Patent ID: 7832503

Claim:
A downhole drilling motor comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a shaft extending within the housing, wherein the shaft is movable relative to the housing; (c) an electrical conducting path extending within the housing between a first axial position and a second axial position, wherein the conducting path comprises: (i) a housing electrical conductor associated with the housing; (ii) a shaft electrical conductor associated with the shaft, wherein the shaft electrical conductor is capable of a movement relative to the housing electrical conductor; and (iii) an assimilating connector interposed between the housing electrical conductor and the shaft electrical conductor for electrically connecting the housing electrical conductor with the shaft electrical conductor and for assimilating the movement of the shaft electrical conductor relative to the housing electrical conductor, the assimilating connector comprising: (A) a rotary movement assimilating connector for assimilating a rotary movement of the shaft electrical conductor relative to the housing electrical conductor, wherein the rotary movement assimilating connector is comprised of a bearing assembly, and wherein the bearing assembly is comprised of a bearing electrical path through the bearing assembly for electrically connecting the housing electrical conductor and the shaft electrical conductor with each other; (B) a longitudinal movement assimilating connector for assimilating a longitudinal movement of the shaft electrical conductor relative to the housing electrical conductor, wherein the longitudinal movement assimilating connector is comprised of a reciprocable electrical contact assembly for further electrically connecting the housing electrical conductor and the shaft electrical conductor with each other and wherein the reciprocable electrical contact assembly is comprised of an electrically conductive contact sleeve and an electrically conductive contact member slidably engaged with the contact sleeve, wherein the contact sleeve and the contact member are capable of relative reciprocal movement; and (C) a transverse movement assimilating connector for assimilating a transverse movement of the shaft electrical conductor relative to the housing electrical conductor.