FIXED CUTTER BITS AND OTHER DOWNHOLE TOOLS HAVING NON-PLANAR CUTTING ELEMENTS THEREON

• US 20180334860A1
• Filed: 11/20/2016
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Azar, Michael G., Valliyappan, Somasundaram, Gregg, Jason R., Self, Jordan Mark, Spagnoletti, Keisha Marie, Barr, Alexei Jozef, Durairajan, Balasubramanian
• Granted Patent: US 10,794,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/5673 having a non planar or non circular cutting face

Abstract

A downhole cutting tool includes a body having a central axis extending therethrough, a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the body and converging towards a central region around the central axis, and at least one cutting element having a longitudinal axis, a non-cylindrical substrate, and an ultra-hard material body on the non-cylindrical substrate, the ultra-hard material body having a side surface extending around a cutting face and defining a cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body, and the side surface comprising an edge having an inner angle of less than 180 degrees.

Claims

1. A cutting tool, comprising:

a body having a central axis extending therethrough;

a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the body and converging towards a central region around the central axis; and

at least one cutting element, comprising;

a longitudinal axis;

a non-cylindrical substrate; and

an ultra-hard material body on the non-cylindrical substrate, the ultra-hard material body comprising;

a side surface extending around a cutting face and defining a cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body, the side surface comprising an edge having an inner angle of less than 180 degrees.

2. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body is tear-drop.

3. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body is triangular.

4. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting face is non-planar.

5. The cutting tool of claim 4, wherein the cutting face is defined by at least two intersecting surfaces forming a linear peak extending a width of the cutting face, from a first portion of the side surface to a second portion of the side surface.

6. The cutting tool of claim 5, wherein an axial height of the ultra-hard material body at the first portion is greater than the axial height of the ultra-hard material body at the second portion.

7. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body substantially aligns with a non-circular cross-sectional shape of the non-cylindrical substrate defined along a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.

8. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body is different from a cross-sectional shape of the non-cylindrical substrate defined along a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.

9. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the non-cylindrical substrate comprises a first cross-sectional shape along a first plane transverse to the longitudinal axis and a second cross-sectional shape along a second plane transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different than the second cross-sectional shape.

10. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the ultra-hard material body varies along the longitudinal axis.

11. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting element is on at least one of the plurality of blades or is on the body between the plurality of blades and in the central region.

12. (canceled)

13. A cutting element, comprising:

a longitudinal axis;

a substrate; and

an ultra-hard material body disposed on the substrate, the ultra-hard material body comprising;

a non-planar outer surface having a plurality of linear peaks and a plurality of valleys alternating there between, the plurality of linear peaks converging at an apex.

14. The cutting element of claim 13, where at least one of the plurality of valleys maintains a concave shape along its height.

15. The cutting element of claim 13, where the alternating plurality of linear peaks and valleys form a plurality of lobes.

16. The cutting element of claim 15, where at least one of the plurality of lobes extends in a radially outward direction at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis.

17. A downhole cutting tool, comprising:

a body having a central axis extending therethrough;

a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the body and converging towards a central region around the central axis; and

at least one cutting element, comprising;

a substrate; and

an ultra-hard material body on the substrate, the ultra-hard material body comprising;

a non-planar cutting face comprising two intersecting surfaces forming a linear peak, the linear peak extending a width of the non-planar cutting face; and

wherein an axial height of the ultra-hard material body along the linear peak varies.

18. The cutting tool of claim 17, wherein the axial height continuously decreases across the width of the non-planar cutting face.

19. The cutting tool of claim 17, wherein the substrate is non-cylindrical.

21. The cutting tool of claim 17, further comprising:

a retainer disposed around at least a base portion of the substrate, the retainer comprising a first inner diameter less than a second inner diameter, and the base portion comprising a base surface and an outer diameter greater than the first inner diameter of the retainer;

a bearing base; and

at least one bearing mechanism disposed between the bearing base and the base surface of the substrate.

22. The cutting tool of claim 17, wherein the cutting element is on the tool body between the plurality of blades in the central region.

20. (canceled)

23. (canceled)