Bearing assemblies and apparatuses including superhard bearing elements
View Patent ↗A bearing assembly includes a support ring, a plurality of bearing-element carrier members coupled to the support ring, and a plurality of superhard bearing elements having a lateral periphery extending between a base and a superhard bearing surface. At least one superhard bearing element of the plurality of superhard bearing elements is attached to each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members. A bearing apparatus includes a rotor, a stator, and a bearing assembly. A method for assembling a bearing assembly includes attaching at least one superhard bearing element to each of a plurality of bearing-element carrier members and coupling the plurality of bearing-element carrier members to a support ring.
1. A bearing assembly, comprising:
a support ring;
a plurality of bearing-element carrier members mechanically fastened to the support ring;
a plurality of superhard bearing elements each having a lateral periphery extending generally between a base surface and a superhard bearing surface;
wherein:
each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements is attached to at least one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members;
the superhard bearing surfaces of the plurality of superhard bearing elements are substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other.
2. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members exhibits a partial toroidal shape.
3. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members is mechanically fastened to the support ring by a fastener extending through an opening defined in the corresponding bearing-element carrier member.
4. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bearing-element carrier members are distributed circumferentially about a central axis.
5. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of bearing-element carrier members are mechanically fastened to a support surface of the support ring;
the support surface of the support ring faces generally parallel to the central axis.
6. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members abuts an adjacent one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members.
7. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support ring comprises a continuous ring.
8. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements is attached within a bearing-element recess defined in a corresponding bearing-element carrier member of the plurality of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members.
9. The bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one superhard bearing element comprises a polycrystalline diamond table.
10. The bearing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table is bonded to a substrate.
11. The bearing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table is at least partially leached.
12. A bearing apparatus, comprising:
a rotor;
a stator;
wherein the rotor and the stator each include:
a support ring;
a plurality of bearing-element carrier members mechanically fastened to the support ring;
a plurality of superhard bearing elements each having a lateral periphery extending generally between a base surface and a superhard bearing surface;
wherein each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements is attached to at least one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members.
13. The bearing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the stator, the rotor, and the plurality of superhard bearing elements form at least part of a thrust-bearing apparatus.
14. The bearing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the stator, the rotor, and the plurality of superhard bearing elements form at least part of a radial-bearing apparatus.
15. A method for assembling a bearing assembly, comprising:
attaching each of a plurality of superhard bearing elements to at least one of a plurality of bearing-element carrier members, each of the bearing elements having a lateral periphery extending generally between a base surface and a superhard bearing surface;
mechanically fastening each of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members to a support ring such that the superhard bearing surfaces of the plurality of superhard bearing elements are substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising replacing at least one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members by removing the at least one bearing-element carrier member and coupling a replacement bearing-element carrier member to the support ring.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein attaching each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements to at least one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members comprises brazing the at least one superhard bearing element to at least one of the plurality of bearing-element carrier members.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein coupling the plurality of bearing-element carrier members to the support ring comprises coupling the plurality of bearing-element carrier members to the support ring without heating the support ring.