Rebecca D Mcconnell

US Patent:

61377473, Oct 24, 2000

Filed:

May 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/087220

Inventors:

Vimal V. Shah - Houston TX
James R. Birchak - Spring TX
John W. Minear - Houston TX
Wallace R. Gardner - Houston TX
Donald Kyle - Plano TX
John R. Dennis - Highland Village TX
Kenny McConnell - Lewisville TX
George S. Reagan - The Colony TX
Rebecca McConnell - Lewisville TX

Assignee:

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Houston TX

International Classification:

H04H 900

US Classification:

367 81

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.