Back to results
US 12,442,412 B2Granted
Adjustable bearing assemblies and related apparatus and methods
AssigneeUS Synthetic Corporation
InventorsJair J. Gonzalez, Leonidas C. Leite
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bearing assemblies and methods of using bearings are provided in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, a bearing ring is provided having a plurality of carrier components removably coupled therewith. Each carrier component may carry one or more bearing elements. Upon wearing of the bearing elements beyond a desired amount, the carrier components may be removed from the bearing ring and installed in a different bearing ring to place the mearing elements at their original bearing surface radius. In another embodiment, individual bearing elements may be radially adjustable relative to the bearing ring to define and redefine the radius of a radial bearing surface.
Claims20
A sliding polycrystalline diamond bearing assembly, comprising:
- an inner bearing comprising a plurality of first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements fixed on a first carrier defining one or more first bearing surfaces;
- and
- a second polycrystalline diamond bearing element defining one or more second bearing surfaces, the one or more first bearing surfaces of the first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements configured to slide relative to and in contact with the one or more second bearing surfaces of the second polycrystalline diamond bearing element,
- the plurality of first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements fixed on the first carrier being simultaneously adjustable toward the second polycrystalline diamond bearing element.
1 more element
A bearing assembly, comprising:
- a first carrier component;
- a second carrier component;
- first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements coupled to the first carrier component and defining a first bearing surface;
- and
- second polycrystalline diamond bearing elements coupled to the second carrier component and defining a second bearing surface, the first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements configured to slide relative to the second polycrystalline diamond bearing elements, wherein at least some of the first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements are adjustable toward at least some of the second polycrystalline diamond bearing elements, wherein at least some of the first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements are coupled to one or more removable carriers of the first carrier component, the one or more removable carriers each being received within one of a plurality of openings of the first carrier component and configured to position the at least some of the first polycrystalline diamond bearing elements relative to the second polycrystalline diamond bearing elements.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a first bearing assembly comprising a plurality of first bearing elements having first bearing surfaces;
- a second bearing assembly comprising a plurality of second bearing elements having second bearing surfaces configured to bear on the first bearing surfaces, the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly being positioned to define a gap between the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing elements and the second bearing surfaces of the second bearing elements;
- at least one first threaded fastener associated with the first bearing elements and configured to adjust a position of the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing elements relative to the second bearing surfaces to alter the gap;
- at least one second threaded fastener associated with the second bearing elements and configured to adjust the second bearing surfaces of the second bearing elements relative to the first bearing surfaces to alter the gap;
- and
- an anti-rotation feature configured to prevent rotation of at least one of the plurality of first bearing elements relative to the at least one first threaded fastener.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a first bearing assembly comprising a plurality of first bearing elements having first bearing surfaces;
- a second bearing assembly comprising a plurality of second bearing elements having second bearing surfaces configured to bear on the first bearing surfaces, the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly being positioned to define a gap between the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing elements and the second bearing surfaces of the second bearing elements;
- at least one first threaded fastener associated with the first bearing elements and configured to adjust a position of the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing elements relative to the second bearing surfaces to alter the gap;
- at least one second threaded fastener associated with the second bearing elements and configured to adjust the second bearing surfaces of the second bearing elements relative to the first bearing surfaces to alter the gap, wherein at least one of the first bearing elements or the second bearing elements are positioned on a removable carrier that is secured in a respective one of the first bearing assembly or the second bearing assembly by an interference fit.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.