US3753206A

US3753206A - Electrical connector with coaxial contacts

Info

Publication number: US3753206A
Application number: US00206284A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Mcgibbeny; R Pearson; H Busuttil; S Kreisler
Original assignee: TRW Inc
Current assignee: Globe Motors Inc
Priority date: 1971-12-09
Filing date: 1971-12-09
Publication date: 1973-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-14

Abstract

An electrical connector especially suitable for subsea and oil well applications is disclosed. One member of the connector is movably associated with submergible equipment and as described for oil well applications includes a cylindrical shell with a center post depending within the shell permissive of acting as an alignment guide and a flow passage. The other member of the connector is permanently positioned subsurface on a subsea structure or within an oil well production tubing where it receives the one member. A tubular member carries a number of ring contacts that engage tubular contacts in the first member. To purge hostile fluids, a viscous dielectric grease is packed in the shell of the movable member and is partially expelled as the connector members are engaged. The configuration is particularly permissive of removing a downhole oil well pump without reeling in an electrical cable and of thereafter passing servicing tools through the subsurface member.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Busuttil et a1.

1111 3,753,206 [451 Aug. 14, 1973 [5 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH 1,225,258 9/1966 Germany 339/182 COAXIAL CONTACTS Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion [75] Inventors. Henry L. Busuttll Chatsworth, Sol S. Assistant Examiner Roben A. Hafer Krelsler, Downey, James R. A D 1 T A d t a! McGibbeny, Marina Del Rey; Russell omey ame n 6 0. Pearson, Redondo Beach, all of C lif [57] ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: TRW Inc" Redondo Beach, calm An electrical connector especially suitable for subsea and oil well applications is disclosed. One member of Flkdi 1971 the connector is movably associated with submergible [21 1 AppL No: 206,284 equipment and as described for oil well applications includes a cylindrical shell with a center post depending within the shell permissive of acting as an alignment [52] [1.5. CI. 339/16 C, 339/183, 339/117 R, guide and a flow passage The other member of the Y 174/47 connector is permanently positioned subsurface on a [5 1 liltsubsea structure or an well production tubing Search 16, 182, where it receives the one member A tubular membe 117, 279/2'77, 278; 174/47 carries a number of ring contacts that engage tubular contacts in the first member. To purge hostile fluids, a [56] Refe ell fl C d viscous dielectric grease is packed in the shell of the UNITED STATES PATENTS movable member and is partially expelled as the con 3,649,948 3 1972 Porter 339 16 R Hector members are engaged- The W 8 is 2,74s,3ss 5/1956 Johnston 339/16 R ticularly permissive of removing a downhole Oil Well 3,082,394 3/1963 Hahn et a1. 339/16 R pump without reeling in an electrical cable and of FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS thereafter passing servicing tools through the subsurface member. 892,801 3/1962 Great Britain 339/182 R 1,189,934 4/1965 Germany 339/16 R 16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2 f 3 1 E J 1 1 O O l i I 1 y l l i v -28c1 N I 1 I 23b L; -28b 11 1 I' 1 33 |1 F 1,1 1 1 i f I l I 23c I 28c BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors engagable in a hostile environment and more particularly to subsea and downhole oil well applications usually referred to as wet-connectors.

An electrical connector that may be safely engaged and disengaged under a fluid such as water is commonly known as a wet connector. A connector usable under water that must be engaged before immersing it in the water is known as a dry connector.

Providing for electrical contact in fluid and other hostile environments has been approached in various ways. One such approach that has been used is to provide connector members which mate with such close tolerances that the fluid will be expunged from the contact area. Connectors of this type are shown in the US. Pat. to Dietrich, No. 3,375,480; Cook, No. 3,546,657;

Gimpel, No. 3,367,181; and Nelson, No. 3,375,480.

