Methods and apparatus for operatively mounting actuators to pipe

1. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string; and

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe;

wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest;

the transducer-holding assembly is mounted within the bore of the sub-pipe and wherein the apparatus comprises a tension collar located in the bore on a first axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a first axial end of the transducer-holding assembly; and

the tension collar is connected to the bore-defining surface to bear against the first axial end of the transducer-holding assembly and wherein the connection of the tension collar to the bore-defining surface comprises an adjustable connection wherein the tension collar is axially moveable relative to the sub-pipe when connected thereto for adjusting a force with which the tension collar bears against the first axial end of the transducer-holding assembly.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sub-pipe is monolithically fabricated and the transducer-holding assembly is inserted into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mounted within the bore of the sub-pipe to provide the intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transducer-holding assembly defines at least a portion of an axially-extending channel, the channel permitting axial drilling fluid flow therethrough.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe comprises contact with the bore-defining surface at at least two spaced apart locations and wherein the one or more transducers are located between the two spaced apart locations.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tension collar is threadably connected to the bore-defining surface.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transducer-holding assembly is mounted within the bore of the sub-pipe and wherein the transducer-holding assembly comprises a tension collar portion.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the tension collar portion is connected to the bore-defining surface and wherein the connection of the tension collar portion to the bore-defining surface comprises an adjustable connection wherein the transducer-holder assembly is axially moveable relative to the sub-pipe when connected thereto.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the tension collar portion is threadably connected to the bore-defining surface.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a feed-through located in the bore on a second axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a second axial end of the transducer-holding assembly and against the arrest and wherein the tension collar is adjustably connected to the bore-defining surface for adjustable axial movement relative to the sub-pipe and corresponding adjustment of a force with which the tension collar bears against the first axial end of the transducer-holding assembly.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arrest comprises a lipped arrest, the lipped arrest having an annular bearing surface which faces, at least partially, the first axial end of the sub-pipe.

11. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string;

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe; and

a feed-through located in the bore on a second axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a second axial end of the transducer-holding assembly and to bear against the arrest;

wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest; and

the feed-through comprises a sub-pipe engaging portion shaped to bear against the arrest and a connector portion for connection to an electronics housing.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the transducer-holding assembly is mounted within the bore of the sub-pipe and wherein the apparatus comprises a tension collar located in the bore on a first axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a first axial end of the transducer-holding assembly.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the connector portion is located in a radial center of the bore and the feed-through comprises one or more arms that extend between the connector portion and the sub-pipe engaging portion.

14. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string;

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe; and

a feed-through located in the bore on a second axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a second axial end of the transducer-holding assembly and to bear against the arrest;

wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest; and

the feed-through comprises a radially outward surface which, together with the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe define at least a portion of an electronics housing for housing electronics.

15. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string; and

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe;

wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest; and

the transducer-holding assembly comprises a feed-through portion, the feed-through portion is located at the second axial end of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against the arrest and the feed-through portion comprises a sub-pipe engaging portion shaped to bear against the arrest and a connector portion for connection to an electronics housing.

16. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string; and

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe;

wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest; and

the arrest comprises a threaded arrest, the threaded arrest comprising a helical bearing surface which faces, at least partially, the first axial end of the sub-pipe.

17. An apparatus for mounting one or more transducers to a rotatable drilling pipe stand comprising:

a sub-pipe comprising a bore-defining surface defining an axially oriented bore therethrough, a connector at a first axial end, and a connector at a second axial end, at least one of the connectors connectable to the rotatable drilling pipe string for rotation of the sub-pipe, while drilling, and for corresponding transmission of torque through the drilling pipe string and the sub-pipe to a drill bit connected to the drilling pipe string; and

a transducer-holding assembly comprising one or more transducers, the transducer-holding assembly operably insertable into the bore of the sub-pipe from one of the first and second axial ends and mountable in the bore of the sub-pipe to provide intimate contact which facilitates acoustic communication between the one or more transducers and the sub-pipe;

wherein the transducer-holding assembly comprises:

a transducer holder; and

one or more transducer assemblies, each transducer assembly comprising a plurality of transducers;

the transducer holder comprising one or more mounting features for holding one or more transducer assemblies, wherein the one or more mounting features comprise:

a first flange comprising a first flange surface that faces generally toward the second axial end of the sub-pipe for contacting first axial ends of the one or more transducer assemblies; and

a second flange axially spaced apart from the first flange, the second flange comprising a second flange surface that faces generally toward the first axial end of the sub-pipe for contacting the second axial ends of the one or more transducer assemblies;

wherein the contact between the first and second flange surfaces and the first and second axial ends of one or more transducer assemblies holds the transducer assemblies on the transducer holder.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the bore-defining surface of the sub-pipe comprises an arrest shaped to reduce a cross-sectional area of the bore in a vicinity of the arrest relative to at least one region of the bore adjacent the arrest.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 comprising a feed-through located in the bore on a second axial side of the transducer-holding assembly to bear against a second axial end of the transducer-holding assembly and to bear against the arrest.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the first and second flange surfaces extend in generally radial directions.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the transducer holder comprises a radially outward facing surface that extends axially between the first and second flange surfaces and wherein the radially outward facing surface comprises one or more radially outwardly opening and axially extending concavities, each concavity shaped for accommodating a portion of a corresponding transducer assembly.

22. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the transducer holder comprises a radially inward facing surface that extends axially between the first and second flange surfaces and wherein the radially inward facing surface comprises one or more radially inwardly opening and axially extending concavities, each concavity shaped for accommodating a portion of a corresponding transducer assembly.