Earth-boring tool geometry and cutter arrangements and related apparatus and methods

Abstract

An earth-boring tool may include a tool body, at least one blade, and a rolling cutter pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blade. The earth-boring tool may also include a rolling cutter assembly disposed in the pocket. The rolling cutter assembly may include a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolling cutter assembly. The earth-boring tool may also include at least one interface cutting element extending from a surface of the dimple.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to earth-boring operations. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to earth-boring tool geometries and cutter arrangements, and associated apparatus and methods. Background Art

[0002] Wellbore drilling operations may involve the use of earth-boring tools at the end of a long tubular string, commonly referred to as a drill string. Earth-boring tools may be used to drill through formations such as rock, earth, sand, tar, etc. In some cases, the earth-boring tool may be configured to drill through additional elements that may be present in the wellbore, such as cement, casing (e.g., wellbore casing), abandoned or damaged equipment (e.g., fish, objects, etc.), packers, etc. In some cases, the earth-boring tool may be configured to drill through plugs (e.g., fracturing plugs, bridge plugs, cement plugs, etc.). In some cases, the plug may include a slip or other type of anchor, and the earth-boring tool may be configured to drill through the plug and any slips, anchors, and other components thereof.

[0003] The earth-boring tool may include a cutting structure formed of an abrasive having a high hardness property. The cutting structure may be configured to engage the formation and the additional elements to remove material therein. When the cutting structure engages the formation and the additional elements, debris (e.g., chips, shavings, loose material, etc.) and a large amount of heat may be generated. If the debris and heat are not dissipated, they may cause the cutting structure to fail prematurely, requiring the earth-boring tool to be disassembled for repair and or replacement. This may result in a significant loss of time, thereby reducing efficiency and increasing the cost of the drilling operation.

[0004] Fixed blade drill bits include polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits and other scraper drill bits. Such drill bits generally include: a drill body having an external threaded connection at one end for connecting to a drill string; and a plurality of cutting blades extending from the opposite end of the drill body. The cutting blades form the cutting surface of the drill bit. A plurality of cutting elements such as PDC cutters or other materials hard enough to deform and / or cut through the formation are attached to or inserted into the blades of the drill bit. These cutters extend from the drill bit and form the cutting profile of the drill bit. The cutting elements include, for example, polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride, which is formed on or bonded to a substrate generally composed of sintered tungsten carbide. The cutting elements are arranged in selected positions on the blades or other structures on the drill body, wherein the diamond cutting elements generally face the direction of rotation of the drill bit. The plurality of cutting elements are used during drilling operations, and are used to cut through underground formations when the drill bit is driven by a motor or a drilling rig to rotate on the surface of the formation. Fixed blade drill bits have the advantage of being more aggressive during drilling and therefore typically exhibit higher penetration rates than, for example, roller bits at equivalent weight on bit (WOB) levels. In addition, they have no moving parts, which makes their design less complex and more robust. In addition, they require greater torque to rotate during drilling. During drilling operations, fixed blade drill bits rotate to cut the formation under the application of weight on bit to remove formation material. The cutting elements on fixed blade drill bits are continuously engaged while scraping the formation material, while the cutting elements on each rolling cutter of a roller bit are intermittently pressed into and broken up the formation with little or no relative scraping motion between the cutting elements and the formation.

[0005] A roller cone drill bit is an earth-boring drill bit that is known to be a durable tool for drilling hard and abrasive formations. A roller cone type drill bit generally comprises a drill bit body having an external threaded connection at one end and a plurality of roller cones (usually three) attached to the other end of the drill bit at an offset angle. These roller cones are capable of rotating about bearings and independently rotating relative to the drill bit body. The drill bit is fixed to the lower end of a drill string that is driven from the surface or rotated by a downhole motor or turbine. As the drill string rotates, a cutter mounted on the drill bit rolls and slides over the borehole, thereby engaging and breaking up the formation material to be removed. The roller cone drill bit is configured with cutting elements or cutting teeth that are pressed into and chipped at the bottom of the borehole by the load applied by the drill string. The cuttings at the bottom and sides of the borehole are flushed away and carried for disposal by drilling fluid. The drilling fluid is pumped from the surface into the hollow rotating drill string and flows through nozzles (spinnerets) on the drill bit. Finally, the drilling fluid carries the cuttings back to the surface along the outside of the drill string.

