Earth-boring tools including selectively actuatable cutting elements and related methods
First Claim
1. A method of operating an earth-boring tool, comprising:
- extending an extensible member outward from a face of the earth boring tool, the extensible member secured to the earth-boring tool, a selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device being mounted to, and extensible with, the extensible member,activating the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device to impact an underlying earth formation with a fluid from the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device;
at least one of initiating or propagating a crack in a portion of the underlying earth formation utilizing the fluid in response to activation of the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device;
subsequently deactivating the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device; and
subsequently retracting the extensible member and the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method of operating earth-boring tools may involve activating a selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device secured to the earth-boring tool to impact an underlying earth formation with a fluid from the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device. A crack may be at least one of initiated or propagated in a portion of the underlying earth formation utilizing the fluid in response to activation of the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device. The selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device may be subsequently deactivated. Earth-boring tools may include a selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device configured to transition between an activated state in which fluid is permitted to flow through the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device to engage with an underlying earth formation and a deactivated state in which fluid does not flow through the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device. The selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device may be configured to at least one of initiate or propagate cracks.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of operating an earth-boring tool, comprising:
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extending an extensible member outward from a face of the earth boring tool, the extensible member secured to the earth-boring tool, a selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device being mounted to, and extensible with, the extensible member, activating the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device to impact an underlying earth formation with a fluid from the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device; at least one of initiating or propagating a crack in a portion of the underlying earth formation utilizing the fluid in response to activation of the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device; subsequently deactivating the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device; and subsequently retracting the extensible member and the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
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a body; blades extending outward from the body to a face; shearing cutting elements mounted to the blades proximate rotationally leading surfaces of the blades; an extensible member mounted to one of the blades, the extensible member configured to selectively extend outward from the face to an extended state, and retract back toward the face to a retracted state; and a selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device mounted to, and extensible with, the extensible member, the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device configured to transition between an activated state when the extensible member is in the extended state in which fluid is permitted to flow through the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device to engage with an underlying earth formation and a deactivated state when the extensible member is in the retracted state in which fluid does not flow through the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device, the selectively activatable hydraulic fracturing device configured to perform at least one of crack initiation or crack propagation within the underlying earth formation at least upon initial activation into the activated state. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification