Patent ID: 7503408

Claim:
A steering assembly comprising: a downhole motor and a steering component, the steering component having a shaft and a set of elements for engaging a borehole in use, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the set of elements having a centreline and being movable relative to the shaft between a first position in which the centreline is offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft by a first distance, and a second position in which the centreline is offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft by a second distance, in which the set of elements is mounted on an annular sleeve, the annular sleeve having an inner surface, the inner surface being eccentric to the centreline, in which the annular sleeve is mounted for rotation on a part of the shaft, the part of the shaft having an outer surface which is eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, in which the sleeve is resiliently biased towards the first position relative to the shaft, and in which the sleeve can be moved to its second position relative to the shaft by way of a frictional engagement between the set of elements and the borehole.