US-12618293-B2 - PDC bit element with retention feature

Abstract

A drill bit includes a bit body, one or more blades forming part of the bit body, a plurality of cutter pockets defined in the one or more blades, each cutter pocket providing a floor and an orifice defined in the floor, and a plurality of cutters secured to the one or more blades at the plurality of cutter pockets. Each cutter includes a substrate, a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface, and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate and sized to be received within the orifice of a corresponding one of the plurality of cutter pockets.

Inventors

• Samuel BARNETT
• Dustin Lyles
• Warren Dyer
• Blake Cameron RICHNOW

Assignees

• Taurex Drill Bits, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240605

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A drill bit, comprising: a bit body; one or more blades forming part of the bit body; a plurality of cutter pockets defined in the one or more blades, each cutter pocket providing a floor and an orifice defined in the floor; and a plurality of cutters secured with braze to the one or more blades at the plurality of cutter pockets, each cutter including: a substrate; a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface; and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate and providing a cylindrical sidewall parallel to a sidewall of the substrate, the retention feature being sized to be received within the orifice of a corresponding one of the plurality of cutter pockets, wherein the cylindrical sidewall extends at a constant first diameter between the bottom surface of the substrate and a bottom face of the retention feature, the bottom face being perpendicular to the cylindrical sidewall, and wherein the constant first diameter is smaller than a diameter of the sidewall of the substrate.
2. 2 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the retention feature comprises a cylindrical body extending concentric with a central axis of the cutter.
3. 3 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the retention feature comprises an integral extension of the substrate.
4. 4 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the retention feature is 80% or less than a diameter of the substrate.
5. 5 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the bottom face of the retention feature extends in a plane substantially parallel with a plane extending through the bottom surface of the substrate.
6. 6 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the retention feature is received within the orifice via an interference fit.
7. 7 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the retention feature is loosely received within the orifice.
8. 8 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein each cutter is received within a corresponding one of the plurality of cutter pockets such that the bottom face abuts against at least a portion of a distal end of the orifice.
9. 9 . The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the sidewall of the substrate extends above a top face of the blade, and wherein the orifice is entirely defined in the floor below the top face of the blade.
10. 10 . A method of securing a cutter to a cutter pocket of a drill bit, comprising receiving the cutter in the cutter pocket, the cutter including: a substrate; a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface; and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate and providing a cylindrical sidewall parallel to a sidewall of the substrate; centering the cutter within the cutter pocket by receiving the retention feature in an orifice defined in a floor of the cutter pocket; and attaching the cutter in the cutter pocket with braze while the retention feature is received within the orifice, wherein the cylindrical sidewall of the retention feature extends at a constant first diameter between the bottom surface of the substrate and a bottom face of the retention feature, the bottom face being perpendicular to the cylindrical sidewall of the retention feature, and wherein the constant first diameter is smaller than a diameter of the sidewall of the substrate.
11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising holding the cutter in place during attaching with the retention feature received within the orifice.
12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising preventing floating of the cutter within the cutter pocket during attaching with the retention feature received within the orifice.
13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the cutter in the cutter pocket is preceded by milling the orifice into the floor of the cutter pocket.
14. 14 . A method of manufacturing a cutter for a drill bit, comprising: securing a diamond table to a first end of a substrate; and providing a retention feature on a second end of the substrate opposite the first end, wherein the retention feature comprises a body and a sidewall parallel to a sidewall of the substrate and extends at a constant first diameter between the bottom surface of the substrate and a bottom face of the retention feature, the bottom face being perpendicular to the sidewall of the retention feature, wherein the constant first diameter is smaller than a diameter of the sidewall of the substrate, the retention feature being sized to be received within an orifice defined in a floor of a cutter pocket of the drill bit, wherein the cutter is configured to be secured with braze to the cutter pocket along at least a portion of the sidewall of the substrate.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the body exhibits a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of circular, oval, ovoid, polygonal, gear-toothed, and any combination thereof.
16. 16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the retention feature on the second end comprises aligning the body concentric with a central axis of the cutter.
17. 17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the retention feature on the second end comprises forming the retention feature on the second end as integral extension of the substrate.
18. 18 . The drill bit of claim 14 , wherein the cutter pocket is defined in a blade of the drill bit, and wherein the portion of the sidewall of the substrate extends above a top face of the blade, and wherein the orifice is entirely defined in the floor below the top face of the blade.
19. 19 . The drill bit of claim 14 , wherein the portion of the sidewall of the substrate is located above a top of the orifice.
20. 20 . A method of retrofitting a drill bit, comprising forming an orifice defined in a floor of a cutter pocket; receiving a cutter in the cutter pocket, the cutter including: a substrate; a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface; and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate and providing a cylindrical sidewall parallel to a sidewall of the substrate, wherein the cylindrical sidewall of the retention feature exhibits a constant first diameter between the bottom surface of the substrate and a bottom face of the retention feature, the bottom face being perpendicular to the cylindrical sidewall, wherein the constant first diameter is smaller than a diameter of the sidewall of the substrate; centering the cutter within the cutter pocket by receiving the retention feature in the orifice, wherein the bottom surface contacts the floor when the retention feature is received within the orifice; and attaching the cutter in the cutter pocket with braze while the retention feature is received within the orifice.

