Patent ID: 11933356
Assignee: PI TECH INNOVATIONS LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 25:
26. A method of making and using a bearing assembly, the method comprising:
providing a bearing, the bearing comprising a bearing body and a first bearing surface on the bearing body;
providing a shaft, the shaft comprising a shaft body and a second bearing surface on the shaft body;
wherein one of the first and second bearing surfaces is a polycrystalline diamond bearing surface, and wherein the other of the first and second bearing surfaces is a metal bearing surface comprising a metal, the metal containing at least 2 weight percent of a diamond solvent-catalyst based on a total weight of the metal;
coupling the shaft with the bearing such that a metal contact area of the metal bearing surface is engaged with a diamond contact area of the polycrystalline diamond bearing surface;
wherein the polycrystalline diamond bearing surface is a continuous surface along an entirety of the diamond contact area, and wherein the metal contact area is engaged with the polycrystalline diamond bearing surface entirely within boundary edges of the polycrystalline diamond bearing surface; and
moving the shaft and bearing relative to one another such that the metal contact area surface slides along a path along the diamond contact area, wherein the metal contact area intermittently contacts the diamond contact area along the path or wherein the metal contact area maintains constant contact with the diamond contact area along the path.