Smith International, Inc.

Kumar T Kembaiyan

Thomas W Oldham

Anthony Griffo

Brian A White

Madapusi K Keshavan

Stewart N Middlemiss

Robert M Denton

Alysia C White

John Daniel Belnap

Gary R Chunn

Saul N Izaguirre

John (Youhe) Zhang

Thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond materials comprise a first phase including a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals, and a second phase including a reaction product formed between a binder/catalyst material and a material reactive with the binder/catalyst material. The reaction product is disposed within interstitial regions of the polycrystalline diamond material that exists between the bonded diamond crystals. The first and second phases are formed during a single high pressure/high temperature process condition. The reaction product has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is relatively closer to that of the bonded together diamond crystals than that of the binder/catalyst material.

Thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond materials and compacts

Drill bit bodies are provided having one portion formed of one composition and a further portion formed of a different composition. The different compositions provide different functional properties to respective portions of the drill bit body. Methods for forming such drill bit bodies are also provided.

Bit body formed of multiple matrix materials and method for making the same

A bit body formed of a mixture of matrix material and superabrasive powder and including pockets lined with superabrasive-free matrix material, and a method for forming the same, are provided. The pockets are shaped to receive cutting elements therein. The superabrasive-free matrix material enhances braze strength when a cutting element is brazed to surfaces of the pocket. The method for forming the drill bit body includes providing a mold and displacements. The displacements are coated with a mixture of superabrasive free matrix-material and an organic binder. The mold is packed with a mixture of matrix material and superabrasive powder and the arrangement heated to form a solid drill bit body. When the solid bit body is removed from the mold, pockets are formed by the displacements in the bit body and are lined with the layer of superabrasive-free matrix material. The superabrasive material may be diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, SiC or TiBin exemplary embodiments.

Bonding of cutters in diamond drill bits

A drill bit having a bit body having at least one blade thereon, at least one cutter pocket disposed on the at least one blade, at least one cutter disposed in the at least one cutter pocket, hardfacing applied to at least a selected portion of the drill bit is shown and described. The hardfacing includes a first hardfacing layer disposed on the selected portion of the drill bit, a second hardfacing layer disposed on the first hardfacing layer, wherein the first hardfacing layer has a hardness different than a hardness of the second hardfacing layer.

Layered hardfacing, durable hardfacing for drill bits

A new composition for forming a matrix body which includes spherical sintered tungsten carbide and an infiltration binder including one or more metals or alloys is disclosed. In some embodiments, the composition may include a Group VIIIB metal selected from one of Ni, Co, Fe, and alloys thereof. Moreover, the composition may also include cast tungsten carbide. In addition, the composition may also include carburized tungsten carbide.

High-strength, high-toughness matrix bit bodies

Bonding of cutters in drill bits

Thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond materials of this invention comprise a first phase including a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals, and a second phase including a reaction product formed between a binder/catalyst material and a material reactive with the binder/catalyst material. The reaction product is disposed within interstitial regions of the polycrystalline diamond material that exists between the bonded diamond crystals. The first and second phases are formed during a single high pressure/high temperature process condition. The reaction product has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is relatively closer to that of the bonded together diamond crystals than that of the binder/catalyst material, thereby providing an improved degree of thermal stability to the polycrystalline diamond material.

Drill bit reinforcing members or blanks of this invention are formed from high-strength steels having a carbon content less than about 0.3 percent by weight, a yield strength of at least 55,000 psi, a tensile strength of at least 80,000 psi, a toughness of at least 40 CVN-L, Ft-lb, and a rate of expansion percentage change less than about 0.0025%/&#xb0; F. during austenitic to ferritic phase transformation. In one embodiment, such steel comprises in the range of from about 0.1 to 0.3 percent by weight carbon, 0.5 to 1.5 percent by weight manganese, up to about 0.8 percent by weight chromium, 0.05 to 4 percent by weight nickel, and 0.02 to 0.8 percent by weight molybdenum. In another example, such steel comprises in the range of from about 0.1 to 0.3 percent by weight carbon, 0.9 to 1.5 percent by weight manganese, 0.1 to 0.5 percent by weight silicon, and one or more microalloying element selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium, titanium, zirconium, aluminum and mixtures thereof.

High-strength/high toughness alloy steel drill bit blank

An improved braze alloy is microalloyed to include about 0.0005 wt % to about 0.5 wt % of at least one aggressively surface acting element selected from tellurium (Te), selenium (Se), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), and gallium (Ga), or any combination thereof. The braze alloys may include at least about 30% by weight of at least one base metal selected from the group of silver (Ag), copper (Cu), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), or aluminum (Al). In one example, a silver braze alloy suitable for brazing a cutter to a drill bit body is microalloyed to improve a characteristic of the braze material.

Braze alloys

A down hole cutting tool includes a cutting element support structure. The cutting element support structure has at least one cavity formed therein. A cutting element is disposed in the cavity. Braze alloy is also disposed in the cavity between the cutting element and the cutting element support structure. The braze alloy comprises between about 0.5% and about 10% by weight of at least one selected from the group of gallium (Ga), indium (In), thallium (Tl). Methods for building a down hole tool using the braze alloy are also disclosed.

Braze alloy and method of use for drilling applications

High-strength/high-toughness alloy steel drill bit blank

A composite structural metal use, for example, in drill bit bodies is disclosed. The metal includes powdered tungsten carbide, and binder metal consisting of a composition by weight of manganese in a range of about zero to 25 percent, nickel in a range of about zero to 15 percent, zinc in a range of about 3 to 20 percent, tin in a range of more than 1 percent to about 10 percent, and copper making up about 24 to 96 percent by weight of the composition. In one embodiment, the composition includes about 6 to 7 percent tin therein. In another embodiment, the composition includes about 0-6 percent by weight of cobalt.

Growing community of inventors

The Woodlands, TX, United States of America

Kumar T Kembaiyan