Well bore data - transmission apparatus with debris clearing apparatus

Claim 2

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; 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; first means including a second signal-producing member cooperatively arranged in said flow 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 second means operable upon at least slowing of said second member below said selected speed in response to either an increased pressure differential across said signal-producing members or an increase in driving torque on said second member for momentarily separating said signal-producing members to allow fluid-borne solids flowing through said fluid passage to pass downstream of said signal-producing members.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means include a rotatable motor, and means cooperatively coupling said second member to said motor for rotation thereby as well as for movement relative thereto between an operating position adjacent to said first member and a debris-clearing position more distant therefrom; and said second means include biasing means cooperatively arranged for normally urging said second member toward its said operating position and yieldable in response to an increased driving torque for said second member characteristic of the slowing of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said debris-clearing position.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motor is a selectively reversible electric motor; and further including circuit means responsive to the slowing of said second member for selectively reversing the rotational direction of said motor.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means include a rotatable 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 an operating position adjacent to said first member and a debris-clearing position more distant therefrom; and said second means include first biasing means normally biasing said second member toward its said operating position and yieldable in response to an increased pressure differential characteristic of the slowing of the rotational speed of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said debris-clearing position, and second biasing means normally biasing said second member toward its said operating position and yieldable in response to an increased driving torque for said second member characteristic of the slowing of the rotational speed of said second member for allowing said second member to move at least momentarily toward its said debris-clearing position.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said motor is a selectively reversible electric motor; and further including circuit means responsive to the slowing of said second member for selectively reversing the rotational direction of said motor.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said circuit means are 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 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 fluid passage arranged to conduct drilling fluids between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; a flow director 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 signal-producing member coaxially arranged for rotation in said fluid passage 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 signal-producing member for cyclically producing acoustic data signals in a drilling fluid flowing through said fluid passage; motor means adapted for rotating said signal-producing member at at least one selected rotational speed; and coupling means selectively coupling said motor means to said signal-producing member and operable in response to at least slowing of said signal-producing member by fluid-borne debris for momentarily moving said signal-producing member away from said flow director either when there is an increase in pressure differential across said signal-producing member or when there is an increase in driving torque on said signal-producing member to allow such debris to be carried downstream of said flow director by drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage.

Claim 9

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 between the surface and a borehole-drilling device dependently coupled therebelow; a flow director 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 signal-producing member coaxially arranged for rotation in said fluid passage 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 signal-producing member for cyclically producing acoustic data signals in a drilling fluid flowing through said fluid passage; motor means adapted for rotating said signal-producing member at at least one selected rotational speed; and coupling means selectively coupling said motor means to said signal-producing member and operable in response to at least slowing of said signal-producing member by fluid-borne debris for momentarily moving said signal-producing member away from said flow director either when there is an increase in pressure differential across said signal-producing member or when there is an increase in driving torque on said signal-producing member to allow such debris to be carried downstream of said flow director by drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said flow director is fixed within said fluid passage.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 further including control means coupled to said motor means and responsive to slowing of said signal-producing member below said selected speed for also rotatively moving said signal-producing member back and forth in relation to said flow director so long as said signal-producing member is slowed below said selected speed.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said motor means include a reversible electric motor; and said control means include means operable upon slowing of said motor for producing an electric signal, and means responsive to said electrical signal for repetitively reversing said motor.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said coupling means include a rotatable shaft member cooperatively coupled to said motor means for rotation thereby, and a coupling arranged between said shaft member and said signal-producing member, first guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and one of said members and including a first guide and means defining a first guide path extending between longitudinally spaced first positions, second guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and the other of said members and including a second guide and means defining a second guide path extending between longitudinally spaced second positions, first biasing means between said coupling and said one member normally urging said one member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in pressure differential across said signal-producing member for allowing said one member to move at least momentarily along said first guide path away from said flow director, and second biasing means between said coupling and said other member normally urging said other member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in rotative torque to drive said signal-producing member for allowing said other member to move at least momentarily along said second guide path away from said flow director.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein one of said guide paths is helically configured.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said one member is said shaft member and said other member is said signal-producing member.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said coupling is a tubular member coaxially disposed around said shaft member and within said signal-producing member, and said second guide path is a generally helical Passage defined around said tubular coupling member so that upon yielding of said second biasing means said signal-producing member will move in a generally helical path along said tubular coupling member away from said flow director.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first guide path is a generally longitudinal passage so that upon yielding of said first biasing means said tubular coupling member and said signal-producing member will move in a generally longitudinal path along said shaft member away from said flow director.