Another approach has been to use elastomeric material to either encase or enclose one or both of the pair of contacts for protection from the fluid and to cause one contact to pierce the protective material to permit contact and engagement. Reference may be made to such US. Pat. as Minto, No. 2,703,870; Chrystie, No. 2,858,518; Armstrong, No. 3,262,084; or Henderson, No..3,398,392.

Connectors known to the applicants are disadvantaged by requirements such as close manufacturing tolerances, mechanical complexity and a restrictive number of contacts includable within space limitations. Many are also limited to low voltage and/or low power circuits.

Oil wells are drilled and operated on land and beneath the sea. For offshore wells, the wellhead assembly may be installed close to the ocean floor and in depths ranging up to several thousand feet. The wells themselves may be several thousand feet deep.

It is well known in the art to use electrical submergible pumps to raise the oil to the surface when there is an insufficient amount of natural pressure to do so. The submergible artificial lift pumps are installed far down in the well casing and are typically suspended from the end of theproduction tubing or liner. The liner carries or supports an electrical cable to provide power to the pump. When the pump needs to be changed, the past practicehas been to withdraw the liner, section by section, thus, pulling the 'pump to the surface. This is a very time consuming procedure and is extremely costly for the subsea well situation wherein the specially designed and equipped ships required may rent for several thousand dollars per day.

It is therefore desirable to simplify the pump servicingas much as possible. One approach has been to insert-and remove the pump by a steel cable which also carries an electrical cable. The cable tends to interfere with the use of standard well equipment such as storm chokes and requires special attention to sealing around the cable at the wellhead.

The present invention enables the use of an electrical cable that is permanently installed with the production tubing. The pump may be inserted and withdrawn from the production tubing by a load carrying cable. Electrical connection is automatically accomplished within the well, thus, theload cable may be removed so as not filled with a dielectric viscous material which comto interfere with other standard well mechanisms. The connector is further compatible with well maintenance and service tools using through-flow-line techniques.

Other electrical connections are often required to be made in remote locations such as beneath the sea. These applications 'often require a simple, rugged connector'that permits making the connection automatically and reliably.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which is not subject to these and other shortcomings and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector suitable for making an electrical contact in the presence of a hostile environment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector permissive of making an electrical connection in a subsea environment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having one member of which may be installed at the lower end of an oil well production tubing with connections to an electrical cable from the surface and the other member attached to a removable artificial lift pump to thereby furnish electrical power and signals to the pump and which further permits removal of the pump without disturbing the electrical cable.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for a removable oil well pump which is compatible with the use of standard storm chokes and with downhole service tool activities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A direct contact type of electrical connector is provided having a first and second member. One of the members includes a generally open ended shell or housing having at least one electrical contact member therein. The second number has a like member of contacts structured to mate with the contact in the first member when the two members are brought into coaxial engagement. The shell of the one member is first pletely protects the contacts in the one member from the environment and upon engagement of the connector members is partially extruded from the first member and simultaneously purges the environment fromv the contact area of the second member. Thus, a very mechanically simple connector is provided for making electrical connection in environments such as salt water and oil and the like.

This arrangement further permits a plurality of contacts to be axially disposed within the mated connector members which has the advantage of maximizing the number of circuits which may be connected within a particular space requirement such as the diameter of an oil well casing. There may be provided a central post depending from within the shell or housing of the one member for engaging a mating element of the other connector member to thereby provide a mechanically simple and reliable means for guiding the two members into engagement.

As described and claimed the connector is particularly suitable for oil well applications in which a submergible pump is-disposed within an oil well production tubing. One of the members such as the open end shell may be attached to the lower end of the pump and the other member permanently mounted at the lower end of production tubing. The pump may then be lowered within the well until the electrical connection is made which is accomplished without special indexing, automatically, and reliably. The second member may be configured with a passageway therethrough so that when the pump is removed standard oil well servicing tools may be passed through the permanently attached connectors to positions below the production tubing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram representing an example of a first of two members of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram representing the second of two members of an electrical connector for engagement with the first member shown in FIG. 1 and constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the first and second electrical connector members of FIGS. 1 and 2 in an engaged relationship;

