Direct conductor seal for submersible pump electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10050375-B1
Application number	US-201715727319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 6, 2017
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

An electrical connector for downhole well equipment has a housing having a cavity. A rigid rearward insulator is sealed within the cavity, the rearward insulator having a rearward insulator passage. An electrical conductor has an insulation layer and extends in a forward direction into the rearward insulator passage. An electrical connector terminal joins to a tip of the conductor. The insulation layer has a forward end spaced rearward from the connector terminal, defining an exposed portion of the conductor between the forward end of the insulation layer and the connector terminal. A grommet of resilient electrical insulation material within the rearward insulator passage has a grommet passage with a forward passage portion extending around the connector terminal and an intermediate passage portion sealing around the exposed portion. The grommet has an outer surface in sealing engagement with the rearward insulator passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connector for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a housing having a cavity;
a rigid rearward insulator sealed within the cavity, the rearward insulator having a rearward insulator passage;
an electrical conductor having an insulation layer and extending in a forward direction into the rearward insulator passage;
an electrical connector terminal joined to a tip of the conductor, the insulation layer having a forward end spaced a selected distance rearward from the connector terminal, defining an exposed portion of the conductor between the forward end of the insulation layer and the connector terminal; and
a grommet of resilient electrical insulation material within the rearward insulator passage, the grommet having a grommet passage with a forward passage portion extending around the connector terminal, an intermediate passage portion sealing around the exposed portion of the conductor, and an outer surface in sealing engagement with the rearward insulator passage.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the forward passage portion has a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the grommet passage has a rearward passage portion that surrounds the insulation layer.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the grommet passage has a rearward passage portion joining and extending rearward from the intermediate passage portion, the rearward passage portion having a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion, defining a rearward facing shoulder in the grommet passage at a junction between the rearward passage portion and the intermediate passage portion; and
a gap exists between the forward end of the insulation layer and the rearward facing shoulder in the grommet passage.

5. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the forward passage portion of the grommet passage has a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion, defining a forward facing shoulder in the grommet passage at a junction between the forward passage portion and the intermediate passage portion; and
a gap exists between the forward facing shoulder in the grommet passage and the rearward end of the connector terminal.

6. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the grommet passage has a rearward passage portion joining and extending rearward from the intermediate passage portion, the rearward passage portion having a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion and surrounding the insulation layer; and
the forward passage portion has a larger diameter than the intermediate portion.

7. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rearward insulator passage has a counterbore on a forward end that surrounds but is not in sealing contact with the outer surface of the grommet.

8. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a forward insulator of a rigid electrical insulating material in the cavity, the forward insulator having a forward insulator passage that registers with the rearward insulator passage, the forward insulator having a rearward end adjacent a forward end of the rearward insulator; and
an outer insulator sleeve of electrical insulating material surrounding an interface between the rearward end of the forward insulator and the forward end of the rearward insulator.

9. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing passage of smaller diameter than the cavity and extending rearward from the cavity; wherein
the grommet has an external rearward facing surface;
the grommet has a rearward portion extending rearward from the rearward facing surface into but not sealing to the housing passage, the rearward portion of the grommet surrounding the insulation layer of the conductor; and
an inner insulation sleeve extends around the rearward portion of the grommet and the insulation layer.

10. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing passage of smaller diameter than the cavity and extending rearward from the cavity;
an external rearward facing surface on the grommet that abuts part of the rearward insulator;
a rearward portion of the grommet extending rearward from the rearward facing surface into the housing passage, the rearward portion of the grommet surrounding the insulation layer of the conductor; and
a rigid barrier sleeve within the housing passage rearward from the rearward portion of the grommet, the barrier sleeve having an outer surface that seals to the housing passage and a barrier sleeve passage through which the conductor extends.

11. An electrical connector for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a housing having a housing passage extending forward into a cavity;
a rigid rearward insulator sealed within the cavity, the rearward insulator having a rearward insulator passage that registers with the housing passage;
an electrical conductor having an insulation layer and extending through the housing passage into the rearward insulator passage;
an electrical connector terminal joined to a tip of the conductor, the insulation layer having a forward end spaced a selected distance rearward from the connector terminal, defining an exposed portion of the conductor between the forward end of the insulation layer and the electrical connector terminal;
a grommet of resilient elastomeric material within the rearward insulator passage, the grommet having an outer surface portion in sealing engagement with the rearward insulator passage, the grommet having a rearward portion within the rearward insulator passage and the housing passage; and
the grommet having a grommet passage that registers with the rearward insulator passage, the grommet passage having a forward passage portion extending around the connector terminal, an intermediate passage portion sealing around the exposed portion of the conductor, and a rearward passage portion in the rearward portion of the grommet that surrounds the insulation layer.

12. The connector according to claim 11 , wherein:
the rearward passage portion of the grommet has a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion, defining a rearward facing shoulder at a junction between the rearward passage portion and the intermediate passage portion that is spaced from the forward end of the insulation layer by a gap.

13. The connector according to claim 11 , wherein:
the forward passage portion of the grommet has a larger diameter than the intermediate passage portion, defining a forward facing shoulder at a junction between the forward passage portion and the intermediate passage portion that is spaced from a rearward end of the connector terminal by a gap.

14. The connector according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an inner insulation sleeve surrounding the rearward portion of the grommet and the insulation layer.

15. The connector according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a rigid barrier sleeve within the housing passage rearward from the rearward portion of the grommet, the barrier sleeve having an outer surface that seals to the housing passage and a barrier sleeve passage through which the conductor extends.

16. An electrical connector for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a housing having a housing passage extending forward into a cavity, the cavity being of larger diameter than the housing passage;
a rigid rearward insulator sealed within the cavity, the rearward insulator having a rearward insulator passage, the rearward insulator passage having a forward portion of larger diameter than a rearward portion, defi

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Semple Ryan
• Tanner David

Classifications

• H01R13/5205 Primary

  Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet (H01R13/5221 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/521

  Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert · CPC title

• H01R13/523

  for use under water · CPC title

• E21B17/028

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title