Electrical coupling for a multisection conduit such as a drill pipe

• US 6,123,561 A
• Filed: 07/14/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: APS Technology 1 LLC
• Original Assignee: APS Technology Inc
• Inventors: Seppa, Ronald, Turner, William E., Biglin, Denis P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/115,031
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 439/190-196
• US Class Current: 439/194
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/028 Electrical or electro-magnetic connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/523 for use under water
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A coupling that makes electrical connections across a joint joining adjacent tubular members, such as drill pipe sections in a drill string. A male sleeve, made from an electrical insulating material, is attached to the male end of one pipe section. A number of axially spaced apart male contact members, such as ring segments or buttons, are formed on the outside surface of the male end. The male contact members are spring biased radially outward. Each of the male contact members is radially displaced from the axial centerline of the pipe section by a progressively increasing amount. A female sleeve, also made from an electrical insulating material, is attached to the female end of the other pipe section. A number of female contact members, such as ring segments or buttons, are formed on the inside surface of the female end. Each of the female contact members is radially displaced from the axial centerline of the pipe section by a progressively increasing amount. The axial spacing and radial displacements of the male and female contact members is such that when the pipe section are assembled by threading the male end into the female end, each male contact member makes electrical contact with its intended mating female contact member without ever having contacted any of the other female contact members. Deformable cleaning elements formed on one of the ends wipe clean the contact members formed on the other end as the joint is being assembled. The debris wiped clean is deposited in a groove located in front of the wiper.

Claims

1. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively;

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor; and

d) a deformable cleaning element disposed in said first drill pipe section male end for removing dirt and debris from at least one of said third and fourth contact members on said second drill pipe section female end, said cleaning element positioned on said male end so as to clean said at least one contact member when said first drill pipe section male end is inserted into said second drill pipe section female end.

2. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline be first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively;

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor; and

a first wiper formed on one of said drill pipe sections for wiping foreign deposits from at least one of said contact members on the other one of said drill pipe sections during said insertion of said male end of said first drill pipe section into said female end of said second drill pipe section.

3. The drill string section according to claim 2, further comprising a recess disposed adjacent said first wiper for holding said foreign deposits wiped from said contact member by said wiper.

4. The drill string section according to claim 2, further comprising a second wiper formed on said one of said drill pipe sections for wiping foreign deposits from at least the other one of said contact members on said other one of said drill pipe sections during said insertion of said male end of said first drill pipe section into said female end of said second drill pipe section, whereby said first wiper wipes at least one of said contact members on said other one of said drill pipe sections and said second wiper wipes at least the other one of said contact members on said other one of said drill pipe sections, said first and second wipers being axially displaced.

5. The drill string section according to claim 4, further comprising first and second recess disposed adjacent said first and second wipers, respectively, for holding said foreign deposits wiped from said contact members by said wipers, whereby foreign deposits wiped by said wipers from one of said contact members will not be re-deposited onto the other of said contact members.

6. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively;

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor; and

d) cleaning means formed on one of said drill pipe sections for cleaning at least one of said contact members on the other one of said drill pipe sections during said insertion of said male end of said first drill pipe section into said female end of said second drill pipe section, said cleaning means comprising;

(i) means for wiping foreign deposits from said at least one contact member, and

(ii) a recess for holding said foreign deposits after said wiping thereof.

7. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively;

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor, and

d) cleaning means formed on one of said drill pipe sections for cleaning at least one of said contact members on the other one of said drill pipe sections during said insertion of said male end of said first drill pipe section into said female end of said second drill pipe section, said cleaning means comprising a deformable member.

8. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members each comprising a button, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members each comprising an annular ring, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively; and

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor.

9. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof and forming an outside surface thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said outside surface of said male end, said first and second contact members being axially spaced apart, said first and second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second drill pipe section, said first and second drill pipe sections forming a central fluid passage, said second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end forming an inside surface thereof;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said inside surface of said female end, said third and fourth contact members axially spaced apart, said third and fourth contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being equal to or less than said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance,

(B) greater than said first distance, and

(C) equal to or less than said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members, respectively;

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes;

(i) said first contact member to contact with said third contact member without having contacted said fourth contact member, thereby placing said first conductor in electrical communication with said third conductor, and

(ii) said second contact member to contact with said fourth contact member without having contacted said third contact member, thereby placing said second conductor in electrical communication with said fourth conductor; and

d) means for sealing said male end outside surface and said female end inside surface from said fluid, said seal means comprises a sleeve disposed within said first and second pipe sections, said sleeve having first and second seals formed therein, said first seal in sealing contact with said first pipe section, said second seal in sealing contact with said second pipe section.

