Abstract: A drilling motor for directional drilling in a wellbore has a drill bit at a downhole end, a bent housing having a first bend spaced above the drill bit and defining a first angle, the first bend having an inside bend surface and an outside bend surface, and a guide element that biases the first bend toward the first angle when the bent housing is positioned within a straight section of the wellbore. The guide element may be a pad, a centralizer or a second bend in the bent housing.

Abstract: A drilling motor for directional drilling in a wellbore has a drill bit at a downhole end, a bent housing having a first bend spaced above the drill bit and defining a first angle, the first bend having an inside bend surface and an outside bend surface, and a guide element that biases the first bend toward the first angle when the bent housing is positioned within a straight section of the wellbore. The guide element may be a pad, a centralizer or a second bend in the bent housing.

Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling a bearing assembly, having the steps of mounting a bearing stack on an inner mandrel, the bearing stack having a plurality of inner and outer races, compressing the plurality of inner races between first and second inner shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second inner shoulders being carried by the inner mandrel, inserting the inner mandrel and bearing stack into an outer housing, compressing the plurality of outer races between first and second outer shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second outer shoulders being carried by the housing, wherein at least one of the first outer shoulder and the second outer shoulder comprises a deformable shim that follows a deformation curve having at least a plastic deformation component when compressed across the predetermined range of compressive loads.

Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling a bearing assembly, having the steps of mounting a bearing stack on an inner mandrel, the bearing stack having a plurality of inner and outer races, compressing the plurality of inner races between first and second inner shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second inner shoulders being carried by the inner mandrel, inserting the inner mandrel and bearing stack into an outer housing, compressing the plurality of outer races between first and second outer shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second outer shoulders being carried by the housing, wherein at least one of the first outer shoulder and the second outer shoulder comprises a deformable shim that follows a deformation curve having at least a plastic deformation component when compressed across the predetermined range of compressive loads.

Abstract: A universal joint carried by an elongate body having an axis. The universal joint has an inner race that pivots omni-directionally within an outer race and a series of first and second opposed cavities formed in the inner race and the outer race. There are a plurality of torque transfer elements, each torque transfer element having a first portion that engages a first cavity and a second portion that engages a corresponding second cavity. The first cavity is a socket that permits rotation of the first portion within the first cavity as the inner race pivots omni-directionally within the outer race and the second cavity is a track oriented in the direction of the axis of the elongate body. The second portion moves along the track as the inner race pivots omni-directionally within the outer race of the second portion along the track. The second portion has at least one drive surface that engages an inner surface of the track at more than one point along the direction of the track.

Abstract: A universal joint carried by an elongate body having an axis. The universal joint has an inner race that pivots omni-directionally within an outer race and a series of first and second opposed cavities formed in the inner race and the outer race. There are a plurality of torque transfer elements, each torque transfer element having a first portion that engages a first cavity and a second portion that engages a corresponding second cavity. The first cavity is a socket that permits rotation of the first portion within the first cavity as the inner race pivots omni-directionally within the outer race and the second cavity is a track oriented in the direction of the axis of the elongate body. The second portion moves along the track as the inner race pivots omni-directionally within the outer race of the second portion along the track. The second portion has at least one drive surface that engages an inner surface of the track at more than one point along the direction of the track.