Female wet connector

• US 5,967,816 A
• Filed: 06/05/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Benson, Walter R., Sampa, Augdon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US08/869,447
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 439/190, 439/191, 439/192, 439/194, 439/195, 439/278, 439/279, 439/280, 439/282, 439/587, 439/588, 439/589, 439/590, 439/591, 439/594, 439/598, 439/599, 439/600, 439/601 , 439/603
• US Class Current: 439/190
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0285 characterised by electrically insulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/103 Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/08 Introducing or running tools by fluid pressure, e.g. through-the-flow-line tool systems

Abstract

A female electrical connector adapted to be lowered down a well on an electrical cable for remote connection to a down hole male connector. The connector includes a housing with an attachment for securing the female electrical connector to the cable, a female electrical contact within the housing, and an insulator disposed between the housing and the female electrical contact. The female electrical contact is in electrical communication with the cable and includes a circumferential ring defining a central axis, and a cantilever finger extending generally axially from the ring. The finger has a first portion extending generally radially inward from the ring, and a second portion extending generally radially outward from the first portion to an axially-directed, distal end. The first and second portions of the finger define therebetween a radially innermost contact surface. The insulator includes an outer shell between the circumferential ring of the female electrical contact and the inner bore of the housing, and an inner lip axially overlapping the distal end of the cantilever finger. The inner lip shields the finger end against engagement with the male connector moving within the female connector. Some embodiments have a wiper seal arranged to wipe debris from the male connector as it enters the housing. Preferred materials and methods of use are disclosed.

Claims

1. A female electrical connector adapted to be lowered down a well on an electrical cable for remote connection to a downhole male connector for electrical communication between the male connector and the surface of the well through the cable, said female electrical connector comprising

a housing with an attachment for securing the female electrical connector to the cable, the housing defining an inner bore with an open end for receiving the male connector;

a female electrical contact within the housing, the female electrical contact being in electrical communication with the cable and comprising

a circumferential ring defining a central axis, and

a cantilever finger extending generally axially from the ring to a distal end of the finger, the finger having, from the ring to its distal end,

a first portion extending toward the central axis, from the ring to a radially innermost contact surface of the finger, and

a second portion extending away from the central axis, from the contact surface to the distal end; and

an insulator disposed between the housing and the female electrical contact in a manner to resist electrical conduction between the female electrical contact and the housing, the insulator comprising

an outer shell disposed between the circumferential ring of the female electrical contact and the inner bore of the housing, and

an inner lip axially overlapping the distal end of the cantilever finger of the female electrical contact, the inner lip disposed radially inward of the distal end of the cantilever finger in a manner to shield the finger end against engagement with the male connector moving within the female connector.

2. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the female electrical contact is a unitary element of electrically conductive material.

3. The female connector of claim 2 wherein the conductive material of the female electrical contact is beryllium copper.

4. The female connector of claim 2 wherein the female electrical contact comprises a gold plating.

5. The female connector of claim 1 further comprising a wiper seal disposed within the housing between the open end of the housing and the female electrical contact, and arranged to engage an exposed surface of the male connector as the male connector enters the female connector, in a manner to wipe debris from the exposed surface.

6. The female connector of claim 5 wherein the inner diameter of the wiper seal is about equal to the inner diameter of the female electrical contact, as defined by the radially innermost contact surface of the female electrical contact.

7. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the female electrical contact further comprises a solder lug in electrical communication with and extending radially outward from the circumferential ring.

8. The female connector of claim 7 wherein the insulator defines an axial wire hole extending therethrough for routing the cable to the solder lug.

9. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the female electrical contact comprises at least six said cantilever fingers arranged about said circumferential ring.

10. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the width of the finger, measured transversely to the radius of the circumferential ring, tapers toward the radially innermost contact surface.

11. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the radially innermost contact surface comprises an inner surface having a length, measured along the axis of the contact, of about one-fourth the length of the finger.

12. The female connector of claim 1 wherein the finger of the contact has a radial thickness of about 75 percent of the radial distance between the radially innermost contact surface and the inner radius of the circumferential ring.

13. The female connector of claim 1 further comprising a displaceable shuttle extending inside the contact along the contact axis to a sealed end to seal the interior of the connector until displaced by the male connector.

14. The female connector of claim 1 for use with a cable having multiple conductors, the connector comprising a series of said female electrical contacts concentrically arranged along a common axis, each of the female electrical contacts

in electrical contact with a corresponding conductor of the cable,

disposed within one of said insulators within the housing, and

electrically insulated from the other female electrical contacts and conductors.

15. The female connector of claim 14 further comprising wiper seals disposed within the housing and arranged between the female electrical contacts to engage an exposed surface of the male connector as the male connector enters the female connector, in a manner to wipe debris from the exposed surface.

16. The female connector of claim 15 wherein the inner diameters of the wiper seals are about equal to the inner diameters of the female electrical contacts, as defined by the radially innermost contact surfaces of the female electrical contacts.

17. The female connector of claim 14 wherein the series of female electrical contacts comprises at least four said contacts.

18. The female connector of claim 17 wherein the series of female electrical contacts comprises at least eight said contacts.

19. The female connector of claim 1 in which the female electrical contact is formed by the process of machining the contact, in its finished form, from a unitary piece of material.

21. A method of making an electrical connection with a male connector of a downhole tool in a well for communication between the tool and the well surface, comprising

lowering the female connector of claim 1 down the well on an electrical cable, and

engaging the female connector with the male connector to form an electrical contact.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of lowering the female connector down the well comprises pumping the female connector along the well with a flowing fluid.

20. A female contact for an electrical connector adapted to engage a male connector to form an electrical connection, the female contact machined from a unitary piece of material and comprising

a circumferential ring defining a central axis, and

a cantilever finger extending generally axially from the ring, the finger being substantially free of residual bending stress and having

a first portion extending generally radially inward from the ring, and

a second portion extending generally radially outward from the first portion to an axially-directed, distal end, the first and second portions defining therebetween a radially innermost contact surface for contacting an outer surface of the male connector.