Title:
BEARING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING BEARING SUPPORT RING CONFIGURED TO REDUCE THERMAL WARPING DURING USE. BEARING APPARATUSES USING THE SAME, AND RELATED METHODS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/021273
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
Various embodiments relate to a bearing assembly (100) including a support ring (102) configured to reduce thermal warping under operational temperature conditions, a bearing apparatus that may utilize such a thrust-bearing assembly, and applications that incorporate the disclosed bearing apparatuses such as downhole motors in subterranean drilling systems, directional drilling systems, and many other apparatuses. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements (106) distributed circumferentially about an axis. The thrust-bearing assembly further includes a support ring having the plurality of superhard bearing elements mounted thereto. The support ring includes at least one thermal-warping-reducing feature configured to reduce a radial moment, compared to if the at least one thermal-warping-reducing feature were absent from the support ring, which is thermally induced in the support ring when the support ring and the plurality of superhard bearing elements are exposed to operational temperature conditions.
Inventors:
SEXTON TIMOTHY N (US)
COOLEY CRAIG H (US)
COOLEY CRAIG H (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2011/044774
Publication Date:
February 07, 2013
Filing Date:
July 21, 2011
Export Citation:
Assignee:
US SYNTHETIC CORP (US)
SEXTON TIMOTHY N (US)
COOLEY CRAIG H (US)
SEXTON TIMOTHY N (US)
COOLEY CRAIG H (US)
International Classes:
F16C17/04; E21B4/00
Domestic Patent References:
| WO2009015338A2 | 2009-01-29 |
Foreign References:
| EP0595630A1 | 1994-05-04 | |||
| EP0543461A2 | 1993-05-26 | |||
| GB1392245A | 1975-04-30 | |||
| US5660481A | 1997-08-26 |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SIMON, Marcus S. et al. (1000 Eagle Gate TowerSalt Lake City, UT, US)
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