Description

BACKGROUND Wellbores for the oil and gas industry are commonly drilled by a process of rotary drilling. In conventional rotary drilling, a drill bit is mounted to the end of a drill string, which may be extended to reach a desired depth by progressively adding tubing segments on site while drilling. In some drilling configurations, a rotary table or top drive included on a drilling rig turns the drill string, including the drill bit arranged within the wellbore, to progressively penetrate the subterranean formation while drilling fluid is pumped through the drill string. In other drilling configurations, the drill bit may be rotated using a downhole mud motor arranged adjacent the drill bit in the downhole environment and powered, for example, using the circulating drilling fluid. A common type of drill bit used to drill wellbores is known as a “fixed cutter” bit, which includes blades with cutters mounted thereon. As the drill bit rotates, and due to the alignment of the cutters positioned on the blades, the cutters make contact with the subterranean formation and deepen the wellbore by progressively shearing away layers of the subterranean rock. Due to the hardness of the subterranean rock and the downhole drilling conditions to which the cutters are exposed, the cutters may dull or even evacuate (dislodge from) the body of the drill bit entirely. Oftentimes, the initial cutter installation is influential in extending the life of the cutter within the fixed-cutter blades. Accordingly, an efficient means of cutter installation and cutter retention is desirable. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Various details of the present disclosure are hereinafter summarized to provide a basic understanding. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and is neither intended to identify certain elements of the disclosure, nor to delineate the scope thereof. Rather, the primary purpose of this summary is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form prior to the more detailed description that is presented hereinafter. According to an embodiment consistent with the present disclosure, a drill bit is disclosed and includes a bit body, one or more blades forming part of the bit body, a plurality of cutter pockets defined in the one or more blades, each cutter pocket providing a floor and an orifice defined in the floor, and a plurality of cutters secured to the one or more blades at the plurality of cutter pockets. Each cutter includes a substrate, a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface, and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate and sized to be received within the orifice of a corresponding one of the plurality of cutter pockets. According to another embodiment consistent with the present disclosure, a method of securing a cutter to a cutter pocket of a drill bit is disclosed and includes receiving the cutter in the cutter pocket, the cutter including a substrate, a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface, and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate. The method further includes centering the cutter within the cutter pocket by receiving the retention feature in an orifice defined in a floor of the cutter pocket, and attaching the cutter in the cutter pocket while the retention feature is received within the orifice. According to another embodiment consistent with the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a cutter for a drill bit is disclosed and includes securing a diamond table to a first end of a substrate, and providing a retention feature on a second end of the substrate opposite the first end. The retention feature comprises a cylindrical body sized to be received within an orifice defined in a floor of a cutter pocket of the drill bit. According to another embodiment consistent with the present disclosure, a method of retrofitting a drill bit is disclosed and includes forming an orifice defined in a floor of a cutter pocket, and receiving a cutter in the cutter pocket, the cutter including a substrate, a diamond table secured to the substrate at an interface, and a retention feature extending from a bottom surface of the substrate. The method further includes centering the cutter within the cutter pocket by receiving the retention feature in the orifice, and attaching the cutter in the cutter pocket while the retention feature is received within the orifice. Any combinations of the various embodiments and implementations disclosed herein can be used in a further embodiment, consistent with the disclosure. These and other aspects and features can be appreciated from the following description of certain embodiments presented herein in accordance with the disclosure and the accompanying drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of the present disclosure, and should not be viewed as exclusive embodiments. The subject mat