Apparatus and method for communicating electrical signals in a well, including electrical coupling for electric circuits therein
US5236048A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 10, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R13/523
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An electric coupling for two electric circuits in a well includes an electric contact and a contact receiver connected to respective ones of the circuits so that a contact/receiver pair is formed when the contact and receiver are moved together The receiver is sealed by a sealing member. The sealing member is disposed so that it is penetrated by the contact when the contact and receiver are moved together. A coupling including two such pairs is preferably used to connect two electric wires in the well to form a current conductive loop linking two electric coils. One of the coils is adapted to be moved in the well relative to the other coil which is adapted to be fixed in the well. In a preferred embodiment, one coil is on a wireline tool and the other coil is on a downhole tool. The current conductive path established across an intervening space between the tools is electrically insulated from the bodies of the tools and preferably has a resistance sufficiently low that the current conductive path is not effectively short-circuited by fluid in the intervening space which the path crosses.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.