SIGNAL CONDUCTOR INSTALLATION TOOL AND METHOD
A signal conductor installation tool includes a chassis; a tracking system in operable communication with the chassis; a spool rotatingly supported on the chassis; and a through hole in the chassis sized to pass a conductor from the spool to a target tubular member and method thereof
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Signal conductors, and particularly optic fibers are often placed in grooves in equipment designed for the downhole environment to protect the signal conductor from mechanical impact. While conductors can be and are placed in all configurations of grooves, it is notable that grooves that extend around a tubular member present a particularly time consuming installation of signal conductor, especially when it is inconvenient or impossible to rotate the tubular due to diameter, length, etc. or due to the location at which the conductors are to be joined with other downhole tools. For example, while it may be possible to rotate a tool at a large manufacturing facility, it may not be possible to rotate the same tool at a rig site. This results in many installations of conductors being affected by hand. As will be clear to the reader, hand installations are not particularly speedy. In view of the length of signal conductor needed and used in the downhole environment, operations directed to installing conductors are remarkably inefficient with respect to the overall completion of the well. Without a competent method and apparatus to install conductors in such circumstances however, the art is left to maintain its status quo.
SUMMARYA signal conductor installation tool includes a chassis; a tracking system in operable communication with the chassis; a spool rotatingly supported on the chassis; and a through hole in the chassis sized to pass a conductor from the spool to a target tubular member.
A method for installing a conductor at a target tubular member includes setting the tracking system of the tool described in the foregoing paragraph; rotating at least one of the tool and the target tubular member relative to the other of the tool and the target tubular member; automatically dispensing a conductor from the spool through the chassis to the target tubular member.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several figures:
Referring to
The spool 30 is mounted rotatably on the chassis 20, and axially restrained thereon by such as upsets 32. It is noted that the upsets 32 may be continuous about chassis 20 as shown or may be discontinuous or may simply comprise one short member on each axial end of the spool 30 with similar results. Because the spool 30 is not subject to any significant axial load, very little restraint is needed. Indeed, it is possible in some particular applications that no axial restraint is needed at all. The spool may utilize bushings, bearings, nothing at all (as illustrated), etc to enable the spool 30 to rotate freely relative to the chassis 20. It is important that the chassis 20 and spool 30 are rotatable relative to each other and to the tubular member 12 independently as the length of conductor 14 representing one 360 degree rotation about the tubular member 20 is not likely to require the same rate of rotational movement in the spool that it does in the chassis.
Finally, in iterations of this embodiment, an additional feeder tube 34 is positioned within one end of the hole 24 and extending therefrom toward the spool 30 to assist the conductor 14 to make its way without damage to the hole 24. The feeder tube 34 in one embodiment is rigid while in an alternate embodiment is semi rigid.
In order to deposit the conductor 14 in to the groove 16, tool 10 is fitted over one end of a target tubular 12 such that the pin 22 engages the groove 16. The tool 10 is then rotated relative to the tubular member 12. The rotation may be that of the tool 10 or of the member 12 or both as circumstances dictate and may be manual or mechanized depending upon implements at the disposal of the operator. As the tool 10 and tubular member 12 rotate relative to one another, the pin 22 moves the tool 10 along the tubular member 12 in an indexed manner so that deposition of the conductor 14 into the groove 16 is assured and is automatic. Tension is kept to a minimum while being simultaneously sufficient to play out conductor. Because the tool 10 ensures that the conductor 14 is deposited properly even at relatively rapid speeds, the tool significantly improves time to completion. The relative rotation of the tool 10 may be continued for as long as the tubular member 12 has axial length, until the spool 30 runs out of conductor 14 or until a segment of the tubular member 12 that is intended to contain conductor has been completed.
In another embodiment, referring to
Referring to
Referring to
In use, this embodiment is placed upon a target tubular by sliding all of the components illustrated in
It is to be appreciated that each of the embodiments of the tool 10 or 110 can be configured to rotate either clockwise or counter clockwise as is appreciate for the groove helix direction on the target tubular. Further, it is to be noted that reliability of the system can be enhanced by ensuring that the direction of rotation of the chassis 116 will be opposite that of the spool assembly because if they rotate in the same direction, the chassis tends to drive the spool to unwind, an undesirable condition. An alternate embodiment of the tracking system useful for all embodiments is illustrated in
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
Claims
1. A signal conductor installation tool comprising:
- a chassis;
- a tracking system in operable communication with the chassis;
- a spool rotatingly supported on the chassis; and
- a through hole in the chassis sized to pass a conductor from the spool to a target tubular member.
2. The tool as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a feeder tube disposed between the spool and the chassis.
3. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking system is a pin.
4. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking system is a track segment.
5. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spool is axially restrained.
6. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spool further comprises a bearing between the spool and the chassis.
7. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spool contains an optic fiber.
8. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the through hole extends in a direction substantially tangential to an outside surface of the chassis.
9. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the through hole exits the chassis at an angle substantially tangential to an inside surface of the chassis.
10. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the through hole extends at an angle closely approximating a groove angle of a conductor groove in the tubular member.
11. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conductor is an optic fiber.
12. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chassis is a two-piece structure.
13. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chassis includes a braking system to provide drag on the spool.
14. The tool as claimed in claim 13 wherein the braking system is adjustable.
15. The tool as claimed in claim 13 wherein the braking system includes a braking material and a split drum having a tightening mechanism.
16. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chassis includes a tension adjustable latch.
17. A method for installing a conductor at a target tubular member comprising:
- setting the tracking system of the tool as claimed in claim 1;
- rotating at least one of the tool and the target tubular member relative to the other of the tool and the target tubular member; and
- automatically dispensing a conductor from the spool through the chassis to the target tubular member.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein setting includes engaging a pin with a groove in the target tubular member.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the rotating is by hand.
20. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the rotating is mechanized.
21. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the automatic dispensing of the conductor is passive.
22. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the rotating comprises rotating the chassis in one direction and the spool in the opposite direction.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 23, 2009
Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED (Houston, TX)
Inventor: Carl W. Stoesz (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 12/017,204
International Classification: B65H 49/18 (20060101); B65H 57/04 (20060101);