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the connector member shown in FIG. 3 which is particularly suited to subsea bulkhead applications; and

FIG. 5a and 5b show an alternative embodiment of the electrical connector shown in FIGS. 1 3 which is particularly suited for submergible oil' pumps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing in which like characconnector member 10 includes a cylindrical housing 13 I closed at one end 14 and opened at the lower or other end 15. The cylindrical housing 13 may be of any material found suitable for specific environmental applications. Within the housing 13 and considered a part thereof is a housing liner l6 composed of nonconducting material such as plastic. The shell or housing 13 and liner 16 may, of course, be combined as a single structure of non-conducting material. For purposes of discussion, these two members may be referred to collectively as the housing. Within the housing 13 there is a central post 17 which depends from the closed end 14 of the housing 13 and extends coaxially therefrom toward the other end 15 of the housing 13.

As shown in this embodiment, the central post 17 extends through the closed end 14 of the housing 13 for attachment to the pump 12 as by welding, thereby providing a means for attaching the first connector member 10 to the pump 12. In some applications it is particularly useful to provide a tubular central post so as to provide a passageway 18 extending from an entrance end 20 of the central post 17 to an exit end 21 thereof where there is provided exit ports 22. The advantages of such a configuration will become apparent as this discussion is. further developed.

The first connector member 10 further includes .within housing 13 one or more electrical contacts 23a,

23b, 230 which preferably are constructed in a substantially tubular form and have resilient characteristics such that the contacts will each be self biasing against a mating contact member. One means to do this is to provide slots in the contact material to form finger-like portions as shown in FIG. 1. Each of these contacts is connected to an

electrical conductor

26a, 26b, 26c which are each embedded in the insulating lining 16 of housing 13 and are carried by cable 27 into the pump 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the first connector member 10 includes provision for three separate electrical circuits which in accordance with the principles of this invention may be expanded or contracted to meet the needs of the specific applications, thus both single and multiple phase electrical power connections may be utilized as well as providing circuits for low voltage electrical signals. Such circuits may be added or deleted without increasing the diameter of the connector which is especially advantageous in such applications as oil wells where the diameter of the well casing is a strict limitation upon the design.

FIGS. 2 and 3 each show the second connector member 11 mounted within an oil well which includes a well casing 30. A well liner or production tubing 31 is supported from the wellhead assembly structure near the surface of the well. The second connector member 11 is attached to the production tubing as at 32 which by way of example is a weld joint. An electrical cable 33 eminates from the wellhead assembly or other remote location and may be secured to the production tubing 31 by a clamp and cable guard 34.

The second connector member 11 includes a tubular element 35 having several functions. The internal conduit 36 serves as a guide to bring the two members 10, 11 together. The central post 17 of the first connector member 10 is slidably received within the tubular element 35 of the second connector member 1 1. To assist the alignment of the connector members, the upper end 37 of the tubular element may be beveled.

The tubular element 35 (FIG. 2) also serves as a means to mount one or a plurality of

electrical contacts

38a, 38b, 380 which in this example of the invention are in the form of flat rings that extend around the tubular element 35, and when the two connector members are engaged the

electrical contacts

23a, 23b, 230 of the first connector member and the

ring contacts

38a, 38b, 38c of the second connector member are biased into contact (FIG. 3). In this example of the invention, the tubular member 35 is made of an insulator and the

electrical leads

39a, 39b, 39c are embedded in the insulation; each lead is connected to or is an extension of the leads in the electrical cable 33.

When the lower end 40 of the tubular member 35 is open as shown in FIG. 2, it serves, in combination with the passageway 18 of the first connector member 10 of FIG. 1, as a flow path (FIG. 3) for oil to reach the pump intake ports (not shown) and subsequent pumping of the oil to the surface.

