Chain with identification apparatus

• US 7,958,715 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinert, Nathan, Kammann, Reinhold, Worms, Manfred, McClung, Guy L. III, Ellison, Leon, Lam, Clive
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; David B
• Application Number:
  US12/317,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20090223200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 906 Days
• Field of Search: 59/351, 59/78, 59/82, 59/93, 166/64, 166/250.01, 166/255.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/853.1, 702/188
• US Class Current: 59/78
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/42 Drive mechanisms, regulating or controlling devices, or balancing devices, specially adapted for screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/46 Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4654 Corrugated Screening surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4663 Multi-layer screening surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/18 Control
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2230/01 Wet separation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/006 Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/06 Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/07 Slip-type elevators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/165 Control or monitoring arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency

Abstract

A link member (e.g. a chain link or an elevator link) having a body, the body having two spaced-apart ends, wave-energizable apparatus (one or more) on the link body, and, in one aspect, a wrap or wraps securing the wave-energizable apparatus to the link. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A link comprising

a body,

the body having an exterior surface and two spaced-apart ends,

wave-energizable identification apparatus on the exterior surface of the body,

the wave-energizable identification apparatus wrapped in fabric material,

the fabric material comprising heat-resistant non-conducting material, and

the wave-energizable identification apparatus wrapped and positioned on the body so that the wave-energizable identification apparatus does not contact the body.

2. A link comprising

a link body, the link body having a link body exterior surface, two spaced-apart ends, and a link opening through the link body, and

wave-energizable apparatus on the exterior surface of the link body.

3. The link of claim 2 further comprising

a wrap over the wave-energizable apparatus wrapping the wave-energizable identification apparatus wrapped to the link body.

4. The link of claim 2 further comprising

the link body including a stud extending across the link opening, the stud having a stud exterior surface, and

the wave-energizable apparatus on the stud exterior surface.

5. The link of claim 4 wherein the wave-energizable apparatus is wrapped on the stud and positioned on the stud so that the wave-energizable apparatus does not contact the stud.

6. The link of claim 3 wherein the wrap comprises fabric material,

the fabric material comprising at least one layer of material wrapped around the wave-energizable apparatus.

7. The link of claim 6 wherein

the at least one layer of material is a plurality of layers.

8. The link of claim 6 wherein

a layer of body fabric material is on the body,

the wave-energizable apparatus located adjacent and exteriorly of the body fabric material, and

the fabric material in which the wave-energizable apparatus is wrapped is a folded portion of the body fabric material folded over on the wave-energizable apparatus.

9. The link of claim 6 wherein

the wave-energizable apparatus and the fabric material in which the wave-energizable apparatus are wrapped in heat shrink material.

10. The link of claim 9 wherein

outside the heat shrink material, at least one outer layer of fabric material is placed over the heat shrink material.

11. The link of claim 10 wherein

the at least one outer layer of fabric material is a plurality of outer layers.

12. The link of claim 6 wherein

the wave-energizable apparatus is in a shield.

13. The link of claim 12 wherein

the shield has a curved top and a recess for the wave-energizable apparatus.

14. The link of claim 2 further comprising

an amount of adhesive on the wave-energizable apparatus.

15. The link of claim 2 wherein the wave-energizable apparatus is radio frequency apparatus with integrated circuit apparatus and antenna apparatus.

16. The link of claim 2 further comprising

the link body including a shaft, with two spaced-apart shaft ends,

each end of the two spaced-apart ends of the link body at a shaft end of the shaft,

the two spaced-apart ends including a first end and a second end,

the link opening in the first end, and

a secondary opening in the second end.

17. The link of claim 16 wherein

the wave-energizable apparatus is on one of the first end and the second end.

18. The link of claim 16 wherein

the wave-energizable apparatus is on the shaft.

19. The link of claim 16 wherein the wave-energizable apparatus is on one of the first end and the second end and a second wave-energizable apparatus is one the shaft.

20. The link of claim 2 wherein the wave-energizable apparatus includes a first wave-energizable apparatus and a second wave-energizable apparatus, the link further comprising

both the first wave-energizable apparatus and the second wave-energizable apparatus on the link body.

21. The link of claim 2 further comprising

the link body including a stud extending across the link opening, the stud having a stud exterior surface, and

the wave-energizable apparatus on the stud exterior surface.

22. The link of claim 21 further comprising

the stud having two spaced-apart ends, a wrap securing the wave-energizable apparatus to the stud, and

the wrap also on a portion of the link body adjacent each end of the stud.

23. The link of claim 2 wherein the wave-energizable apparatus is in a mass, the mass has a recess, and the mass is on the link body with a portion of the link body in the recess.

24. The link of claim 23 wherein the link body includes a stud between sides of the link body and the mass is on the stud.

25. The link of claim 23 wherein the body includes a shaft between the two spaced-apart ends and the mass is on the shaft.

26. The link of claim 23 wherein the mass comprises a first mass, the link further comprising

a second mass with a wave-energizable apparatus on the link body.

27. The link of claim 26 wherein the link body includes a stud between sides thereof and the first mass is on the link body apart from the stud and the second mass is on the stud.

28. The link of claim 2 wherein the link is one of a chain link and an elevator link.

29. A method for sensing a wave-energizable identification apparatus of a member, the member comprising a link with a body, the body having an exterior surface and two spaced-apart ends, wave-energizable identification apparatus on the exterior surface of the body, the wave-energizable identification apparatus wrapped in fabric material, the fabric material comprising heat-resistant non-conducting material, and the wave-energizable identification apparatus wrapped and positioned on the body so that the wave-energizable identification apparatus does not contact the body, the wave-energizable identification apparatus having antenna apparatus, the method including

energizing the wave-energizable identification apparatus by directing energizing energy to the antenna apparatus,

the wave-energizable identification apparatus upon being energized producing a signal,

positioning the member adjacent sensing apparatus, and

sensing with the sensing apparatus the signal produced by the wave-energizable identification apparatus.

30. A method for sensing a wave-energizable apparatus of a link, the link comprising a link with a body, the body having an exterior surface and two spaced-apart ends, wave-energizable apparatus on an exterior surface of the body, the method including

energizing the wave-energizable apparatus by directing energizing energy thereto,

the wave-energizable apparatus upon being energized producing a signal, and

sensing with a sensing apparatus the signal produced by the wave-energizable apparatus.