1. An apparatus to remove a deposit on an inner surface of a flowline in a downhole tool, comprising:
a movable scraper disposed in a flowline of a downhole tool, wherein the movable scraper is configured to selectively obstruct the flowline so that a fluid flowing in the flowline moves the movable scraper in the flowline, and wherein the movable scraper has an outer surface configured to engage an inner surface of the flowline so that movement of the outer surface along the inner surface removes a deposit on at least a portion of the inner surface; and
wherein the flowline directs fluid to a downhole fluid measurement unit.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable scraper comprises a pressure relief member that obstructs the fluid flowing in the flowline to move the scraper, and wherein the pressure relief member opens or breaks in response to an increase in fluid pressure in the flowline to substantially decrease an obstruction in the flowline provided by the movable scraper.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein a pressure at which the pressure relief member opens or breaks is sufficient to cause a transient fluid flow in the flowline to further remove the deposit.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the flowline comprises a restricted portion to cause the increase in fluid pressure in the flowline to open or break the pressure relief member.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the pressure relief member comprises a membrane or a hydraulic fuse.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the scraper comprises a magnetic portion to enable movement of the scraper in the flowline in response to a magnetic field external to the flowline.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a storage location to hold the movable scraper out of a flow path of fluid in the flowline.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the storage location is not in-line with the flow path of the fluid in the flowline.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising an actuator adjacent the storage location to dispose the movable scraper in the flow path of the fluid in the flowline.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the actuator is hydraulically, pneumatically, or mechanically operated.
11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable scraper comprises a valve to obstruct the fluid flowing in the flowline to move the scraper, and wherein the valve opens to substantially decrease an obstruction in the flowline provided by the movable scraper.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the valve is magnetically operated.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising at least one coil external to the flowline to magnetically operate the valve.
14. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the valve comprises a rotatable flap to selectively provide the obstruction to the fluid flowing in the flowline.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the flap is breakable to substantially decrease the obstruction in the flowline provided by the movable scraper.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the flap comprises a magnetic portion to enable rotation of the flap in response to a magnetic field external to the flowline.
17. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable scraper is cylindrically shaped.
18. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the movable scraper is flexibly engagable with the inner surface.
19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the outer surface is made at least partially of a rubber material.
20. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable scraper is made at least partially of rubber, metal, or ceramic.
21. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner surface is associated with a downhole sensor.
22. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the deposit comprises at least one of a formation fluid or a drilling fluid.
23. An apparatus to clean an inner surface of a flowline in a downhole tool, comprising:
a body configured to move within a flowline of a downhole tool, wherein the body comprises a central portion to obstruct the flowline so that a fluid flowing in the flowline moves the body in the flowline, and wherein the body has an outer surface configured to engage an inner surface of the flowline so that movement of the outer surface along the inner surface is to clean at least a portion of the inner surface, and
wherein the flowline directs fluid to a downhole fluid measurement unit.
24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the body is cylindrically shaped.
25. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the central portion is to selectively obstruct the flowline.
26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the central portion comprises a pressure relief member that opens or breaks to substantially reduce an obstruction provided by the body after the outer surface has moved along the inner surface to clean the at least the portion of the inner surface.
27. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the central portion comprises a movable plate that is to rotate to substantially reduce an obstruction provided by the body after the outer surface has moved along the inner surface to clean the at least the portion of the inner surface.
28. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein the central portion is responsive to a pressure increase in the flowline or a magnetic field external to the flowline to selectively obstruct the flowline.
29. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, further comprising at least one storage location for the body, wherein the at least one storage location holds the body out of a flow path of fluid in the flowline.
30. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, further comprising at least one restricted portion of the flowline to constrain the travel of the body within the flowline.
31. An apparatus to remove a deposit on a surface of a flowline in a downhole tool, comprising:
a movable scraper disposed in a flowline of a downhole tool that includes a magnetic portion to enable movement of the scraper in the flowline in response to a magnetic field, and wherein the movable scraper has a surface configured to engage a corresponding surface of the flowline so that movement of the surface along the corresponding surface removes a deposit on at least a portion of the corresponding surface; and
wherein the flowline directs fluid to a downhole fluid measurement unit.
32. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising a coil to emit the magnetic field, wherein the movable scraper moves within the flowline in response to a change in a position of the coil relative to the flowline.
33. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising at least one coil to emit the magnetic field, wherein the movable scraper moves within the flowline in response to a magnetic polarity of the at least one coil.
34. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising one or more structures within the flowline to substantially limit the movement of the scraper.
35. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein the scraper defines a recess that corresponds to at least a portion of a sensor that protrudes into the flowline.
36. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising a first coil and a second coil, wherein the first coil is to attract the scraper and the second coil is to repel the scraper between a first position and a second position.
37. The apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein the moveable scraper further comprises a pressure relief member that opens or breaks in response to an increase in fluid pressure in the flowline to substantially decrease an obstruction in the flowline provided by the movable scraper.
38. The apparatus as defined in claim 37, wherein the pressure relief member comprises a membrane or a hydraulic fuse.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus comprising:
a signal light beam light source for irradiating a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelengths;
a control light beam light source for irradiating a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam;
two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films for transmitting the signal light beam and selectively absorbing respectively only one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam;
means for respectively converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of the light-absorbing layer films;
two (2) or more thermal lens forming devices for causing the converged signal light beam to exit while maintaining beam convergence, or for varying the angle of divergence of the signal light beam and for causing the signal beam to exit, in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam, by using a thermal lens containing the light-absorbing layer films and based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof; and
a plurality of mirrors, one provided after each of the thermal lens forming devices and having a hole and reflecting means, for passing the signal light beam having exited the thermal lens forming devices through the hole or deflecting the optical path of the signal light beam by reflecting the signal light beam by the reflecting means in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam.
2. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus comprising:
a signal light beam light source for irradiating a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelengths;
a control light beam light source for irradiating a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam;
two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films for transmitting the signal light beam and selectively absorbing respectively only one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam;
means for respectively converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of the light-absorbing layer films; and
two (2) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism each comprising a combination of a thermal lens forming device and a mirror having a hole, wherein
the thermal lens forming device includes the light-absorbing layer films and, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causes the converged signal light beam to exit with an ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, and causes the converged signal light beam to exit with a divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed, the thermal lens forming device thus changing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam, and wherein
the hole in the mirror having is provided for passing either the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by a light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, and reflecting means for reflecting either the signal light beam output diverging from the thermal lens forming device with the divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by the light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an incidence surface of the light-absorbing layer film, the mirror changing the optical paths.
3. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus comprising:
a signal light beam light source for irradiating a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelength(s);
a control light beam light source for irradiating a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam;
two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films for transmitting the signal light beam and selectively absorbing respectively only one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam;
means for respectively converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of the light-absorbing layer films; and
two (2) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism each comprising a combination of a thermal lens forming device and a mirror having a hole, wherein
the thermal lens forming device includes the light-absorbing layer films and, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causes the converged signal light beam to exit as converged when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed, and causes the converged signal light beam to exit with an ordinary divergence angle when the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, the thermal lens forming device thus changing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam, and wherein
the hole in the mirror having a hole is provided for passing the converged signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device as converged when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an exiting surface of the light-absorbing layer film, and reflecting means for reflecting either the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam that has passed through a light-receiving lens provided for changing the divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, the mirror changing the optical paths.
4. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus comprising:
a signal light beam light source for irradiating a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelength(s);
a control light beam light source for irradiating a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam;
two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films for transmitting the signal light beam and selectively absorbing respectively only one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam;
means for respectively converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of the light-absorbing layer films;
one (1) or more sets of first optical path switching mechanism each comprising a combination of a first thermal lens forming device and a first mirror having a hole; and
one (1) or more sets of second optical path switching mechanism each comprising a combination of a second thermal lens forming device and a second mirror having a hole, wherein
the first thermal lens forming device includes the light-absorbing layer films and, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causes the converged signal light beam to exit with an ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, and causes the converged signal light beam to exit with a divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an incidence surface of the light-absorbing layer film, the first thermal lens forming device thus changing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam, wherein
the hole in the first mirror having a hole is provided for passing either the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by a light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, and reflecting means for reflecting either the signal light beam output diverging from the thermal lens forming device with the divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by the light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an incidence surface of the light-absorbing layer film, wherein
the second thermal lens forming device contains the light-absorbing layer films and, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causes the converged signal light beam to exit as converged when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an exiting surface of the light-absorbing layer film, and causes the converged signal light beam to exit with an ordinary divergence angle when the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, the second thermal lens forming device thus changing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam, and wherein
the hole in the second mirror having a hole is provided for passing the converged signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device as converged when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an exiting surface of the light-absorbing layer film, and reflecting means for reflecting either the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam that has passed through the light-receiving lens provided for changing the divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, the second mirror changing the optical paths.
5. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the two (2) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in series directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system.
6. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the two (2) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in series directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system.
7. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the two (2) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in series directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system.
8. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the three (3) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in a multi-stage configuration directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system, branching in each one (1) stage of the connection in two (2) directions of a direction for a light beam to travel straight through the hole of the mirror and a direction for a light beam to be reflected.
9. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the three (3) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in a multi-stage configuration directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system, branching in each one (1) stage of the connection in two (2) directions of a direction for a light beam to travel straight through the hole of the mirror and a direction for a light beam to be reflected.
10. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the three (3) or more sets of optical path switching mechanism are connected in a multi-stage configuration directly through a space or through an optical-fiber-connection system, branching in each one (1) stage of the connection in two (2) directions of a direction for a light beam to travel straight through the hole of the mirror and a direction for a light beam to be reflected.