In application, and as used in an oil well, the second connector member 11 is affixed to the lower end of the production tubing. The first connector member is affixed to the pump. Prior to submerging the pump, the interior chamber of the first connector member '10 is completely filled with a dielectric fluid which is preferably sufficiently viscous to remain within the connector member regardless of its orientation.

As the pump and first connector are lowered into engagement with the second connector member, the dielectric fluid forces any foreign matter such as salt water from the area of the second connector contact. Drain openings 41 are provided in the second member 11' (FIGS. 2 and 3) to allow expulsion of the saltwater, and the like and to allow sand to settle downward after the pump operation is stopped, thereby preventing sand-locking of the movable connector member. The openings may be annular shaped with supporting webbs to thereby maximize the area of passage. As the two connector members are brought into full engagement, some dielectric material 19 (FIG. 3) is forced out leaving the mated contacts in clear engagement and the cavities within the engaged connector fully protected from the environment (FIG. 3). In this manner, protection is readily provided to prevent any shorting of the electrical circuits. The combination dielectric fluid or grease and the axial spacing of the contacts is especially useful for high power/high voltage circuits.

If further assurance for protecting the contacts from environmental conditions is desired, seals may be included. The first connector member (FIG. 1) is shown to include an upper seal 42 and a lower seal 43 which engage the seal shoulder 44 and the upper end 37 of tubular element 35 (FIG. 2), respectively. These seals effectively provide a closed chamber containing the engaged contacts and dielectric material (FIG. 3).

A connector as described may include a plurality of contacts for providing high voltage single or multiple phase power to the pump and for low voltage data and control signals. Such a plurality of contacts may be achieved in situations that limit the diameter of the connector; an oil well casing is a prime example. Although an oil well will usually dictate that the diameter of each contact be the same, there may be applications for which the contacts may have differing diameters.

Turning now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of the second connector member of F IG. 2 is shown. This embodiment would be suitable for making an electrical connection through a subsea bulkhead and the like. The tubular element 35 and the

ring contacts

38a, 38b, 38c are constructed in the same manner as heretofore described. However, the internal conduit 36 of tubular element 35 has a closed upper end 40 whichmay further be conically shaped to assist in aligning the two connector members. The supporting structure 29 may be sealingly attached to a bulkhead or may be made an integral part thereof as by forming a hole in the bulkhead to receive the supporting structure 29 and mounting the support structure therein. Since flow-through capability is not required as in oil wells, the movable connector need not include the depending central post 17 of FIG. 1. It can also be readily understood that tubular element 35 may be constructed as a solid element rather than tubular when flow-through is not required, thus upstanding ring-contact support element 35 may be either tubular or solid.

As here shown, tubular element 35 is of insulating nector of FIGS. 1 3. and is shown only in the engaged position similar to that of FIG. 3. As in the foregoing figures, the connector is shown within an oil well casing into which there is inserted a well liner 31 to which the second connector member is attached (FIG. 58). At the upper portion of FIG. 5A there is a portion of an artificial lift pump 12. The pump 12 and the connector may be attached by a stud and bolt arrangement 50 which facilitates rapid changes of pumps in the field. A collar 52 engages the central post 17 in a press fit and mates to the pump portion 12 where an O-ring seal 53 is provided. The housing 13 is welded to the collar 52, both of which are metal toprovide protective structural integrity.

The housing liner 16, an insulator such as plastic, is formed with one or more longitudinal slots which receive the

electrical conductors

26a, 26b, 26c and is further formed with an assembly cavity for each electrical contacts, shown at 53a, 53b, 53, each in communication with a longitudinal slot thereby facilitating the attachment of the electrical conductors 26a 26c to the tubular electrical contacts 230 23b each of which may be clipped into one of the assembly cavities 53a 53c. The conductors and contacts are then potted in place by well known techniques thereby filling the assembly cavities and slots. Each conductor 26a 26c passes through the collar 52 via an opening 54 and is potted in place by potting material indicated by numeral 55.

