Patent ID: 8371396

Claim:
A drill pipe having a longitudinal axis, comprising: a pin end connector including an end face defining a radially inner shoulder, a radially outer shoulder axially spaced apart from the end face of the pin end connector, and a radially outer surface extending axially from the end face of the pin end connector to the radially outer shoulder of the pin end connector; wherein the radially outer surface of the pin end connector includes an external thread extending axially from a first thread end proximal the end face of the pin end connector and a second thread end distal the end face of the pin end connector; a box end connector that coaxially disposed about the pin end connector, the box end connector including an end face defining a radially outer shoulder axially adjacent the radially inner shoulder of the pin end connector, a radially inner shoulder axially spaced apart from the end face of the box end connector and axially adjacent the end face of the pin end connector, and a radially inner surface extending axially from the end face of the box end connector to the radially inner shoulder of the box end connector; wherein the radially inner surface of the box end connector includes an internal thread extending axially from a first thread end proximal the end face of the box end connector to a second thread end distal the end face of the box end connector, and wherein the internal thread of the box end connector threadingly engages the external thread of the pin end; a first communication connector attached to the pin end connector, wherein the first communication connector is disposed along the radially outer surface of the pin end connector and axially positioned between the first thread end and the second thread end of the external thread of the pin end connector, wherein the first communication connector forms at least a portion of the external thread of the pin end connector, and wherein the first communication connector is completely disposed along a flank extending from a crest to a root of the external thread; and a second communication connector attached to the box end connector and adapted to form a communication connection with the first communication connector, wherein the second communication connector is disposed along the radially inner surface of the box end connector and axially positioned between the first thread end and the second thread end of the internal thread of the box end connector, wherein the second communication connector forms at least a portion of the internal thread of the box end connector, wherein the second communication connector is completely disposed along a flank extending from a crest to a root of the internal thread and is opposite the flank of the external thread of the pin end connector.