Drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor
US8033917B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 15, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49826
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor includes a drive shaft formed with convexly spherical bearing surfaces on each end, and end housings with concavely spherical bearing surfaces for mating contact with the spherical bearing surfaces of the drive shaft, thereby facilitating omni-directional articulation between the drive shaft and the end housings while transferring axial thrust loads between the drive shaft and end housings across the interface of the mating spherical bearing surfaces. Torque is transferred between the drive shaft and end housings through two or alternatively four swivelling drive keys mounted to each end of the drive shaft and engageable with complementary drive key slots in the end housings. Full and constant torque-transferring contact is thus provided between the swivelling drive keys and the end housings irrespective of any angular offset between the drive shaft and the end housings, resulting from omni-directional articulation of the drive shaft relative to the end housing. The omni-directional center of rotation at each end of the drive shaft coincides with the geometric centerpoint of the corresponding convexly spherical bearing surface, which corr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.