[0006] A new type of drill bit has emerged in the field of drilling, known as a "hybrid" drill bit. The working face of this drill bit is equipped with both fixed cutting blades and roller cones. Hybrid drill bits are designed to overcome some of the limiting characteristics of roller cone and fixed cutter drill bits, such as balling, reduced drilling efficiency, tracking and wear. In many applications, PDC fixed cutter drill bits have replaced roller cone drill bits. However, roller cone drill bits are uniquely positioned for applications involving hard, abrasive "interbedded" formations, complex directional drilling applications, and applications involving high torque requirements. In these applications, hybrid drill bits can significantly improve roller cone drill bit performance with fewer restrictions compared to conventional PDC drill bits. Summary of the invention

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an earth-boring tool. The earth-boring tool may include a tool body, at least one blade, and a rolled cutter pocket defined in the tool body adjacent to the at least one blade. The earth-boring tool may also include a rolled cutter assembly disposed in the pocket. The rolled cutter assembly may include a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolled cutter assembly. The earth-boring tool may also include at least one interface cutting element extending from a surface of the pocket.

[0008] Another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a method of forming an earth-boring tool. The method may include forming a tool body including at least one blade and a recess defined in the tool body adjacent to the at least one blade. The method may also include coupling at least one interface cutting element to the tool body in the recess. The method may also include positioning a rolling cutter assembly into the recess, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is positioned between at least two cutting elements extending from the rolling cutter assembly.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an earth-boring tool. The earth-boring tool may include a rolling cutter assembly configured to rotate relative to a tool body of the earth-boring tool about a longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly. The earth-boring tool may also include one or more interface cutting elements extending from the tool body to a surface of the rolling cutter assembly. The one or more interface cutting elements may be configured to break up debris in an area between the rolling cutter assembly and the tool body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] While the specification concludes with claims that particularly point out and distinctly claim embodiments of the present disclosure, various advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure may be readily ascertained from the following description of certain embodiments of the present disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an earth-boring tool according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 a perspective view of an earth-boring tool of FIG. 1 with one or more components removed to illustrate additional elements of the earth-boring tool;

[0013] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 an enlarged view of a portion of an earth-boring tool of with parts removed to illustrate additional elements of the earth-boring tool;

[0014] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a joint between a rolled cutter assembly and a tool body of an earth-boring tool;

[0015] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 an enlarged view of a portion of an earth-boring tool of FIG. 1 with parts removed to illustrate additional elements of the earth-boring tool; and

[0016] Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 An enlarged view of a portion of an earth-boring tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular earth-boring tool or components thereof, but are merely idealized representations used to describe illustrative embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0018] As used herein, the term "earth-boring tool" refers to and includes any type of drill bit or tool used to drill a hole during the formation or enlargement of a wellbore in a subterranean formation. For example, earth-boring tools include fixed cutter drill bits, roller cone drill bits, percussion drill bits, core drill bits, eccentric drill bits, bi-center drill bits, reamer drill bits, milling drill bits, drag bits, hybrid drill bits (e.g., rolling elements combined with fixed cutting elements), and other drill bits and tools known in the art.

[0019] As used herein, the terms "interface cutter" and "interface cutting element" mean and include a cutter or cutting element directed toward a junction between parts of an earth-boring tool. The interface cutter or interface cutting element may be positioned at an area (e.g., an area or volume) defined at a junction between parts of an earth-boring tool and configured to engage with formation material and debris in the area. The interface cutter and interface cutting element may be positioned and configured not to engage or contact a formation or wellbore wall.