10. A section of drill string for use in a drill string assembly for drilling a bore through a formation, comprising:

a) a first drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof;

(ii) a plurality of first contact members formed in said male end, each of said first contact members being axially spaced apart, each of said first contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by a distance r_i, where i is a number representing each of said first contact members, said distance progressively increasing among said first contact members so that r_i+1 >

r_i ; and

(iii) a first electrical conductor for each of said first contact members, each of said first electrical conductors connected to its respective first contact member;

b) a second drill pipe section comprising;

(i) a female end;

(ii) a second contact member for each of said first contact members formed in said female end, each of said second contact members being axially spaced apart, each of said second contact members radially displaced from said axial centerline by a distance R_i, said distance R_i, being defined so that;

(A) R_i+1 >

R_i, whereby R_i progressively increases from each second contact member to the next,

(B) R_i ≦

r_i, whereby said distance R_i by which each of said second contact members is displaced from said axial centerline is equal to or less than said distance by which its respective first contact member is displaced from said axial centerline; and

(iii) a second electrical conductor for each of said second contact members, each of said second electrical conductors connected to its respective second contact member; and

c) means for mechanically coupling said first drill pipe section to said second drill pipe section by inserting said male end into said female end, said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causing each of said first contact members to contact its respective second contact member, thereby placing said first conductors in electrical communication with said second conductors.

11. The drill string section according to claim 10, wherein r_i <

R_i+1, whereby said mechanical coupling of said first and second drill pipe sections causes each of said first contact members to contact its respective second contact member without having contacted any of the other of said second contact members.

12. The drill string section according to claim 11, further comprising a wiper for each of said contact members on one of said drill pipe sections for wiping foreign deposits from its respective contact member during said insertion of said male end of said first drill pipe section into said female end of said second drill pipe section, said wipers formed on the other one of said drill pipe sections.

13. The drill string section according to claim 12, wherein each of said wipers is displaced from said centerline by a distance that is greater than any of said distances R_i, whereby each of said wipers wipes each of said contact members on said one of said drill pipe sections.

14. The drill string section according to claim 12, further comprising a recess disposed adjacent each of said wipers for holding said foreign deposits wiped by said wipers from said contact members.

15. The drill string section according to claim 10, further comprising means for urging each of said contact members on at least one of said drill pipe sections radially toward its respective contact member on the other one of said drill pipe sections.

16. A coupling assembly, comprising:

a) a first tubular member comprising;

(i) a male end defining an axial centerline thereof;

(ii) first and second contact members projecting radially outward from said male end, said first and second contact member displaced from said axial centerline by first and second distances, respectively, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and

(iii) first and second electrical conductors disposed in said first tubular member, said first and second electrical conductors connected to said first and second contact members, respectively;

b) a second tubular member comprising;

(ii) a female end;

(ii) third and fourth contact members projecting radially inward from said female end, said third and fourth contact members displaced from said second axial centerline by third and fourth distances, respectively, said third distance being less than or equal to said first distance, said fourth distance being;

(A) greater than said third distance, and

(B) less than or equal to said second distance;

(iii) third and fourth electrical conductors disposed in said second tubular member, said third and fourth electrical conductors connected to said third and fourth contact members;

c) means for joining said first tubular member to said second tubular member so as to form an assembly and so as to place said first and second contact members into contact with said third and fourth contact members, respectively, thereby placing said first and second conductors in electrical communication with said third and fourth conductors, respectively; and

d) a wiper formed on one of said tubular members for wiping foreign deposits from at least one of said contact members on said other of said tubular members while said tubular members are being joined.

17. The coupling assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a recess formed on said one of said tubular members for holding said foreign deposits wiped by said wiper.