Data-signaling apparatus for well drilling tools

Claim 2

Apparatus adapted for determining at least one downhole condition while excavating a borehole and comprising: a tubular drill string having a borehole-excavating device dependently coupled thereto and defining a flow passage for circulating drilling fluids between the surface and said borehole-excavating device; data-signaling means on said drill string adapted for producing electrical signals indicative of at least one downhole condition; and pressure-signaling means on said drill string adapted for developing pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said drill string for transmission through said flow passage to the surface and including valve means adapted for selective movement between first and second open positions and at least one intermediate closed position between said open positions, actuating means operable in response to said electrical signals for selectively moving said valve means from said first open position to said closed position for closing said valve means to produce said pressure pulses, and fluid-responsive means operatively associated with said valve means and operable only upon closing of said valve means for utilizing said pressure pulses for moving said valve means from said closed position to said second open position to reopen said valve means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further including means adapted to be located at the surface and responsive to said pressure pulses for providing indications of said pressure pulses.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 further including biasing means operable only upon movement of said valve means to said second open position for returning said valve means to said first open position to await subsequent electrical signals to said actuating means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuating means include an electrical solenoid operatively associated with said valve means to normally latch said valve means in said first open position and adapted for releasing said valve means for movement to said closed position upon energization of said solenoid by said data-signaling means; and biasing means adapted for moving said valve means to said closed position upon energization of said solenoid to release said valve means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 further including biasing means operable only upon movement of said valve means to said second open position for returning said valve means to said first open position in latching association with said solenoid to await subsequent electrical signals to said actuating means.

Claim 7

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a tubular drill string and having a flow passage arranged to carry drilling fluids between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; and pressure-signaling means on said body and including valve means adapted for cyclical movement between first and second passage-opening positions and at least one passage-obstructing position to obstruct the flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage and produce pressure pulses in such fluids for transmission therethrough to the surface, first means operatively associated with said valve means and adapted for moving said valve means from a first passage-opening position to said passage-obstructing position, valve-operating means selectively responsive to electrical signals operatively associated with said first means and said valve means and adapted for only initiating each operating cycle of said valve means, and second means including fluid-responsive means operatively associated with said valve means and adapted for utilizing said pressure pulses in said flow passage to move said valve means from said passage-obstructing position to a second passage-opening position.

Claim 8

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a tubular drill string and having a flow passage arranged to carry drilling fluids between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; and pressure-signaling means on said body and including valve means adapted for cyclical movement between first and second passage-opening positions and at least one passage-obstructing position to obstruct the flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage and produce pressure pulses in such fluids for transmission therethrough to the surface, first means operatively associated with said valve means and adapted for moving said valve means from a first passage-opening position to said passage-obstructing position, valve-operating means selectively responsive to electrical signals operatively associated with said first means and said valve means and adapted for only initiating each operating cycle of said valve means, and second means including fluid-responsive means operatively associated with said valve means and adapted for utilizing said pressure pulses in said flow passage to move said valve means from said passage-obstructing position to a second passage-opening position.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 further including electrical signaling means on said body coupled to said valve-operating means and adapted for producing electrical signals representative of at least one downhole condition to repetitively operate said valve-operating means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of clAim 6 wherein said first means include biasing means operative only upon operation of said valve-operating means for moving said valve means to said passage-obstructing position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first means include first biasing means operative only upon operation of said valve-operating means for moving said valve means to said passage-obstructing position; and said second means include second biasing means operative only upon movement of said valve means to said last-mentioned passage-opening position for returning said valve means to said first-mentioned passage-opening position to await the next electrical signal to said valve-operating means.

Claim 12

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a tubular drill string and having a flow passage arranged to carry drilling fluids between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; and pressure-signaling means on said body and including an annular valve seat movably disposed in said flow passage and adapted for movement therein between first and second spaced positions, first biasing means normally retaining said valve seat in its said first position, a valve member movably disposed on said body and adapted for movement between a non-obstructing position and a flow-obstructing position in said flow passage where said valve member is received within said valve seat when said valve seat is in its said first position, valve-operating means normally retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position and responsive to electrical signals for selectively moving said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat to produce pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said flow passage for transmission to the surface, means on said valve seat and responsive to said pressure pulses for moving said valve seat against said first biasing means from its said first position to its said second position to re-establish unobstructed flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage after said valve member is moved to its said flow-obstructing position, and second biasing means adapted for returning said valve member to its said non-obstructing position to await another electrical signal.