[0020] As used herein, the term "substantially" with reference to a given parameter means and includes satisfying a given parameter, characteristic, or condition to the extent that one skilled in the art would understand, with a small degree of deviation, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, a substantially satisfied parameter may be at least about 90% satisfied, at least about 95% satisfied, at least about 99% satisfied, or even at least about 100% satisfied.

[0021] As used herein, relational terms such as "first", "second", "top", "bottom", etc., are generally used for clarity and convenience in understanding the present disclosure and the drawings, and do not imply or rely on any particular preference, orientation, or order, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0022] As used herein, terms such as front and rear are used with reference to the direction of movement of the associated elements. For example, when a drill string moves into a borehole, the bottom of the borehole is located in front of the elements of the drill string, and the surface is located behind the elements of the drill string. In another example, with respect to a cutting element on a rotary earth-boring tool, a portion of the formation that has not yet been contacted by the cutting element is located in front of the cutting element, while a portion of the formation that has been contacted by the cutting element is located behind the cutting element.

[0023] As used herein, the term "and / or" means and includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0024] As used herein, the terms "vertical" and "lateral" refer to the orientation as shown in the figures.

[0025] Figure 1 One embodiment of an earth-boring tool 100 is shown. The earth-boring tool 100 may include one or more blades 102 arranged around the body of the earth-boring tool 100. The earth-boring tool 100 may also include one or more rolled cutter assemblies 104 (e.g., roller cones), such as a hybrid drill bit. The blades 102 and / or rolled cutter assemblies 104 may be separated by a chip flute 106. The chip flute 106 may include a nozzle 108. The nozzle 108 may be configured to supply (e.g., discharge) a fluid such as water, drilling mud, etc. into the chip flute 106 and / or around the rolled cutter assembly 104.

[0026] The blade 102 may include a face 110 and a shoulder region 112. The face 110 may be oriented to face the area in front of the blade 102, and the shoulder region 112 may be a plane on a radially outer region of the blade 102. The blade 102 may include a plurality of cutter pockets 114 formed along the edge of the face 110 of the blade 102. The cutter pockets 114 may be configured to receive a cutting element, such as a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting element. The cutting element may be arranged so that the cutting face of the cutting element is in substantially the same plane as the face 110 of the blade 102. The fluid flowing from the nozzle 108 may be configured to remove debris and formation material at the cutting element and the face 110 of the blade 102 while cooling the cutting element.

[0027] The earth-boring tool 100 may also include a conical pocket 116 defined in the tool body of the earth-boring tool 100 between at least two blades 102. The conical pocket 116 may be configured to receive at least one of the rolled cutter assemblies 104. Each of the rolled cutter assemblies 104 may be rotatably fixed to an arm 118 extending from the earth-boring tool 100. Each of the arms 118 may be substantially aligned with an associated conical pocket 116. The arms 118 may position the rolled cutter assemblies 104 such that the rolled cutter assemblies 104 may rotate about a longitudinal axis 128 of the respective rolled cutter assembly 104. The inner diameter of the conical pocket 116 may be greater than the outer diameter of the associated rolled cutter assembly 104 such that the associated rolled cutter assembly 104 may rotate within the conical pocket 116 without contacting the conical pocket 116.

