Techniques for forming instrumented cutting elements and affixing the instrumented cutting elements to earth-boring tools and related apparatuses and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111731-B2
Application number	US-201916705675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

Methods of forming earth-boring tools including one or more instrumented cutting elements may involve placing a cutting element partially within a pocket extending into a body of an earth-boring tool. The cutting element may include a first hole extending partially through a cutting element from a back side of the cutting element toward a cutting face and a second, shorter, wider hole extending partially through the cutting element from the back side toward the cutting face. The second hole may be in fluid communication with the first hole. An extension including a passageway extending through the extension may be located at least partially within the second hole, such that the passageway may be in fluid communication with the first hole. A thermocouple may be inserted through the passageway and into the first hole after affixing the cutting element in the pocket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an earth-boring tool comprising one or more instrumented cutting elements, the method comprising:
placing a cutting element partially within a pocket extending into a body of an earth-boring tool, the cutting element comprising:
a first hole extending over a first distance partially through the cutting element from a back side of the cutting element opposite a cutting face of the cutting element toward the cutting face, the first hole comprising a first maximum diameter;
a second hole extending over a second, shorter distance partially through the cutting element from the back side of the cutting element toward the cutting face, the second hole comprising a second, larger maximum diameter, the second hole in fluid communication with the first hole; and
an extension comprising a passageway extending through the extension located at least partially within the second hole, the passageway in fluid communication with the first hole;

affixing the cutting element in the pocket; and
inserting a thermocouple through the passageway and into the first hole after affixing the cutting element in the pocket.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, the first hole comprising an at least substantially straight portion, partially within the pocket.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, an angle between a geometrically central axis of the first hole and a geometrically central axis extending at least substantially perpendicular to the cutting face is between about 0° and about 60°, partially within the pocket.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, a terminus of the first hole being located proximate to the cutting face or proximate to a cutting edge of the cutting element, partially within the pocket.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, the cutting element comprising additional first holes partially through the cutting element from the back side of the cutting element toward the cutting face, each first hole comprising the first maximum diameter, the second hole being in fluid communication with each first hole, partially within the pocket, and further comprising inserting an additional thermocouple through the second hole and into a corresponding first hole until each first hole comprises a corresponding additional thermocouple inserted therein.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, a geometrically central axis of the second hole being oriented at least substantially parallel to a geometrically central axis of the cutting element extending at least substantially perpendicular to the cutting face, partially within the pocket.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, the second diameter of the second hole being tapered from the second, maximum diameter to a second, minimum diameter as the second hole approaches an intersection with a portion of the first hole extending from the second hole toward the cutting face, partially within the pocket.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein placing the cutting element partially within the pocket comprises placing the cutting element, the extension being located within an untapered portion of the second hole, partially within the pocket.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a temporary material in a portion of the second hole and into the first hole, filling a remainder of the second hole with a filler material, and removing the temporary material, and wherein inserting the thermocouple through the second hole and into the first hole comprises inserting the thermocouple through the second hole and into the first hole via a pathway previously occupied by the temporary material.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming by removing material of the cutting element by laser drilling or electrical discharge machining the material of the cutting element to form the first hole.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein affixing the cutting element in the pocket comprises brazing the cutting element in the pocket and further comprising exposing a portion of the first hole located proximate to the back side of the cutting element to a braze material.

12. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a cutting element brazed within a pocket extending into a body of the earth-boring tool, the cutting element comprising:
a first hole extending over a first distance partially through the cutting element from a back side of the cutting element opposite a cutting face of the cutting element toward the cutting face, the first hole comprising a first maximum diameter; and
a second hole extending over a second, shorter distance partially through the cutting element from the back side of the cutting element toward the cutting face, the second hole comprising a second, larger maximum diameter, the second hole in fluid communication with the first hole;
an extension located at least partially within the second hole, the extension comprising a passageway extending through the extension and in fluid communication with the first hole; and
a thermocouple extending through the passageway and into the first hole; and

braze material affixing the cutting element within the pocket and exposed to a portion of the first hole located proximate to the back side of the cutting element and located on a lateral side of the second hole opposite a lateral side on which a remainder of the first hole proximate to the cutting face is located.

13. The earth-boring tool of claim 12 , wherein an angle between a geometrically central axis of the first hole and a geometrically central axis extending at least substantially perpendicular to the cutting face is between about 0° and about 60°.

14. The earth-boring tool of claim 12 , wherein a terminus of the first hole is located proximate to the cutting face or proximate to a cutting edge of the cutting element.

15. The earth-boring tool of claim 12 , further comprising a filler material at least substantially filling a remainder of the second hole not occupied by the thermocouple.

16. The earth-boring tool of claim 15 , wherein the first hole is at least substantially straight along at least substantially an entirety of a length of the first hole.

17. The earth-boring tool of claim 12 , wherein the second, larger maximum diameter of the second hole tapers from the second, larger maximum diameter to a second, minimum diameter as the second hole approaches an intersection with a portion of the first hole extending from the second hole toward the cutting face.

18. A method of forming an earth-boring tool comprising one or more instrumented cutting elements, the method comprising:
brazing a cutting element in a pocket extending into a body of an earth-boring tool;
exposing a portion of a first hole located proximate to a back side of the cutting element opposite a cutting face to flow of a braze material, the first hole extending over a first distance partially through the cutting element from the back side toward the cutting face, the first hole comprising a first maximum diameter;
inhibiting flow of the braze material into a second hole and into a

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Cao Wanjun
• Bilen Juan Miguel
• Webb Steven W

Classifications

• E21B10/55

  with preformed cutting elements · CPC title

• E21B10/602

  the bit being a rotary drag type bit with blades · CPC title

• E21B47/013 Primary

  Devices specially adapted for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits · CPC title

• E21B10/42

  Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits (characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62) · CPC title

• E21B10/62 Primary

  characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable (E21B10/64 takes precedence; for roller bits E21B10/20; for augers E21B10/44) · CPC title