Electrical submersible motor radial support bearing

Abstract

An electric submersible motor radial support bearing is described. An electric submersible motor includes a motor shaft extending longitudinally through a stator bore, the motor shaft bendable out of alignment with a longitudinal axis of the stator bore, a carrier keyed the stator bore, each rotor section of the motor separated from an adjacent rotor section by a roller bearing including a rounded roller cage between a rotatable inner race and a non-rotatable outer race, the inner race inward of the roller cage and rotatably secured to the motor shaft, the outer race having a curved inner diameter (ID) forming a roller cage socket, an outer diameter (OD) of the outer race non-rotatably secured to an ID of the carrier, the roller cage and outer race forming a spheroidal joint as the roller cage pivots off the longitudinal axis of the stator bore as the motor shaft bends.

1 . An electric submersible motor comprising:
 a series of rotor sections rotatably coupled to a motor shaft;   the motor shaft extending longitudinally through a stator bore, the stator bore having a keyway and a longitudinal axis, the motor shaft bendable out of alignment with the longitudinal axis;   a carrier secured to the stator bore by a key protruding from the carrier and mated to the keyway;   a particular rotor section of the series of rotor sections separated from an adjacent rotor section by a roller bearing;   the roller bearing comprising:
 a rounded roller cage between a rotatable inner race and a non-rotatable outer race; 
 the inner race inward of the roller cage and rotatably secured to the motor shaft; 
 the outer race having a curved inner diameter forming a roller cage socket, an outer diameter of the outer race non-rotatably secured to an inner diameter of the carrier; 
 the roller cage and outer race forming a spheroidal joint as the roller cage pivots off the longitudinal axis of the stator bore as the motor shaft bends. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the outer race comprises at least one circumferential groove, and wherein an elastomeric ring is seated in each of the at least one circumferential grooves. 
     
     
         3 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the outer race comprises a first circumferential groove proximate a top of the outer race, and a second circumferential groove proximate a bottom of the outer race, and an elastomeric ring seated in each of the first and second circumferential grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the outer race is non-rotatably secured to the inner diameter of the carrier by at least one elastomeric ring. 
     
     
         5 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the key is a spring-loaded key. 
     
     
         6 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the stator bore comprises two keyways spaced 180° apart, and the carrier comprises two corresponding keys, one key of the two corresponding keys mated to each keyway. 
     
     
         7 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the rounded roller cage comprises a plurality of rollers and a pair of hemispheres, each hemisphere of the pair of hemispheres having an outer diameter that curves inward as the outer diameter extends away from a roller cage equator. 
     
     
         8 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer race friction fit to the carrier. 
     
     
         9 . The electric submersible motor of  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of the roller bearings and each rotor section of the series of rotor sections is separated from an adjacent rotor section by one of the roller bearings. 
     
     
         10 .- 26  (canceled)