MXPA97005660A - Method and apparatus for making electrical connections for electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for operatively connecting electrical components through a closed container, comprising the steps of: securing an end of a laminated connector to a first electronic device, placing the first electronic device in a housing or armature that defines a closure surface, placing a cover in the housing, the cover defines a closure surface sized and configured to engage with the enclosure surface of the housing to define a housing and cover gasket, the laminated connector is placed inside the gasket housing and cover, seal the housing and cover gasket with an adhesive sealant to maintain a seal between the cover surface of the cover and the housing closing surface, and secure the other end of the laminated connector to a second electronic device located outside of the accommodation

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR ENTUBULATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to connectors for electronic devices, and more particularly to through connectors for electronic devices with tubing. In several applications, eg. for well pipe drilling cannons, it is desirable to have an electronic circuit or electronic device within a protective tubing while maintaining an electrical connection with a second electronic device such as an assembly circuit disposed outside the tubing. Conventionally, this is achieved by encapsulating the connectors in the wall of the tubing. However, such connectors are expensive and require the wall to be opened and resealed, e. drilling a hole through the armature on which to mount the connector, and then seal the hole against contaminants, pressure, etc. This is a time consuming process that can damage the structural integrity of the tubing, especially when the latter comprises a sprayable material, e.g. ceramics. The present invention relates to a method for operatively connecting electrical components through a closed container. The method comprises the steps of securing one end of a laminated connector to a first electronic device in a frame by defining a closed surface, placing a cover on the frame defining a closure surface, sized and configured to engage the closure surface of the frame. armature to define an armor-shell joint with the laminated connector being disposed within the joint of the armor-shell, sealing the armor-shell joint with a sealant, and securing the other end of the laminated connector to a second electronic device located outside the armor. The invention also provides an electrical connection and a physical isolation apparatus. The apparatus comprises an armature defining a closing surface of the armature, a first electronic device within the armature, and a cover related to the closure of the armature and defining a closing surface of the casing, sized and configured to engage the related closing surface of the armature to define an armor-shell joint between them. There is an adhesive on the joint of the armor-cover to secure the cover with the sealing surface engaged with the closing surface of the armature and to maintain a seal between them. A laminated electrical connector having a first end and a second end, is disposed in the armature-cover joint with the first end connected to the first electronic device and the second end is disposed outside the armature, to connect to a second electronic device which will be electrically connected to, and physically isolated from, the first electronic device. According to one aspect of the invention, the frame and the cover may comprise sprayable materials, e.g. a ceramic material such as alumina. According to another aspect of the invention, the laminated electrical connector has a thickness no greater than about 0.002 inches. In a particular embodiment, the invention provides an electric firing assembly comprising a hydraulic pressure transmitter casing. The casing comprises a ceramic armature defining a closing surface of the armature and a ceramic casing defining a closing surface of the casing dimensioned and configured to engage the closing surface of the armature to define an armor-cover joint. There is an autonomous trigger device inside the tubing, and a laminated connector that has two ends, inside the joint of the armor-cover. One end of the laminated connector is in the tubing connected to the triggering device, and the other end is outside the tubing to connect to an arming device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partially transverse perspective view, developed from a tubing for use with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tubing of Figure 1 which comprises an electronic device and a laminated connector extending through the tubing according to the present invention; Figure 3A is a plan view of the tubing of Figure 2, taken along lines 3A-3A; and Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the laminated connector of Figure 3A; taken along lines 3B-3B. The present invention provides a method and apparatus according to which an electronic device disposed within a tubing can be connected to a second electronic device outside the tubing without the need to pierce the wall thereof to mount a connector. The invention finds particular utility in connecting electronic devices through a casing having a frame and a cover which cooperate to define an armor-cover joint between them when the casing is closed. A typical tubing with which utility is found in the present invention is shown in the partial, developed, transverse, perspective view of Figure 1. The casing 10 comprises an armature 12 and a cover 14a. The armature 12 is seen as defining a closing surface of the armature 16. The cover 14a defines a closing surface of the cover 18 which is dimensioned and configured to engage the closing surface of the armature 16 to create a reinforcing joint. cover 20a (Figure 2) when the cover 14a is placed on the frame 12. The closing surface of the frame 16 and the closing surface of the cover 18 are machined so that they engage with each other with a good surface-to-surface contact . Typically, the armor-cover joint is sealed with an appropriate adhesive that serves to secure the cover to the frame and to provide a seal therebetween. The tubing 10 is seen in a full transverse view in Figure 2, where the tubing 12 is open at both ends and having a second cover secured to the gasket 20b. In Figure 2, the casing 10 is enclosed by an explosive initiating apparatus comprising a firing circuit 22 and a related initiating charge 24. The firing circuit 22 is designed to initiate the charge 24 under predetermined conditions, e.g. after an appropriate interval following an event or activation condition. For example, a trigger circuit 22 may comprise a synchronizer responsive to the pressure switch 26 which senses the ambient pressure outside the tubing 10 and sends a trigger signal to the circuit 22 when a predetermined