Patent ID: 7201239

Claim:
A power-generating device for use in drilling operations, comprising: a turbine comprising a housing, and a rotor assembly rotatably coupled to the housing so that the rotor assembly rotates in response to the passage of drilling mud therethrough; one of an alternator and a generator assembly comprising a magnet, a winding, and a housing, one of the magnet and the winding being fixedly coupled to the housing of the one of an alternator and a generator, and the other of the magnet and the winding being coupled to the rotor assembly so that rotation of the rotor assembly causes a magnetic field of the magnet to pass through the winding thereby causing the one of an alternator and a generator to generate electrical power; and one or more wires for transmitting electrical signals between a first and a second electrical component by way of the power-generating device, wherein the one or more wires are routed through the housing of the turbine and the housing of the one of an alternator and a generator.