CUTTER TOOL INSERT HAVING SENSING DEVICE

• US 20120325564A1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diamond Innovations Incorporated (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Diamond Innovations Incorporated (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Vaughn, Joel, Webb, Steven W., Dapsalmon, Patrick Georges Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/428
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/36 Percussion drill bits with helical conveying portion E21B10/445; characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/46 characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/56 Button-type inserts E21B10/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 12/02 Wear indicators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/013 Devices specially adapted for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A cutting element for an earth-boring drilling tool and its method of making are provided. The cutting element may include a substrate, a superhard layer, and a sensing element. The superhard layer may be bonded to the substrate along an interface. The superhard layer may have a working surface opposite the interface and an outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface may extend between the working surface and the interface. The sensing element may comprise at least a part of the superhard layer.

Claims

1. A cutting element for an earth-boring drilling tool, comprising:

a substrate;

a superhard layer bonded to the substrate along an interface, the superhard layer having a working surface opposite the interface and an outer peripheral surface extending between the working surface and the interface; and

a sensing element comprising at least a part of the superhard layer.

2. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the sensing element measures one or more parameters selected from a group of temperature, pressure, wear, magnetic properties, wear volume, force, acceleration, electrical conductivity, and combinations thereof.

3. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises a sensor that is selected from a group of temperature sensors, pyroelectric sensors, piezoelectric sensors, magnetic sensors, acoustic sensors, optical sensors, infrared sensors, electrodes, electrical resistance sensors, and combinations thereof.

4. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, further comprises transferring means for transferring output signals from the sensing element to a circuit.

5. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises an entire superhard layer.

6. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard layer comprises diamond.

7. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard layer comprises sintered polycrystalline diamond.

8. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard layer comprises leached sintered polycrystalline diamond.

9. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises at least a part of the substrate.

10. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a hard metal.

11. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the hard metal comprises tungsten carbide.

12. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard layer comprises a composite diamond material.

13. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 4, wherein the transferring means is a connector configured to attach to the superhard layer.

14. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 4, wherein the transferring means comprises a connector configured to attach to the substrate.

15. The cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 1, wherein the sensing element comprises conductive passage ways in the superhard layer adapted to cross the interface and extend through the substrate.

16. A method of making a cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool, comprising:

providing a superhard layer wherein at least a part of superhard layer comprises a sensing element and transferring means;

providing a substrate; and

bonding the substrate to the superhard layer.

17. The method of making a cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 16, wherein the sensing element comprises a connector.

18. The method of making a cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 16, wherein the sensing element comprises a conductive passage way in the superhard layer.

19. The method of making a cutting element for earth-boring drilling tool of claim 17, wherein the conductive passage way is adapted to extend through the substrate.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a superhard layer having a working surface and an interface opposite to the working surface, the superhard layer further comprising an outer peripheral surface extending between the working surface and the interface, wherein

the superhard layer comprises a sensing element and a connector, wherein the sensing element is configured to generate information relating to the superhard layer; and

the connector is configured to send information generated from the sensing element to a circuit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a substrate bonded to the superhard layer along the interface.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensing element measures one or more parameters selected from a group of temperature, pressure, wear, magnetic properties, wear volume, force, acceleration, electrical conductivity and combinations thereof.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensing element comprises a sensor selected from a group of temperature sensors, pyroelectric sensors, piezoelectric sensors, magnetic sensors, acoustic sensors, optical sensors, infrared sensors, electrodes, electrical resistance sensors, and combinations thereof.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the superhard layer comprises polycrystalline diamond.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate comprises a hard metal.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the superhard layer comprises a composite diamond material.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensing element comprises a conductive passageway in the superhard layer adapted to cross the interface and extend to the substrate.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the superhard layer comprises diamond.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate comprises tungsten carbide.