Claim 13

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a tubular drill string and having a flow passage arranged to carry drilling fluids between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; and pressure-signaling means on said body and including an annular valve seat movably disposed in said flow passage and adapted for movement therein between first and second spaced positions, first biasing means normally retaining said valve seat in its said first position, a valve member movably disposed on said body and adapted for movement between a non-obstructing position and a flow-obstructing position in said flow passage where said valve member is received within said valve seat when said valve seat is in its said first position, valve-operating means normally retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position and responsive to electrical signals for selectively moving said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat to produce pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said flow passage for transmission to the surface, means on said valve seat and responsive to said pressure pulses for moving said valve seat against said first biasing means from its said first position to its said second position to re-establish unobstructed flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage after said valve member is moved to its said flow-obstructing position, and second biasing means adapted for returning said valve member to its said non-obstructing position to await another electrical signal.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 further including means in said flow passage dividing said flow passage into spaced upper and lower portions and defining at least one port between said positions of said valve member and communicating said upper and lower portions of said flow passage so that movement of said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat will at least substantially block the flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage to produce said pressure pulses.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said valve-operating means include third biasing means normally urging said valve member toward its said flow-obstructing position, latch means releasably retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position, and electrical means operatively associated with said latch means and responsive to said electrical signals for actuating said latch means to release said valve member for movement to its said flow-obstructing position.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 further including means in said flow passage dividing said flow passage into spaced upper and lower portions and defining at least one port between said positions of said valve member and communicating said upper and lower portions of said flow passage so that movement of said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat will at least substantially block the flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage to produce said pressure pulses.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 further including electrical signaling means on said body coupled to said electrical means and adapted for producing electrical signals representative of at least onE downhole condition to repetitively operate said electrical means.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said electrical means include an electrical solenoid operatively associated with said latch means and adapted for actuating said latch means to release said valve member in response to said electrical signals by said electrical signaling means.

Claim 19

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a tubular drill string having a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled thereto and defining a flow passage for circulating drilling fluids between the surface and said borehole-drilling device; data-signaling means on said drill string adapted for producing electrical signals indicative of at least one downhole condition; and pressure-signaling means on said drill string adapted for selectively developing pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage for transmission through said drill string to the surface and including an annular valve seat movably disposed in said flow passage and adapted for movement therein between first and second spaced positions, first biasing means normally retaining said valve seat in its said first position, a valve member movably arranged on said drill string and adapted for movement between a non-obstructing position and a flow-obstructing position in said flow passage where said valve member is received within said valve seat when said valve seat is in its said first position, valve-operating means normally retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position and responsive to electrical signals for selectively moving said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat to produce pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said flow passage for transmission to the surface, means on said valve seat and responsive to said pressure pulses for moving said valve seat against said first biasing means from its said first position to its said second position to re-establish unobstructed flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage after said valve member is moved to its said flow-obstructing position, and second biasing means adapted for returning said valve member to its said non-obstructing position to await another electrical signal.

Claim 20

Apparatus adapted for transmitting data to the surface during the drilling of a borehole and comprising: a tubular drill string having a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled thereto and defining a flow passage for circulating drilling fluids between the surface and said borehole-drilling device; data-signaling means on said drill string adapted for producing electrical signals indicative of at least one downhole condition; and pressure-signaling means on said drill string adapted for selectively developing pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage for transmission through said drill string to the surface and including an annular valve seat movably disposed in said flow passage and adapted for movement therein between first and second spaced positions, first biasing means normally retaining said valve seat in its said first position, a valve member movably arranged on said drill string and adapted for movement between a non-obstructing position and a flow-obstructing position in said flow passage where said valve member is received within said valve seat when said valve seat is in its said first position, valve-operating means normally retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position and responsive to electrical signals for selectively moving said valve member to its said flow-obstructing position within said valve seat to produce pressure pulses in drilling fluids flowing through said flow passage for transmission to the surface, means on said valve seat and responsive to said pressure pulses for moving said valve seat against said first biasing means from its said first position to its said second position to re-establish unobstructed flow of drilling fluids through said flow passage after said valve member is moved to its said flow-obstructing position, and second biasing means adapted for returning said valve member to its said non-obstructing position to await another electrical signal.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 further including means adapted to be located at the surface and responsive to said pressure pulses for providing indications of said pressure pulses.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said valve-operating means include third biasing means normally urging said valve member toward its said flow-obstructing position, latch means releasably retaining said valve member in its said non-obstructing position, and electrical means operatively associated with said latch means and responsive to said electrical signals for actuating said latch means to release said valve member for movement to its said flow-obstructing position.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said electrical means include an electrical solenoid operatively associated with said latch means and adapted for actuating said latch means to release said valve member in response to said electrical signals by said data-signaling means.