TILTING SUPERHARD BEARING ELEMENTS IN BEARING ASSEMBLIES, APPARATUSES, AND MOTOR ASSEMBLIES USING THE SAME

摘要

Embodiments relate to tilting superhard bearing element bearing assemblies and apparatuses. The disclosed assemblies/apparatuses may be employed in downhole motors of a subterranean drilling system or other mechanical systems. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a support ring (902) and a plurality of superhard bearing elements (904) each of which is tilted and/or tiltably secured relative to the support ring (902) and distributed circumferentially about an axis. Each of the superhard bearing elements (904) includes a bearing surface (916) and a base portion (920). The base portion (920) of the at least one of the superhard bearing elements (904) includes a curved tilting feature (924) configured to allow the at least one of the superhard bearing elements (904) to be tiltable about a tilt axis. The bearing assembly includes retaining features (924) that secure the superhard bearing elements (904) to the support ring (902).