[0028] The rolling cutter assembly 104 may include a plurality of cutting elements 120 extending from a surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. The cutting elements 120 may be arranged in a ring 126 around the respective rolling cutter assembly 104 such that each cutting element 120 in the ring 126 is substantially the same distance from the face 124 of the associated cutting element 120. Each ring in the ring 126 may be positioned at a different distance from the face 124 of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104. The cutting elements 120 may be configured to engage the formation when the earth-boring tool 100 is deployed. The cutting elements 120 may break the formation material when the rolling cutter assembly 104 is rotated within the earth-boring tool 100. The cutting elements fixed to the blade 102 may be configured to subsequently remove the formation material broken by the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. As described above, the formation material on the blade 102 may be removed by the fluid flowing from the nozzle 108. However, in some cases, a portion of the formation material may be captured by the cutting element 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. The formation material may become lodged between the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the surface of the earth-boring tool 100 in the conical recess 116, causing excessive friction between the conical recess 116 and the rolling cutter assembly 104. Excessive friction may increase wear on the cutting element 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104, and / or may substantially impede the rotation of the rolling cutter assembly 104 relative to the earth-boring tool 100, thereby reducing the advantages of the rolling cutter assembly 104 over a stationary cutting element coupled to the blade 102. The increased wear and friction caused by the lodging of formation material between the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the earth-boring tool 100 may also wear away the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly. When the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 is worn away, the cutting element 120 may become loose and / or fall off the rolling cutter assembly 104. In some cases, formation material trapped in conical pockets 116 between rolling cutter assembly 104 and the surface of earth-boring tool 100 may also reduce the effective exposure of cutting element 120. This reduction in effective exposure of cutting element 120 may reduce the potential penetration rate of earth-boring tool 100.

[0029] Figure 2The earth-boring tool 100 is shown with the rolled cutter assembly 104 removed to illustrate the features of the conical pocket 116. The conical pocket 116 may include an end face interface surface 202 and a side boundary surface surface 204. The end face interface surface 202 may be located near the center of the earth-boring tool 100 and configured to be substantially complementary to the face 110 of the rolled cutter assembly 104. The side boundary surface surface 204 may be a curved surface that is substantially complementary to the surface 122 of the rolled cutter assembly 104. The major dimension (e.g., radius or diameter) of the curved surface of the side boundary surface surface 204 may be greater than the major dimension of the rolled cutter assembly 104, such that the rolled cutter assembly 104 and its cutting elements 120 may rotate within the conical pocket 116 without contacting the side boundary surface surface 204. At least one side of the side boundary surface 204 may be formed by the blade 102 of the earth-boring tool 100.

[0030] The side boundary surface 204 may include one or more side boundary surface cutters 206 extending from the side boundary surface 204. The side boundary surface cutters 206 may include a superhard material, such as a carbide or boride of diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, titanium, tungsten, or tantalum. For example, the side boundary surface cutters 206 may be a cutting structure such as a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting element fixed to the end interface surface 202. The side boundary surface cutters 206 may be positioned and / or spaced along the side boundary surface 204, and their positions are substantially offset from the rings 126 of the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104, as described in further detail below. For example, the side boundary surface cutters 206 may be positioned so that the side boundary surface cutters 206 will be located between the rings 126 of the cutting elements 120 of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104.

[0031] The side boundary face cutter 206 can be fixed to the side boundary face surface 204 in a reversible (e.g., removable) manner so that the side boundary face cutter 206 can be removed and / or replaced when the side boundary face cutter 206 is worn. For example, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be a cutting element fixed to the side boundary face surface 204, such as by a brazing or welding process. In another embodiment, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be fixed to the side boundary face surface 204 by a threaded connection. When the side boundary face cutter 206 is worn, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be removed and / or replaced. Replacing the worn side boundary face cutter 206 can significantly reduce the wear on the side boundary face surface 204 and other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In some embodiments, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be fixed to the side boundary face surface 204 in a non-removable manner. For example, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be fixed to the side boundary face surface 204 by an interference fit or an adhesive. In some examples, side boundary surface cutter 206 may be formed as part of side boundary surface 204 .

[0032] The face interface surface 202 may include one or more face interface cutters 208. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may extend away from the face interface surface 202. In other embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be flush with the face interface surface 202 so that the face interface surface 202 is substantially planar. The face interface cutters 208 may be formed of a material having a higher wear resistance than the material of the earth-boring tool 100. For example, the face interface cutters 208 may be formed of a superhard material, such as a carbide or boride of diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, titanium, tungsten, or tantalum. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may include a cutting structure such as a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting element fixed to the face interface surface 202. In some embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may be impregnated with a superhard material to increase the wear resistance of the entire face interface surface 202.

