Drill bit cutter elements and drill bits including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598153-B2
Application number	US-201917270147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 10, 2018
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A cutter element for a drill bit includes a base portion having a central axis, a first end, and a second end. In addition, the cutter element includes a cutting layer fixably mounted to the first end of the base portion. The cutting layer includes a cutting face distal the base portion. The cutting face includes an elongate raised ridge having a first end at a radially outer surface of the cutting layer and a second end at the radially outer surface of the cutting layer. The raised ridge defines a maximum height of the cutter element measured axially from the second end of the base portion to the cutting face. The cutting face also includes a first planar lateral side surface and a second planar lateral side surface. Each planar lateral side surface extends from the raised ridge to the radially outer surface of the cutting layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutter element for a drill bit configured to drill a borehole in a subterranean formation, the cutter element comprising:
a base portion having a central axis, a first end, a second end, and a radially outer cylindrical surface extending axially from the first end to the second end;
a cutting layer fixably mounted to the first end of the base portion, wherein the cutting layer includes a cutting face distal the base portion and a radially outer cylindrical surface extending axially from the cutting face to the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion, wherein the radically outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer is contiguous with the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion;
wherein the cutting face comprises:
an elongate raised ridge extending across the cutting face, wherein the raised ridge has a first end at the radially outer surface of the cutting layer and a second end at the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer, and wherein the raised ridge defines a maximum height of the cutter element measured axially from the second end of the base portion to the cutting face;
a first planar lateral side surface extending from the raised ridge to the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer; and
a second planar lateral side surface extending from the raised ridge to the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer;
wherein the raised ridge of the cutting face comprises a central surface, a cutting surface extending radially from the central surface toward the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer, and a relief surface extending radially from the central surface toward the radically outer cylindrical surface, wherein the central surface is planar;
wherein the central surface has a length L measured from a first intersection of the central surface and the cutting surface to a second intersection of the central surface and the relief surface in top view;
wherein the central surface has a width W measured from a third intersection of the central surface and the first planar lateral side surface to a fourth intersection of the central surface and the second planar lateral side surface in top view;
wherein the ratio of the length L to a diameter of the base portion is between 0.10 and 0.90; and
wherein an aspect ratio of the central surface equal to the ratio of the length L to the width W is between 0.10 and 30.0.

2. The cutter element of claim 1 , wherein each planar lateral side surface extends axially toward the base portion moving from the raised ridge toward the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer.

3. The cutter element of claim 2 , wherein each planar lateral side surface is oriented at an angle α relative to a reference plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis, wherein each angle α ranges from 5° to 25°.

4. The cutter element of claim 3 , wherein the angle α between the first planar lateral side surface and the reference plane is equal to the angle α between the second planar lateral side surface and the reference plane.

5. The cutter element of claim 1 , wherein the central surface is oriented perpendicular to the central axis.

6. The cutter element of claim 5 , wherein the central surface is radially centered on the cutting face.

7. The cutting element of claim 5 , wherein the central surface is rectangular.

8. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is planar and the relief surface is planar.

9. The cutting element of claim 8 , wherein the cutting surface is oriented at an acute angle β relative to a reference plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein the relief surface is oriented at an acute angle θ relative to the reference plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis, wherein the angle β ranges from 1° to 20° and the angle θ ranges from 1° to 20°.

10. The cutting element of claim 8 , wherein the cutting surface slopes axially toward the base portion moving radially outward from the central surface toward the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer and the relief surface slopes axially toward the base portion moving radially outward from the central surface toward the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer.

11. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface is continuously curved and concave or convex between the central surface and the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer and the relief surface is continuously curved and concave or convex between the central surface and the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer.

12. The cutter element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first planar flat extending from the cutting face along the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer into the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion;
a second planar flat extending from the cutting face along the radially outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer into the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion, wherein the first planar flat and the second planar flat are circumferentially spaced part.

13. The cutter element of claim 12 ,
wherein the first planar flat extends circumferentially along a portion of the first planar lateral side surface and a portion of the cutting surface;
wherein the second planar flat extends circumferentially along a portion of the second planar lateral side surface and a portion of the cutting surface.

14. The cutter element of claim 12 , wherein the first planar flat is oriented perpendicular to a first reference plane containing the central axis and the second planar flat is oriented perpendicular to a second reference plane containing the central axis;
wherein the first reference plane and the second reference plane are angularly spaced apart about the central axis by an angle μ that ranges from 70° to 120°.

15. The cutter element of claim 14 , wherein each planar flat slopes radially outward moving axially from the cutting face into the base portion.

16. The cutter element of claim 15 , wherein the first planar flat is oriented at an angle σ 1 relative to the central axis as measured in the first reference plane and the second planar flat is oriented at an angle σ 2 relative to the central axis as measured in the second reference plane, wherein the angle σ 1 ranges from 2° to 10° and the angle σ 2 ranges from 2° to 10°.

17. The cutter element of claim 16 , wherein the cutting face is symmetric about a reference plane containing the central axis and bisecting the raised ridge.

18. A cutter element for a drill bit configured to drill a borehole in a subterranean formation, the cutter element comprising:
a base portion having a central axis, a first end, a second end, and a radially outer cylindrical surface extending axially from the first end to the second end;
a cutting layer fixably mounted to the first end of the base portion, wherein the cutting layer includes a cutting face distal the base portion and a radially outer cylindrical surface extending axially from the cutting face to the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion, wherein the radically outer cylindrical surface of the cutting layer is contiguous with the radially outer cylindrical surface of the base portion;
wherein the cutting face comprises:
an elongate raised ridge extending across the cutting face, wherein the raised ridge has a first end at the radially outer surface of the cutting layer and a second end at the radially out

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Dht Lp
• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Graham Ryan Basson
• Rahmani Reza
• Pacheco Olivia N

Classifications

• E21B10/567

  with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts · CPC title

• E21B10/573

  characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element · CPC title

• E21B10/55

  with preformed cutting elements · CPC title

• E21B10/5673 Primary

  having a non planar or non circular cutting face · CPC title

• E21B10/43

  characterised by the arrangement of teeth or other cutting elements · CPC title