Land based unit for seismic data acquisition

• US 20090290453A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magseis FF, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fairfield Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Fisseler, Glenn D., Guyton, William, Ray, Clifford H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/162 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/18 Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone or torque detectors, for localised single point measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/181 Geophones
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/223 Radioseismic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/24 Recording seismic data
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/247 Digital recording of seismic data, e.g. in acquisition units or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/585 Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/061 sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings

Abstract

A self-contained, wireless seismic data acquisition unit having a cylindrically shaped case with smooth side walls along the length of the case. A retaining ring around the circumference is used to secure the cylindrical upper portion of the case to the cylindrical lower portion of the case. Interleaved fingers on the upper portion of the case and the lower portion of the case prevent the upper portion and the lower portion from rotating relative to one another. Ruggedized external electrical contacts are physically decoupled from rigid attachment to the internal electrical components of the unit utilizing electrical pins that “float” relative to the external case and the internal circuit board on which the pins are carried. The seismic sensors in the unit, such as geophones, and the antennae for the unit are located along the major axis of the cylindrically shaped case to improve fidelity and timing functions.

Claims

1. A land-based seismic data collection system comprising:

a case comprising a cap and a container, each of said cap and container having a cylindrical wall with an outer surface and an inner surface and a closed end, each of said walls forming an open cylindrical end characterized by a periphery, one of said ends is disposed to seat inside the other said end, wherein each of said ends is provided with a plurality of teeth around its periphery, wherein said teeth of said cap and said container engage one another when one of said ends is seated inside the other end; and

a geophone disposed in said case.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said open end of said cap is sized to fit in the open end of said container so as to seat therein, said teeth of said cap wall axially extending around the wall perimeter, and wherein said container is characterized by an edge at the open end and said teeth extend axially from said edge.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said teeth are spaced apart so as to form notches therebetween, so that the teeth of cap and container are interleaved when one of said ends is seated inside the other end.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said cap wall extends axially beyond said teeth mounted thereon, said cap wall forming a lip that extends into the open cylindrical end of said container when said top is seated therein.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a peripherally extending groove defined in the engaged teeth of said cap and container.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a band mounted in said groove.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each tooth of said cap and container is characterized by an outer surface with a portion of said groove disposed therein, said band is mounted in said groove so as to be inset from said outer surface of said teeth.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each tooth of said cap and container is each characterized by an outer surface with a portion of said groove disposed therein, said ring mounted in said groove so as to be flush with said outer surface of said teeth.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notch formed on the outer surface of at least one of said cap or container.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of said container outer surface tapers radially inward along the axis of said container.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an o-ring groove disposed in said inner surface of said container adjacent said open end and an o-ring mounted in said o-ring groove.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a clock disposed within said case;

a power source disposed within said case; and

a seismic data recorder disposed within said case.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said cap and container walls is characterized by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, said cap further comprising a flange around the cap cylindrical wall, said flange having a first larger diameter and a second smaller diameter, wherein the outer diameter of said cap wall is smaller than the inner diameter of said container wall and wherein the first larger diameter of said flange is substantially the same as the outer diameter of said container and the second smaller diameter of said flange is substantially the same as the inner diameter of said inner diameter of said container.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said teeth of said cap are formed by said flange.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one through bore passing through a wall or closed end of said cap or container;

an elongated, electrically conductive, cylindrical pin having a first end and a second end and defined along an axis;

an o-ring groove defined adjacent the first end;

a fastener attachment structure defined adjacent the second end;

a shoulder defined on said pin between said o-ring groove and said fastener structure;

a wire attachment structure defined adjacent the second end; and

an o-ring mounted in said o-ring groove of said pin and sealably engaging the through bore of said pin housing structure.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said shoulder tapers axially outward from said first end to said second end to form a flange.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said through bore has a first end and a second end and a portion of said through bore tapers outwardly from said first end to said second end so that the flange of said pin is adjacent the outward taper portion of said through bore.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said fastener attachment structure is a c-clip groove.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said wire attachment structure is a bore axially defined in said pin at said second end.

15. An land-based seismic data collection system comprising:

a case comprising;

a first section having a first cylindrical wall with an end plate disposed at a first end of said first wall and an opening defined at a second end of said first wall, said opening is defined by a peripheral edge of said first wall;

a second section having a second cylindrical wall with an end plate disposed at a first end of said second wall and an opening defined at a second end of said second wall, said opening is defined by a peripheral edge of said second wall;

a plurality of teeth disposed around the perimeter of each of said first and second sections, wherein one of said open second ends is seated inside the other said open end so that said teeth of said first and second sections engage one another,

at least one geophone disposed within said case;

a clock disposed within said case;

a power source disposed within said case; and

a seismic data recorder disposed within said case.

16. A land-based seismic data collection system comprising:

a cylindrical case comprising a cap and a container, each of said cap and container having a cylindrical wall with an outer surface and an inner surface and a closed end, each of said walls forming an open cylindrical end characterized by a periphery, one of said ends is disposed to seat inside the other said end, a groove formed in a portion of the outer surface of each wall, wherein said grooves form a complete peripherally extending groove around the periphery of said case when one of said ends is seated inside the other said end, a band mounted in said groove, wherein said band mounted in said groove is substantially flush with said outer surface of said walls; and

at least one geophone disposed within said case.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said band is a metal split ring.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said band is elastomeric.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said band is a snap ring.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said band is a spiral retaining ring.

