Flow restrictor for a mud motor

• Main Author: Underwood Lance D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.04.2017
• Subjects: BEARINGS; BLASTING; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOTDIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT; DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g.ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINE TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OFPARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MINING; NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAMTURBINES; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENTMACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENTPUMPS; SHAFTS; STEAM ENGINES; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

An assembly to restrict fluid flow through the bearing section of a positive displacement or progressive cavity pump or motor. The assembly fits within the bearing chamber and includes an upper ring member, a lower ring member, an outer ring member and a floating member. The floating ring member is axially disposed between the upper and lower ring members. The floating ring member is also disposed at least partially around a drive shaft and is radially movable and constrained inwardly of the outer ring member. The floating ring member has a radial clearance between the drive shaft and a floating ring member inner surface with the radial clearance varying depending on the relative position of the floating ring member to the outer ring member.