[0033] Figure 3 An enlarged view of the conical pit 116 is shown. The end face interface cutter 208 on the end face interface surface 202 can have a cutting face 302 that is substantially planar. In some embodiments, the end face interface cutter 208 can have a substantially planar cutting face 302. Figure 3 In other embodiments, the face interface cutter 208 may have another shape such as a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, etc. In some embodiments, the face interface cutter 208 may be disposed in the face interface surface 202 such that the cutting face 302 of the face interface cutter 208 may be in substantially the same plane as the face interface surface 202 (e.g., such that the cutting face 302 of the face interface cutter 208 does not protrude from the face interface surface 202).

[0034] The side boundary surface cutter 206 extending from the side boundary surface 204 may have a non-planar cutting surface 304, such as Figure 3 The tapered cutting face 304 or dome-shaped cutting face 304 is shown. In other embodiments, the side boundary face cutter 206 can be a cylindrical cutting element, similar to the cutting element fixed to the blade 102 of the earth-boring tool 100. The side boundary face cutter 206 can be positioned so that the cutting edge of the cutting face 304 can extend away from the side boundary face surface 204 toward the rolled cutter assembly 104.

[0035] In some embodiments, the side surface cutters 206 may be arranged along a line substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 310 of the conical recess 116. The longitudinal axis 310 of the conical recess 116 may be configured to be substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis 128 of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104. Figure 3As shown, the row of side boundary surface cutters 206 can be positioned adjacent to the leading edge 306 of the conical pit 116. In other embodiments, the side boundary surface cutters 206 can be arranged in a row at another location within the conical pit 116, such as adjacent to the trailing edge 308 of the conical pit 116 or in the central portion of the conical pit 116.

[0036] In some embodiments, the side boundary surface cutters 206 may be arranged in different areas of the conical dimple 116 rather than being positioned in a row substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 310. For example, a first side boundary surface cutter 206 may be positioned near the leading edge 306 of the conical dimple 116, a second side boundary surface cutter 206 may be positioned near the trailing edge 308 of the conical dimple 116, and a third side boundary surface cutter 206 may be positioned in a central portion of the conical dimple 116 between the first side boundary surface cutter 206 and the second side boundary surface cutter 206. In some embodiments, the conical dimple 116 may include more than one row of side boundary surface cutters 206. For example, a first row of side boundary surface cutters 206 may be positioned near the leading edge 306 of the conical dimple 116, and a second row of side boundary surface cutters 206 may be positioned near the trailing edge 308 of the conical dimple 116.

[0037] The side boundary surface cutters 206 may be arranged such that there is a longitudinal space 404 between adjacent side boundary surface cutters 206, such as Figure 4 The longitudinal space 404 can be arranged to substantially coincide with the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. Similarly, the side boundary surface cutters 206 can be arranged such that the positions of the side boundary surface cutters 206 can substantially coincide with the gaps 402 between the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. As described above, the cutting elements 120 can be arranged in the ring 126 around the rolling cutter assembly 104 ( Figure 1 ) such that when the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128, the gap 402 can be in substantially the same longitudinal position along the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 at each angular position of the rolling cutter assembly 104.

[0038] The arrangement of the longitudinal space 404 and the gap 402 can facilitate both the side boundary surface cutter 206 and the cutting element 120 to enter the plane of the opposing side boundary surface cutter 206 and the cutting element 120 without contacting the opposing side boundary surface cutter 206 and the cutting element 120. Debris captured in the cutting element 120 can cross the gap 402 between one or more cutting elements 120. Therefore, when the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128, the debris that crosses the gap 402 between the one or more cutting elements 120 can contact one or more of the fixed side boundary surface cutters 206 positioned within the gap 402, so that the debris can be broken through the joint between the side boundary surface cutter 206 and the cutting element 120. For example, the fixed side boundary surface cutter 206 and the rotating cutting element 120 can be combined to form a scissor-like joint that can break the debris captured in the cutting element 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104.