Referring now to the second conductor member 10, the supporting structure 29 is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a circumferential attachment area 56 which provides means for attaching the second connector member 10 to the well liner 31 as by threaded material, thus the

ring contacts

38a, 38b, 380 are each embedded therein and are directed through the supporting structure 29 for connection with an electrical circuit interior of the bulkhead.

Drawings 5A and 58, when considered together, constitute an alternative embodiment of the electrical conengagement or other fastening means.

The tubular element 35 of the second connector member is preferably of an insulator material and carries the ring- contacts 38a 38c as in FIGS. 1 4. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the tubular element 35 further includes a metallic insert 57 and includes a metallic guide element 58 at the upper end which is generally funnel shaped to guide the central post 17 of the first connector member into proper axial alignment with the second connector member; both metallic pieces serve to provide durability in services.

For purposes of assembly, the diameter of internal conduit 36 is enlarged at one lower portion 60 by using an off-center bore operation and still a larger diameter at a second lower portion 61 which enables the attachment of each of the conductors 39a 39c to their respective ring- contacts 38a 38c and to one pin of a cable connector 62. A mating cable connector 63 serves to terminate the electrical cable 33 and provide a cable disconnect. The conductors 39a 39c are then embedded in a potting compound 59. During the potting operation, a forming tool may be used to preserve and define the continuity of the internal passageway of conduit 36 through to the bottom of the second connector member.

In operation, the pump draws oil, and other matter, from below the second connector member (FIG. 58) through the annulus defined by the well casing and the second connector supporting structure 29, then through one or more openings 64 in the well-liner 31 as indicated by arrows 65 and into the annulus defined by the internal diameter of the well-liner 31 and the housing 13 of the first connector member. The fluid is then admitted through ports in the pump (not shown).

Adjacent the well-liner openings 64, the supporting structure of the second connector member includes a conical surface 66 which serves to prevent the buildup of sand and other particles when the pump is not operating.

As heretofore discussed, a dry, clean electrical contact is assured by the use of a viscous dielectric material 19 carried by the first connector member which purges the contact areas during the engagement of the two connector members 10, 11. One or more expulsion openings 67 may be provided at the abuttment of the first member housing 13 onto the second members supporting structure 29. These allow complete expulsion of excess dielectric material during the engaging process, allow for thermal expansion of the dielectric, and allow for changes in differential pressures.

A flexible wiper seal 70 may be included in applications wherein there is believed to be a danger of washing-out the dielectric material 19. In the right hand portion of FIG. B, the wiper seal 70 is shown as it would appear when the connector members 10, 11 are fully engaged. The left hand side of FIG. 5B shows the Wiper-seal in three

positions

70a, 70b, 700 indicating its operation as the two connector members are moved toward engagement. Position 70a is prior to contact with the seal shoulder and seat 44. The seal is generally in the form of a hollow truncated cone with the small diameter thereof selected to be larger than the outer diameter of the tubular element 35 and less than the largest diameter of the seal seat 44. Thus, the seal 70 permits the dielectric above the seal to expand and contract without interfacing with foreign fluids, such as the oil being pumped, which may tend to wash away the dielectric material thereby endangering the security provided the electrical contacts.

There has been described various embodiments of the present invention which provides for the connection of electrical circuits in a hostile environment. Furthermore, connection is accomplished by axial force alone and is particularly suitable for remote operation applications. The connector is self-aligning, selfpurging, is not affected by thermal or fluid pressure forces, is capable of swivel connection, and neither connector member has movable parts. The present invention also is permissive of providing an electrical connector for oil wells having at least one member stationary within the well and which is compatible with standard servicing tools and safety devices. Finally, the connector can accommodate a plurality of circuits without increasing the diameter of the connector, and, thus can accommodate alternating or direct current, single or multiple phase networks, and multiple circuits for various ranges of voltage and current.

