Downhole tool bearing assembly

A bearing housing assembly to support a drive shaft of a drive train of a downhole tool comprising:

• a housing;
• a bearing assembly including stationary and rotating bearing components located within said housing;
• a compression sleeve in threaded engagement with said housing, such that rotation of said compression sleeve in a first direction causes said stationary bearing components of said bearing assembly to be compressed tightly together, thereby creating a compressive preload which helps to ensure that said stationary bearing components remain in contact throughout their operations;
• a locknut in threaded engagement with said compression sleeve and which, in cooperation with said compression sleeve, helps maintain a preload through said stationary bearing components by providing an additional frictional interface between said locknut and said housing capable of accepting a large torque input, thereby allowing the generation of a large amount of frictional resistance to loosening at the locknut interface;
• and
• a compression ring disposed between a shoulder on the drive train and a surface of said rotating bearing component of said bearing assembly, and which is in threaded engagement with the drive train such that rotation of said compression ring in a first direction causes said rotating bearing components to be compressed tightly together, thereby creating a compressive preload which helps to ensure that said rotating bearing components remain in contact throughout their operation.

A downhole tool bearing housing assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive shaft of a drive train extending through said housing;
• a bearing assembly including stationary and rotating bearing components located within said housing, said bearing assembly positioned between said housing and said drive shaft;
• a compression sleeve in threaded engagement with said housing, such that rotation of said compression sleeve in a first direction causes said stationary bearing components to be compressed tightly together;
• and
• a compression ring disposed between a shoulder on said drive train and a surface of said rotating bearing component of said bearing assembly, and which is in threaded engagement with said drive train such that rotation of said compression ring in a first direction causes said rotating bearing components to be compressed tightly together.

A downhole tool bearing housing assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive shaft of a drive train extending through said housing;
• a bearing assembly having rotating bearing components, said bearing assembly positioned between said housing and said drive shaft, said drive shaft being rotatably powered from above said bearing assembly;
• and
• a compression ring disposed between a first surface on said drive train and a second surface of said bearing assembly, said compression ring threadedly engaged with said drive train such that rotation of said compression ring in a first direction causes said rotating bearing components to be compressed tightly together, thereby creating a compressive preload which helps to ensure that said rotating bearing components remain in contact throughout their operation.