The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
May. 29, 1998
Vimal V Shah, Houston, TX (US);
James R Birchak, Spring, TX (US);
John W Minear, Houston, TX (US);
Wallace R Gardner, Houston, TX (US);
Donald Kyle, Plano, TX (US);
John R Dennis, Highland Village, TX (US);
Kenny McConnell, Lewisville, TX (US);
George S Reagan, The Colony, TX (US);
Rebecca McConnell, Lewisville, TX (US);
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The invention is an acoustic transmitter that imparts vibratory stresses onto a signal propagation medium such as oil well tubing when actuated by an electric driver. In one embodiment, the acoustic transmitter utilizes a mechanical driver that includes piezoelectric elements to generate the vibratory stresses. The acoustic transmitter is mechanically attached at only one point to the signal propagation medium. This single point attachment eliminates loading on the acoustic transmitter from compressive and tensile forces carried by the signal propagation medium. A mass backing the mechanical driver may be used to extend the frequency range over which the acoustic transmitter is operable. In addition, the resonance response of the acoustic transmitter may be minimized by the use of a viscous dampener. The viscous dampener is configured to 'couple' with the mechanical driver when the acoustic transmitter is operating and to 'uncouple' with the mechanical driver at other times.