26. An electrical contact comprising:

an elongated, electrically conductive, cylindrical pin having a first end and a second end and defined along an axis;

an o-ring groove defined adjacent the first end;

a fastener attachment structure defined adjacent the second end;

a shoulder defined on said pin between said o-ring groove and said fastener structure; and

a wire attachment structure defined adjacent the second end.

27. The electrical contact of claim 26, wherein said shoulder tapers axially outward from said first end to said second end to form a flange.

28. The electrical contact of claim 26, wherein said fastener attachment structure is a c-clip groove.

29. The electrical contact of claim 26, wherein said fastener attachment is an aperture passing radially through said pin.

30. The electrical contact of claim 26, wherein said wire attachment structure is a bore axially defined in said pin at said second end.

31. The electrical contact of claim 26, wherein said wire attachment structure is a bore radially defined in said pin adjacent said second end.

32. An electrical contact comprising:

an elongated, electrically conductive, cylindrical pin having a first end and a second end and defined along an axis;

an o-ring groove defined adjacent the first end;

a c-clip groove defined adjacent the second end;

a flange defined on said pin between said o-ring groove and said c-clip groove, wherein said flange tapers axially outward from said first end to said second end to form a flared shoulder; and

a bore axially defined in said pin at said second end and extending inward from said second end towards said first end.

33. An electrical contact system comprising:

an elongated, electrically conductive, cylindrical pin having a first end and a second end and defined along an axis;

an o-ring groove defined adjacent the first end;

a c-clip groove defined adjacent the second end;

a flange defined on said pin between said o-ring groove and said c-clip groove, wherein said flange tapers axially outward from said first end to said second end to form a flared shoulder;

a bore axially defined in said pin at said second end and extending inward from said second end towards said first end;

a circuit board with a first upper surface and a second bottom surface and a cylindrical aperture extending therethrough which aperture is defined by an aperture wall, said pin mounted in said aperture so that said flared shoulder abuts the first surface of said circuit board and second end of said pin extends through said circuit board aperture so that the second end of said pin is spaced apart therein so as to form an annulus between said pin and said aperture wall, said circuit board further including an electrical contact thereon;

a c-clip mounted in said c-clip groove adjacent said second surface of said circuit board, thereby securing said pin in said circuit board aperture;

a flexible electrical wire attached at a first end to said bore axially defined in said pin and at a second end to the electrical contact of said circuit board;

a pin housing structure, wherein said pin housing structure comprises a wall with a through bore defined therein, said through bore having a first end and a second end, wherein a portion of said through bore tapers outwardly from said first end to said second end, wherein said circuit board is secured adjacent said pin housing structure so that the first end of said pin extends into the through bore of the pin housing structure from the second end so that the flared shoulder of said pin is adjacent the outward taper portion of said through bore; and

an o-ring mounted in said o-ring groove of said pin and sealably engaging the through bore of said pin housing structure.

34. The electrical contact system of claim 33, wherein said pin housing structure comprises a case for a seismic data collection unit, said case forming a sealed enclosure in which said support structure is mounted.

35. An electrical contact system comprising:

an elongated, electrically conductive, cylindrical pin having a first end and a second end and defined along an axis;

an o-ring groove defined adjacent the first end;

a first fastener attachment structure defined adjacent the second end;

an abutment structure provided on said pin between said o-ring groove and said fastener structure; and

a wire attachment structure defined adjacent the second end;

a support structure with a first upper surface and a second bottom surface and an aperture extending therethrough which aperture is defined by an aperture wall, said pin mounted in said aperture so that said abutment structure abuts the first surface of said support structure and said second end of said pin extends through said support structure aperture so that the second end of said pin is spaced apart therein from said aperture wall;

a fastener attached to said first fastener attachment structure so as to be adjacent said second surface of said support structure, thereby securing said pin to said support structure aperture;

at least one electrical component;

an electrical wire attached to said wire attachment structure at a first end and at a second end to the electrical component;

a pin housing structure, wherein said pin housing structure comprises a wall with a through bore defined therein, said through bore having a first end and a second end, wherein said support structure is secured adjacent said pin housing structure so that the first end of said pin extends into the through bore of the pin housing structure from the second end; and

an o-ring mounted in said o-ring groove of said pin and sealably engaging the through bore of said pin housing structure.

36. The electrical contact system of claim 35, wherein said support structure is a circuit board.

37. The electrical contact system of claim 36, wherein said electrical component comprises an electrical contact on said circuit board.

38. The electrical contact system of claim 35, wherein said aperture of the support structure is circular and said pin is spaced apart therein so as to form an annulus between said pin and said aperture wall.

39. The electrical contact system of claim 35, wherein said abutment structure is a flange.

40. The electrical contact system of claim 39, wherein said flange tapers axially outward from said first end to said second end to form a flared shoulder.

41. The electrical contact system of claim 35, wherein a portion of said through bore is sized to fit around said abutment structure.

42. The electrical contact system of claim 40, wherein a portion of said through bore tapers outwardly from said first end to said second end so that the flared shoulder of said pin is adjacent the outward taper portion of said through bore.

43. The electrical contact system of claim 35, wherein said abutment structure comprises a second fastener attachment structure and a fastener attached thereto.

44. The electrical contact system of claim 43, wherein said first and second attachment structures are c-clip grooves formed in said pin and said fasteners are c-clips, each disposed in a respective c-clip groove.