Earth-boring tools including rotatable cutting elements, rotatable cutting elements, and associated components and methods
AssigneeBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
InventorsJon David Schroder, Gregory L. Ricks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotatable cutting element includes a stationary portion defining a cavity with an inner wall, the inner wall extending at an angle radially away from a longitudinal axis of the stationary portion and defining a retaining region. The rotatable cutting element further includes a rotatable portion having one end thereof disposed in the cavity of the stationary portion and structure for engaging a subterranean formation at an opposing end. The rotatable cutting element also includes a retaining element extending between the rotatable portion and the stationary portion, the retaining element extending into the retaining region defined by the inner wall of the stationary portion.
Claims17
A rotatable cutting element, comprising:
- a stationary portion defining a cavity with an inner wall, wherein the inner wall comprises a surface extending at a constant angle radially away from a longitudinal axis of the stationary portion and defining a retaining region, the constant angle being between 89° and 80°;
- a rotatable portion having one end thereof disposed in the cavity of the stationary portion and structure for engaging a subterranean formation at an opposing end;
- and
- a retaining element extending between the rotatable portion and the stationary portion, the retaining element extending into the retaining region defined by the inner wall of the stationary portion.
An earth-boring tool comprising:
- a body;
- a rotatable cutting element secured to the body, the rotatable cutting element including:
- a sleeve secured to the body, the sleeve defining a cavity;
- a rotatable element disposed in the cavity of the sleeve, the rotatable element including a cutting table and a spindle, the spindle extending into the cavity;
- an annular retaining element extending between a retaining groove defined in the spindle and a retaining surface defined in the cavity, the retaining element comprising a shaped memory alloy, wherein the retaining element is configured to transition from a flat ring shape to a conical ring shape when exposed to a triggering temperature.
A method of assembling a rotatable cutting element, the method comprising:
- training a shaped memory alloy ring to a conical ring shape;
- lowering a temperature of the shaped memory alloy ring to below a trigger temperature of the shaped memory alloy ring;
- compressing the shaped memory alloy ring into a retaining groove on a spindle of a rotatable portion of the rotatable cutting element;
- disposing the spindle of the rotatable portion into a cavity defined in a stationary portion of the rotatable cutting element;
- heating the rotatable cutting element to a temperature above the trigger temperature of the shaped memory alloy ring;
- and
- transitioning the shaped memory alloy ring from a flat ring shape to the conical ring shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.