pressure is detected. For the purposes of the present invention, it is considered that the firing circuit 22 is a first electronic device. To electrically connect a first electronic mechanism disposed within the casing 10, to a second electronic device disposed outside the casing 10, the present invention provides a laminated connector 28 between the two. The laminated connector 28 has two ends, one of which is disposed within the tubing 10 and is connected to a first electronic device in the tubing 10 and the other which is disposed outside the tubing 10 to connect to a second electronic device. As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3B, the laminated connector 28 comprises a plurality of thin strips of the electrically conductive material 30, e.g. copper tapes, arranged in a thin, flexible, nonconductive, support 30 material, such as Mylar ™ polyester film, with an optional top protective layer 34 or non-conductive material. The laminated connector typically has a thickness T not greater than about 0.002 inches. Accordingly, the laminated connector can be arranged with a layer of adhesives on the armature-cover gasket 20a of the casing 10a., as shown in Figures 2 and 3A, without significantly detrimentally affecting the pressure transmitting capacity or the cover or the integrity of the adhesive seal between them. The laminated connector 28 may terminate in an optional modular connector 36 (Figure 2) which is dimensioned and configured to provide a quick, convenient and optionally detachable connection to the corresponding modular connector of a second electronic device. For the device illustrated in Figure 2, the second electronic device, external to the casing 10, may comprise an external arming circuit that sends a reinforcement signal to the firing circuit 22 via a laminated connector 28 to enable the firing circuit 22 to respond to an activation signal produced by the pressure switch 26. Thus, the laminated connector 28 allows an electrical connection between the electronic devices inside and outside the tubing 10 even after the latter has been sealed and the electronic components are physically insulated from each other by the tubing 10. A tubing tripping device similar to that of Figure 2 may be employed as part of a well-perforated barrel of the type described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 379,303, registered concurrently with this, the aspects of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly reiterated, the piercing barrel comprises a firing device mounted on a generally cylindrical support structure which holds in position a number of explosive penetrating charges. The firing device is operatively connected to the loads by means of a belt detonating fuse arranged in an initiating relationship to the initiating charge of the firing device and to each of the penetrating charges. The barrel, including the tubing trip circuits, is positioned in a lubricator at the top of a well shaft. By using a laminated connector such as a laminated connector 28, the firing device within the tubing is electrically connected to a setting circuit in the lubricator. When the shot is imminent, the arming circuit sends arming signals to the firing device. Next, the lubricator drives the piercing barrel into the well shaft to a desired depth where the firing device initiates the penetrating charges. The charges perforate the well pipe, allowing oil or gas to flow into the pipe to be recovered on the surface. When the barrel is fired into the well shaft, the modular connector that joins the laminated connector with the arming circuit is destroyed, but since the firing device is surely arranged inside the casing, the barrel can operate autonomously.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to the particular application, e.g. , in relation to drilling cannons of well pipes, this is not an intentional limitation. On the contrary, since those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be applied to other areas, e.g. to provide electrical connections to electronic devices piped to operate in deep water.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method for operatively connecting electrical components through a closed container, characterized in that it comprises: securing one end of a laminated connector to a first electronic device; placing the first electronic device in a frame defining a closing surface; placing a cover on the frame by defining the cover a closing surface dimensioned and configured to engage the closing surface of the frame to define an armor-cover joint, the laminated connector being disposed within the joint of the frame-cover; seal the armor-cover joint with a sealant; and securing the other end of the laminated connector to a second electronic device located outside the armature.
2. 2. An electrical connection and a physical isolation apparatus characterized in that they comprise: an armature defining a closing surface of the armature; a first electronic device inside the armor; a cover associated with the closing surface of the reinforcement defining a cover closing surface dimensioned and configured to engage the related closing surface of the reinforcement to define an armor-cover joint, an adhesive in the reinforcement joint; cover to secure the cover with the cover surface of the cover and to maintain a seal between them; and a laminated electrical connector having a first end and a second end, and disposed on the joint of the armature-cover with the first end connected to the first electronic device and the second end disposed outside the armature for connection to a second electronic device to be electrically connected to, and physically isolated from, the first electronic device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the armature and the cover comprise a sprayable material.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, characterized in that the sprayable material comprises a ceramic material.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, characterized in that the ceramic material comprises alumina.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, or claim 4, characterized in that the laminated electrical connector has a thickness no greater than about 0.002 inches.
7. 7. An electrical trigger assembly, characterized in that it comprises: a hydraulic pressure transmitter casing comprising a ceramic armature defining a closing surface of the armature and a ceramic cover defining a closing surface of the armature and a ceramic cover defining a cover surface of the cover dimensioned and configured to engage the closing surface of the frame to define an armor-cover joint; an autonomous trigger device disposed within the tubing; and a laminated connector having two ends and disposed therein. Armature-cover joint with one end in the tubing and connected to the firing device and the other end outside the tubing to connect to an arming device outside the tubing.