Patent ID: 8164980

Claim:
A component configured for attachment as part of a drillstring for subterranean drilling, comprising: a tubular member comprising a central bore formed therethrough; a box-end at a first end of the tubular member, the box-end comprising a first signal transceiver; a pin-end at a second end of the tubular member, the pin-end adapted for coupling to a box-end of another component and comprising a second signal transceiver operably coupled to the first signal transceiver via an electrical pathway and configured for communication with the first signal transceiver in the other component; and an end-cap configured for disposition in the central bore of the pin-end to form an annular chamber between a side of the end-cap and a wall of the central bore of the pin-end when the end-cap is disposed in the central bore of the pin-end, wherein the tubular member includes a connection pathway configured to couple the electrical pathway to a contact point at the end-cap when the end-cap is disposed within the central bore.