Electrical connector

• US 6,305,944 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: In-Situ Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watson, Mark A., Henry, Kent D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Felix O.
• Application Number:
  US09/672,439
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 439/13, 439/22, 439/66, 439/77, 439/920, 439/339, 439/21, 439/14
• US Class Current: 439/22
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/01 Risers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/023 Arrangements for connecting cables or wirelines to downhole devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/028 Electrical or electro-magnetic connections
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/28 Dissolving minerals other than hydrocarbons, e.g. by an alkaline or acid leaching agent E21B43/241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/26 Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier

Abstract

The present invention provides a tool assembly for use in field applications to monitor at least one condition in a well or other hole. The tool assembly may include a computing unit for directing operation of the tool assembly and may be sized to be operable in a hole having a diameter of 1 inch, and in some cases even smaller. In one aspect, the tool assembly is designed to significantly conserve power. Sensor readings may be taken at different schedules to conserve power when frequent readings are not required. Also, internal electronics of the tool assembly can be operated at a low voltage. In one aspect, the tool assembly is assemblable by simple rotatable engagement of the components, with electrical interconnections being made automatically by the rotatable engagement without keying of components. In another aspect, the tool assembly is networkable with other like tool assemblies and monitorable from a central location. In yet another embodiment, the tool assembly may include a tool bundle with a plurality of different sensor capabilities useful as a multi-parameter probe when tool diameter is not a big concern.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first connector portion comprising a first plurality of electrical leads and a first engagement structure;

a second connector portion including a second plurality of electrical leads and a second engagement structure, the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure being configured to physically engage and physically disengage with each other, so as to apply and remove, respectively, a compressive force between the first connector portion and the second connector portion;

a multiple connector unit located between the first plurality of electrical leads and the second plurality of electrical leads when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are engaged;

the multiple connector unit having a first side in contact with the first plurality of electrical leads when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are engaged, and the multiple connector unit having a second side, opposite the first side, in contact with the second plurality of electrical leads when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are engaged;

the multiple connector unit including a plurality of electrically isolated conductive portions extending from at least the first side to the second side and configured so that the conductive portions, when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are engaged and the first plurality of electrical leads and the first side of the multiple connector unit are at any orientation with respect to each other, make a plurality of isolated electrical connections between each corresponding pair of the first plurality of electrical leads and the second plurality of electrical leads; and

wherein, the first electrical leads, the second electrical leads and the multiple connector unit are positioned so that the each said isolated electrical connection is made when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are engaged and the each said isolated electrical connection is broken when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are disengaged.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first and second engagement structures are rotatably engageable and rotatably disengageable to physically engage and disengage respectively, the first connector portion and the second connector portion.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the multiple connector unit rotates relative to at least one of the first plurality of electrical leads and second plurality of electrical leads when the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are being rotatably engaged or rotatably disengaged.

4. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the first engagement structure comprises a first threaded structure and the second engagement structure comprises a complementary second threaded structure.

5. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first plurality of electrical leads and the second plurality of electrical leads are thin electrically conductive features supported on a substrate.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of electrical leads is a first plurality of thin electrically conductive features supported on a first substrate located in the first connector portion and the second plurality of electrical leads is a second plurality of thin electrically conductive features supported on a second substrate located in the second connector portion.

7. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first connector structure comprising a first substrate with first and second external surfaces wherein a first plurality of conductive traces are disposed on the first surface in a first pattern such that electrical isolation is achieved between each said plurality of conductive traces, wherein the first connector structure further comprises a plurality of conductive pathways which are each in electrical connection with one of the plurality of conductive traces and which provide an electrical connection to a plurality of external electrical connection pads which are disposed on the second surface of the first connector structure;

a second connector structure comprising a second substrate with first and second external surfaces wherein a second plurality of conductive traces are disposed on the first surface of the second substrate in a second pattern which is configured to establish a plurality of isolated electrical connections for each of the first plurality of conductive traces when the first surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate are in physical contact and aligned along a common axis, wherein the second connector structure further comprises a second plurality of conductive pathways electrically connectable to each of the second plurality of conductive traces so as to provide an electrical path to the second surface of the second substrate, wherein the second conductive pathways are exposed in a manner such that at least one external electrical connection may be established; and

an engagement structure connectable to both the first and second connector structures which is configurable to apply a compressive force between the first surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate along the common axis such that a plurality of isolated electrical connections are established when the engagement structure is engaged and the isolated electrical connections are broken when the engagement structure is disengaged.

8. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 wherein:

the first pattern is a plurality of concentric circles such that each of the circles in the plurality of concentric circles is in electrical connection with one of the plurality of conductive pathways and the common axis extends from a center point of the concentric circles; and

the second pattern is a plurality parallel conductive traces spaced apart such that that only a predetermined number of the parallel traces will contact a particular one of the concentric circles when contact is established between the first and second substrates along the common axis.

9. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the conductive pathways are a plurality of metalized vias which passes through the first substrate to the second surface of the first substrate, wherein each of the vias is in isolated electrical connection with a particular one of the first plurality of conductive traces.

10. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the plurality of electrical connection pads comprise a plurality of electrical bonding locations which are employable for establishing the external electrical connections with remotely located electronic components.

11. The electronic connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the second plurality of conductive traces run in parallel along exterior of the second substrate from the first to the second side of the second substrate and are configured to establish a plurality external electrical connections.

12. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the engagement structure comprises a first attachment fixture attachable to the first connector structure and a second attachment fixture attachable to the second connector structure, wherein the first and second attachment fixtures are configured to engage in a manner such that when the engagement structure is in the engaged mode a compressive force is applied between the first and second connector structure along the common axis so as to establish an electrical connection.

13. The electronic connector assembly of claim 12 wherein the first attachment fixture is configured with male threads and the second attachment fixture is configured with female threads so that first and second attachments may engage rotatably so as to apply a compressive force between the first and second connector structures along the common axis, and rotatably disengaged so as to remove the compressive force.

14. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the first and second connector structures are sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter smaller than 1 inch.

15. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second connector structures are sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter no larger than 0.9 inch.

16. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second connector structures are sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter smaller than 0.8 inch.

17. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second connector structures are sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter smaller than 0.75 inch.

18. The electronic connector assembly of claim 7 which is adapted for use in tool assembly employed for insertion into a well or other hole to monitor at least one condition existing in the well or other hole.

19. A connector piece for establishing an electrical connection comprising:

a connector structure comprising a substrate with first and second external surfaces wherein a plurality of conductive traces are disposed on the first surface in a pattern such that electrical isolation is achieved between each said plurality of conductive traces, the connector structure further comprises a plurality of conductive pathways each of which is in electrical connection with one of the plurality of conductive traces and the plurality of conductive pathways are configured to conduct electrical signals between the plurality of conductive traces to a plurality of electrical connection pads disposed on the second external surface of the substrate;

a connector unit which includes an exterior surface with a plurality of electrical leads disposed thereon, wherein the plurality of electrical leads are configured in a a pattern such that when the first surface of the substrate and the exterior surface of the connector unit are aligned along a common axis and in physical contact, a plurality of isolated electrical connections are established by the electrical leads for each of the plurality of electrical traces; and

where the connector structure is configured to be fixably positioned in an engagement structure such that the engagement structure may engage rotatably a mating structure within which the connector unit is located so as to apply a compressive force along the common axis between the connector structures and the connector unit to establish electrical connections between each of the plurality of conductive traces on the first external surface and the plurality of electrical leads.

20. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the pattern is a plurality of concentric circles such that each of the circles in the is in electrical connection with one of the plurality of conductive pathways and a common axis extends substantially from a center point of the concentric circles, and the plurality of electrical connections in the second connector assembly comprises plurality parallel conductive traces spaced apart such that that only a predetermined number of the parallel traces will contact a particular one of the concentric circles when contact is established between the first plurality of conductive traces and the electrical connections along the common axis.

21. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the conductive pathways are a plurality of metalized vias which passes through the first substrate to the second surface of the first substrate.

22. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the plurality electrical connection pads on the second surface are employable to establish bonded electrical connections with remotely located electronic components.

23. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the engagement structure is configured with male threads and the mating structure is configure with female threads to provide for the rotation by engagement such that the compressive force is applied between the first and connector assemblies along the common axis.

24. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the connector structure is sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter of smaller than 1 inch.

25. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the connector structure is sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter of no larger than 0.9 inch.

26. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the connector structure is sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter of smaller than 0.8 inch.

27. The connector piece of claim 19, wherein the connector structure is sized to fit entirely inside a circle having a diameter of smaller than 0.75 inch.

28. The connector piece of claim 19, which is adapted for use in tool assembly employed for insertion into a well or other hole to monitor at least one condition existing in the well or other hole.