US 11,791,092 B2
Slide-on inductive coupler system
Benoit Deville, Houston, TX (US); and Yann Dufour, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed by Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/812,780.
Application 17/812,780 is a continuation of application No. 15/034,911, granted, now 11,417,460, previously published as PCT/US2014/064522, filed on Nov. 7, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/902,069, filed on Nov. 8, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0351899 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01F 38/14 (2006.01); E21B 47/01 (2012.01); E21B 17/02 (2006.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01); H04B 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01F 38/14 (2013.01) [E21B 17/0283 (2020.05); E21B 47/01 (2013.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.02); H04B 5/0037 (2013.01); H01F 2038/143 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for use in a well, comprising:
a well casing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a male inductive coupler positioned at a desired interior location within the well casing along the interior surface, the male inductive coupler comprising a male inductive coupler coil; and
a female inductive coupler separate from the well casing, sized to slide along the exterior surface, and positioned at a desired exterior location external to the well casing along the exterior surface, the female inductive coupler comprising a female inductive coupler coil;
the female inductive coupler coil being generally radially aligned with the male inductive coupler coil to enable inductive transfer of signals across the well casing;
wherein an axial end of the female inductive coupler is positioned proximate and axially aligned with an axial end of a casing coupling connected to the well casing and wherein the system further comprises a spring positioned axially between the axial end of the casing coupling and the axial end of the female inductive coupler.