Electrical connector with coaxial contacts

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprising: a. a first member having a tubular housing open at one end thereof; b. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts mounted to said housing and axially spaced within said housing of said first member, thus forming annular cavities between said contacts, each of said tubular contacts having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said first member; c. a second member having an upstanding element having an outer surface substantially conforming in shape to the internal configuration of said plurality of contacts of said first member, the upstanding element of said second member and the tubular housing of said first member forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to said one end of said first member when said members are in mating relationship; d. each of said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway from the annular cavity above said tubular contact to the annular cavity below said tubular contact when said first and said second members are in mating relationship; and e. a like plurality of ring-contacts mounted on and axially spaced along said upstanding element of said second member and each said ring-contact disposed to mate with one of said plurality of tubular contacts of said first member whereby the first and second members are brought into engagement to form a like plurality of electrical circuit connections whereby a viscous dielectric material placed in said first member will be partially extruded therefrom thereby purging and protecting said circuit connections from hostile environmental elements.

Claim 3

The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising a viscous dielectric material substantially filling the interior of said first member characterized by a viscousity permissive of retention within said housing irrespective of the connector orientation and of the hostile environment and further permissive of sufficient extrusion from said housing to effect mating of said first and second members thereby to purge the contacts of the hostile environment upon mating of said members.

Claim 4

The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising: a. a central post depending axially from within said housing and radially spaced inwardly from each of said plurality of tubular contacts, and wherein; b. said upstanding element of said second member is tubular and is characterized by an internal passage shaped for slideably receiving said central post of said first member.

Claim 5

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second member further comprises: a. a supporting structure affixed to the lower end of said upstanding element and extending radially therefrom, saId structure being characterized by a portion thereof having an outer perimeter permissive of attachment to the end of a selected oil well production tubing member, and b. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said upstanding element and said supporting structure, whereby connection may be made to an electrical cable.

Claim 6

The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said first member includes: a. means for attaching the closed end of said housing to the lower end of an artificial lift pump such as are used in oil wells, and further comprising; b. means forming an electrical path from each of said plurality of tubular contacts to selected connections in the artificial lift pump from which said first member depends.

Claim 7

The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said central post of said first member is further characterized by: a. a passageway formed therein and having at least one port in the lower end thereof and having at least one other port near the base of said post which exits proximate the exterior of the closed end of said housing; and wherein said second member is further characterized by; b. said upstanding element of said second member having an entrance port at said one end thereof whereby fluid from the well may pass internally through said upstanding member and said central cylindrical post to a zone proximate the pump.

Claim 8

The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein the internal diameter of said upstanding element of said second member is further selected to accommodate the passing therethrough of oil well servicing tools.

Claim 9

The electrical connector of claim 4 further comprising; one portion of a cable connector mounted in electrical communication with the exterior of said supporting structure and having each said electrical path terminably affixed to a contact element in said one portion of the cable connector, whereby said second connector member may be provided with a remote electrical circuit through a mating portion of a cable connector.

Claim 10

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said upstanding element of said second member is further characterized by a generally funnel shaped interior entrance to receive said central post and thereby guide said central post into coaxial alignment with said upstanding element.

Claim 11

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said upstanding element further comprises a tubular insert forming a liner within said upstanding element and extending throughout an axial length thereof which at least corresponds to the axial length traversed by said central post of said first connector member when said connector members are engaged, said tubular insert being comprised of a material to provide protection to the structural integrity of said upstanding element.

Claim 12

The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising: a seal-seat circumferentially adjoining said tubular element of said second connector member; a resilient tubular sealing element affixed to said housing proximate the open end thereof, and having internal cross-sectional dimensions greater than the outer cross-sectional dimensions of said tubular element and less than the outer-cross-sectional dimensions of said seal seat, said seal-seat having an axial position selected to bring said sealing element and said seal-seat into engagement when said like plurality of electrical circuit connections are made.

Claim 13

The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said resilient tubular sealing element is characterized by a form substantially in the shape of a hollow truncated cone having its base affixed to the internal wall of said housing of said first connector member and extending away from the closed end of said first connector member.

