US3764968A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Well bore data transmission apparatus with debris clearing apparatus
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-15
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1992-06-15
Abstract
Abstract In the representative embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention disclosed herein, a first ported or grooved cylindrical member is mounted within a drill string for directing drilling fluids flowing through the apparatus along one or more selected flow paths toward a second ported or grooved cylindrical member which is coaxially arranged in the drill string adjacent to the first member for rotation in a transverse plane cutting the flow paths to cyclically obstruct these flow paths. An electric motor is cooperatively coupled by a shaft to the rotatable member for driving the member at a selected speed to develop an acoustic signal of a desired frequency as the flow paths are momentarily obstructed at periodic intervals. To prevent jamming of the rotating member should debris carried in the circulating drilling fluid become lodged between the two signal-producing members, the rotating member is slidably mounted on the shaft to move away from the fixed member in response to a significant increase of the pressure differential across the two members as might occur by an accumulation of debris or the like therebetween tending to at least slow the rotating member. Biasing means maintain the rotating member in its normal position as well as restore the rotating member to its normal operating position adjacent to the fixed member once the debris has been cleared from between the signal-producing members by the continued flow of the drilling fluid. Control means are also provided for alternately reversing the motor whenever the rotational speed of the motor significantly decreases.
Inventors
- 👤 R Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:13
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/12; E21B47/14; E21B47/18; E21B47/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
Apparatus adapted for transmitting data signals from a well bore to the surface and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a pipe string and having a fluid passage arranged to carry debris-bearing fluids between the surface and well bore; first means including a first signal-producing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage for directing at least a portion of a fluid flowing therethrough along at least one selected flow path; second means including a second signal-producing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage adjacent to said first member for rotation at a selected speed in a plane transverse to said flow path for repetitively obstructing said flow path at periodic intervals to cyclically produce acoustic data signals in a fluid flowing through said fluid passage; and third means operable upon at least slowing of said second member below said selected speed by fluid-borne solids flowing through said fluid passage for momentarily separating said signal-producing members to allow such solids to pass downstream of said signal-producing members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
Apparatus adapted for transmitting data signals from a well bore to the surface and comprising: a body adapted for connection in a pipe string and having a fluid passage arranged to carry debris-bearing fluids between the surface and well bore; first means including a first signal-producing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage for directing at least a portion of a fluid flowing therethrough along at least one selected flow path; second means including a second signal-producing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage adjacent to said first member for rotation at a selected speed in a plane transverse to said flow path for repetitively obstructing said flow path at periodic intervals to cyclically produce acoustic data signals in a fluid flowing through said fluid passage; and third means operable upon at least slowing of said second member below said selected speed by fluid-borne solids flowing through said fluid passage for momentarily separating said signal-producing members to allow such solids to pass downstream of said signal-producing members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means include an electric motor, and means cooperatively coupling said second member to said motor for rotation thereby as well as for movement between an operating position adjacent to said first member and a solids-clearing position more distant therefrom; and said third means include biasing means cooperatively arranged for yieldably urging said second member normally toward one of its said positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said one position is said operating position of said second member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means include an electric motor, and means cooperatively coupling said second member for rotation thereby; and said third means include means cooperatively arranging one of said members for longitudinal movement relative to the other of said members between an operating position adjacent to said other member and a solids-clearing position more distant therefrom, and biasing means cooperatively arranged for normally urging said one member toward said other member and yieldable in response to slowing of said second member below said selected speed by fluid-borne solids for allowing said one member to move longitudinally away from said other member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means include an electric motor, a rotatable shaft drivingly coupled to said motor, means cooperatively coupling said second member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for movement therealong between a signal-producing position adjacent to said first member and a solids-clearing position more distant therefrom; and said third means include biasing means cooperatively arranged between said shaft and said second member for normally biasing said second member toward its said signal-producing position and yieldable in response to at least one operating condition characteristic of the rotational slowing of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said solids-clearing position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means include a selectively reversible electrical motor, a rotatable shaft drivingly coupled to sAid motor, and means cooperatively coupling said second member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for movement therealong between a first position adjacent to said first member and at least a second position more distant therefrom; and said third means include biasing means cooperatively arranged between said shaft and said second member normally biasing said second member toward its said first position and yieldable in response to slowing of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said second position, and circuit means responsive to the slowing of said second member for selectively reversing the rotational direction of said motor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means include a selectively reversible electrical motor, a rotatable shaft drivingly coupled to said motor, means cooperatively coupling said second member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for movement therealong between a first position adjacent to said first member and at least a second position more distant therefrom; and said third means include biasing means cooperatively arranged between said shaft and said second member normally biasing said second member toward its said first position and yieldable in response to slowing of the rotational speed of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said second position, and circuit means responsive to the slowing of said second member and selectively operable for alternately reversing the rotational direction of said motor back and forth so long as said second member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