What is claimed is: I

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a. a first member having a tubular housing open at one end thereof;

b. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts mounted to said housing and axially spaced within said housing of said first member, thus forming annular cavities between said contacts, each of said tubular contacts having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said first member;

c. a second member having an upstanding element having an outer surface substantially conforming in shape to the internal configuration of said plurality of contacts of said first member, the upstanding element of said second member and the tubular housing of said first member forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to said one end of said first member when said members are in mating relationship;

d. each of said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway from the annular cavity above said tubular contact to the annular cavity below said tubular contact when said first and said second members are in mating relationship; and

e. a like plurality of ring-contacts mounted on and axially spaced along said upstanding element of said second member and each said ring-contact disposed to mate with one of said plurality of tubular contacts of said first member whereby the first and second members are brought into engagement to form a like plurality of electrical circuit connections whereby a viscous dielectric material placed in said first member will be partially extruded therefrom thereby purging and protecting said circuit connections from hostile environmental elements.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising a viscous dielectric material substantially filling the interior of said first member characterized by a viscousity permissive of retention within said housing irrespective of the connector orientation and of the hostile environment and further permissive of sufficient extrusion from said housing to effect mating of said first and second members thereby to purge the contacts of the hostile environment upon mating of said members.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising:

a. a central post depending axially from within said housing and radially spaced inwardly from each of said plurality of tubular contacts, and wherein;

b. said upstanding element of said second member is tubular and is characterized by an internal passage shaped for slideably receiving said central post of said first member.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second member further comprises:

a. a supporting structure affixed to the lower end of said upstanding element and extending radially therefrom, said structure being characterized by a portion thereof having an outer perimeter permis sive of attachment to the end of a selected oil well production tubing member, and

b. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said upstanding element and said supporting structure, whereby connection may be made to an electrical cable.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said first member includes:

a. means for attaching the closed end of said housing to the lower end of an artificial lift pump such as are used in oil wells, and further comprising;

b. means forming an electrical path from each of said plurality of tubular contacts to selected connections in the artificial lift pump from which said first member depends.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said central post of said first member is further characterized by:

a. a passageway formed therein and having at least one port in the lower end thereof and having at least one other port near the base of said post which exits proximate the exterior of the closed end of said housing; and wherein said second member is further characterized by;

b. said upstanding element of said second member having an entrance port at said one end thereof whereby fluid from the well may pass internally through said upstanding member and said central cylindrical post to a zone proximate the pump.

7. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein the internal diameter of said upstanding element of said second member is further selected to accommodate the passing therethrough of oil well servicing tools.

8. The electrical connector of claim 4 further comprising;

one portion of a cable connector mounted in electrical communication with the exterior of said supporting structure and having each said electrical path terminably affixed to a contact element in said one portion of the cable connector, whereby said second connector member may be provided with a remote electrical circuit through a mating portion of a cable connector.

9. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said upstanding element of said second member is further characterized by a generally funnel shaped interior entrance to receive said central post and thereby guide said central post into coaxial alignment with said upstanding element.

10. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said upstanding element further comprises a tubular insert forming a liner within said upstanding element and extending throughout an axial length thereof which at least corresponds to the axial length traversed by said central post of said first connector member when said connector members are engaged, said tubular insert being comprised of a material to provide protection to the structural integrity of said upstanding element.

11. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising:

a seal-seat circumferentially adjoining said tubular element of said second connector member;

a resilient tubular sealing element affixed to said housing proximate the open end thereof, and haw ing internal cross-sectional dimensions greater than the outer cross-sectional dimensions of said tubular element and less than the outer-cross-sectional dimensions of said seal seat, said seal-seat having an axial position selected to bring said sealing element and said seal-seat into engagement when said like plurality of electrical circuit connections are made.

12. The electrical connector of claim 1 1 wherein said resilient tubular sealing element is characterized by a form substantially in the shape of a hollow truncated cone having its base affixed to the internal wall of saidhousing of said first connector member and extending away from the closed end of said first connector member.

13. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing of said first connector member is further characterized by an outer shell comprised of material selected to provide protection to the structural integrity of said housing.

14. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein:

a. said upstanding element of said second member being further characterized by a substantially conical upper end, and said second member further comprising;

b. a supporting structure, said upstanding element extending outwardly therefrom, and

c. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said element and said supporting structure thereby providing a bulkhead type second connector member.

15. An electrical connector for an oil well electrically powered artificial lift pump having a first connector member attachable to the pump and a second connector member attachable to the lower end of the production tubing within the well, the connector comprising:

a. a first connector member having a cylindrical outer shell;

v b. a dielectric tubular liner within said shell;

c. closure means for closing the upper end of said shell;

d. means associated with the closed end of said shell for attaching said first connector member to the Pump;

e. a cylindrical central post coaxially depending from said closed end and protruding from within said shell;

f. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts spaced coaxially from one another and affixed to the interior of said dielectric liner, each said tubular contact having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said dielectric tubular lines;

g. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said plurality of tubular contacts and each terminating exteriorly of said shell for connection to circuits in the pump;

h. a second connector member having a substantially cylindrical elongated supporting structure characterized by a portion thereof having means for attaching said supporting structure to the production tubing;

. a cylindrical tubular metallic insert upstanding from the upper end of said supporting structure, and coaxially aligned to mate with said central post of saidfirst member, and characterized by an enlarged internal diameter at the upper endthereof, said supporting structure being'further characterized by a longitudinal passageway therethrough aligned with the interior of said insert to thereby form a flow path from the top of the insert to the region below said supporting structure;

j. a layer of dielectric material extending substantially along the exterior of said insert;

k. a like plurality of electrical ring contacts axially spaced along said layer of dielectric material to mate with said tubular contacts of said first member, said dielectric tubular liner of said first member and said layer of dielectric material forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to the open end of said first connector member when in a mating relationship, each said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway thereby when in a mating relationship; and

. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said ring-contacts and terminating exteriorally of said supporting structure for connection to an electrical cable extending from the the interior, the interior of said first connector member prior to engagement of said connector members and characterized by a viscosity permissive of self-retention therein and further permissive of sufficient extrusion from said first connector member to effect mating of said first and second members.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a. a first member having a tubular housing open at one end thereof; b. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts mounted to said housing and axially spaced within said housing of said first member, thus forming annular cavities between said contacts, each of said tubular contacts having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said first member; c. a second member having an upstanding element having an outer surface substantially conforming in shape to the internal configuration of said plurality of contacts of said first member, the upstanding element of said second member and the tubular housing of said first member forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to said one end of said first member when said members are in mating relationship; d. each of said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway from the annular cavity above said tubular contact to the annular cavity below said tubular contact when said first and said second members are in mating relationship; and e. a like plurality of ring-contacts mounted on and axially spaced along said upstanding element of said second member and each said ring-contact disposed to mate with one of said plurality of tubular contacts of said first member whereby the first and second members are brought into engagement to form a like plurality of electrical circuit connections whereby a viscous dielectric material placed in said first member will be partially extruded therefrom thereby purging and protecting said circuit connections from hostile environmental elements.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising: a. a central post depending axially from within said housing and radially spaced inwardly from each of said plurality of tubular contacts, and wherein; b. said upstanding element of said second member is tubular and is characterized by an internal passage shaped for slideably receiving said central post of said first member.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein said second member further comprises: a. a supporting structure affixed to the lower end of said upstanding element and extending radially therefrom, saId structure being characterized by a portion thereof having an outer perimeter permissive of attachment to the end of a selected oil well production tubing member, and b. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said upstanding element and said supporting structure, whereby connection may be made to an electrical cable.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said first member includes: a. means for attaching the closed end of said housing to the lower end of an artificial lift pump such as are used in oil wells, and further comprising; b. means forming an electrical path from each of said plurality of tubular contacts to selected connections in the artificial lift pump from which said first member depends.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said central post of said first member is further characterized by: a. a passageway formed therein and having at least one port in the lower end thereof and having at least one other port near the base of said post which exits proximate the exterior of the closed end of said housing; and wherein said second member is further characterized by; b. said upstanding element of said second member having an entrance port at said one end thereof whereby fluid from the well may pass internally through said upstanding member and said central cylindrical post to a zone proximate the pump.