[0039] The side boundary surface cutters 206 may have a geometry that is capable of extending higher into the gaps 402 between the cutting elements 120. For example, the side boundary surface cutters 206 may include tapered cutting elements, dome-shaped cutting elements, scribe cutting elements, etc., that extend into the associated gaps 402. Increasing the height of the side boundary surface cutters 206 may significantly reduce the amount of debris that passes through the interface between the cutting elements 120 and the side boundary surface cutters 206.

[0040] Figure 5 FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the end interface surface 202 of the earth-boring tool 100. The end interface surface 202 may be substantially perpendicular to the rolling cutter assembly 104 ( Figure 1 ) of the longitudinal axis 128 ( Figure 1 ) plane. In some embodiments, the end surface interface cutters 208 may be arranged in a row, such as Figure 5 The row of face interface cutters 208 may be positioned proximate to the leading edge 502 of the face interface surface 202, such as Figure 5 In another embodiment, the row of face interface cutters 208 can be positioned proximate to the trailing edge 504 of the face interface surface 202. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 can be arranged as a series of face interface cutters 208 across the face interface surface 202.

[0041] The end interface cutter 208 may have a cutting face 302 that is substantially planar. Figure 5As shown, the face interface cutter 208 may extend from the face interface surface 202 such that a cutting face 302 of the face interface cutter 208 is substantially parallel to and offset from the plane of the face interface surface 202. The face interface cutter 208 may be formed of a material that is more wear resistant than the face interface surface 202 (e.g., a more wear resistant, harder material, etc.).

[0042] During drilling operations, debris such as formation debris may be disposed within the rolling cutter assembly 104 ( Figure 1 ) between the face 124 and the end interface surface 202. The end interface cutter 208 can be broken and disposed in the rolling cutter assembly 104 ( Figure 1 ) between the face 124 and the end interface surface 202, so that the debris can be removed from the rolling cutter assembly 104 ( Figure 1 ) and the area between the face 124 and the face interface surface 202. In addition, the face interface cutter 208 can be the first material to contact the debris, so that the face interface cutter 208 can wear before the face interface surface 202 contacts the debris and begins to wear. The higher wear resistance of the face interface cutter 208 can extend the service life of the earth-boring tool 100.

[0043] The face interface cutter 208 can be reversibly fixed to the face interface surface 202 so that the face interface cutter 208 can be removed and / or replaced when the face interface cutter 208 wears. For example, the face interface cutter 208 can be a cutting element fixed to the face interface surface 202, such as by a brazing or welding process. When the face interface cutter 208 wears, the face interface cutter 208 can be removed and / or replaced. Replacing the worn face interface cutter 208 can significantly reduce the wear on the face interface surface 202 and other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In some embodiments, the face interface cutter 208 can be fixed to the face interface surface 202 in a non-removable manner. For example, the face interface cutter 208 can be fixed to the face interface surface 202 by an interference fit or an adhesive.

[0044] In some embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may include a hard coating to increase the wear resistance of the face interface surface 202 relative to other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In other embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may be formed of an impregnated material, wherein the material of the face interface surface 202 may be impregnated with a superhard material such as diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, titanium, tungsten, or tantalum carbide or boride to increase the wear resistance of the face interface surface 202.

[0045] Figure 6An enlarged view of the junction between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the face interface surface 202 is shown. The face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 can be substantially free of cutting elements 120, such that the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 can be substantially planar. When the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128, the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 can rotate past the face interface cutters 208 protruding from the face interface surface 202. The protruding face interface cutters 208 can break up debris trapped between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the face interface surface 202, which can facilitate the removal of the debris with the fluid supplied by the nozzle 108.

[0046] Non-limiting example embodiments of the present disclosure may include:

[0047] Embodiment 1: A drilling tool, comprising: a tool body; at least one blade; a rolled cutter pit defined in the tool body adjacent to the at least one blade; a rolled cutter assembly disposed in the pit and comprising a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolled cutter assembly; and at least one interface cutting element extending from a surface of the pit.

[0048] Embodiment 2: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 1, wherein the plurality of cutting elements are arranged in at least two circles around the surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0049] Embodiment 3: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 2, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket at a location that coincides with a gap between the at least two rings.

[0050] Embodiment 4: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 3, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends into a plane of the plurality of cutting elements of the at least two rings without contacting the plurality of cutting elements.

[0051] Embodiment 5: The earth-boring tool of any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is formed of a superhard material.

[0052] Embodiment 6: An earth-boring tool according to Embodiment 5, wherein the superhard material comprises at least one of the following: diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides of titanium, tungsten or tantalum, and borides of titanium, tungsten or tantalum.

[0053] Embodiment 7: A ground-boring tool according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pit toward the surface of the rolled cutter assembly, and the plurality of cutting elements extend from the surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0054] Embodiment 8: An earth-boring tool according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pit toward the face of the rolled cutter assembly, wherein the face of the rolled cutter assembly does not contain the plurality of cutting elements.

[0055] Embodiment 9: The earth-boring tool of any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a non-planar cutting surface.

[0056] Embodiment 10: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 9, wherein the non-planar cutting face comprises at least one of a dome-shaped cutting face, a conical cutting face, and a scored cutting face.

[0057] Embodiment 11: The earth-boring tool of any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a substantially planar cutting face.

[0058] Embodiment 12: A method for forming a drilling tool, the method comprising: forming a tool body, the tool body comprising at least one blade and a recess defined in the tool body adjacent to the at least one blade; connecting at least one interface cutting element to the tool body in the recess; and setting a rolling cutter assembly into the recess, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is positioned between at least two cutting elements extending from the rolling cutter assembly.

[0059] Embodiment 13: The method of Embodiment 12, wherein coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body comprises removably coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body.

[0060] Embodiment 14: The method of any one of Embodiments 12 or 13, wherein positioning the rolling cutter assembly into the pit comprises rotatably coupling the rolling cutter assembly to an arm adjacent the pit.

[0061] Embodiment 15: A method according to any one of Embodiments 12 to 14, wherein setting the rolling cutter assembly into the pit includes positioning the rolling cutter assembly so that a first circle of cutting elements including a first cutting element of the at least two cutting elements is positioned on a first side of the at least one interface cutting element, and a second circle of cutting elements including a second cutting element of the at least two cutting elements is positioned on an opposite second side of the at least one interface cutting element.

[0062] Embodiment 16: A ground-boring tool, comprising: a rolled cutter assembly, the rolled cutter assembly being configured to rotate relative to a tool body of the ground-boring tool about a longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly; and one or more interface cutting elements, the one or more interface cutting elements extending from the tool body toward a surface of the rolled cutter assembly, the one or more interface cutting elements being configured to break up debris in an area between the rolled cutter assembly and the tool body.

[0063] Embodiment 17: A ground-boring tool according to Embodiment 16, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a facing surface of the rolled cutter assembly, wherein the facing surface of the rolled cutter assembly is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0064] Embodiment 18: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 17, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements include a substantially planar cutting face extending in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0065] Embodiment 19: The earth-boring tool of any one of Embodiments 16 to 18, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a side surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0066] Embodiment 20: The earth-boring tool of Embodiment 19, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements include at least two interface cutting elements aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

[0067] Embodiments of the present disclosure may increase the self-cleaning of the roller cone in a hybrid drill bit. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may facilitate breaking and removing debris trapped between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool. Breaking up the debris may facilitate removing the debris by a fluid supplied by a nozzle in the earth-boring tool. Breaking up and removing debris between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool may reduce wear on components of the earth-boring tool and may extend the useful life of the earth-boring tool. Breaking up and removing debris between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool may also maximize the effective exposure of the roller cone insert, thereby improving the performance of the associated hybrid drill bit.

[0068] In addition, the self-cleaning features of the earth-boring tool may also be configured to be removable and / or replaceable. Thus, these features may act as wear parts, which may further extend the useful life of the associated earth-boring tool. For example, the wear parts may wear away in place of the body of the earth-boring tool, such that the earth-boring tool may be reused after the wear parts are replaced. The cost of the earth-boring tool may be significantly higher than the cost of a single cutting element, such that replacing the cutting element rather than replacing the entire earth-boring tool may significantly reduce the cost of the drilling operation.

[0069] The embodiments of the present disclosure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings do not limit the scope of the present invention, because these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is limited by the attached claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. In fact, various modifications of the present disclosure (such as alternative useful combinations of the described elements) outside of those modifications shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the attached claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A ground-boring tool, comprising: Tool body; at least one blade; a rolled cutter pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blade; a rolling cutter assembly disposed in the pocket and including a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolling cutter assembly; At least one interface cutting element extends from a surface of the pit. 2 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cutting elements are arranged in at least two circles around the surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

3. The earth-boring tool of claim 2, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket at a location that coincides with a gap between the at least two turns.

4. The earth-boring tool of claim 3, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends into a plane of the at least two turns of the plurality of cutting elements without contacting the plurality of cutting elements.

5. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is formed of a superhard material.

6. The earth-boring tool of claim 5, wherein the superhard material comprises at least one of diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides of titanium, tungsten or tantalum, and borides of titanium, tungsten or tantalum.

7. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket toward the surface of the rolled cutter assembly and the plurality of cutting elements extend from the surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

8. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket toward a face of the rolled cutter assembly, wherein the face of the rolled cutter assembly is free of the plurality of cutting elements.

9. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a non-planar cutting surface.

10. The earth-boring tool of claim 9, wherein the non-planar cutting face comprises at least one of a domed cutting face, a conical cutting face, and a scored cutting face.

11. The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a substantially planar cutting face.

12. A method of forming an earth-boring tool, the method comprising: forming a tool body including at least one blade and a pocket defined in the tool body adjacent to the at least one blade; coupling at least one interface cutting element to the tool body in the pocket; A rolling cutter assembly is positioned into the pocket, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is positioned between at least two cutting elements extending from the rolling cutter assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body comprises removably coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein positioning the rolling cutter assembly into the pit comprises rotatably coupling the rolling cutter assembly to an arm adjacent the pit.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein setting the rolling cutter assembly into the pit includes positioning the rolling cutter assembly so that a first circle of cutting elements including a first cutting element of the at least two cutting elements is positioned on a first side of the at least one interface cutting element, and a second circle of cutting elements including a second cutting element of the at least two cutting elements is positioned on an opposite second side of the at least one interface cutting element.

16. An earth-boring tool, the earth-boring tool comprising: a rolled cutter assembly configured to rotate relative to a tool body of the earth-boring tool about a longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly; One or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a surface of the rolling cutter assembly, the one or more interface cutting elements being configured to break up debris in an area between the rolling cutter assembly and the tool body.

17. An earth-boring tool according to claim 16, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a facing surface of the rolled cutter assembly, wherein the facing surface of the rolled cutter assembly is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

18. The earth-boring tool of claim 17, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements include a substantially planar cutting face extending in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

19. The earth-boring tool of claim 16, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a side surface of the rolled cutter assembly.

20. The earth-boring tool of claim 19, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements include at least two interface cutting elements aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rolled cutter assembly.

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