Resilient Drill Bit Blades with Vibration Absorbing Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Drill bits face premature failure and wear due to high drilling forces and vibrations, especially when drilling through hard formations, leading to frequent bit changes and increased costs, as conventional designs lack sufficient resiliency and durability.
Innovation Solution
The drill bit design incorporates a vibration/force absorption mechanism, where blades are not integral to the bit body and are supported by an absorbing layer or configured with void spaces to allow flexing, reducing the impact forces on cutters and enhancing bit life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid blade designs are used, then structural strength is maintained, but cutter damage occurs due to high drilling forces and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible elements between the blade and bit body that allow controlled flexing and vibration absorption. These flexible components enable the blade to deflect under high drilling forces while maintaining overall structural integrity, thereby reducing cutter damage and extending bit life in hard formations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the blade support system by introducing flexible elements with specific deflection characteristics. This allows the system to transition from a rigid structure to one with controlled flexibility, enabling vibration absorption while maintaining sufficient strength for drilling operations.
2Reliability
If blades are made flexible to absorb vibrations, then cutter damage is reduced, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elements are designed with specific mechanical properties that allow vibration absorption while maintaining adequate structural support. The flexibility is controlled and localized, ensuring that overall blade strength is preserved while reducing transmitted vibrations to the cutters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction combining rigid blade materials with flexible support elements. This composite approach allows the system to exhibit both strength from the rigid components and vibration absorption from the flexible elements, resolving the contradiction between strength and durability.
3Productivity
If frequent bit changes are implemented to handle different formations, then drilling performance is optimized, but operational time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the drill bit with enhanced durability features that allow a single bit to effectively drill through various formation types including hard formations. The flexible blade support system and vibration absorption capabilities enable the bit to maintain performance across different drilling conditions, reducing the frequency of bit changes and associated non-productive time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design significantly reduces cutter damage and extends bit life by absorbing high-force vibrations, allowing blades to flex away from drilling forces, thus maintaining performance and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a material that is disposed between the at least one blade and the bit body, wherein the material allows the blade to deflect while sustained by the bit body
Implementation Method 2
the material allows the blade to deflect while sustained by the bit body
Implementation Method 3
the material allows the blade to deflect while sustained by the bit body
Data Source
AI summary
A drill bit for subsurface drilling includes a body; a blade extending from the body and having a front, a back side, and a formation facing surface between the front side and the back side. The blade is configured to have a plurality of cutting elements mounted to it. In addition the drill bit includes a first flex cut extending into the blade from the formation facing surface and positioned between the front side and the back side of the blade. The first flex cut is configured to allow at least a portion of the blade to flex.