Bearing assembly including at least one superhard bearing element having at least one registration feature and bearing apparatus including same

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a bearing assembly including at least one superhard bearing element having at least one bearing registration feature configured to facilitate orientating of a curved, pre-machined bearing surface thereof with respect to a bearing body, methods of fabricating such bearing assemblies, and bearing apparatuses incorporating such bearing assemblies. Subterranean drilling systems incorporating such bearing assemblies are also disclosed.

1 . A bearing assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about a rotation axis, at least one of the superhard bearing elements including a superhard table bonded to a substrate, the superhard table including a curved bearing surface having an axis of curvature, the substrate at least partially defining at least one bearing registration feature;   a bearing body including at least one bearing-body registration feature configured to correspond to the geometry of the at least one bearing registration feature; and   wherein the at least one bearing registration feature of the at least one of the superhard bearing elements is in substantial registry with the at least one bearing-body registration feature of the bearing body to thereby substantially align the axis of curvature of the curved bearing surface with respect to the rotation axis of the bearing assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the substrate defines at least a portion of the at least one bearing registration feature. 
     
     
         3 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a keyway and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a key that is received by the keyway. 
     
     
         4 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a key and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a keyway that receives the key. 
     
     
         5 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the superhard table comprises polycrystalline diamond. 
     
     
         6 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature introduces asymmetry to the at least one of the superhard bearing elements. 
     
     
         7 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are brazed to the bearing body. 
     
     
         8 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bearing body defines a plurality of recesses therein, at least one of the recesses partially defined by the at least one bearing-body registration feature, and wherein the at least one of the superhard bearing elements is received by the at least one of the recesses. 
     
     
         9 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are oriented to carry radial loads and thrust loads. 
     
     
         10 . The bearing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are oriented to carry radial loads. 
     
     
         11 . A bearing apparatus, comprising:
 a rotating bearing assembly;   a stationary bearing assembly; and   wherein at least one of the rotating bearing assembly or the stationary bearing assembly comprising:
 a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about a rotation axis of the bearing apparatus, at least one of the superhard bearing elements including a superhard table bonded to a substrate, the superhard table including a curved bearing surface having an axis of curvature, the substrate at least partially defining at least one bearing registration feature; and 
 a bearing body including at least one bearing-body registration feature configured to correspond to the geometry of the at least one bearing registration feature; 
 wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is in substantial registry with the at least one recess bearing-body feature to thereby substantially align the axis of curvature of the curved bearing surface with respect to the rotation axis of the bearing apparatus. 
   
     
     
         12 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the substrate defines at least a portion of the at least one bearing registration feature. 
     
     
         13 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a keyway and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a key that is received by the keyway. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a key and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a keyway that receives the key. 
     
     
         15 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the bearing body defines a plurality of recesses therein, at least one of the recesses partially defined by the at least one bearing-body registration feature, and wherein the at least one of the superhard bearing elements is received by the at least one of the recesses. 
     
     
         16 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are oriented to carry radial loads and thrust loads. 
     
     
         17 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are oriented to carry radial loads. 
     
     
         18 . A subterranean drilling system, comprising:
 a drive shaft;   at least one drive element coupled to the drive shaft; and   a bearing assembly operably assembled with the driveshaft, the bearing assembly comprising a stationary bearing assembly and a rotating bearing assembly, at least one of the stationary bearing assembly or the rotating bearing assembly comprising:
 a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about a rotation axis of the bearing assembly, at least one of the superhard bearing elements including a superhard table bonded to a substrate, the superhard table including a curved bearing surface having an axis of curvature, the substrate at least partially defining at least one bearing registration feature; and 
 a bearing body including at least one bearing-body registration feature configured to correspond to the at least one bearing registration feature; 
 wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is in substantial registry with the at least one bearing-body registration feature to thereby substantially align the axis of curvature of the curved bearing surface with respect to the rotation axis of the bearing apparatus. 
   
     
     
         19 . The subterranean drilling system of  claim 18  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a keyway and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a key that is received by the keyway. 
     
     
         20 . The subterranean drilling system of  claim 18  wherein the at least one bearing registration feature is configured as a key and the at least one bearing-body registration feature is configured as a keyway that receives the key.