ISOLATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN A DRILL STRING
A system includes a drill string made up of a plurality of connectable pipe sections. An assembly is provided for use with each pipe section including contact arrangement for forming an isolated electrical connection between attached pipe sections at each end of each pipe section. An electrically conductive arrangement is located in the innermost passage of each pipe section and is in electrical communication with the contact arrangement to extend there between in a way which provides an electrically conductive path that is arranged against the inner wall of the innermost passage of each pipe section in cooperation with the contact arrangement to form an overall electrically isolated conductive path through the drill string. The electrically conductive arrangement resiliently biases the electrically conductive path against the inner wall, which path may take the form of a helix.