Bearing assemblies and apparatuses including superhard bearing elements
AssigneeUS Synthetic Corporation
InventorS. Barrett Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bearing assembly includes a support ring circumferentially surrounding a central bearing axis and a plurality of superhard bearing elements coupled to the support ring. Each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements has a base, a superhard bearing surface, and an element side surface extending between the base and the superhard bearing surface. The superhard bearing surface has a partial-ellipsoidal surface shape. A bearing apparatus includes an inner bearing assembly and an outer bearing assembly. A subterranean drilling system includes an output shaft operably coupled to a bearing apparatus.
Claims13
A bearing apparatus, comprising:
- an inner bearing assembly comprising:
- an inner support ring circumferentially surrounding an inner ring axis;
- a first plurality of superhard bearing elements coupled to the inner support ring, each of the first plurality of superhard bearing elements having an element side surface extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface, the superhard bearing surfaces of the first plurality of superhard bearing elements collectively forming a generally partial-spherical surface shape substantially centered about the inner ring axis;
- an outer bearing assembly comprising:
- an outer support ring circumferentially surrounding an outer ring axis;
- a second plurality of superhard bearing elements coupled to the outer support ring, each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements having an element side surface extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface, the superhard bearing surface of each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements contacting a superhard bearing surface of at least an opposing one of the first plurality of superhard bearing elements;
- wherein the superhard bearing surface of each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements comprises a substantially planar surface facing toward the inner bearing assembly.
A subterranean drilling system, comprising:
- an output shaft operable to apply torque to a rotary drill tool, the output shaft operably coupled to a bearing apparatus, the bearing apparatus comprising:
- an inner bearing assembly comprising:
- an inner support ring;
- a first plurality of superhard bearing elements coupled to the inner support ring, each of the first plurality of superhard bearing elements having an element side surface extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface, the superhard bearing surfaces of the first plurality of superhard bearing elements collectively forming a generally partial-spherical surface shape substantially centered about the inner ring axis;
- an outer bearing assembly comprising:
- an outer support ring;
- a second plurality of superhard bearing elements coupled to the outer support ring, each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements having an element side surface extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface, the superhard bearing surface of each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements contacting a superhard bearing surface of at least an adjacent one of the first plurality of superhard bearing element;
- wherein the superhard bearing surface of each of the second plurality of superhard bearing elements comprises a substantially planar surface facing toward the inner bearing assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.