US 12,474,183 B2 · At-bit depth of cut and rate of penetration measurements

Abstract

A drill bit includes cutting elements and a displacement sensor deployed on a drill bit body. The displacement sensor includes an engagement piston disposed to translate axially in a sensor housing. The engagement piston includes an inner plunger and an opposing outer engagement element configured to engage a subterranean formation and is biased outward from the sensor housing. The displacement sensor further includes a position sensor configured to sense an axial position of the engagement piston in the sensor housing. An electronic controller is configured to determine a measured displacement from the sensed axial position of the engagement piston. The displacement sensor may enable depth of cut and rate of penetration measurements to be made while drilling.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A drilling tool comprising:

a drill bit body having a plurality of blades, cutting elements, and a displacement sensor disposed proximate to one of the cutting elements, wherein the proximate cutting element and the displacement sensor are disposed on one of the plurality of blades, wherein the displacement sensor includes an engagement piston configured to translate axially in a sensor housing, wherein the engagement piston includes an inner plunger and an opposed outer engagement element configured to engage a subterranean formation, wherein the engagement piston is biased outward from the sensor housing, wherein the displacement sensor configured to sense an axial position of the engagement piston in the sensor housing;
and
an electronic controller operably coupled to the displacement sensor and configured to determine a measured displacement from the sensed axial position of the engagement piston.

A method for measuring a drill bit depth of cut while drilling, the method comprising:

using a drill bit to drill a borehole, the drill bit including a drill bit body having a plurality of blades, cutting elements, and a displacement sensor disposed proximate to one of the cutting elements, wherein the proximate cutting element and the displacement sensor are disposed on one of the plurality of blades, wherein the displacement sensor includes an engagement piston disposed to translate axially in a sensor housing, wherein the engagement piston includes an inner plunger and an opposed outer engagement element configured to engage a subterranean formation, wherein the engagement piston is biased outward from the sensor housing, and wherein the displacement sensor is further configured to sense an axial position of the engagement piston in the sensor housing;
and
computing the drill bit depth of cut from the sensed axial position of the engagement piston in the sensor housing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

At-bit depth of cut and rate of penetration measurements

Life of this patent

At-bit depth of cut and rate of penetration measurements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18