Conical Bearing Elements for Rotor-Stator Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In subterranean drilling systems, axial misalignment of bearing rotors with respect to stators due to repeated deflection of the output shaft leads to decreased bearing performance or failure, as existing bearing assemblies are not designed to accommodate misalignment effectively.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates inner and outer bearing assemblies with specifically shaped bearing elements, where the inner bearing elements have a partially spherical convex surface and the outer bearing elements have a partially cylindrical concave surface, forming a conical inner surface that engages with the inner bearing elements, allowing for axial movement and compensation for misalignment while maintaining contact and supporting loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional radial bearing surfaces are used, then the bearing assembly is simple to manufacture, but the bearing rotor becomes misaligned with the stator due to shaft deflection, leading to bearing failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebearing performanceVSAvoidbearing element geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing elements are designed with spherical convex surfaces on the rotor side and spherical concave surfaces on the stator side, allowing the rotor to pivot and accommodate angular misalignment caused by shaft deflection while maintaining continuous contact between bearing surfaces, thus preventing bearing failure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If spherical bearing surfaces are used to accommodate misalignment, then bearing reliability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebearing performanceVSAvoidbearing element fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing assembly is divided into multiple discrete bearing elements (typically 6-12) distributed around the circumference, each with a spherical surface. This segmentation allows the use of standard spherical components while maintaining the ability to accommodate misalignment, and simplifies manufacturing compared to creating a single complex spherical interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If bearing elements are designed with spherical surfaces, then the bearing can accommodate axial misalignment, but the manufacturing process becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemisalignment accommodationVSAvoidbearing element production

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Standard spherical bearing elements are used, which can be manufactured using conventional machining or forming processes. The spherical geometry is achieved through standard manufacturing techniques, and the elements are then assembled in a circular pattern around the rotor, providing misalignment accommodation without requiring complex custom manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11619099B2Bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and methods including bearing elements

Publication Date: 2023.04.04 US SYNTHETIC CORP

AI summary

Bearing assemblies, apparatuses, systems, and methods include bearing assemblies where one of the bearing assemblies may include bearing surfaces defining an at least partially conical inner surface.