Slip ring with a tensioned contact element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364617-B2
Application number	US-201415125792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2014
Priority date	Apr 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

One example embodiment is an apparatus including a ring assembly and a contact assembly. The ring assembly includes a conductive ring having a conductive ring engagement surface. The contact assembly includes a contact block and a contact element having a contact element engagement surface. The contact element is connected with the contact block. The contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the ends of the contact element. The contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop. Another example embodiment is a method for assembling a slip ring.

First claim

I claim:

1. A slip ring comprising:
(a) a ring assembly, wherein the ring assembly comprises an electrically conductive ring, wherein the conductive ring has a perimeter, and wherein the conductive ring comprises a conductive ring engagement surface extending around the perimeter of the conductive ring; and
(b) a contact assembly, wherein the contact assembly comprises:
(i) a contact block; and
(ii) a contact element, wherein the contact element comprises a first contact element end, a second contact element end, and an electrically conductive contact element engagement surface, wherein both the first contact element end and the second contact element end are connected with the contact block, wherein the contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the first contact element end and the second contact element end, wherein the loop has a loop length, and wherein the contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop;

(c) a biasing mechanism for urging the contact element against the conductive ring engagement surface; and
(d) a tensioning mechanism for tensioning the contact element against the conductive ring engagement surface, wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises at least one of a device comprising one or more adjustable screws carried by the contact block for adjusting a distance between the contact block and the conductive ring, and a device comprising a contact element clamp carried by the contact block for adjusting the loop length of the contact element.

2. The slip ring as claimed in claim 1 wherein the contact block is located adjacent to the conductive ring on a contact block side of the conductive ring, wherein the electrical contact section of the loop is on an electrical contact side of the conductive ring, and wherein the electrical contact side of the conductive ring is opposite to the contact block side of the conductive ring.

3. The slip ring as claimed in claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

4. The slip ring as claimed in claim 3 wherein the spring is integral with the contact element so that the contact element comprises the spring.

5. The slip ring as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring assembly comprises a plurality of conductive rings, wherein each of the conductive rings comprises the conductive ring engagement surface, wherein the contact assembly comprises a plurality of contact elements for engaging with the plurality of conductive rings, wherein each of the contact elements comprises a first contact element end, a second contact element end, and a contact element engagement surface for engaging with one of the conductive ring engagement surfaces, wherein both the first contact element end and the second contact element end of at least one of the contact elements are connected with the contact block, and wherein each of the contact elements forms a loop around its respective conductive ring engagement surface between the first contact element end and the second contact element end, wherein the slip ring comprises one or more of the biasing mechanisms for urging at least one of the contact elements against its respective conductive ring engagement surface, and wherein the slip ring comprises one or more of the tensioning mechanisms for tensioning at least one of the contact elements against its respective conductive ring engagement surface.

6. The slip ring as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slip ring is immersed in a dielectric fluid.

7. The slip ring as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slip ring is a component of an apparatus comprising a housing having an interior and a shaft rotatably extending through the interior of the housing, and wherein the slip ring transfers electrical energy between the housing and the shaft.

8. The slip ring as claimed in claim 7 wherein the apparatus is an apparatus for use in drilling a borehole.

9. The slip ring as claimed in claim 7 wherein the apparatus is a rotary steerable drilling apparatus for use in drilling a borehole.

10. A method for assembling a slip ring comprising a ring assembly and a contact assembly, the method comprising:
(a) providing the ring assembly, wherein the ring assembly comprises an electrically conductive ring, wherein the conductive ring has a perimeter, and wherein the conductive ring comprises a conductive ring engagement surface extending around the perimeter of the conductive ring;
(b) providing the contact assembly, wherein the contact assembly comprises a contact block and a contact element, wherein the contact element comprises a first contact element end, a second contact element end, and an electrically conductive contact element engagement surface;
(c) extending the contact element around the conductive ring so that the contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the first contact element end and the second contact element end and so that the contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop, wherein the loop has a loop length;
(d) connecting both the first contact element end and the second contact element end with the contact block;
(e) tensioning the contact element against the conductive ring engagement surface, wherein tensioning comprises at least one of adjusting a distance between the contact block and the conductive ring using a device comprising one or more adjustable screws carried by the contact block, and adjusting the loop length of the contact element using a device comprising a contact block clamp carried by the contact block; and
(f) urging the contact element against the conductive ring engagement surface with a biasing mechanism.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the contact block is located adjacent to the conductive ring on a contact block side of the conductive ring, wherein the electrical contact section of the loop is on an electrical contact side of the conductive ring, and wherein the electrical contact side of the conductive ring is opposite to the contact block side of the conductive ring.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising immersing the slip ring in a dielectric fluid.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the spring is integral with the contact element so that the contact element comprises the spring.

15. A slip ring comprising:
(a) a ring assembly, wherein the ring assembly comprises an electrically conductive ring, wherein the conductive ring has a perimeter, and wherein the conductive ring comprises a conductive ring engagement surface extending around the perimeter of the conductive ring; and
(b) a contact assembly, wherein the contact assembly comprises:
(i) a first contact block;
(ii) a second contact block;
(iii) a contact element, wherein the contact element comprises a first contact element end, a second contact element end, and an electrically conductive contact element engagement surface, wherein the first contact element end is connected with the first contact block, wherein the second contact element end is connected with the second contact block, wherein the contact element forms a loop around the conductive ring between the first contact element end and the second contact element end, wherein the loop has a loop length, and wherein the contact element engagement surface is engaged with the conductive ring engagement surface along an electrical contact section of the loop;

(c) a biasing mechanism f

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Kirkhope Kennedy J

Classifications

• H01R39/64

  Devices for uninterrupted current collection · CPC title

• H01R43/10

  Manufacture of slip-rings · CPC title

• E21B17/028 Primary

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• E21B7/062 Primary

  the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft (E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R39/08

  Slip-rings · CPC title