# US 2014/0151133 A1 · Earth boring tool with improved arrangement of cutter side rakes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151133 A1 - Document ID: US20140151133A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/093,994 - Filed: 2013-12-02 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P. - Applicants: Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P. - Inventors: Rob A. Simmons; Carl Aron Deen; Andrew David Murdock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151133A1 ## CPC - E21B 10/55: with preformed cutting elements - E21B 10/46: characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts - E21B 10/567: with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Earth boring tools with a plurality of fixed cutters have side rake or lateral rakes configured for improving chip removal and evacuation, drilling efficiency, and/or depth of cut management as compared with conventional arrangements ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary apparatus for boring earth, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the bit is intended to rotate; and a group of two or more PDC cutters mounted in fixed positions on the body, the group of cutters collectively defining at least a portion of a cutting profile for the bit when it is rotated, each of the cutters in the group of cutters having a cutting face, a predetermined radial position within the cuffing profile based on its distance from the central axis, and a predetermined orientation for its cutting face, the predetermined orientation comprising a side inclination angle, which angle can be negative, zero, or positive; wherein at least two cutters in the group of cutters have side inclination angles that differ from one another by at least 4 degrees. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a cutting face, on which a plurality of outwardly extending blades are arranged, and wherein the at least two cutters are on the same blade. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotary apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least two cutters are adjacent to each other on the same blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two cutters have adjacent radial locations in a layout of the cutters on the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The rotary apparatus of claim 4, wherein the body comprises cutting face on which a plurality of outwardly extending blades are arranged; and wherein the at least two cutters are also adjacent to each other on the same blade. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the side inclination angle of at least one of the at least two cutters in the group of cutters is positive, and the side inclination angle of another one of the at least two of the group of cutters is negative. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) The rotary apparatus of any one claims 1 to 6, wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the side rake of the cutter, the side rake comprising the angular orientation of the cutting face of the cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the side rake of the cutter, the side rake comprising the angular orientation of the cutting face of the cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutting face. ### Claim 9 A rotary apparatus for earth boring, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the apparatus is intended to rotate; and a group of cutters in fixed locations on the body, the group of cutters collectively defining a cutting profile for the bit when it is rotated, each cutter in the group of cutters having a cutting face, a predetermined position within the cutting profile, and a predetermined side inclination angle, which angle can be negative, zero, or positive; wherein the group of cutters comprises a first cutter, a second cutter, and a third cutter at different radial positions within the cutting profile, and wherein the side inclination angle of the first cutter as compared to the second cutter changes in a first direction, and the side inclination angle of the third cutter as compared to the second cutter changes a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rotary apparatus of claim 9, wherein the side inclination angle of the first, second and third cutters is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of that cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The rotary apparatus of claim 9, wherein the side inclination angle of the first, second and third cutters is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of that cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutting face. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9, 10) The rotary apparatus of any one of claim 9, 10, or 11, further comprising a plurality of blades formed on the body; and wherein the first, second and third cutters are located on the same one of the plurality of blades. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The rotary apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third cutters are adjacent to each other on the same blade. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first, second and third cutters have adjacent radial locations on the cutting profile. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims claims 9 to 14, wherein the side inclination angle of at least one of the first, second and third cutters is positive, and the side inclination angle of at least another one of the first, second, and third cutters is negative. ### Claim 16 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the apparatus is intended to rotate; and a plurality of PDC cutters arrayed on the body of the bit, the plurality of cutters collectively defining at least a portion of a cutting profile for the bit when it is rotated, each of the group of cutters having a cutting face, a predetermined radial position within the cutting profile, and a predetermined side inclination angle for the cutting face, which angle can be negative, zero, or positive; wherein the plurality of cutters comprises a group of at least two adjacent cutters, a third cutter adjacent the first group, and at least a fourth cutter that is not part of the group; and wherein the side inclination angles of each cutter in the first group, and the side inclination angle of the third cutter compared to the side inclination angle of each of the cutters in the first group is changed in a first direction, and the side inclination angle of the fourth cutter as compared to the side inclination angle of the third cutter is changed in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The rotary cutter of claim 16, wherein the side inclination angle of the group of at least two cutters, the third cutter and the fourth cutter is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of the particular cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The rotary cutter of claim 16, wherein the side inclination angle of the group of at least two cutters, the third cutter and the fourth cutter is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of the particular cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutter face. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16, 17, 18) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 16 to 18, further comprising a plurality of blades formed on the body; and wherein the group of at least two cutters, the third cutter and the fourth cutter are located on the same one of the plurality of blades. ### Claim 20 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising; a body having a central axis, about which the apparatus is intended to rotate; and a plurality of cutters arrayed on the body of the cutter, the group of cutters collectively defining a cutting profile for the bit when it is rotated, each of the group of cutters having a cutting face, a predetermined radial position within the cutting profile, and a predetermined side inclination angle for the cutting face; wherein the plurality of cutters comprises a first group of at least two adjacent cutters and a second group of at least two adjacent cutters; and wherein the side inclination angles of each cutter in the first group are the same and the side inclination angles of each cutter in the second group are the same but different from the side inclination angles in the first group. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The rotary apparatus of claim 20, wherein the body comprises a cutting face, on which a plurality of outwardly extending blades are arranged, and wherein the first group of cutters and the second group of cutters are on the same blade. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The rotary apparatus of claim 21, wherein first group of cutters and the second group of cutters are adjacent to each other on the same blade. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The rotary apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first group of at least two adjacent cutters have adjacent radial locations in a layout of the cutters on the body, and the second group of at least two adjacent cutters have adjacent radial locations in a layout of the cutters on the body. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The rotary apparatus of claim 23, where the first group and the second group are adjacent to each other in the cutter layout. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the side inclination angle of the at least two cutters in the first group of cutters is positive, and the side inclination angle of the at least two cutters in the second group of cutters is negative. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) The rotary apparatus of any one claims 20 to 25, wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the side rake of the cutter, the side rake comprising the angular orientation of the cutting face of the cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 20 to 25, wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the side rake of the cutter, the side rake comprising the angular orientation of the cutting face of the cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutting face. ### Claim 28 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the apparatus is intended to rotate; and a plurality of cutters arrayed on the body in fixed positions, the plurality of cutters collectively defining at least a portion of a cutting profile for the bit when it is rotated, each of the group of cutters having a cutting face, a predetermined radial position within the cutting profile, and a predetermined side inclination angle; wherein the group of cutters comprises a first group of at least two adjacent cutters, and a second group of at least two adjacent cutters; wherein the side inclination angles of the cutters in the first group change consecutively from one cutter to the next adjacent cutter in a first direction; and the side inclination angles of the cutters in the second group change consecutively from one cutter to the next adjacent cutter in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The rotary bit of claim 28, wherein the cutters in the first group are radially adjacent to each other in a cutter layout, and wherein the cutters in the second group are radially adjacent to each other in the cutter layout. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The rotary bit of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of blades disposed on the body of the bit, wherein the cutters in the first group are adjacent to each other, and the second group of cutters are adjacent to each other on the same one of the plurality of blades. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28, 29, 30) The rotary apparatus of any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein the first group of cutters and the second of cutters are adjacent to each other. ### Claim 32 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the bit is intended to rotate, the body having formed thereon a plurality of outwardly extending blades, the plurality of blades including a first blade and a second blade; and a group of fixed cutters arrayed along the length of the first blade, the group of cutters comprises at least three adjacent cutters having alternating negative and positive side inclination angles; wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of that cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter. ### Claim 33 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the bit is intended to rotate, the body having formed thereon a plurality of outwardly extending blades, the plurality of blades including a first blade and a second blade; and a group of fixed cutters arrayed along the length of the first blade, the group of cutters comprises at least three adjacent cutters having alternating negative and positive side inclination angles; wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of that cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutting face. ### Claim 34 A rotary apparatus for earth boring operations, comprising: a body having a central axis, about which the bit is intended to rotate; a group of fixed cutters mounted on the body that collectively form a cutting profile for the bit; a plurality of outwardly extending blades formed on the body, the plurality of blades including a first blade and a second blade; wherein the group of cutters comprise a first group of fixed cutters arrayed linearly along at least a portion of the length of the first blade, the side inclination angles of the adjacent cutters in the first group changing directions in an alternating fashion along that portion of the length of the blade; wherein the side inclination angle of each cutter in the group of cutters is defined by the angular orientation of the cutting face of that cutter about an axis that is normal to a tangent to the cutting profile of the at the radial position of that cutter, projected onto the plane of the cutting face. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The rotary apparatus of claim 34, wherein the side inclination angles of the adjacent cutters along at least the portion of the length of the first blade alternate between negative and positive side inclination angles. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The rotary apparatus of claim 34, wherein the body is comprised of a cone section extending from the center axis a radially a predetermined distance, and a nose section that transitions to a gauge section; and wherein the portion of the length of the first blade extends from an end of the blade proximal to the center axis and up to the gauge section of the body. ### Claim 37 Rotary apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each fixed cutter is a PDC cutter. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37) Rotary apparatus of any one of the claims 1 to 37, wherein the rotary apparatus comprises a rotary drag bit.