhole probe comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of tubular sections coupled together by bulkheads;
- a plurality of electronics modules within the housing, the plurality of electronics modules including a first module on a first side of a first one of the bulkheads and a second module on a second side of the first bulkhead;
- the first module comprising a male connector part comprising a cylindrical hub carrying longitudinally-extending fins;
- the bulkhead comprising a recess dimensioned to receive the hub, with longitudinal grooves arranged to receive the fins in a wall of the recess and a bore extending from the recess through the bulkhead;
- the first and second modules electrically interconnected by an electrical coupling;
- at least one of the first and second modules comprising a member extending into the bore, the member rigidly supporting one or more electrical conductors connected to the other one of the first and second modules.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.