Claim 14

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing of said first connector member is further characterized by an outer shell comprised of material selected to provide protection to the structural integritY of said housing.

Claim 15

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein: a. said upstanding element of said second member being further characterized by a substantially conical upper end, and said second member further comprising; b. a supporting structure, said upstanding element extending outwardly therefrom, and c. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said element and said supporting structure thereby providing a bulkhead type second connector member.

Claim 16

An electrical connector for an oil well electrically powered artificial lift pump having a first connector member attachable to the pump and a second connector member attachable to the lower end of the production tubing within the well, the connector comprising: a. a first connector member having a cylindrical outer shell; b. a dielectric tubular liner within said shell; c. closure means for closing the upper end of said shell; d. means associated with the closed end of said shell for attaching said first connector member to the pump; e. a cylindrical central post coaxially depending from said closed end and protruding from within said shell; f. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts spaced coaxially from one another and affixed to the interior of said dielectric liner, each said tubular contact having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said dielectric tubular lines; g. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said plurality of tubular contacts and each terminating exteriorly of said shell for connection to circuits in the pump; h. a second connector member having a substantially cylindrical elongated supporting structure characterized by a portion thereof having means for attaching said supporting structure to the production tubing; i. a cylindrical tubular metallic insert upstanding from the upper end of said supporting structure, and coaxially aligned to mate with said central post of said first member, and characterized by an enlarged internal diameter at the upper end thereof, said supporting structure being further characterized by a longitudinal passageway therethrough aligned with the interior of said insert to thereby form a flow path from the top of the insert to the region below said supporting structure; j. a layer of dielectric material extending substantially along the exterior of said insert; k. a like plurality of electrical ring contacts axially spaced along said layer of dielectric material to mate with said tubular contacts of said first member, said dielectric tubular liner of said first member and said layer of dielectric material forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to the open end of said first connector member when in a mating relationship, each said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway thereby when in a mating relationship; and l. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said ring-contacts and terminating exteriorally of said supporting structure for connection to an electrical cable extending from the wall surface to said second connector member, whereby a pump having said first connector member may be lowered into the well and automatically make electrical connection with circuits connected through said second connector member.

Claim 17

An electrical connector for an oil well electrically powered artificial lift pump having a first connector member attachable to the pump and a second connector member attachable to the lower end of the production tubing within the well, the connector comprising: a. a first connector member having a cylindrical outer shell; b. a dielectric tubular liner within said shell; c. closure means for closing the upper end of said shell; d. means associated with the closed end of said shell for attaching said first connector member to the pump; e. a cylindrical central post coaxially depending from said closed end and protruding from within said shell; f. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts spaced coaxially from one another and affixed to the interior of said dielectric liner, each said tubular contact having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said dielectric tubular lines; g. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said plurality of tubular contacts and each terminating exteriorly of said shell for connection to circuits in the pump; h. a second connector member having a substantially cylindrical elongated supporting structure characterized by a portion thereof having means for attaching said supporting structure to the production tubing; i. a cylindrical tubular metallic insert upstanding from the upper end of said supporting structure, and coaxially aligned to mate with said central post of said first member, and characterized by an enlarged internal diameter at the upper end thereof, said supporting structure being further characterized by a longitudinal passageway therethrough aligned with the interior of said insert to thereby form a flow path from the top of the insert to the region below said supporting structure; j. a layer of dielectric material extending substantially along the exterior of said insert; k. a like plurality of electrical ring contacts axially spaced along said layer of dielectric material to mate with said tubular contacts of said first member, said dielectric tubular liner of said first member and said layer of dielectric material forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to the open end of said first connector member when in a mating relationship, each said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway thereby when in a mating relationship; and l. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said ring-contacts and terminating exteriorally of said supporting structure for connection to an electrical cable extending from the wall surface to said second connector member, whereby a pump having said first connector member may be lowered into the well and automatically make electrical connection with circuits connected through said second connector member.

Claim 18

The electrical connector of claim 14 further comprising a viscous dielectric material substantially filling the interior, the interior of said first connector member prior to engagement of said connector members and characterized by a viscosity permissive of self-retention therein and further permissive of sufficient extrusion from said first connector member to effect mating of said first and second members.