Drill Bit Inserts and Drill Bits Including Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022081975-A1
Application number	US-202117535119-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Mar 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An insert for a drill bit includes a base portion. In addition, the insert includes a formation engaging portion extending from the base portion. The formation engaging portion has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and a second lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and an elongate crown extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end and laterally from the first lateral side to the second lateral side. The first lateral side comprises a first curved surface having a first radius of curvature in top view of the insert and the second lateral side includes a second curved surface having a second radius of curvature in top view of the insert. The first radius of curvature of the first curved surface is different than the second radius of curvature of the second curved surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An insert for a drill bit, the insert comprising:
a base portion; a formation engaging portion extending from the base portion, wherein the formation engaging portion has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and a second lateral side extending from the first end to the second end, and an elongate crown extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end and laterally from the first lateral side to the second lateral side; wherein the first lateral side comprises a first curved surface having a first radius of curvature in top view of the insert and the second lateral side comprises a second curved surface having a second radius of curvature in top view of the insert, wherein the first radius of curvature of the first curved surface is different than the second radius of curvature of the second curved surface.

2 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the insert has a width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, wherein the width of the insert increases moving longitudinally from the first end and the width of the insert increases moving longitudinally from the second end.

3 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the insert has a width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, wherein the width of the insert decreases moving longitudinally from the first end and the width of the insert decreases moving longitudinally from the second end.

4 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the insert has a width measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, wherein the width of the insert decreases continuously moving longitudinally from the first end to the second end.

5 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the first end comprises a planar surface and the second end comprises a planar surface.

6 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the elongate crown includes a peaked ridge extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end, wherein the peaked ridge defines an extension height for the insert, and wherein the elongated crown has a radius of curvature in a front profile of the insert.

7 . The insert of claim 6 , wherein the peaked ridge is concave or convex in side view of the insert.

8 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the elongate crown comprises a planar surface extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end.

9 . The insert of claim 1 , wherein the elongate crown includes a peaked ridge extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end, wherein the peaked ridge defines an extension height for the insert;
wherein the elongated crown includes a first section in a front profile of the insert and a second section in the front profile of the insert, wherein the first section intersects the second section in the front profile, wherein the first section has a first radius of curvature in the front profile and the second section has a second radius of curvature in the front profile.

10 . The insert of claim 9 , wherein the first radius of curvature is the same as the second radius of curvature in the front profile.

11 . A drill bit for drilling a borehole in an earthen formation, the bit having a central axis and a cutting direction of rotation, the bit comprising:
a bit body configured to rotate about the axis in the cutting direction of rotation, wherein the bit body includes a bit face; a blade extending radially along the bit face; the insert of claim 1 mounted to the blade and extending from a surface of the blade.

12 . The drill bit of claim 9 , further comprising:
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the blade and extending from the surface of the blade, wherein each cutter element includes a forward-facing cutting face; wherein the insert trails the plurality of cutter elements mounted to the blade relative to the cutting direction of rotation.

13 . The drill bit of claim 12 , wherein the insert is disposed at a radial position defined by a radial distance measured from the central axis of the drill bit;
wherein each cutter element comprises a cutting face disposed at a radial position defined by a radial distance measured from the central axis of the drill bit; wherein the radial position of the insert is the same as the radial position of the cutting face of one of the plurality of cutter elements.

14 . The drill bit of claim 12 , wherein each cutter element comprises a cutting face extending to an extension height measured perpendicularly from the surface of the blade;
wherein the insert extends to an extension height measured perpendicularly from the surface of the blade; wherein the extension height of the insert is less than or equal to the extension height of one of the cutter elements.

15 . The drill bit of claim 14 , wherein each cutting face has an outer radius;
wherein the elongate crown of the insert includes a peaked ridge extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end, wherein the peaked ridge defines the extension height of the insert; wherein the elongated crown includes a first section in a front profile of the insert and a second section in the front profile of the insert, wherein the first section intersects the second section in the front profile, wherein the first section has a first radius of curvature in the front profile and the second section has a second radius of curvature in the front profile; wherein the first radius of curvature is less than or equal to the radius of the cutting face of one of the plurality of cutter elements; wherein the second radius of curvature is less than or equal to the radius of one of the plurality of cutter elements.

16 . The drill bit of claim 15 , wherein the first radius of curvature is the same as the second radius of curvature in the front profile.

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Dht Lp

Inventors

• Rahmani Reza
• Omidvar Navid
• Aghdam Afshin Babaie
• Graham Ryan Basson

Classifications

• E21B10/52

  with chisel- or button-type inserts · CPC title

• E21B10/43

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

• E21B10/627

  with plural detachable cutting elements · CPC title

• E21B10/5673 Primary

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