8. The electrical connector of claim 4 further comprising; one portion of a cable connector mounted in electrical communication with the exterior of said supporting structure and having each said electrical path terminably affixed to a contact element in said one portion of the cable connector, whereby said second connector member may be provided with a remote electrical circuit through a mating portion of a cable connector.

11. The electrical connector of claim 1 further comprising: a seal-seat circumferentially adjoining said tubular element of said second connector member; a resilient tubular sealing element affixed to said housing proximate the open end thereof, and having internal cross-sectional dimensions greater than the outer cross-sectional dimensions of said tubular element and less than the outer-cross-sectional dimensions of said seal seat, said seal-seat having an axial position selected to bring said sealing element and said seal-seat into engagement when said like plurality of electrical circuit connections are made.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said resilient tubular sealing element is characterized by a form substantially in the shape of a hollow truncated cone having its base affixed to the internal wall of said housing of said first connector member and extending away from the closed end of said first connector member.

14. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein: a. said upstanding element of said second member being further characterized by a substantially conical upper end, and said second member further comprising; b. a supporting structure, said upstanding element extending outwardly therefrom, and c. means providing an electrical path from each of said like plurality of ring-contacts through said element and said supporting structure thereby providing a bulkhead type second connector member.

15. An electrical connector for an oil well electrically powered artificial lift pump having a first connector member attachable to the pump and a second connector member attachable to the lower end of the production tubing within the well, the connector comprising: a. a first connector member having a cylindrical outer shell; b. a dielectric tubular liner within said shell; c. closure means for closing the upper end of said shell; d. means associated with the closed end of said shell for attaching said first connector member to the pump; e. a cylindrical central post coaxially depending from said closed end and protruding from within said shell; f. a plurality of tubular electrical contacts spaced coaxially from one another and affixed to the interior of said dielectric liner, each said tubular contact having an engaging portion radially spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said dielectric tubular lines; g. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said plurality of tubular contacts and each terminating exteriorly of said shell for connection to circuits in the pump; h. a second connector member having a substantially cylindrical elongated supporting structure characterized by a portion thereof having means for attaching said supporting structure to the production tubing; i. a cylindrical tubular metallic insert upstanding from the upper end of said supporting structure, and coaxially aligned to mate with said central post of said first member, and characterized by an enlarged internal diameter at the upper end thereof, said supporting structure being further characterized by a longitudinal passageway therethrough aligned with the interior of said insert to thereby form a flow path from the top of the insert to the region below said supporting structure; j. a layer of dielectric material extending substantially along the exterior of said insert; k. a like plurality of electrical ring contacts axially spaced along said layer of dielectric material to mate with said tubular contacts of said first member, said dielectric tubular liner of said first member and said layer of dielectric material forming an annular cavity therebetween and extending to the open end of said first connector member when in a mating relationship, each said tubular contacts of said first member further having an axial passageway thereby when in a mating relationship; and l. a like plurality of electrical conductors each attached to one of said ring-contacts and terminating exteriorally of said supporting structure for connection to an electrical cable extending from the wall surface to said second connector member, whereby a pump having said first connector member may be lowered into the well and automatically make electrical connection with circuits connected through said second connector member.

16. The electrical connector of claim 14 further comprising a viscous dielectric material substantially filling the interior, the interior of said first connector member prior to engagement of said connector members and characterized by a viscosity permissive of self-retention therein and further permissive of sufficient extrusion from said first connector member to effect mating of said first and second members.