Claim 18

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 spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, and a rotatable flow-obstructing 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 flow-obstructing member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; first means cooperatively coupling said flow-obstructing member to said motor for rotation thereby at at least one selected rotational speed and responsive to an increase in the torque required to maintain said flow-obstructing member at said selected speed for moving said flow-obstructing member away from said flow-directing member upon slowing of said flow-obstructing member to clear fluid-borne debris from between said members; and second means responsive to an increased pressure differential across said flow-obstructing member for moving one of said members away from the other of said members upon slowing of said flow-obstructing member to clear such fluid-borne debris from between said members.

Claim 19

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 spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, and a rotatable flow-obstructing 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 flow-obstructing member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; first means cooperatively coupling said flow-obstructing member to said motor for rotation thereby at at least one selected rotational speed and responsive to an increase in the torque required to maintain said flow-obstructing member at said selected speed for moving said flow-obstructing member away from said flow-directing member upon slowing of said flow-obstructing member to clear fluid-borne debris from between said members; and second means responsive to an increased pressure differential across said flow-obstructing member for moving one of said members away from the other of said members upon slowing of said flow-obstructing member to clear such fluid-borne debris from between said members.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 further including control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said flow-obstructing member below said selected speed for alternately rotating said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said flow-obstructing member is slowed below said selected speed.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said flow-obstructing member is downstream of said flow-directing member.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said one member is said flow-obstructing member; said first means include a rotatable shaft coupled to said motor, and means co-rotatively coupling said flow-obstructing member to said shaft; and said second means include means operable upon increased pressure differentials across said members for shifting said flow-obstructing member along said shaft away from said flow-directing member and operable upon the subsequent decrease in such increased pressure differentials for shifting said flow-obstructing member along said shaft toward said flow-directing member.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 further including control means coupled to said motor and responsive to slowing of said flow-obstructing member below said selected speed for alternately rotating said motor back and forth in opposite rotative directions so long as said flow-obstructing member is slowed below said selected speed.

Claim 24

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 upstreAm of said flow-obstructing member.

Claim 25

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 thereo 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 director coaxially arranged in said fluid passage and having a plurality of spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, an annular signal-producing member coaxially arranged 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 signal-producing member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; and means adapted for selectively driving said signal-producing member including a rotatable shaft member cooperatively coupled to said motor for rotation thereby, a coupling disposed between said shaft member and said signal-producing member, first guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and one of said members and including a first guide and means defining a first guide path extending between longitudinally spaced first positions, second guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and the other of said members and including a second guide and means defining a second guide path extending between longitudinally spaced second positions, first biasing means between said coupling and said one member normally urging one member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in pressure differential across said signal-producing member for allowing said one member to move at least momentarily along said first guide path away from said flow director, and second biasing means between said coupling and said other member normally urging said other member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in rotative torque to drive said signal-producing member for allowing said other member to move at least momentarily along said second guide path away from said flow director.

Claim 26

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 thereo 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 director coaxially arranged in said fluid passage and having a plurality of spaced openings cooperatively arranged for directing drilling fluids in selected fluid paths along said fluid passage, an annular signal-producing member coaxially arranged 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 signal-producing member for producing cyclic acoustic signals representative of said electrical signals in drilling fluids flowing through said fluid passage; and means adapted for selectively driving said signal-producing member including a rotatable shaft member cooperatively coupled to said motor for rotation thereby, a coupling disposed between said shaft member and said signal-producing member, first guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and one of said members and including a first guide and means defining a first guide path extending between longitudinally spaced first positions, second guide means cooperatively arranged between said coupling and the other of said members and including a second guide and means defining a second guide path extending between longitudinally spaced second positions, first biasing means between said coupling and said one member normally urging one member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in pressure differential across said signal-producing member for allowing said one member to move at least momentarily along said first guide path away from said flow director, and second biasing means between said coupling and said other member normally urging said other member toward said flow director and yieldable in response to an increase in rotative torque to drive said signal-producing member for allowing said other member to move at least momentarily along said second guide path away from said flow director.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein one of said guide paths is helically configured.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said one member is said shaft member and said other member is said signal-producing member.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said coupling is a tubular member coaxially disposed around said shaft member and within said signal-producing member, and said second guide path is a generally helical passage defined around said tubular coupling member so that upon yielding of said second biasing means said signal-producing member will move in a generally helical path along said tubular coupling member away from said flow director.