Rotatable cutting elements and related earth-boring tools and methods
First Claim
1. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
- a body comprising blades extending radially outward to define a face proximate a leading end of the body, each blade comprising protruding journals proximate a rotationally leading end of each blade; and
rotatable cutting elements rotatably connected to the protruding journals;
at least one of the rotatable cutting elements comprising;
a substrate;
a polycrystalline table attached to the substrate, the polycrystalline table being located on an end of the substrate; and
an inner bore extending through the substrate and the polycrystalline table, wherein at least one of the protruding journals is at least partially located within the inner bore,wherein a rotationally leading end of the at least one of the protruding journals does not extend beyond a cutting face of the at least one of the rotatable cutting elements.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Earth-boring tools may comprise rotatable cutting elements rotatably connected to protruding journals, which may be at least partially located within inner bores extending through the rotatable cutting elements. A rotationally leading end of one of the protruding journals may not extend beyond a cutting face of its associated rotatable cutting element. Alternatively, a protruding journal may comprise a chip breaker protruding from a cutting face of a rotatable cutting element. Methods of removing an earth formation may include directing cuttings forward, away from a cutting face of a rotatable cutting element then the cuttings reach an inner bore of the rotatable cutting element, and rotating the rotatable cutting element around a protruding journal at least partially located in the inner bore.
61 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
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a body comprising blades extending radially outward to define a face proximate a leading end of the body, each blade comprising protruding journals proximate a rotationally leading end of each blade; and rotatable cutting elements rotatably connected to the protruding journals;
at least one of the rotatable cutting elements comprising;a substrate; a polycrystalline table attached to the substrate, the polycrystalline table being located on an end of the substrate; and an inner bore extending through the substrate and the polycrystalline table, wherein at least one of the protruding journals is at least partially located within the inner bore, wherein a rotationally leading end of the at least one of the protruding journals does not extend beyond a cutting face of the at least one of the rotatable cutting elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
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a body comprising blades extending radially outward to define a face proximate a leading end of the body, each blade comprising protruding journals proximate a rotationally leading end of each blade; and rotatable cutting elements rotatably connected to the protruding journals;
at least one of the rotatable cutting elements comprising;a substrate; a polycrystalline table attached to the substrate, the polycrystalline table being located on an end of the substrate; and an inner bore extending through the substrate and the polycrystalline table, wherein at least one of the protruding journals is at least partially located within the inner bore, wherein the at least one of the protruding journals comprises a chip breaker protruding from a cutting face of the polycrystalline table, wherein the at least one of the rotatable cutting elements is not located within a pocket extending into the blade. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of removing an earth formation, comprising:
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rotating a body of an earth-boring tool; engaging a rotatable cutting element with an earth formation, wherein the rotatable cutting element is rotatably connected to a protruding journal proximate a rotationally leading portion of a blade, the blade extending from the body, wherein the rotatable cutting element is not located within a pocket extending into the blade; directing cuttings forward, away from a cutting face of the rotatable cutting element, when the cuttings reach an inner bore extending through the rotatable cutting element; and rotating the rotatable cutting element around the protruding journal responsive to the engagement of the rotatable cutting element with the earth formation, which is at least partially located in the inner bore of the rotatable cutting element. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification