IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,702,401
Granted Patent B2
US 9,702,401 · App. 14/826,121 · Granted Jul 11, 2017

Combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatuses

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,702,401
App. No.
14/826,121
Granted
Jul 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.

Claims (43)

1. A combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus, comprising:

a thrust-bearing assembly including:

a thrust-bearing stator including a thrust-bearing stator support ring and at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust-bearing stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element positioned about an axis of rotation; and

a thrust-bearing rotor including a thrust rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard thrust stator bearing surface; and

a radial bearing assembly including:

a radial bearing stator including a radial stator support ring and at least one superhard stator radial bearing element mounted to the radial stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element including a superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element; and

a radial bearing rotor including a radial rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element mounted to the radial rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element including a superhard radial rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element.

2. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond, and at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the superhard rotor radial bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material.

3. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the polycrystalline diamond includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of polycrystalline diamond, natural diamond, synthetic diamond, diamond deposited by chemical vapor deposition, and diamond deposited by physical vapor deposition.

4. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the non-diamond superhard material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, another carbide exhibiting a hardness at least equal to that of tungsten carbide, and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride.

5. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the rotor thrust-bearing surface includes at least one non-diamond superhard material.

6. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the rotor radial bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond.

7. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond, and wherein the other of the superhard thrust-bearing surface or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material.

8. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the superhard rotor radial bearing surface includes diamond, and wherein the other of the superhard stator radial bearing surface of the superhard rotor radial bearing surface includes at least one non-diamond superhard material.

9. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface and the superhard radial stator bearing surface includes at least one non-diamond superhard material.

10. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing element or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing element includes a single substantially continuous bearing surface.

11. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing element or the superhard rotor radial bearing element includes a single substantially continuous bearing surface.

12. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing element, the superhard rotor thrust-bearing element, the superhard stator radial bearing element or the superhard rotor radial bearing element includes a plurality of bearing elements.

13. A combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus, comprising:

a thrust-bearing assembly including:

a thrust-bearing stator including a thrust-bearing stator support ring and at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust-bearing stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element positioned about an axis of rotation; and

a thrust-bearing rotor including a thrust rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard thrust stator bearing surface; and

a radial bearing assembly including:

a radial bearing stator including a radial stator support ring and at least one superhard stator radial bearing element mounted to the radial stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element including a superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element; and

a radial bearing rotor including a radial rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element mounted to the radial rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element including a superhard radial rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element.

14. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the rotor thrust-bearing surface includes at least one superhard material having hardness less than polycrystalline diamond, and wherein at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the rotor radial bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond.

15. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 13 wherein each of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface and the superhard radial stator bearing surface includes at least one material having a hardness that is less than polycrystalline diamond.

16. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing element or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing element includes a single substantially continuous bearing surface.

17. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing element or the superhard rotor radial bearing element includes a single substantially continuous bearing surface.

18. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond, and at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the superhard rotor radial bearing surface includes at least one superhard material having a hardness that is lower than polycrystalline diamond.

19. The combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus of claim 18 wherein the at least one superhard material having the hardness that is lower than polycrystalline diamond includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, another carbide exhibiting a hardness at least equal to that of tungsten carbide, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, and diamond-silicon carbide composite.

20. A subterranean drilling system, comprising:

a drilling motor configured to rotate a shaft; and

a combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus operably coupled to the downhill drilling motor, the combination thrust-bearing and radial bearing apparatus including:

a thrust-bearing assembly including:

a thrust-bearing stator including a thrust-bearing stator support ring and at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust-bearing stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element positioned about an axis of rotation; and

a thrust-bearing rotor including a thrust rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element mounted to the thrust rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element including a superhard thrust rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard thrust stator bearing surface; and

a radial bearing assembly including:

a radial bearing stator including a radial stator support ring and at least one superhard stator radial bearing element mounted to the radial stator support ring, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element including a superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard stator radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard stator thrust-bearing element; and

a radial bearing rotor including a radial rotor support ring and at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element mounted to the radial rotor support ring, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element including a superhard radial rotor bearing surface generally opposed to the superhard radial stator bearing surface, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned about the axis of rotation, the at least one superhard rotor radial bearing element positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the at least one superhard rotor thrust-bearing element.

21. The subterranean drilling system of claim 20 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing element, the superhard rotor thrust-bearing element, the superhard stator radial bearing element, or the superhard rotor radial bearing element includes a single substantially continuous bearing surface.

22. The subterranean drilling system of claim 20 wherein at least one of the superhard stator thrust-bearing surface or the superhard rotor thrust-bearing surface includes polycrystalline diamond, and at least one of the superhard stator radial bearing surface or the superhard rotor radial bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material.

23. The subterranean drilling system of claim 22 wherein the non-diamond superhard material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, another carbide exhibiting a hardness at least equal to that of tungsten carbide, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, and diamond-silicon carbide composite.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074973/0089 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 17, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: CHAMPIONX LLC; APERGY ESP SYSTEMS, LLC; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.,; NORRIS RODS, INC.,; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072004/0019 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ACE DOWNHOLE, LLC; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; THETA OILFIELD SERVICES, INC.; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
Reel/Frame 060305/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: ACE DOWNHOLE, LLC; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; THETA OILFIELD SERVICES, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053790/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 9, 2018
From: APERGY (DELAWARE) FORMATION, INC.; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; APERGY ENERGY AUTOMATION, LLC; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 046117/0015 →