11. A method of switching optical paths for optical signals comprising the steps of:
causing a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelengths and a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam to travel substantially coaxial and in the same direction;
converging and irradiating respectively the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films that transmits the signal light beam and absorbs selectively only one specific wavelength of the control light beam;
at each of two (2) or more thermal lens forming devices each containing the light-absorbing layer films, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the control light beam having the one (1) specific wavelength, causing the converged signal light beam to exit as converged or to exit varying the divergence angle thereof; and
using a hole-provided mirror having a reflecting surface, in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the control light beam of the one (1) specific wavelength, causing the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device to travel straight from the hole or changing the optical paths thereof by reflecting the signal light beam at the reflecting surface.
12. A method of switching optical paths for optical signals comprising the steps of:
causing a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelength(s) and a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam to travel substantially coaxial and in the same direction;
converging and irradiating respectively the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films that transmits the signal light beam and absorbs selectively only one specific wavelength of the control light beam;
at each of two (2) or more thermal lens forming devices each containing the light-absorbing layer films, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causing the converged signal light beam to exit from the thermal lens forming device with an ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an incidence surface of the light-absorbing layer film, and causing the converged signal light beam to exit from the thermal lens forming device with a divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed, and causing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit to vary in response to presenceabsence of irradiation of the control light beam having the one (1) specific wavelength;
passing through the hole of a hole-provided mirror either the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by a light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed; and
reflecting, using a reflecting surface of the hole-provided mirror, either the signal light beam output diverging from the thermal lens forming device with the divergence angle larger than the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam with the divergence angle varied by a light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an incidence surface of the light-absorbing layer film and, thereby, changing the optical paths.
13. A method of switching optical paths comprising the steps of:
causing a signal light beam having one (1) or more wavelength(s) and a control light beam having two (2) or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam to travel substantially coaxial and in the same direction;
converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of two (2) or more light-absorbing layer films that transmits the signal light beam and absorbs selectively only one specific wavelength of the control light beam;
at each of two (2) or more thermal lens forming devices each containing the light-absorbing layer films, by using a thermal lens based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light-absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, causing the converged signal light beam to exit as converged when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an exiting surface of the light-absorbing layer film, and causing the converged signal light beam to exit with an ordinary divergence angle when the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed, and changing the divergence angle of the signal light beam directed to exit in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the control light beam having the one (1) specific wavelength;
causing the converged signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device as converged to pass through the hole of the hole-provided mirror and to travel straight when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has been irradiated and a thermal lens has been formed in the vicinity of an exiting surface of the light-absorbing layer film; and
changing the optical path by reflecting using a reflecting surface of the hole-provided mirror either the optical path of the signal light beam output from the thermal lens forming device with the ordinary divergence angle as is, or the signal light beam of which the divergence angle has been changed the light-receiving lens when the one (1) specific wavelength of the control light beam has not been irradiated and no thermal lens has been formed.
14. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, among light beams having a plurality of wavelengths, a light beam having the longest wavelength is set as the signal light beam and two (2) or more light beams having a wavelength shorter than that of the signal light beam are set as the control light beam, the optical path switching mechanism for which the wavelength that the thermal lens forming device therein absorbs is the shortest is set as a first stage, and the optical path switching mechanisms in the latter stages are connected in increasing order of the wavelength absorbed by each of the thermal lens forming devices.
15. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, among light beams having a plurality of wavelengths, a light beam having the longest wavelength is set as the signal light beam and two (2) or more light beams having a wavelength shorter than that of the signal light beam are set as the control light beam, the optical path switching mechanism for which the wavelength that the thermal lens forming device therein absorbs is the shortest is set as a first stage, and the optical path switching mechanisms in the latter stages are connected in increasing order of the wavelength absorbed by each of the thermal lens forming devices.
16. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, among light beams having a plurality of wavelengths, a light beam having the longest wavelength is set as the signal light beam and two (2) or more light beams having a wavelength shorter than that of the signal light beam are set as the control light beam, the optical path switching mechanism for which the wavelength that the thermal lens forming device therein absorbs is the shortest is set as a first stage, and the optical path switching mechanisms in the latter stages are connected in increasing order of the wavelength absorbed by each of the thermal lens forming devices.
17. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-absorbing layer film contains two (2) or more pigments selected from a group consisting of:
N,N\u2032-bis(2,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboxyimide) 1,
Copper(11) 2,9,16,23-tetra-tert-butyl-29H,31H-phthalocyanine 2,
Vanadyl 2,11,20,29-tetra-tert-butyl-2,3-naphthalocyanine 3,
18. An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type optical signal transmission apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light-absorbing layer film contains two (2) or more pigments selected from a group consisting of:
N,N\u2032-bis(2,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboxyimide) 1,
Copper(11) 2,9,16,23-tetra-tert-butyl-29H,31H-phthalocyanine 2,
Vanadyl 2,11,20,29-tetra-tert-butyl-2,3-naphthalocyanine 3,