210 words
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 fluid passage arranged to conduct drilling fluids to a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; a flow-directing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage and including at least one opening for directing drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage along a selected axis; a flow-obstructing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage for rotation in a plane transverse to said axis and including a plurality of alternately disposed openings and obstructions angularly spaced from one another and respectively adapted to successively cut across said axis upon rotation of said flow-obstructing member; first means cooperatively coupled to said flow-obstructing member for rotating said flow-obstructing member at at least one selected rotational speed for cyclically producing acoustic data signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; and second means operable in response to at least slowing of said flow-obstructing member by lodging of fluid-borne debris between said members for moving at least one of said members in relation to the other of said members to allow such debris to be carried downstream of said members by drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
210 words
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 fluid passage arranged to conduct drilling fluids to a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; a flow-directing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage and including at least one opening for directing drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage along a selected axis; a flow-obstructing member cooperatively arranged in said fluid passage for rotation in a plane transverse to said axis and including a plurality of alternately disposed openings and obstructions angularly spaced from one another and respectively adapted to successively cut across said axis upon rotation of said flow-obstructing member; first means cooperatively coupled to said flow-obstructing member for rotating said flow-obstructing member at at least one selected rotational speed for cyclically producing acoustic data signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; and second means operable in response to at least slowing of said flow-obstructing member by lodging of fluid-borne debris between said members for moving at least one of said members in relation to the other of said members to allow such debris to be carried downstream of said members by drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said one member is said flow-obstructing member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first means include motor means; and said second means include control means coupled to said motor means and responsive to slowing of said flow-obstructing member below said selected speed for rotatively moving said flow-obstructing member back and forth in relation to said flow-directing member so long as said flow-obstructing member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first means include a reversible electric motor; and said second means include circuit means operable upon slowing of said motor means for producing an electrical signal, and control means responsive to said signal for repetitively reversing said motor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first means include a motor, and a rotatable shaft cooperatively couplEd to said motor for rotation thereby; and said second means include means co-rotatively coupling said flow-obstructing member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for movement along said shaft between a first position adjacent to said flow-directing member and a second more-distant position away from said flow-directing member, and biasing means normally urging said flow-obstructing member toward its said first position and yieldable in response to the occurrence of an operational condition indicative of the lodging of fluid-borne debris between said members for allowing said flow-obstructing member to move at least momentarily toward its said second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said operational condition is an increased pressure differential across said members sufficient to move said flow-obstructing member toward its said second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said second means further include control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said flow-obstructing member below said selected speed for rotatively moving said flow-obstructing member back and forth in relation to said flow-directing member so long as said flow-obstructing member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first means include a motor, and a rotatable shaft cooperatively coupled to said motor for rotation thereby; and said second means include means co-rotatively coupling said flow-obstructing member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for longitudinal movement along said shaft between a first position adjacent to said flow-directing member and a second more-distant position away from said flow-directing member, and biasing means normally urging said flow-obstructing member toward its said first position and yieldable in response to the occurrence of an operational condition indicative of the lodging of fluid-borne debris between said members for allowing said flow-obstructing member to move at least momentarily toward its said second position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
232 words
