Bearing assembly for a drilling tool
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsSomasundaram Valliyappan, Kenneth M. Nevlud
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bearing assembly for a drilling tool. A thrust bearing assembly for use in a drilling tool may include a first thrust frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a first inner surface, where the first thrust frame includes: (i) first flow diverters protruding laterally from the first inner surface toward a longitudinal axis of the thrust bearing assembly and (ii) first flow ports formed along the first inner surface between adjacent first flow diverters. The thrust bearing assembly may also include a stationary thrust bearing having a generally cylindrical base with legs extending in an axial direction from the base, where the legs may be generally positioned within the first flow ports.
Claims20
A thrust bearing assembly for use in a drilling tool, comprising:
- a first thrust frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a first inner surface, wherein the first thrust frame comprises (i) a plurality of first flow diverters protruding laterally from the first inner surface toward a longitudinal axis of the thrust bearing assembly and (ii) a plurality of first flow ports formed along the first inner surface between adjacent first flow diverters;
- and
- a stationary thrust bearing having a generally cylindrical base with a plurality of legs extending in an axial direction from the base, wherein the plurality of legs are configured to be generally positioned within the plurality of first flow ports.
A frame assembly for use in a drilling tool, comprising:
- a first frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a first end portion and a second end portion, a plurality of first alignment tabs arranged in a predetermined arrangement and protruding in an axial direction beyond the first end portion, and a plurality of second alignment tabs arranged in the predetermined arrangement and protruding in the axial direction beyond the second end portion;
- a second frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a third end portion and a fourth end portion, a plurality of third alignment tabs arranged in the predetermined arrangement and protruding in an axial direction beyond the third end portion, and a plurality of fourth alignment tabs arranged in the predetermined arrangement and protruding in the axial direction beyond the fourth end portion;
- wherein the first alignment tabs are configured to couple with the third alignment tabs or the fourth alignment tabs;
- and
- wherein the second alignment tabs are configured to couple with the third alignment tabs or the fourth alignment tabs.
A turbodrill, comprising:
- a housing having a bore extending therethrough;
- a rotatable shaft positioned in the housing bore, wherein the shaft is rotatable relative to the housing, and wherein the housing, the housing bore and the rotatable shaft have a common longitudinal axis;
- and
- a hydraulic thrust bearing assembly configured to allow the rotatable shaft to pass therethrough, comprising:
- a first thrust frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a first inner surface, wherein the first thrust frame comprises (i) a plurality of first flow diverters protruding laterally from the first inner surface toward the common longitudinal axis of the thrust bearing assembly and (ii) a plurality of first flow ports formed along the first inner surface between adjacent first flow diverters;
- a stationary thrust bearing having a generally cylindrical base with a plurality of legs extending in an axial direction from the base, wherein the plurality of legs are configured to be generally positioned within the plurality of first flow ports;
- a second thrust frame having a generally cylindrical hollow body with a second inner surface and coupled to the first thrust frame, wherein the second thrust frame comprises (i) a plurality of second flow diverters protruding laterally from the second inner surface toward the common longitudinal axis and (ii) a plurality of second flow ports formed along the second inner surface between adjacent second flow diverters, wherein the stationary thrust bearing is positioned inside the first thrust frame and the second thrust frame;
- and
- a rotating thrust bearing rotatably coupled to the shaft and disposed on the plurality of legs of the stationary thrust bearing.
The turbodrill of claim 18, wherein a diamond table of the rotating thrust bearing is configured to mate with a diamond table of the stationary thrust bearing.
The turbodrill of claim 18, wherein the rotating thrust bearing comprises a diamond disc configured be coupled to the shaft via rotor compression.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.