Snubber for downhole tool

1. An apparatus for operating in a borehole, the apparatus comprising:

a downhole tool configured to perform an electronic operation;

a downhole component configured to interconnect with the downhole tool; and

a frustum-shaped sleeve disposed between the downhole tool and the downhole component at the interconnection and comprising a mechanical shock absorbing material;

wherein one of the downhole tool and the downhole component has a frustum-shaped mating plug and the other one of the downhole tool and the downhole component has a mating receptacle configured to receive the frustum-shaped mating plug, wherein the receptacle includes a first opening and a second opening; and

wherein the frustum-shaped mating plug is hollow and includes an outer surface configured to receive the frustum-shaped sleeve;

a preload retainer configured to be partially inserted into a smaller of the first opening and the second opening of the mating receptacle, wherein the preload retainer comprises:

a boss dimensioned to be larger than an inner diameter of the smaller of the first opening and the second opening, and

a tube with an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the smaller of the first opening and the second opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises:

a central axis;

a radially inner surface;

a radially outer surface; and

a mechanical shock absorbing material;

wherein the radially inner surface or the radially outer surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises a pyramidal frustum-shaped surface with four or more circumferentially adjacent sides;

wherein the downhole tool or the downhole component has a pyramidal frustum-shaped surface configured to mate with the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the outer surface of the frustum-shaped mating plug comprises the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface configured to receive the frustum-shaped sleeve and mate with the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical shock absorbing material comprises a metal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein frustum-shaped mating plug is made of the same metal as the frustum-shaped sleeve.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mechanical shock absorbing material is selected to retain its temper in a temperature range of −50 degrees C. to 175 degrees C.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the downhole component comprises one of: another downhole tool and a centralizer.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 ,

wherein the frustum-shaped sleeve includes a first end and a second end axially opposite the first end;

wherein each of the plurality of sides of the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve extends linearly from the first end to the second end.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the radially inner surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve and the radially outer surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve is a conical frustum-shaped surface; or

wherein the radially outer surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve and the radially inner surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve is a conical frustum-shaped surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , the frustum-shaped sleeve having an interior angle in a range of 5 degrees to 80 degrees.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , the frustum-shaped sleeve having an interior angle in a range of 5 degrees to 35 degrees.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , the frustum-shaped sleeve having an interior angle in a range of 8 degrees to 28 degrees.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the mating receptacle has an inner surface comprising the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface configured to receive the frustum-shaped sleeve and mate with the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve.

14. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the radially inner surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface and the radially outer surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises a pyramidal frustum-shaped surface with four or more circumferentially adjacent sides;

wherein the downhole tool or the downhole component has a pyramidal frustum-shaped surface configured to mate with the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the radially inner surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve; and

wherein the other of the downhole tool or the downhole component has a pyramidal frustum-shaped surface configured to mate with the pyramidal frustum-shaped surface of the radially outer surface of the frustum-shaped sleeve.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frustum-shaped mating plug includes an outer surface that further includes a plurality of separate axially spaced ridges and a plurality of axially spaced grooves interspaced between the plurality of ridges; and

wherein each of the ridges and each of the grooves extend circumferentially about a central axis of the frustum-shaped mating plug.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frustum-shaped mating plug includes an outer surface that is smooth.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the downhole component comprises one of: another downhole tool and a centralizer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical shock absorbing material comprises an elastomeric material.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric material has a durometer value between 10A and 60A.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the elastomeric material has a durometer value of between 20A and 40A.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the elastomeric material has a deformation point above 260 degrees C.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the elastomeric material retains is durometer value over a temperature range of −50 degrees C. to 175 degrees C.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric material is silicone.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the mechanical shock absorbing material of the frustum-shaped sleeve comprises a corrugated metal;

wherein the frustum-shaped sleeve has an axis; and

wherein the corrugated metal is one of:

corrugated radially relative to the axis; and

corrugated longitudinally relative to the axis.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the mechanical shock absorbing material is selected to retain its temper in a temperature range of −50 degrees C. to 175 degrees C.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frustum-shaped mating plug and the mating receptacle are configured to slidingly engage to form the interconnection.