Apparatus adapted for measuring at least one downhole condition while drilling a borehole and comprising: a body tandemly coupled in a tubular drill string having a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled thereto and defining a fluid passage for circulating drilling fluids between the surface and said borehole-drilling device; data-signaling means on said body and adapted for producing electrical signals representative of at least one downhole condition; acoustic signaling means on said body and including an electric motor coupled to said data-signaling means for selective rotation in response to said electrical signals, a flow-directing member in said fluid passage and having a plurality of angularly spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, and a rotatable signaling member in said fluid passage and having a plurality of alternately distributed angularly-spaced openings and obstructions cooperatively arranged to successively cross said fluid paths upon rotation of said signaling member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; first means cooperatively coupling said signaling member to said motor for rotation thereby at at least one selected rotational speed; and second means operable upon slowing of said signaling member below said selected rotational speed by lodging of fluid-borne materials between said members for moving said signaling member in relation to said flow-directing member to clear such fluid-borne materials from therebetween.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
232 words
Apparatus adapted for measuring at least one downhole condition while drilling a borehole and comprising: a body tandemly coupled in a tubular drill string having a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled thereto and defining a fluid passage for circulating drilling fluids between the surface and said borehole-drilling device; data-signaling means on said body and adapted for producing electrical signals representative of at least one downhole condition; acoustic signaling means on said body and including an electric motor coupled to said data-signaling means for selective rotation in response to said electrical signals, a flow-directing member in said fluid passage and having a plurality of angularly spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, and a rotatable signaling member in said fluid passage and having a plurality of alternately distributed angularly-spaced openings and obstructions cooperatively arranged to successively cross said fluid paths upon rotation of said signaling member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; first means cooperatively coupling said signaling member to said motor for rotation thereby at at least one selected rotational speed; and second means operable upon slowing of said signaling member below said selected rotational speed by lodging of fluid-borne materials between said members for moving said signaling member in relation to said flow-directing member to clear such fluid-borne materials from therebetween.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said first means include a rotatable shaft coupled to said motor; and said second means include means co-rotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft, and control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said signaling member belOw said selected speed for alternately driving said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said signaling member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said signaling member is downstream of said fluid-directing member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first means include a rotatable shaft coupled to said motor; and said second means include means co-rotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft, and means operable upon increased pressure differentials across said members for shifting said signaling member along said shaft away from said flow-directing member and operable upon the subsequent decrease in such increased pressure differentials for shifting said signaling member along said shaft toward said flow-directing member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said second means further include means co-rotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft, and control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said signaling member below said selected speed for alternately driving said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said signaling member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said flow-directing member is fixed in relation to said body and is coaxially arranged in said fluid passage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said flow-directing member is upstream of said signaling member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
110 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said first means include a rotatable shaft coupled to said motor; and said second means include means co-rotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft for rotation thereby as well as for movement along said shaft between a first position adjacent to said flow-directing member and a second more-distant position away from said flow-directing member, and biasing means normally urging said signaling member toward its said first position and yieldable in response to the occurrence of an operational condition indicative of the lodging of fluid-borne debris between said members for allowing said signaling member to move at least momentarily toward its said second position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said operational condition is an increased pressure differential across said members sufficient to move said signaling member toward its said second position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said second means further include control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said signaling member below said selected speed for alternately driving said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said signaling member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said means corotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft include spline-and-groove means between said signaling member and said shaft for allowing said signaling member to move along said shaft between its said first and second positions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said means corotatively coupling said signaling member to said shaft include spline-and-groove means between said signaling member and said shaft for allowing said signaling member to move longitudinally along said shaft between its said first and second positions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said operational condition is an increased pressure differential across said members sufficient to move said signaling member toward its said second position; and said second means further include control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said signaling member below said selected speed for alternately driving said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said signaling member is slowed below said selected speed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said motor is a reversible motor; and said control means include means operable upon slowing of said motor for producing an electrical sigNal, and means responsive to said signal for repetitively reversing said motor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |