Drill bits and other articles of manufacture including a layer-manufactured shell integrally secured to a cast structure and methods of fabricating same
First Claim
1. A rotary-type earth-boring drill bit comprising:
- a bit body having a first longitudinal extent and including;
a bit crown having a second longitudinal extent less than said first longitudinal extent and comprising particulate material configured as a shell having a substantially hollow interior portion; and
a core material including a first portion disposed within said substantially hollow interior portion of said bit crown and secured to said bit crown and a second portion extending longitudinally beyond said second longitudinal extent of said bit crown, said second portion of said core material forming at least a portion of an exterior, longitudinally extending surface of said bit body at a bit gage region located longitudinally adjacent said bit crown.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rotary-type earth-boring drill bit including a layer-manufactured, substantially hollow bit crown and an integral bit interior and bit gage. The bit interior and bit gage may be formed of a particulate material infiltrated with an infiltrant material. A particulate material of the bit crown may be integrally infiltrated with the particulate material of the bit interior and bit gage. Alternatively, the bit interior and bit gage may comprise a single cast material. The particulate material of the bit crown may be infiltrated with the cast material of the bit interior and bit gage. A method of fabricating the drill bit includes employing known layered-manufacturing techniques to fabricate the bit crown, positioning a bit gage mold adjacent the bit crown, and disposing a core material within an interior of the bit crown and a cavity of the bit gage mold. A mold that may be employed to fabricate the drill bit includes an initially conforming mold region, in which the pre-fabricated bit crown may be disposed, and a second, substantially rigid mold region including a cavity to define the gage of the drill bit. Preferably, the conforming mold region is formed of a non-wettable, granular material.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A rotary-type earth-boring drill bit comprising:
-
a bit body having a first longitudinal extent and including;
a bit crown having a second longitudinal extent less than said first longitudinal extent and comprising particulate material configured as a shell having a substantially hollow interior portion; and
a core material including a first portion disposed within said substantially hollow interior portion of said bit crown and secured to said bit crown and a second portion extending longitudinally beyond said second longitudinal extent of said bit crown, said second portion of said core material forming at least a portion of an exterior, longitudinally extending surface of said bit body at a bit gage region located longitudinally adjacent said bit crown. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification